Feature: Embedded design
on just the low-level interface, adequate time can be dedicated to testing these essential operations. In this scenario, the full signal path
(amplifications, attenuations, conversions, etc.) is tested and validated, with project development time and effort reduced by initially implementing the algorithms in soſtware (C/C++). Te lessons learned from this implementation will directly be transferable to HDL implementations with soſtware-to-HDL tools, such as Xilinx’s Vivado HLS.
Second development stage Te co-processor approach offers a second development stage, defined by moving the DSP processes and algorithm implementations from the MCU on to the FPGA. Te FPGA is still responsible for the high-speed ADC interface; however, by assuming these other roles, the speed and parallelism offered by the FPGA are maximised – and unlike the MCU, multiple instances of DSP processes and algorithm channels can be implemented and run simultaneously. Tools such as Vivado HLS can provide
the functional translation from executable C/C++ code to synthesisable HDL. Timing constraints, process parameters and other user preferences must still be defined and implemented; however, the core functionality is preserved and translated to the FPGA fabric. Here, the MCU’s role is that of a system
manager – monitoring, updating and reporting the FPGA’s status and control registers. The MCU also manages the user interface (UI), which could be anything from a web server accessed over the Ethernet or Wi-Fi, to an industrial touchscreen interface. Effectively, in this setup the MCU is relieved from computationally-intensive processing tasks, with the MCU and FPGA lending their strongest features to the tasks: the FPGA provides fast, parallel execution of DSP processes and algorithm implementations, while the MCU provides a responsive and streamlined UI and manages the product’s processes.
Figure 2: DPS and MCU architecture
Figure 1: Generic co-processor diagram
Figure 3: The architecture of system management with a microcontroller
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