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Note: this is an information page, the course is given through LiU's e-learning system lisam

TSEA 26 - Design of Embedded DSP Processors

The course deals with embedded processors, especially ones suited for DSP. You will get insight into how you can build and optimize a processor suitable for a specific application.

To benefit from this course it is expected that you have a basic knowledge of computer architectures and digital signal processing. Basic understanding in either VHDL or Verilog is also expected.

The course is given in English.

Lectures

The lectures cover the different parts of an embedded DSP processor and have an outline as follows:

  1. Introduction

    An overview of the course and some basic computer architecture aspects as well as important concepts and design goals.

  2. Numerical representation

    Fixed- and floating-point representations and the impact on numerical aspects and resulting hardware.

  3. The Junior processor

    A basic embedded DSP processor (which will be improved).

  4. DSP architectures

    Architecture level aspects.

  5. Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)

    Basic concepts of hardware multiplexing to obtain efficient hardware realizations.

  6. Multiply and accumulate (MAC) unit

    Efficient hardware for convolution-like computations.

  7. Program flow control
  8. Address generation
  9. Toolchain
  10. Firmware and verification
  11. Wrapup and guest lecture

Laboratory work

In the labs you will get insight into several different aspects of development of embedded processors, from writing efficient assembler, through optimizing hardware units to implementing custom instructions.

Course material

The book Embedded DSP Processor Design, Application Specific Instruction Set Processors by Dake Liu is used. It should be available in bookstores (including at campus) as well as an e-book through the LiU library. Dake Liu is a former examiner of the course, so the book fits the course contents very well. Errata.

There are also a an exercise collection, laboratory manuals, and some additional reading material available through Lisam.

Involved persons