A Simple And Efficient FCU Controlled Sub-system Platform

With rapid development of integrated circuit manufacturing technology, more and more logic gates can be integrated into a single die. At the same time, this also brings great design and verification complexity. The traditional SoC design methodology based on IP core reuse wil not meet the increasing complexity of future SoC design, as well as the TTM (Time-to-Market) requirements. SoC design based subsystem reuse, which integrates pre-verified subsystem solutions for specific applications into the SoC system design, can greatly reduce the design and verification effort, while reducing design risk and accelerate time to market time. In this paper, we analyzed the data flow control in the subsystem, and proposed a FCU (Flow Control Unit) module. Then we builded a FCU controlled subsystem platform on the CK-SoC Integrator. Research work started from the following aspects:Firstly, we introduced the concept of sub-system reuse, described common subsystem architecture, including general purpose processors and on-chip bus in sub-systems.Secondly, in order to make the FCU can be easily and quickly integrated into the SoC system, we proposed FCU units. Regarding hardware, we described the micro-architecture design of FCU, including micro-architecture definition, instruction set definition, pipeline design, logic verification and logic synthesis. Regarding software, we introduced FCU software programming, including the FCU compiler design, FCU software programming.Thirdly, in order to make the FCU could be integrated into SoC system conveniently, we built a FCU controlled subsystem platform on the CK-SoC integrator.Finally, an information security SoC chip was designed and implemented to prove the feasibility and efficiency of the FCU controlled sub-system. At end of the paper, we summarized and discussed the work in this paper, point out the deficiencies to improve and advance the new research direction and contents in the future.