\vspace{32pt}
\Large{Auto-generating documentation, code \\
and resources for a Pinmux}\\
+ \vspace{16pt}
+ \Large{Saving time and money for SoC / EC designers\\
+ in the RISC-V Ecosystem and beyond}\\
\vspace{24pt}
\Large{[proposed for] Chennai 9th RISC-V Workshop}\\
\vspace{16pt}
\item Pin: an I/O pad. May be driven (input) or may drive (output).
\item FN: term for a single-wire "function", such as UART\_TX,
I2C\_SDA, SDMMC\_D0 etc. may be an input, output or both
- (bi-directional case: two wires are always allocated, one
+ (bi-directional case: two wires are {\it always} allocated, one
for input to the function and one for output from the function).
\item Bus: a group of bi-directional functions (SDMMC D0 to D3)
- where the direction is ganged and under the Bus's control
+ where the direction is ganged and {\it under the Bus's control}
\item Input Priority Muxer: a multiplexer with N selector
wires and N associated inputs. The lowest (highest?) indexed
"selector" enabled results in its
input being routed to the output.
- \item Output Demuxer: a one-to-many "redirector" where a single
- input is "routed" to any one output, based
- on a selector.
+ \item Output Muxer: a many-to-one "redirector" where any one
+ input is "routed" to the output, based on a selector "address".
\end{itemize}
}
Summary: it's all about making more money!\vspace{4pt}
\item How? By multiplexing many more functions (100 to 1,200) than there
are actual available pins (48 to 500), the required chip package
- is far less costly and the chip more desirable\vspace{4pt}
+ is cheaper, smaller, and more versatile\vspace{4pt}
\item What? A many-to-many dynamically-configureable router of
- I/O functions to I/O pins\vspace{4pt}
- \item \bf{Note: actual muxing is deceptively simple, but like
- a DRAM cell it's actually about the ancillaries / extras}
+ I/O functions to I/O pins
\end{itemize}
+ \bf{Note: actual muxing is deceptively simple, but like a DRAM cell
+ it's actually about the extras (routing, docs, specs etc).\\
+ Just as DRAM Cell != DDR3/4, Muxer Cell != Pinmux}
+}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{What options are available (at time of writing)? [1]}
+
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ {\bf Commercial licensed}:
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item Cost: unknown (and ultimately doesn't matter)
+ \item Flexibility: unknown (NDAs required in order to find out)
+ \item Language: unknown (NDAs required in order to find out)
+ \item Capability for auto-generation of Docs: unknown.
+ \item Capability for auto-generation of ancillary resources: unknown.
+ \item Suitability for wide range of systems: unknown.
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Suitability for saving RISC-V ecosystem money: {\bf NONE }
+ \item Suitability for collaboration: {\bf ZERO} (prohibitive licensing)
+ \end{itemize}
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ Commercial licensees are isolated and cut off from the benefits
+ and resources of the Libre world. Translation: USD \$200k+ NREs.
+}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{What options are available (at time of writing)? [2]}
+
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ {\bf SiFive IOF (Freedom E310, Unleashed U540)}:
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item License: Good!
+ \item Flexibility: not so good.
+ \item Language: chisel3.
+ \item Capability for auto-generation of Docs: none.
+ \item Capability for auto-generation of ancillary resources: partial.
+ \item Suitability for wide range of systems: not so good.
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Suitability for saving RISC-V ecosystem money: {\bf Low }\\
+ \item Suitability for collaboration: {\bf GOOD} (but: written in Chisel3)
+ \end{itemize}
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ Using SiFive IOF has Libre benefits, but it's incomplete and
+ harder to find Chisel3 programmers (than e.g. for python).
+}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{What options are available (at time of writing)? [3]}
+
+ \vspace{10pt}
+ \begin{center}
+ {\Huge
+ None. No suitable\vspace{20pt}\\
+ Libre-licensed\vspace{20pt}\\
+ pinmux exists\vspace{20pt}
+ }
+ \\
+ (which is really weird, given how there's so many libre UART,
+ SPI and other peripheral libraries, even libre-licensed PCIe and
+ SATA PHYs and even USB3 Pipe. Hence the reason for this initiative)
+ \end{center}
+
}
\frame{\frametitle{Associated Extras}
\begin{itemize}
- \item Design Specification
- \item Scenario analysis (whether the chip will fit "markets")
+ \item Design Specification ({\bf what} markets to target)
+ \item Scenario analysis ({\bf whether} the chip will fit "markets")
\item Documentation: Summary sheet, Technical Reference Manual.
\item Test suites
\item Control Interface (AXI4 / Wishbone / TileLink / other)
auto-generated\vspace{30pt}
}
\\
- (i.e. it would be insanely costly to do them by hand)
+ (from the Design Specification, after Scenario Analysis)
\end{center}
}
+
+\frame{\frametitle{Example: 7 banks, 4-way mux, 160 pins}
+ \begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[height=1.5in]{example_pinmux.jpg}\\
+ 7 "banks" with separate VCC. Each no more than 32 bits
+ \end{center}
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item { \bf 17,500 lines of auto-generated HDL (and climbing)}
+ \item { \bf 12,500 lines of auto-generated Summary/Analysis}
+ \item Technical Reference Manual expected to be 100+ pages
+ \end{itemize}
+}
+
+
\frame{\frametitle{Reduce workload, reduce duplication, reduce risk and cost}
\begin{itemize}
- \item Auto-generate everything: documentation, code, libraries etc.
- \vspace{10pt}
- \item Standardise: similar to PLIC, propose GPIO and Pinmux
- \vspace{10pt}
- \item Standardise format of configuration registers
- \vspace{10pt}
+ \item Auto-generate everything: documentation, code, libraries etc.\\
+ (including device-tree files, FreeBSD / Linux / RTOS kernel
+ drivers, Arduino, libopencm3 and other EC firmware libraries)
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Standardise: similar to PLIC, propose GPIO and Pinmux\\
+ saves engineering effort, design effort and much more
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Standardise format of configuration registers:
+ saves code duplication effort (multiple software environments)
+ \vspace{4pt}
\item Add support for multiple code formats: Chisel3 (SiFive IOF),
BSV (Bluespec), Verilog, VHDL, MyHDL.
- \vspace{10pt}
+ \vspace{4pt}
\item Multiple auto-generated code-formats permits cross-validation:\\
auto-generated test suite in one HDL can validate a muxer
generated for a different target HDL.
- \vspace{10pt}
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \end{itemize}
+}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{Design Spec and Scenario Analysis}
+
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item Analyse the target markets (scenarios) that the chip will sell in\\
+ (multiple markets increases sales volume, reduces chip cost)
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Scenarios represent target markets: ICs to be connected\\
+ (GPS, NAND IC, WIFI etc. May require prototype schematics
+ drawn up, or client-supplied schematics analysed).
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Create a formal (python-based) specification for the pinmux
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Add scenarios (in python), check that they meet requirements\\
+ { \bf (before spending money on hardware engineers!) }
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Analyse the scenarios: if pins are missing, alter and repeat.\\
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Eventually the pinmux meets all requirements...\\
+ { \bf without spending USD \$5-50m to find out it doesn't!}
\end{itemize}
}
-\frame{\frametitle{Muxer cases to handle}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{Muxer cases to handle (One/Many to One/Many) etc.}
\begin{itemize}
- \item Many FN outputs to Many Pins: no problem\\
- (weird configuration by end-user, but no damage to ASIC)\vspace{6pt}
+ \item One FN output to Many Pins: no problem\\
+ (weird configuration by end-user, but no damage to ASIC)
\item One Pin to Many FN inputs: no problem\\
- (weird configuration by end-user, but no damage to ASIC)\vspace{6pt}
+ (weird configuration by end-user, but no damage to ASIC)
+ \item Many FN outputs simultaneously to one Pin: {\bf does not occur}\\
+ (not desirable and not possible, as part of the pinmux design)
\item Many Pins to One FN input: {\bf Priority Mux needed}\\
- No priority mux: Pin1 = HI, Pin0 = LO, ASIC is damaged\vspace{6pt}
+ No priority mux: Pin1=HI, Pin0=LO and ASIC is destroyed
\item Some FNs (I2C\_SDA, SD\_D0..3) are I/O Buses\\
Bi-directional control of the Pin must be handed to the
- FN\vspace{6pt}
+ FN
\item Nice to have: Bus sets pintype, signal strength etc.\\
e.g. selecting SD/MMC doesn't need manual pin-config.\\
\bf{caveat: get that wrong and the ASIC can't be sold}
\frame{\frametitle{Pin Configuration, input and output}
- In/out:
+ In/out: {\bf Note: these all require multiplexing }
\begin{itemize}
- \item Output-Enable (aka Input disable): switches pad to In or Out
+ \item Output-Enable (aka Input disable): switches pad to Out or In
\item Output (actually an input wire controlling pin's level, HI/LO)
\item Input (actually an output wire set based on pin's driven level)
\end{itemize}
- Characteristics:
+ Characteristics: {\bf Note: these do not require multiplexing }
\begin{itemize}
\item Output current level: 10mA / 20mA / 30mA / 40mA
\item Input hysteresis: low / middle / high. Stops signal noise
\item Pull-up enable: built-in 10k (50k?) resistor
\item Pull-down enable: built-in 10k (50k?) resistor
\item Muxing and IRQ Edge-detection not part of the I/O pin
+ \item Other? (impedance? not normally part of commercial pinmux)
\end{itemize}
}
\end{center}
}
+\frame{\frametitle{Separating Pin Configuration, input and output}
+
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item Standard Mux design {\bf cannot deal with many-to-one inputs}\\
+ (SiFive IOF source code from Freedom E310 cannot, either)
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item I/O pad configuration conflated with In-Muxer conflated with
+ Out-Muxer conflated with GPIO conflated with EINT.
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \end{itemize}
+ {\bf IMPORTANT to separate all of these out:
+ \vspace{4pt}}
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item EINTs to be totally separate FNs. managed by RISC-V PLIC\\
+ (If every GPIO was an EINT it would mean 100+ IRQs)
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item GPIO In/Out/Direction treated just like any other FN\\
+ (but happen to have AXI4 - or other - memory-mapping)
+ \vspace{4pt}
+ \item Pad configuration separated and given one-to-one Registers\\
+ (SRAMs set by AXI4 to control mux, pullup, current etc.)
+ \end{itemize}
+}
\frame{\frametitle{Register-to-pad "control" settings}
\begin{center}
}
-\frame{\frametitle{In/Out muxing, direction control}
+\frame{\frametitle{GPIO (only): Simplified I/O pad Diagram (FN only)}
+ \begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[height=1.3in]{reg_gpio_pinblock.jpg}
+ \end{center}
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item GPIO In/Out/Direction is just another FN (effectively)
+ \item 3 wires: IN, OUT, OUTEN (=INEN\#)
+ \item FN however may be output-only (UART\_TX), input-only (UART\_RX)
+ or bi-directional (I2C\_SDA) and Bus-controlled.
+ \item GPIO is definitely bi-directional and under Register control
+ \end{itemize}
+}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{Output Muxer (very simple)}
+ \begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[height=1.1in]{reg_gpio_out_mux.jpg}\\
+ {\bf Output Muxer using 2-bit address selection}\\
+ \end{center}
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item Very straightforward (deceptively so, like SRAM cells)
+ \item Used in both OUT routing and Direction-control routing\\
+ (same address for each, connected to same FNs)
+ \item More complex pinmux will have 3-bit addressing (8 FNs)\\
+ (Note: not all outputs will be connected, depends on pinmux)
+ \end{itemize}
+}
+
+
+\frame{\frametitle{In/Out muxing, direction control: GPIO just a FN}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[height=2.5in]{reg_gpio_fn_ctrl.jpg}\\
- {\bf Note: function can control I/O direction}
+ {\bf Note: function can control I/O direction (bus)}
\end{center}
}
-\frame{\frametitle{Simplified I/O pad Block Diagram}
+\frame{\frametitle{Direction Control: Function not bi-directional (bus)}
\begin{center}
- \includegraphics[height=2.5in]{reg_gpio_pinblock.jpg}\\
- {\bf 3 wires: IN, OUT, OUTEN (also = !INEN) }
+ \includegraphics[height=2.5in]{reg_gpio_fn_ctrl2.jpg}\\
+ Note: Function {\bf does not} control I/O direction
\end{center}
}
}
-\frame{\frametitle{Input Mux Wiring}
+\frame{\frametitle{Input Priority-Mux Wiring: very different from Out-Mux}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[height=2.5in]{reg_gpio_in_wiring.jpg}\\
{\bf Pin Mux selection vals NOT same as FN selection vals}
}
+\frame{\frametitle{Input Priority-Mux Wiring}
+
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item In-Muxer selection number (0,1,2,3) obviously has to match
+ with Out-Muxer order (otherwise a bi-directional FN
+ needs different Mux-register settings for
+ selecting either IN or OUT)
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ \item Priority-mux selection values do not actually matter,
+ and have nothing to do with the actual Muxer settings.
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ \item GPIO FN's input muxer is nothing more than an AND gate\\
+ (you never route more than one pin to one GPIO)
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ \item Any other FN with only 1:1 on its IN also just an AND gate \\
+ (this just always happens to be true for GPIO)
+ \vspace{6pt}
+ \item Not all FNs have input capability: clearly they will not
+ be included in the In-Muxing.
+ \end{itemize}
+}
+
+
\frame{\frametitle{Summary}
\begin{itemize}
- \item TODO
+ \item Value of Libre/Open pimux dramatically underestimated\\
+ (and does not presently exist: SiFive's IOF not suitable as-is)\\
+ {\bf Only current option: license a commercial Pinmux }
+ \item Actual muxing (like SRAM cells) is deceptively simple
+ \item Actual pinmuxes are enormous: auto-generation essential
+ \item HDLs completely unsuited to auto-generation task\\
+ (TRM, docs): {\bf Modern OO language needed i.e. python}
+ \item Scenario Analysis / Verification and auto-generation of
+ different HDLs far easier in a Modern OO language\\
+ (better libraries, more developers)
+ \item Standardisation for RISC-V saves implementors from huge
+ duplication cost (HDL, firmware, docs, maintenance)
+ \item { \bf Ultimately it's about saving money and reducing risk }
\end{itemize}
}