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Enabling & Support

Microprocessors

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ESA / Enabling & Support / Space Engineering & Technology / Onboard Computers and Data Handling

Microprocessors are a core component of modern electronics and on-board computers do not escape this rule. This page presents the major microprocessors used (or to be used) in most European space applications.

LEON2 / LEON2-FT

The LEON2 is a synthesisable VHDL model of a 32-bit processor conforming to the IEEE-1754 (SPARC V8) architecture. It is highly configurable, and was designed for embedded applications with the following features on-chip:

  • 5-stage integer pipeline
  • separate instruction and data caches
  • hardware multiplier and divider
  • memory management unit
  • interrupt controller
  • debug support unit with trace buffer
  • two 24-bit timers
  • two UARTs
  • power-down function
  • watchdog
  • 16-bit I/O port
  • Flexible memory controller

The LEON2 is based on an AMBA AHB/APB bus architecture, so new modules can easily be added to extend its functionality. The processor can be implemented in both FPGA and ASIC technologies.

The LEON2-FT design is an extension of the basic LEON2 model including advanced fault-tolerance features to withstand arbitrary single-event upset (SEU) errors without loss of data. The fault-tolerance is provided at design (VHDL) level, and does not require an SEU-hard semiconductor process, nor a custom cell library or special back-end tools. Atmel has manufactured an ASIC version of the LEON2-FT in the ATH18RHA rad hard process, available through their catalogue as part number AT697F. The AT697F is qualified according to QML-Q.

Availability:
The LEON2-FT VHDL IP core is available from ESA directly, under special licensing conditions. Please refer to the LEON2-FT IP Core webpage on the ESA IP Cores website for more information on licensing the LEON2-FT model.
The LEON2 (non-FT) model is no longer maintained. It is superceded by LEON2-FT, and the subsequently released LEON models (LEON3, LEON4).
The ASIC implementation of the LEON2-FT is available from Atmel,as part number AT697F.

LEON3 / LEON3-FT

The LEON3 is a synthesisable VHDL model of a 32-bit processor compliant with the IEEE-1754 (SPARC V8) architecture. The LEON3 is an extension to the LEON2 processor, featuring a 7-stage pipeline (vs the 5-stage pipeline of the LEON2), and supporting both asymmetric and symmetric multiprocessing (AMP/SMP). Up to 16 CPU can be used in a multiprocessing configuration. The LEON3 model is highly configurable, and suitable for System-on-Chip (SoC) designs. It features the following:

  • SPARC V8 instruction set with V8e extensions
  • Advanced 7-stage pipeline
  • Hardware multiply, divide and MAC units
  • High-performance, fully pipelined IEEE-754 FPU
  • Separate instruction and data cache (Harvard architecture) with snooping
  • Configurable caches: 1 - 4 ways, 1 - 256 Kbytes/way. Random, LRR or LRU replacement
  • Local instruction and data scratch pad RAM, 1 - 512 Kbytes
  • SPARC Reference MMU (SRMMU) with configurable TLB
  • AMBA-2.0 AHB bus interface
  • Advanced on-chip debug support with instruction and data trace buffer
  • Symmetric Multi-processor support (SMP)
  • Power-down mode and clock gating
  • Robust and fully synchronous single-edge clock design
  • Up to 125 MHz in FPGA and 400 MHz on 0.13 um ASIC technologies
  • Extensively configurable
  • Large range of software tools: compilers, kernels, simulators and debug monitors
  • High Performance: 1.4 DMIPS/MHz, 1.8 CoreMark/MHz (gcc -4.1.2)
LEON3 architecture
LEON3 architecture

The LEON3-FT design is a fault-tolerant and SEU-proof version of the LEON3, suitable for space applications. As in the LEON2-FT model, the fault-tolerance is provided at design (VHDL) level, and does not require an SEU-hard semiconductor process, nor a custom cell library or special back-end tools. The LEON3-FT model features most of the functionality of the LEON3 processor, and also includes the following fault-tolerance features:

  • Register file SEU error-correction of up to 4 errors per 32-bit word
  • Cache memory error-correction of up to 4 errors per tag or 32-bit word
  • Autonomous and software transparent error handling
  • No timing or performance impact due to error detection and correction

The following features of the standard LEON3 processor are NOT supported by LEON3FT:

  • Local scratch pad RAM (I and D)
  • Cache locking
  • LRR cache replacement algorithm

The LEON3/LEON3-FT models were developed, and are currently distributed, by Aeroflex Gaisler. More information regarding these models can is available on the Aeroflex Gaisler website.

Availability:
The LEON3/LEON3-FT IP cores are available in source code (VHDL) or netlist format from Aeroflex Gaisler. The LEON3-FT is also available in the following ASIC/FPGA implementations:
Aeroflex Gaisler
- Device : GR712RC Dual-Core SOC
- Frequency: 100 MHz
- Performance: 250 DMIPS
Aeroflex Colorado Springs
- Device: UT699 Single-Core SOC
- Frequency: 66 MHz
- Performance: 75 DMIPS
Aeroflex Gaisler / Actel
- Device: LEON3FT-RTAX
- Frequency: 25 MHz
- Performance: 20 DMIPS

Heritage: (TBD)

LEON4 / LEON4-FT

The LEON4 is the latest implementation of the SPARC V8 architecture by Aeroflex Gaisler, in the form of a synthesizable VHDL model of a 32-bit microprocessor. As was the case with the previous LEON models, the LEON4 is also highly configurable, and particularly suitable for system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The LEON4 extends the LEON3 model with support for an optional Level-2 (L2) cache, a pipeline with 64-bit internal load/store data paths, and an AMBA interface of either 64- or 128-bits. Branch prediction, 1-cycle load latency and a 32x32 multiplier results in a performance of 1.7 DMIPS/MHz, or 2.1 CoreMark/MHz.
The LEON4 processor has the following features:

  • SPARC V8 instruction set with V8e extensions
  • Advanced 7-stage pipeline, with branch prediction
  • 64-bit single-clock load/store operation
  • 64-bit 4-port register file
  • Hardware multiply, divide and MAC units
  • High-performance, fully pipelined IEEE-754 FPU
  • Separate instruction and data L1 cache (Harvard architecture) with snooping
  • Configurable caches L1: 1 - 4 ways, 1 - 256 kbytes/way. Random, LRR or LRU replacement
  • Configurable L2 cache: 256-bit internal, 1-4 ways, 16 Kbyte - 8 Mbyte
  • SPARC Reference MMU (SRMMU) with configurable TLB
  • AMBA-2.0 AHB bus interface, 64- or 128-bit wide
  • Advanced on-chip debug support with instruction and data trace buffer, and performance counter
  • Symmetric Multi-processor support (SMP)
  • Power-down mode and clock gating
  • Robust and fully synchronous single-edge clock design
  • Up to 150 MHz in FPGA and 1500 MHz on 32 nm ASIC technologies
  • Extensively configurable
  • Large range of software tools: compilers, kernels, simulators and debug monitors
  • High performance: 1.7 DMIPS/MHz, 2.1 CoreMark/MHz, 0.35 SPECint2000/MHz
LEON4 architecture
LEON4 architecture

Availability:
The LEON4 IP core is available in source code (VHDL) or netlist format from Aeroflex Gaisler. A LEON4 SoC ASIC has also been implemented in eASIC 90nm Nextreme1 technology. More details on the availability of the LEON4 ASIC can be obtained by Aeroflex Gaisler directly.

Heritage: (TBD)

ERC32

ERC32 is a radiation-tolerant SPARC V7 processor developed for space applications. Two versions have been manufactured by TEMIC (now Atmel), the ERC32 (3-) Chip Set, and the ERC32 Single Chip. More details on these chips can be found on the ESTEC ERC32 webpage.

NGMP

NGMP Architecture
NGMP Architecture

The Next Generation Multipurpose Processor (NGMP) is a fault tolerant multiprocessor system-on-a-chip (SoC), based on the LEON4 core. It is currently (as per February 2012) being developed by Aeroflex Gaisler in an activity initiated by ESTEC/ESA.
The NGMP has the following on-chip functions:

  • 4x LEON4 SPARC V8 processor cores with MMU and two shared GRFPU floating-point units
  • Level-2 cache, 4-ways, BCH protection, supports locking of 1-4 ways
  • Debug Support Unit (DSU) with instruction and AHB trace buffers
  • USB, Ethernet, JTAG and SpaceWire debug communication links
  • 64-bit DDR2-800 SDRAM memory controller with Reed-Solomon EDAC
  • 64-bit PC100 SDRAM memory controller with Reed-Solomon EDAC
  • Hardware memory scrubber
  • 8/16-bit PROM/IO controller with BCH EDAC
  • I/O Memory Management Unit (IOMMU) with support for six groups of DMA units
  • 8-port SpaceWire router/switch with four on-chip AMBA ports with RMAP
  • 2x 10/100/1000 Mbit Ethernet MAC
  • 32-bit 33/66 MHz PCI master/target interface with DMA engine and arbiter
  • MIL-STD-1553B interface controller
  • 2x UART
  • SPI master/slave controller
  • Interrupt controller with extended support for asymmetric multiprocessing
  • 1x Timer core with five timers and watchdog functionality
  • 4x Timer core with four timers
  • Separate AHB and PCI trace buffers
  • Clock gating unit
  • LEON4 statistics unit (performance counters)
  • AHB status registers

More information on the NGMP development, and its current status, can be found on the ESA NGMP webpage.

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