Imagination Technologies, a leading designer of multimedia chip technologies, on Wednesday announced its new family of intellectual property (IP) cores designed for “all forms of consumer electronics” that require constant Internet connection.

“The world is getting so connected that soon creating any chip incorporating a processor without connectivity will seem as alien as designing a chip today without memory or peripherals. Connected devices are now truly past the ‘What If?’ phase – in the future everything from the smallest, cheapest electronic device upwards will have an IP address and be connected to the world via the internet,” said Hossein Yassaie, chief executive officer of Imagination Technologies.

Imagination’s own research suggests that within five years, more than 70% of all mainstream consumer electronics products, including TVs, radios, cameras, printers and more will be connected to the internet. Indeed, several major CE manufacturers have already committed to integrate internet connectivity across their entire product lines.

“The most innovative new products being released now and in the next few years are now all connected, and recognizing this we are developing new low power, connected processor IP cores based on our innovative 32-bit processor and communications architectures to enable an era of ubiquitous internet connectivity,” added Mr. Yassaie.

The Meta Connected Processor family will combine Imagination’s Meta multithreaded processor and Ensigma multi-standard programmable communications technologies, fully optimized for low power and high performance.  As a result of this development, these technologies, which are already successful in consumer broadcast markets, will now be able to be used in new lower end markets such as digital photo-frames, media streamers/players, printers, toys and connected cameras, according to the company.

For the first time, chip designers will be able to utilize embedded 32-bit processor IP platform that delivers multi-standard connectivity, alongside a high performance Linux or RTOS based applications environment as well as DSP-intensive algorithm execution – all in one fully integrated IP solution.

The Meta Connected Processor IP core family will enable high volume consumer products to be connected not only to the internet but also to each other to make possible a world of universal connectivity. By delivering programmability both for general purpose applications as well as communications algorithms, these new IP cores will set the trend for next generation connectivity and embedded application platforms in consumer electronics.

Further details of the new IP core family will be announced in the coming months.

Tags: Imagination, Meta, Ensigma