Author: System on Chips

ARMv8M Secure Function Calls in Handler Mode: Architectural Intent and Use Cases The ARMv8-M architecture introduces a robust security model that partitions software execution into secure and non-secure states. This partitioning is critical for modern embedded systems, where security-sensitive operations must be isolated from less trusted code. One of the key design decisions in ARMv8-M…

ARM NEON Load/Store Instructions and Unaligned Memory Access Behavior The core issue revolves around the behavior of ARM NEON load/store instructions (vld1q_u32 and vst1q_u32) when accessing unaligned memory addresses. Contrary to expectations, these instructions do not trigger a segmentation fault even when the memory addresses are not aligned to the required boundaries. This behavior is…

ARM Cortex-M INVPC Hardfault: EXC_RETURN Corruption and Stack Issues The INVPC (Invalid PC Load) hardfault exception is a critical error that occurs on ARM Cortex-M processors when the processor attempts to load an invalid Program Counter (PC) value during exception return. This fault is often triggered by corruption of the EXC_RETURN value, which is a…

ARM GCC Toolchain Setup Challenges on Ubuntu for Cortex-M Development Setting up the ARM GCC toolchain on Ubuntu for Cortex-M development can be a daunting task, especially for those new to embedded systems or Linux environments. The process involves several steps, from downloading the correct toolchain to configuring the environment variables and ensuring compatibility with…

Cortex-R5 Cache ECC Behavior in Write-Through Mode with Hardware Recovery The Cortex-R5 processor, when configured in "Do not generate Aborts, force write-through, enable hardware recovery" mode, exhibits specific behavior regarding Error Correction Code (ECC) errors in its data cache. In this mode, the cache operates in a write-through configuration, meaning that any data written to…

ARM Cortex-R5 and Cortex-A53 Shared Memory Communication Challenges The communication between ARM Cortex-R5 and Cortex-A53 processors using shared memory, such as On-Chip Memory (OCM) or Block RAM (BRAM), presents several challenges that can lead to data inconsistency, stale data reads, and synchronization issues. These problems often arise due to differences in the architectural features of…

PendSV and Context Switching in Cortex-M RTOS: Why Lowest Priority? The PendSV (Pendable Service Call) exception is a critical component in Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) running on ARM Cortex-M processors. It is primarily used for context switching, which is the process of saving the state of a currently running task and restoring the state of…

ARM Cortex-M0 Register Utilization and Cache Behavior in Performance-Critical Applications The ARM Cortex-M0 is a highly efficient, low-power processor designed for embedded systems. However, its limited register set and cache architecture can pose challenges for developers aiming to extract maximum performance, especially in performance-critical applications such as audio decoding (e.g., MP3) or real-time signal processing….

Understanding the Need for Cycle-Accurate Simulation in ARM Cortex-M4 Cycle-accurate simulation is a critical requirement for developers and researchers working with ARM Cortex-M4 processors, particularly when optimizing firmware, analyzing performance bottlenecks, or validating real-time behavior. The Cortex-M4, with its Floating-Point Unit (FPU) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capabilities, is widely used in embedded systems where…

Understanding VICIRQSTATUS and VICRAWINTR Registers in ARM Cortex-R4 The ARM Cortex-R4 processor, when paired with the Vectored Interrupt Controller (VIC) such as the PL190 or PL192, provides a robust mechanism for handling interrupts. However, understanding the behavior of specific registers like VICIRQSTATUS and VICRAWINTR is crucial for effective interrupt management. The VICIRQSTATUS register does not…