CDL Hardware Repository

This repository contains hardware modules in CDL that scale from general utilities, CSR handling, and input output, down to simple CPUs and peripherals.

[https://atthecodeface.github.io/cdl_hardware/cdl_external_html/index.html]

There are regression tests for most modules, and they are fully documented (well, at present about 65% fully documented, but quickly being completed).

The modules are pulled together to form some small systems, including a complete BBC microcomputer implementation.

Purpose

The original purpose of this respository was to provide some more open source CDL hardware designs on top of the original GIP implementation (which was CDL 0.6 compatible) and on top of the CDL source regression code. This then helps enable the design of a hardware intermediate represenation (IR) that can be targeted efficiently at FPGAs, simulation/emulation and real ASICs.

Plans

Immediate plans are:

• to complete implementations of RISC-V

• to finish the conversion of the GIP to the latest CDL - this is a CPU designed in 2002 that executes a 16-bit instruction set, and has a parallel decode for ARM 32-bit instructions generated by GCC, hence it can run embedded ARM linux.

Summary of CDL source directories

Modules are broadly grouped by function into directories, and they are all in the cdl directory

cdl/utils - solid regression

Utils is for generic modules that may be used in many different areas of design - general purpose utilities, in essence.

• dprintf: A debug printf module that takes requests of up to 32 bytes, and treats it much as a printf in C, allowing for hexadecimal and decimal formatted numbers; it works well with teletext framebuffer.

• dprintf_*_mux: Multiplexers to permit multiple sources of dprintf strings to a dprintf module, so a single formatter can be used with multiple requesters.

• hysteresis_switch: An input-pin filter with hysteresis to allow for example to debounce switches.

cdl/csr - solid regression

CSRs contains modules that implement a pipelined CSR (control/status register) interface; being pipelined this bus can be used across an ASIC or FPGA to meet timing simply. The bus uses a master-to-target tree, with a wired-or response path; registers may be placed in either direction along the way.

• csr_master_apb: an APB target that drives the CSR interface; this is generally the top of the CSR pipelined bus.

• csr_target_apb: a CSR target that drives an APB bus to a single APB peripheral; this is a leaf of the CSR pipelined bus.

• csr_target_csr: a CSR target that drives a same-cycle CSR read/write access bus, the simplest way to access registers in a target at the leaf of the CSR pipelined bus.

cdl/input_devices - solid regression

This directory currently contains just a PS2 keyboard host controller and key mapper, which permit a PS2 keyboard to be attached (for example) to an FPGA.

• ps2_host: A module that is currently receive-only, for a PS2 keyboard or mouse.

• ps2_host_keyboard: This module maps the PS2 received data from a ps2_host module into key up/down events for 8-bit key numbers, and for extended keys (basically a standard PS2 keyboard).

cdl/led - solid regression

This directory contains a simple 7-segment display decoder for hexadecimal (actually not regression tested), and an Adafruit Neopixel LED chain driver that can drive any length of Neopixels with 24-bit RGB values.

• led_seven_segment: very simple module to provide the LED values for hexadecimal values on a 7-segment display

• led_ws2812_chain: driver for Adafruit Neopixel LED chains; it requests a single 24-bit RGB at a time, and will load the chain up by modulating the LED chain 'data_in' pin as required.

cdl/video - some regression (teletext)

This directory contains simple framebuffer modules and a teletext decoder. The teletext decoder permits very simple debug data to be presented to a VGA or LCD display (or even SXGA...) using the companion 'dprintf' module.

This directory also contains implementations of some video chips, used in various older microcomputer systems.

• framebuffer: a framebuffer that at present is fixed to a maximum 64k pixels, using a dual-port 16kx48 SRAM, including the complete timing required for horizontal and vertical synchronization. It takes an SRAM write clock and a video read clock. The very current implementation drops every other horizontal pixel to downsize the image by a factor of 2.

• framebuffer_teletext: a teletext framebuffer that at present is fixed to a maximum 16k characters, using a dual-port 16kx8 SRAM, and also including the teletext character ROM, including the complete timing required for horizontal and vertical synchronization. It takes an SRAM write clock and a video read clock. It includes the teletext decoder running at full performance (i.e. smoothing turned on, 12x20 character display).

• teletext: a teletext decoder capable of decoding arbitrary-sized teletext presentation level 1.0 data, using an external character ROM. The module maintains the character scanline and other timing details, and it provides for double height characters and smoothing of characters.

• saa5050: an implementation of the SAA5050 Mullard teletext decoder, used in the BBC microcomputer; this modules uses the teletext decoder module, and is now basically just a simple wrapper for that module.

• crtc6845: an implementation of the Motorola 6845 cathode ray tube controller - this is a configurable timing and address generator that is used to create synchronization signals and addresses for video displays. It is particularly used in the BBC microcomputer.

cdl/apb - solid regression

This directory contains a number of APB targets and masters, and an APB arbiter/multiplexer.

• apb_processor: an APB master that runs a very simple script language from a ROM permitting APB reads and writes, where the data read back can be mainpulated simply, and simple flow control. This permits configuration of APB targets from a simple ROM without a full-blown CPU.

• apb_target_timer: a simple APB target timer peripheral with a 31-bit timer and three equality comparators

• apb_target_rv_timer: a more sophisticated APB target timer peripheral that is compatible with RISC-V platform requirements, with a 64-bit timer and a single 64-bit greater-than comparator. This supports fractional addition under timer control to provide for an accurate 64-bit nanosecond timer in a system, independent of clock frequency

• apb_target_sram_interface.cdl: a simple APB target that generates pipeline SRAM read/write requests, to allow for reading/writing of SRAMs relatively simply from a distance.

• apb_target_gpio.cdl: a simple APB target for GPIO inputs/outputs.

• apb_target_dprintf.cdl: a simple APB target that drives the utils/dprintf module to permit debug 'printf' to SRAMs (e.g. framebuffers) or (when implemented later...) UARTs.

• apb_target_led_ws2812: an APB target that drives a chain of up to 16 Neopixel LEDs with full RGB

• apb_target_ps2_host: an APB target that provides access to a PS/2 host interface, for example to interface with a PS/2 keyboard.

• apb_target_de1_cl_inputs.cdl: an APB target that allows access to the state of the Cambridge University CL DE1-SOC daughterboard inputs.

• apb_master_mux: a two-input APB master arbiter/multiplexer, permitting two APB masters to access a set of APB targets

• apb_master_axi: an AXI target that is an APB master for reads and writes

CPU, apb, boards, bbc, serial, storage

to be written up here yet