REFINEMENT OF A SOFT-CORE PROCESSOR IMPLEMENTATION ON FPGA

CPUs with soft cores represent a category of microprocessors whose architecture and functionality can be delineated entirely utilizing languages used to describe hardware, such as Verilog or VHDL. These processors offer a high degree of customization tailored to specific applications and are deployable on platforms for reconfigurable hardware, including Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). After the design is successfully implemented, the potential exists for developing Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for large-scale production. This study entails designing, simulating, and validating an 8-bit processor utilizing VHDL. The envisaged processors are intended for application in control systems characterized by modest to moderate complexity. Moreover, the 8-bit soft processor design lays the groundwork for potential ASIC development. The simulation outcomes, facilitated by a commercial software (ModelSim), are comprehensively illustrated via timing diagrams. Additionally, the practical outcomes of this design's execution on the VIRTEX-5 are meticulously presented through laboratory experimentation. The primary contribution of this study is the development of a compact, application-focused soft-core processor architecture that emphasizes predictable execution, minimal response time, and efficient use of hardware resources—features that are crucial for embedded control system applications. The simulation and practical implementation results offer insights into the performance and feasibility of deploying such processors in real-world scenarios, paving the way for potential ASIC development and broader industrial application.