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Microprocessors versus DSPs:
Fundamentals and Distinctions
Contents
This class has three main objectives:
- It provides an introduction to, and review of, basic and intermediate concepts of processor architecture. These are the fundamentals necessary for understanding both general purpose processors (GPPs) and DSP processors (DSPs).
- It presents the differences between DSP processors and general purpose processors, and the reasons for those differences. To illustrate these differences, representative processors are investigated.
- It explores how to determine when a DSP is the better choice for an application, and when a general purpose processor is the better choice for an application. Case studies are used to compare representative processors for a typical application.
Introduction
The Elements of Processors
- Data path
- Instruction set
- Memory architecture
- Addressing
- Program control
- On-chip integration
- Tools and development
Comparing a basic GPP (ARM7) to a basic DSP (TMS320C5xxx)
- Common attributes of DSP algorithms/applications
- Data path
- Instruction set
- Memory efficiency
- Memory architecture
- Addressing
- Program control
- On-chip integration
- Tools and development
Case study: Implementing an FIR filter on an ARM7, TMS320C5xxx
Conclusions
Module 2:
Introduction
Brief review of basic processor elements
- Data Path
- Instruction set
- Memory architecture
- Addressing
- Program control
- On-chip integration
- Tools and development
Advanced microprocessor concepts
- Pipelining
- Multi-issue architectures
- Caches
- Dynamic features (branch prediction, etc.)
- Execution-time predictability
- SIMD
Comparing a high-performance GPP (PowerPC G4) to a high-performance DSP (TMS320C6xxx)
- Architecture
- Data path
- Instruction set
- Memory architectures, caches
- Pipelines
- SIMD features
- Dynamic features (branch prediction, etc.)
- On-chip integration
- Tools and development
- FIR filter benchmark example, performance
- Why use a DSP if high-performance GPPs are so fast?
Conclusions
Berkeley Design Technology, Inc (BDTI) is a technical services and software company focused on DSP technology. BDTI is well-known for developing the only vendor-independent set of DSP benchmarks, the BDTI Benchmarks™, which it has implemented on nearly every processor used in DSP today. BDTI provides DSP software development and optimization services, published reports on DSP technology, and DSP technical advisory services.
For more information about this and other BDTI training classes, please register with BDTI.
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