WB_ASP - Configurable Wishbone Application Specific Processor
The WB_ASP peripheral is an Application Specific Processor used as a 'container' for C source functions that are implemented in hardware through use of the C-to-Hardware Compiler.
Wired into an FPGA design just like any other peripheral, the WB_ASP enables a host processor access and control over hardware-compiled functions within. These functions will populate the WB_ASP once the design project has been compiled and synthesized.
By using C-to-Hardware compilation, computing-intensive software functions can be compiled into fast electronic circuits that are able to perform the specified task in a far more efficient manner.
When a hardware function is called, the processor simply transfers values for the function's parameters to the WB_ASP, starts the function and waits for it to return. If the hardware function delivers a return value, this will be read back by the host processor, to be used in the calling software routine.
Features at-a-glance
- Ability to specify which C source functions are to be implemented in hardware
- Ability to export hardware functions to software (callable by software functions)
- Ability to export hardware functions to software (callable by software functions)
- Ability to specify global variables to be allocated in hardware
- Ability to globally control hardware generation and use of hardware functions from software
- Completely configurable from the OpenBus System document (or schematic sheet)
- Wishbone-compliant
Availability
From an OpenBus System document, the ASP component can be found in the Peripherals region of the OpenBus Palette panel.
From a schematic document, the WB_ASP component can be found in the FPGA Peripherals (Wishbone) integrated library (FPGA Peripherals (Wishbone).IntLib), located in the \Library\Fpga folder of the installation.
Designing with the WB_ASP
Use the following links to explore use of the WB_ASP in more detail: