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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
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Hi Mixa. A long ago I proposed a new kind of embedded processor, then kind of disappeared. It has been fun, but a lot of work and thought. Finally, I have a running testcase.
main()
{
if(x == 0)
if(x == 0) y = 2 + 3 * 4 - 4;
else y = 5;
while(x == 6)
{
x = x - 7;
}
for(x = 8; x < 9; x = x + 1)
{
y = 10;
}
}
This takes 51 clock intervals, assuming the multiply takes 1 cycle.
The for loop takes 36 for the 9 iterations while the if/assign takes 15.
Sorry that I forgot to respond to your question about the big LUTS. The cpu is a microprogrammed design that uses multi-port rams.
I don't know what comes next, It has taken a lot of time to get this far.
Honored Contributor
