Author: System on Chips

ARM Cortex-A77 Multi-Core Desktop Adoption Challenges The absence of 8+ Cortex-A77 cores in affordable ARM-based desktop devices is a multifaceted issue rooted in hardware design constraints, software ecosystem limitations, and market dynamics. While ARM processors like the Cortex-A77 are widely used in mobile and embedded systems, their adoption in desktop environments, particularly in high-core-count configurations,…

ARM Cortex-M0+ C Flag Behavior in Thumb Mode The ARM Cortex-M0+ processor, being a highly efficient and power-optimized core, operates exclusively in Thumb mode, which simplifies instruction decoding and execution. One of the critical aspects of Thumb mode is the handling of the Condition Code (CC) flags, particularly the Carry (C) flag. The C flag…

ARM Cortex-M23 Secure World Access to Non-Secure Memory Fails The ARM Cortex-M23 processor, part of the ARMv8-M architecture, introduces a security extension that divides the system into Secure and Non-Secure worlds. This separation is enforced by hardware mechanisms such as the Security Attribution Unit (SAU) and the Implementation Defined Attribution Unit (IDAU). When code running…

ARM Cortex-A57 Multicontroller System Design Challenges Designing a multicontroller system using ARM Cortex-A57 processors involves addressing several architectural and operational challenges. The Cortex-A57 is a high-performance processor core designed for applications requiring significant computational power, such as networking, storage, and high-end embedded systems. When multiple Cortex-A57 cores are used in a system, efficient communication and…

ARM Function Return Value Handling in Assembly In ARM architecture, the handling of return values from functions is a fundamental aspect of the Application Binary Interface (ABI). The ARM ABI defines a set of rules that govern how function calls are made, how parameters are passed, and how return values are handled. Understanding these rules…

ARM Cortex-M0+ Polyphase Filter Performance Bottleneck in MP3 Decoder The polyphase filter section of an MP3 decoder is a critical performance bottleneck, particularly on resource-constrained processors like the ARM Cortex-M0+. The Cortex-M0+ architecture, with its limited register set and instruction set, poses significant challenges for implementing efficient 32-bit fixed-point arithmetic operations required for the polyphase…

ARM Cortex-M MSP and PSP Configuration for High-Performance MP3 Decoding In ARM Cortex-M processors, the stack pointer (SP) is a critical component for managing function calls, local variables, and interrupt handling. The Cortex-M architecture provides two stack pointers: the Main Stack Pointer (MSP) and the Process Stack Pointer (PSP). The MSP is typically used by…

ARM Cortex-M7 AXIM Bus Signal Compatibility with NIC-400 The ARM Cortex-M7 processor, known for its high-performance capabilities, utilizes the Advanced eXtensible Interface Master (AXIM) bus to communicate with external peripherals and memory systems. The AXIM bus is an extension of the AXI4 protocol, tailored for the Cortex-M7’s specific requirements. However, when interfacing the Cortex-M7’s AXIM…

ARM Cortex-A Reset Exception Handling and Vector Table Initialization Upon a hardware reset, the ARM Cortex-A series processors, such as the Cortex-A53, initiate a sequence of operations that culminate in the generation of an exception. This exception is critical for bootstrapping the system and transitioning the processor from a reset state to executing the first…

ARM Cortex-A53 Interrupt Context Detection in FreeRTOS The ARM Cortex-A53 processor, part of the ARMv8-A architecture, is widely used in embedded systems due to its balance of performance and power efficiency. When integrating FreeRTOS with the Cortex-A53, one common challenge is detecting whether the processor is currently executing in an interrupt context. This is particularly…