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access icon free MIPSfpga: using a commercial MIPS soft-core in computer architecture education

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 30/09/2016, Accepted 27/02/2017, Revised 19/02/2017, Published 07/03/2017

In this study, the authors introduce MIPSfpga and its accompanying set of learning materials. MIPSfpga is a teaching infrastructure that offers access to the non-obfuscated Register-Transfer Level (RTL) source code of the MIPS microAptiv UP processor. The core is made available by Imagination Technologies for academic use and is targeted to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), making it ideal for both the classroom and research. The supporting materials and labs focus on hands-on learning that emphasises computer architecture, system on chip (SoC) design and hardware–software codesign. Among other things, students learn to set up the MIPS soft-core processor on an FPGA, run and debug programs on the core in simulation and in hardware, add new peripherals to the system, understand the microarchitecture and extend it to support new features, experiment with different cache sizes and content management policies, add new instructions using the CorExtend interface available in MIPS processors, and understand SoCs in embedded systems and how they are designed and built up in layers to run complex software such as Linux.

Inspec keywords: hardware-software codesign; source code (software); electronic engineering education; learning (artificial intelligence); microprocessor chips; computer science education; system-on-chip; field programmable gate arrays; computer architecture

Other keywords: SoC; hardware–software codesign; content management policies; Imagination Technologies; MIPSfpga; academic use; MIPS microAptiv UP processor; field-programmable gate array; cache sizes; program debugging; computer architecture education; commercial MIPS soft-core processor; hands-on learning; teaching infrastructure; Linux; system on chip; CorExtend interface; learning materials; nonobfuscated RTL source code

Subjects: Computing education and training; Computer architecture; System-on-chip; Microprocessor chips; Digital circuit design, modelling and testing; Microprocessors and microcomputers; Logic circuits; Logic and switching circuits; Education and training; Hardware-software codesign; System-on-chip

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http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1049/iet-cds.2016.0383
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