Open-Source 32-Bit RISC Soft-Core Processors
Rahul R.Balwaik Rahul R.Balwaik · IOSR Journal of VLSI and Signal processing · 2013
A soft-core processor build using a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)'s general-purpose logic represents an embedded processor commonly used for implementation.In a large number of applications; soft-core processors play a vital role due to their ease of usage.Soft-core processors are more advantageous than their hard-core counterparts due to their reduced cost, flexibility, platform independence and greater immunity to obsolescence.This paper presents a survey of a considerable number of soft core processors available from the open-source communities.Some real world applications of these soft-core processors are also discussed followed by the comparison of their several features and characteristics.The increasing popularity of these soft-core processors will inevitably lead to more widespread usage in embedded system design.This is due to the number of significant advantages that soft-core processors hold over their hard-core counterparts.