A Multi-One Instruction Set Computer for Microcontroller Applications

oleh: Marco Crepaldi, Andrea Merello, Mirco Di Salvo

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: IEEE 2021-01-01

Deskripsi

This work presents a simple integer-only instruction set architecture and microarchitecture derived from One Instruction Set Computers (OISCs) and embedding <italic>multiple</italic> execution modes (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>OISC), capable of running at a reasonable performance level to enable basic usability in microcontroller applications. The purpose of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>OISC is to enable simple data transfer tasks and run small programs while maintaining ultimate simplicity. We present the internal organization for a computer architecture including an 8bit I/O register, and 64kB central Random Access Memory (RAM), organized in two-bytes words. The processor can run code generated assuming an OISC or a Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) scheme (op-code based), depending on the programmer&#x2019;s demands and based on the initial setting of a register during start-up. To enable practical applications and demonstrate successful exploitation of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>OISC in view of integration in a compiler back-end, we designed a custom Proof-of-Concept (PoC) software design toolchain based on LLVM and <monospace>clang</monospace>. Although not targeting all the features of commercial ISA, the toolchain is capable of compiling C code from LLVM intermediate representation or generating <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>OISC code translated from ARM, x86, RISC-V, and MIPS assembly. The toolchain also enables practical Value Change Dump (VCD) simulations output with graphical plots of the CPU state and associated symbols. A PoC microcontroller system has been synthesized in a low power Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and verified in a basic wireless telemetry application including a Synchronous Peripheral Interface (SPI) RFM9x Long RAnge (LoRA) transceiver and a MAX30205 Inter Integrated Circuit (I<sup>2</sup>C) temperature sensor, using its 8bit I/O port, with software bus interface implementation. <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>OISC occupies &#x007E;6&#x0025; of resources on a Cyclone 10LP FPGA, for 1397 Adaptive Look-Up Tables (ALUTs) and 461 dedicated logic registers. The measured dynamic current consumption of the complete FPGA board with synthesized <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>OISC is 12mA at 100MHz clock.