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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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17 years ago

A different kind of embedded processor/controller

I have a preliminary design that uses Trimatrix memory blocks to meet the timing of control logic that typically limits the use of embedded controllers/processors. Pipelining is used to boost perfor...
Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
17 years ago

Hi all,

This idea is actually interesting and is not immediately obvious.

I believe you are suggesting that the fpga platform can be used as a fast software platform faster than Nios. Somewhere in between a DSP platform and fpga platform. This could be good say for cases where there is a too complex algorithmic processing that is tedious using HDL but easy in software and that doesn't need all the speed of fpga but demands more than the speed of nios.

Currently there are tools like C to HDL, or C to FPGA(without HDL), Matlab to HDL core generators, Labview to FPGA(without HDL)...etc. Some of them are meant for DSP software engineers to use fpgas directly. I believe adding Simknutt's idea is relatively viable option in this tool race.

Remember also that on the other end an FPGA can be used to hardwire all or a large number of a set of instructions leading to very fast custom computing machines.

kaz