N.mPc: An adaptable software system to support the development of microprocessor-based systems
Charles W. Rose · Design Automation Conference · 1977
The use and development of new microprocessor (microcomputer) families has surpassed the construction of software tools to support the digital engineer and programmer in their implementation tasks. N.mPc is an adaptable software system to assist the development of hardware and firmware for microprocessors. By embedding a machine description capability into the components of N.mPc, the software processors can be adapted to support new and different microprocessor systems.N.mPc consists of three related software processors. A general microassembler (metaMicro) is used by the programmer to code and a-semble his firmware. The ISP' compiler, which is based on the Instruction Set Processor description language, is used to describe the hardware elements in the microprocessor system, including the instruction set of the microprocessors. The compiler output modules are linked together using a description of the network topology (netSim ecologist), producing a program image which simulates the semantics and timing of the hardware network under firmware control. Since ISP' modules are linked together in a standard fashion, the network may contain more than one microprocessor element.The microassembler has been implemented in the C language on a PDP-11/45 under the UNIX generating system; the compiler and the remainder of the simulator equipment are in implementation.