6 – Embedded Processors

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the basic techniques for implementing a simple processor directly on the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and the approach for implementing soft cores on FPGAs has been introduced. This ranges from simple 8-bit microprocessors up to large IP processor cores that require an element of hardware-software co-design involved. It explains the basic architecture of an embedded processor and provides basic instructions to use it. This chapter takes the reader through the basics of implementing a behavioral-based microprocessor for evaluation of algorithms, through to the practicalities of structurally correct models that can be synthesized and implemented on an FPGA. In any soft core development system there are several key functions that are required to make the process easy to implement. The first is the system building function. This enables a core to be designed into a hardware system that includes memory modules, control functions, Direct Memory Access (DMA) functions, data interfaces and interrupts. The second is the choice of processor types to implement.