Objective
Many micro controller chips have the same CPU core, but different peripherals according to the target application. This means small production volumes, thus higher unit cost and many similar products that make developer's choice difficult. To satisfy the needs of the producer and user it is proposed to produce a generic micro controller, which can efficiently emulate CPU peripherals described by software modules.
This novel approach based on research results derived by the consortium can provide embedded system designers with a simple micro controller and a single development system. The proposed idea of software reconfigurability provides great flexibility, and overcomes the problems of high cost and difficulty of choice for the right controller. Such a micro controller can be tailored to many application areas by simply loading the appropriate set of emulated CPU peripherals so called "software peripherals".
Objectives:
The objective of the proposed project, is to design a generic micro controller, and develop a working prototype which will enable the development and wide use of software peripherals. A prototype micro controller test-bed will be implemented containing a powerful 32-bit microprocessor core, which will be used in the demonstrators. All the necessary CPU peripherals will be implemented as software modules. Only functions that cannot be implemented in software will be designed in hardware and incorporated in the micro controller. Three demonstrators will be developed in the application areas of: automotive control, home automation and communications. The peripherals developed will be demonstarted.
Work description:
At first, the target applications will be defined. Four companies of the consortium (ARM, Lotus Cars, Lake Communications & Automate) will be responsible for this task. The next step is to decide which peripherals must be developed as software modules. This will define the requirements and specifications for the peripherals and will identify the basic functions that cannot be implemented by software and must be incorporated in the design of the micro controller as hardware. This has the added advantage of increasing the performance of the peripheral. Another important task that follows is the design and implementation of a prototype PCB containing the CPU core and the necessary external hardware to enable the support of the software peripherals. Supporting software will also be developed to produce a complete development system. C.T.I. will be involved in the design of the chip and develop software peripherals that will be integrated into the designed platform. The functionality of the proposed schema will be tested and evaluated in the real applications that were determined in the first task. Finally, A.T.C. will develop and maintain a Web site where applications developers will be able to search and download the software peripherals that they require. The same Web Site will be used for the dissemination of the project results for the duration of the project and beyond.
Milestones:
The Milestones of the project are: The Design & Implementation of the PCB prototype, the Web Database Creation, the Development of the Software Modules, the Integration and testing of all the demonstrators & the Demonstration of the target applications. The expected result will be an operational prototype micro controller. Three applications from three different areas operating as demonstrators will test the functionality of the produced chip design and verify its performance capabilities.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering computer hardware computer processors
- social sciences sociology industrial relations automation
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering control systems home automation
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
CB1 9NJ CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.