Coprocessor Interface
7-2
Copyright © ARM Limited 2000. All rights reserved.
7.1
About the coprocessor interface
ARM946E-S fully supports the connection of on-chip coprocessors through an external
coprocessor interface. All types of coprocessor instructions are supported. For a
description of all the interface signals referred to in this chapter, see the ARM9E-S
Technical Reference Manual.
Coprocessors determine the instructions they must execute using a pipeline follower in
the coprocessor. As each instruction arrives from memory it enters both the ARM
pipeline and the coprocessor pipeline. To avoid a critical path for the instruction being
registered by the coprocessor, the coprocessor pipeline operates one clock cycle behind
the ARM9E-S core pipeline. However, there is a mechanism inside ARM946E-S that
stalls the ARM9E-S pipeline so the the external coprocessor pipeline can catch up with
the processor pipeline. So, practically, consider that the two pipelines are synchronized.
The ARM9E-S core informs the coprocessor when instructions move from Decode into
Execute, and whether the instruction has to be executed.
To enable coprocessors to continue executing coprocessor data operations while the
ARM9E-S core pipeline is stalled (for example, when waiting for a cache linefill to
occur), the coprocessor receives the clock CLK, and a clock enable signal CPCLKEN.
If CPCLKEN is LOW on the rising edge of CPCLK then the ARM9E-S core pipeline
is stalled and the coprocessor pipeline must not advance. Figure 7-1 indicates the timing
for these signals and when the coprocessor pipeline must advance its state.
Figure 7-1 Coprocessor clocking
Coproc clock shows the result of ORing CLK with the inverse of CPCLKEN. This is
one technique for generating a clock that reflects the ARM9E-S core pipeline
advancing.
CLK
Coproc
clock
CPCLKEN
Summary of Contents for ARM946E-S
Page 1: ...ARM DDI 0155A ARM946E S Technical Reference Manual ...
Page 6: ...vi Copyright ARM Limited 2000 All rights reserved ARM DDI 0155A 04 Limited Confidential ...
Page 54: ...Programmer s Model 2 34 Copyright ARM Limited 2000 All rights reserved ARM DDI 0155A ...
Page 70: ...Caches 3 16 Copyright ARM Limited 2000 All rights reserved ARM DDI 0155A ...
Page 78: ...Protection Unit 4 8 Copyright ARM Limited 2000 All rights reserved ARM DDI 0155A ...
Page 112: ...Coprocessor Interface 7 14 Copyright ARM Limited 2000 All rights reserved ARM DDI 0155A ...