Soft-core processor construction

[sai a]

Can anyone help me either by telling me or leading me to some
resources like links or documents which help me understand the
following:
1. What exactly is a soft-core processor?
2. How do you go about building one?
3. Are there any tutorials for this, with special reference to
Handel-C?
4. How do I use Handel-C to build soft-core processors? What will be
the tools required?

If you have answers to any of these, I can certainly make use of it.

s.a.

 

[Thad Smith]

sai a wrote:

If anyone can help me with any information on the following, please do.

1. What exactly is a soft-core processor?

I think it is one that is constructed with programmable logic using the
normal programmable logic tools. This is in contrast to a hard-core
processor, which is laid out in a more custom manner. Hard core
processors can be present on an IC with programmable logic, but it is
inserted as a single large piece of logic, rather than build with the
standard programmable parts.

Soft core is more flexible, but hard core has better performance: size,
speed, low power.

2. How do you go about building one?

I suppose you either design your own with standard logic components or
license an existing a design. I believe there is one processor design
with some sort of free licensing.

3. Are there any tutorials for this, with special reference to Handel-C?

4. What are the tools required to build a soft-core using Handel-C?

I added comp.arch.fpga to the group list. This should bring in some
more knowledgeable folk.

Thad

 

[Larry Doolittle]

In article <3FC438D4.542D2E67@acm.org>, Thad Smith wrote:

sai a wrote:

2. How do you go about building [a soft-core processor]?
I suppose you either design your own with standard logic components or
license an existing a design. I believe there is one processor design
with some sort of free licensing.

I added comp.arch.fpga to the group list. This should bring in some
more knowledgeable folk.

Go read http://www.fpgacpu.org/links.html . There are a ton of
free and educational soft cores from which to learn. If, after
studying this material for a while, you have more questions, by
all means come back to comp.arch.fpga.

- Larry

 

[Sumit Gupta]

Larry Doolittle <ldoolitt@recycle.lbl.gov> wrote in message news:<slrnbs8ca0.jk4.ldoolitt@recycle.lbl.gov>...

In article <3FC438D4.542D2E67@acm.org>, Thad Smith wrote:
sai a wrote:

2. How do you go about building [a soft-core processor]?
I suppose you either design your own with standard logic components or
license an existing a design. I believe there is one processor design
with some sort of free licensing.

I added comp.arch.fpga to the group list. This should bring in some
more knowledgeable folk.

Go read http://www.fpgacpu.org/links.html . There are a ton of
free and educational soft cores from which to learn. If, after
studying this material for a while, you have more questions, by
all means come back to comp.arch.fpga.

- Larry

Look at http://www.c-nit.net/

Sumit