Learn Embedded Design With DLX

The DLX processor architecture was originally described by Hennessy and Patterson. The Designer's Guide to VHDL by Peter J. Ashenden includes an almost complete working VHDL code for the DLX architecture. As such the DLX is an ideal platform for learners to experiement with processor architectures.

CPU Design Kit includes a complete working SMDL model of the DLX processor architecture. The CDK Assembler, Linker, Simulator and Debugger will work out of the box with this DLX model.

By editing the SMDL model and adding new instructions, these tools can be made to work with variants of the DLX architecture making the CPU Design Kit an ideal platform for developing new processor architectures as well as for creating new processor variants .

How is SMDL Different from VHDL ?

VHDL is a structurual (compositional) language for describing digital architectures. VHDL is also a procedural language for describing behavior of digital devices. A VHDL description for a processor architecture can go upto thousands of lines of code. Such a model can only be used for behavioral simulation and synthesis.

SMDL is a declarative language to create abstract models of processor architectures. SMDL models are compact and can be used for several purposes like:

• Dynamically target the CDK assembler, linker for the processor
• Allow processor instances to be created and used for simulation in the CDK Simulator.
• To provide necessary processor information to the CDK Debugger.
• Generating RTL (VHDL) for the processor

It is clear that SMDL models are transparent. This allows the processor architecture to be used as a design time variable when creating new system designs. SMDL and the CPU Design Kit make it possible for system designers to identify an optimal processor architecture for a specific application. The difficulties associated with creating a new processor architecture like creating the required development tools, simulators and verification tools are automatically taken care by the CPU Design Kit.

Benefits

If you are a learner, you can use CDK for creating test programs for the DLX architecture. Make changes to the DLX architecture and develop programs for your own variant of the DLX architecture.

Once you test your architecture, by purchasing an FPGA developer kit from a popular vendor like Xilinx or Altera along with necessary synthesis tools, you will be able to actually download your architecture to an FPGA, and use the CDK tools for creating binaries you can download and test !

Whether you want to explore the ideal architecture to reduce power consumption for mobile phones or explore ways of reducing code size for an mpeg-4 decoder, or have the idea for a breakthrough processor architecture -- CPU Design Kit is the ideal platform to convert your concept into reality.

If you are an experienced architect, use CPU Design Kit to bring the advantages of configurable architectures to your customers.

Next Steps

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