README.md

Quasi SoC

RISC-V CPU and rich bunch of peripherals designed to be useful. Runs Linux. Free-software toolchain ready. Prioritize compatibility and easy-to-understand -- if I can write this, you also can.

Build & Run

Boardless start Simulation

Quick start Build & run instructions

Free-as-in-freedom Free software toolchain (Vivado-free!)

Functionalities

∂CPU (partial CPU)

• Multiple-cycle RISC-V RV32IMA Zicsr* @ 62.5 MHz, ~0.27 CoreMark/MHz
• M, S, U-mode, interrupt, exception*
  • Core local interrupt controller(ACLINT)
  • Platform-level interrupt controller(PLIC, for external interrupt)
• Sv32 MMU
• Memory-mapped IO bus with arbitration and "DMA"
• Cache, direct mapping(configurable, 32 KB default)

   *: except amo(max|min)u?
   *: as far as Linux requires

Future plan

• Optimize memory access cycles
• GDB debug over openocd JTAG
• faster M instructions
• Formal verification
• amo(max|min)u? (Linux doesn't use, not planned)
• IO bus w/ burst (hard, not planned)
• U-mode memory protection (like PMP?) (not planned)
• Pipeline (not planned)

Peripherals

• AXI MIG DDR2/DDR3
• UberDDR3
• SDRAM
• ESP-PSRAM64H (8 MB) QPI mode @ 62.5 M, burst R/W
• GPIO (LEDs, buttons, switches)
• UART (115200/921600/1843200 baud), boot from UART, rest from UART
• SD card (SPI mode, SDHC)
• PS/2 keyboard
• PS/2 mouse
• Graphics
  • HDMI, character terminal, frame buffer graphics(320x240 8-bit color, 640x480 2-bit monochrome)
  • Old good VGA
  • ILI9486 480x320 LCD
• CH375 USB disk
• W5500 ethernet module
  • W5500 as MAC with LwIP stack
• Bus arbitration: Multiple hosts, "DMA"
• Bus converter: Use AXI peripherals
• Hart transplant: Use other RISC-V cores with my peripherals
• Xeno transplant: Use ARM or x86 cores with my peripherals

Future plan

• Internet connectivity
  • LAN8720 module w/ RGMII PHY (need FPGA MAC)
  • ESP8266/ESP32 Wifi module (Boring and assaulting)
  • ENC28J60
  • LwIP stack
• USB capability
  • Host controller, like SL811
  • USB3300/TUSB1210 ULPI PHY (need FPGA host)
  • Driver for classes(HID, HUB, Mass Storage)

Software

• Linux kernel 32-bit with MMU
  • busybox userspace
  • driver for my UART
• Linux kernel 32-bit No-MMU with uClibc
• MicroPython port

Misc

• Standard RISC-V toolchain and ASM/C programming for RV32IM Newlib
• Basic RISC-V tests
• CoreMark performance approx. 0.27 CoreMark/MHz
• Fancy but very slow soft renderer
• Bad Apple!! on LCD(low quality)
• Bad Apple!! on HDMI

Boards & FPGAs

Xilinx 7 series

• xc7a200t @ Nexys Video, main dev platform, with Vivado or OpenXC7 ref
• xc7z010 PL @ SqueakyBoard, previous main dev platform ref
• xc7z020 PL @ PYNQ-Z1 w/ extension PMOD module ref
• xc7k325t @ Memblaze PBlaze 3 w/ extension board ref
• xc7a100t @ Nexys A7 on USTC FPGAOL, SW/LED/UART/UARTBOOT Instructions
• Xilinx 7-series w/ Symbiflow (partial)

Others

• xc6slx16 @ Nameless LED controller module, deprecated
• ep4ce15 @ QMTech core board w/ SDRAM ref
• ep2c35 @ Cisco HWIC-3G-CDMA router module ref
• lfe5u-12f @ mystery module
• K210 or some other hardcore RISCV
• lfe5u or iCE40 w/ free software toolchain(Symbiflow, icestorm)

Alternative RISC-V Cores

Use other RISC-V cores with Quasi SoC peripherals. Currently supports PicoRV32.
Hart Transplant

Gallery

MMU Linux with Buildroot running on Nexys Video

Linux kernel and busybox, 8 MB RAM is enough for everything.

Pingo soft renderer of Viking room, with testing color strips, on HDMI monitor.

Ported MicroPython, on HDMI monitor.

CoreMark benchmarking, serial port.

Credits

Many peripherals' code are based on other's work. If I miss something please point out.

HDMI module, modified

HDMI module

DDR3 module

SDRAM module

SD card module, modified

UART module, heavily modified

The awesome ahead-of-its-years SBI by UltraEmbedded

Computer Organization and Design, where everything started

License

GPL-V3