PicoSkyFT
PicoSkyFT Fault Tolerant soft-core processor
PicoSkyFT is designed for embedded processing functions within SoC by providing another layer of abstraction to tackle complexity and adequately respond to rapidly changing needs, and securing development and verification efforts. Rad hard by design, small size, low power and configurable architectural features optimised for hard, real-time processing make this type of processor core suitable for aerospace and other safety critical applications.
Features
The PicoSkyFT™ is a high performance Fault Tolerant 8/16-bit embedded processor based on Harvard enhanced RISC pipelined architecture designed to provide a next generation solution that fits between the overloaded FPGAs and the hugely complex microprocessors. The processor provides a rich and powerful proprietary PicoSky ISA with 16-bit operation codes with single cycle execution on most instructions to provide throughput of 1 MIPS per MHz. The SEE tolerant design is achieved by several error mitigation techniques and incorporated fault detection, isolation and recovery policy to increase reliability. The core is customisable to suit various memory models.
| Architecture |
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| Radiation hardened by design |
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| Configurable program memory |
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| Configurable data memory |
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| Configurable Interrupt Controller |
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| Debug and Test Facilities |
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| Software support |
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| System-On-Chip Design |
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Implementation characteristics
PicoSky/FT processor is technology independent IP core. The following table provides resources utilization and maximum frequency for Microsemi RT/ProASIC3-A3PE3000 FPGA family. Resources utilization for other FPGA vendors available upon request.
Resource utilization* [VersaTiles] |
Frequency [MHz] |
Performance benchmark [CoreMark/MHz] |
|
| PicoSky-C | 3606 (4.8%) | 24 | 0.60 |
| PicoSkyFT-C | 5402 (7.1%) | 22 |
* PicoSky configured as compact memory model with all available features, as debug support unit with hardware breakpoint support, multiplication instructions, trace buffer support, interrupt controller, sleep functionality, etc.
PicoSky processor technology is a smallest high performance processor core on market.
Its implementation foot-print beats all the market leading processor cores as shows resource utilization comparison table below. Its true resources advantage is even more apparent when processor is integrated into a SoC. Considering processor’s FT version represents highly optimized resource overhead.
Resource utilization
|
CoreMark performance factor |
||
| Cores | [alternative / PicoSky-C] | [alternative / PicoSkyFT-C] | [PicoSkyFT-C / alternative] |
| Core8051s | 118% | 79% | 5.45 |
| AVR Core | 122% | 81% | 1.11 |
| openMSP430 | 139% | 93% | 0.72 |
| Microblaze | 263% | 176% | 0.32 |
| LEON3 | 379% | 253% | 0.33 |
| LEON3FT | 397% | 265% | 0.33 |
| openRISC | 390% | 269% | 0.45 |
* Resource utilization comparison is based on processors' utilization information available online for Microsemi ProASIC3/e FPGA target technology.
PicoSky delivers high processing power that beats to the draw almost all 8/16-bit processor architectures, despite of its smallest-footprint implementation.
Radiation effects
PicoSkyFT fault tolerance to SEE is proven by the radiation testing campaigns with high energy protons (PSI-PFI) and ultra-high energy heavy ions (CERN NA-SPS-H8). The PicoSkyFT was implemented in FPGA susceptible to SEE. Nominal operation was obtained during 4 days of radiation test with highly accelerated environmental simulation. During irradiation no computational errors, processor hangs or other anomalies occurred. PicoSkyFT shows remarkable fault tolerance to the induced soft-errors. Radiation testing campaigns confirmed the processor is SEFI free and its 100% safe operation, thus ensuring outstanding operational robustness and computational integrity in high radiation environment. That makes processor ideal solution for aerospace or other safety critical applications.
Deliverables
PicoSkyFT is available under a commercial license, allowing it to be used in any commercial application. For inquiry please send us email to sales@skylabs.si.
Part number
SKY-9400-1 PicoSkyFT IP Core
- PicoSky/PicoSkyFT™ soft-core IP core
- PicoLIB - Package of peripheral IP cores
- SoC reference design examples
- Complete SDK (Linux and Windows OS)
- Software examples (RTOS and bare-metal)
- Documentation
SKY-923-0021 PicoSkySIM Software
- PicoSkySIM C-library (for Windows and Linux OS)
- Software examples
- Documentation