CPU design at the gate level

From: Clint Wolff <vaxman_at_qwest.net>
Date: Fri Sep 21 16:43:31 2001

There is a book by Mick & Brick about the 29xx bit slice processors.
It is basically a reprint of the application note booklets. I have
both, but they are very near the bottom of the 'to-scan' pile.

I just bought a pair of Sun Netra T105s, so I am about 8 years
away from classic hardware right now... Sigh...

OTOH, I am re-designing a small (30K gates) DSP core that is use to
control the servo system for DVD drives. If you'd like to discuss
how to implement instructions, drop me a line. No, I can't give out
the VHDL for the DSP, Cirrus would fire me, sue me, or make me
work late...

Clint

On Fri, 21 Sep 2001, Alan Pearson wrote:

> Tony Duell wrote:
>
> > I've not come across it, but if it stops with registers and
> > the ALU, I don't think I'd call it a 'good book'.
> >
> > A CPU can be divided into 2 parts. The Data Path (registers, ALU, the
> > multiplexers between them, etc) and the Control (instruction decoder,
> > microcode + sequencer, condition logic, etc)
>
> True, I don't recall covering much in the way of control logic - only
> very basic stuff like telling the ALU whether to add or subtract, plus
> implementing a few flags like zero and carry. Once we got to that stage
> they threw us at the 29xx series to look at microcoding, which was all
> the rage at the time.
>
> Unfortunately I've lost most of my college notes now, I guess I've moved
> too many times :-/ I've been looking for a replacement for the Thewlis
> book - can you recommend any which cover CPU logic from the basics of
> how to build registers out of gates up to instruction fetching & decoding?
> I'm also very keen to get hold of a book covering the bitslice processors
> (29xx), any ideas? I can't imagine there's anything left in print now, but
> with an author/title or ISBN I might be able to track down a second-hand
> copy.
>
> -al
>
>
Received on Fri Sep 21 2001 - 16:43:31 BST