It is my understanding that the instruction set was patented making it an i=
nfringement to create a binary compatible core.

There are some neat features in the ARM that came about from some great thi=
nking by the BBC micro team, many of whom are still around Cambridge but no=
t at ARM anymore.=20

Conditional execution is a neat feature but it does not seem to be used as =
much as it could be.

On 2011-10-16, at 9:14 AM, Electron wrote:

>=20
> Hi all,
>=20
> now that the original ARM patents are (supposedly!) expired, anyone can d=
esign
> a CPU (I do not mean copy an existing ARM core, but design one from scrat=
ch)
> and not incur in patent infringment?
>=20
> And, when the original ARM patents were still in place, was it legal to d=
esign
> and sell a CPU binary-compatible with ARM (not licensing anything of cour=
se)?
>=20
> This of course depends if the opcodes were part of their patent, but assu=
ming
> they were..
>=20
> Just (very) curious. Of all the CPU's I programmed for (many), I think th=
e ARM
> has the most beautiful instruction set. Expecially the "all instructions =
are
> conditional", although not exclusive of ARM, is just so nice on it.
>=20
> Thanks,
> Mario
>=20
> --=20
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