RHPPC
Encyclopedia
The RHPPC is a radiation hardened processor
based on PowerPC 603e technology licensed from Motorola
(now Freescale) and manufactured by Honeywell
. The RHPPC is equivalent to the commercial PowerPC 603e processor with the minor exceptions of the phase locked loop (PLL) and the processor version register (PVR). The RHPPC processor is compatible with the PowerPC
architecture (Book I-III), the PowerPC 603e programmers interface and is also supported by common PowerPC software tools and embedded operating systems, like VxWorks
.
mix with its core clock at 100 MHz (i.e. the RHPPC processor completes 1.9 instructions per cycle). The RHPPC runs with a 25, 33.3, 40, or 50 MHz 60x bus clock (SYSCLK) which is generated based on the PCI clock. The 60x bus clock is de-skewed on-chip by a PLL and can also be multiplied.
The RHPPC processor is a superscalar
machine with five execution units: system register unit, integer unit
, load/store unit, floating point unit
, and branch processing unit. The dispatch unit can issue two instructions per cycle. The floating point unit has a three level deep pipeline. Out of order execution is supported through the use of shadow or rename registers. The completion unit can complete two instructions per cycle in order by copying results from the rename registers to the real registers. Independently, the branch processing unit can complete a branch each cycle. Thus, in theory, the RHPPC processor can complete three instructions per cycle. Within the RHPPC processor there is a 16 kB instruction
and a 16 kB data L1 caches
that are 4 way set associative, and support write through or copy-back protocol. A cache line is fixed at eight words.
with Honeywell’s SOI
-V 0.35 µm, four level metal process. Standard cells and custom drop-ins are used. It is packaged in a hermetic, aluminium oxide
, 21 x 21 mm grid array
package with 255 (16 x 16) leads. The leads are on 1.27 mm centers. The lead can have either solder balls
, solder columns, or short pins attached. Standard die attach and wire bond
die interconnect are used.
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
based on PowerPC 603e technology licensed from Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
(now Freescale) and manufactured by Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
. The RHPPC is equivalent to the commercial PowerPC 603e processor with the minor exceptions of the phase locked loop (PLL) and the processor version register (PVR). The RHPPC processor is compatible with the PowerPC
PowerPC
PowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
architecture (Book I-III), the PowerPC 603e programmers interface and is also supported by common PowerPC software tools and embedded operating systems, like VxWorks
VxWorks
VxWorks is a real-time operating system developed as proprietary software by Wind River Systems of Alameda, California, USA. First released in 1987, VxWorks is designed for use in embedded systems.- History :...
.
Technical details
The RHPPC processor generates 190 MIPS with the DhrystoneDhrystone
Dhrystone is a synthetic computing benchmark program developed in 1984 by Reinhold P. Weicker intended to be representative of system programming. The Dhrystone grew to become representative of general processor performance...
mix with its core clock at 100 MHz (i.e. the RHPPC processor completes 1.9 instructions per cycle). The RHPPC runs with a 25, 33.3, 40, or 50 MHz 60x bus clock (SYSCLK) which is generated based on the PCI clock. The 60x bus clock is de-skewed on-chip by a PLL and can also be multiplied.
The RHPPC processor is a superscalar
Superscalar
A superscalar CPU architecture implements a form of parallelism called instruction level parallelism within a single processor. It therefore allows faster CPU throughput than would otherwise be possible at a given clock rate...
machine with five execution units: system register unit, integer unit
Arithmetic logic unit
In computing, an arithmetic logic unit is a digital circuit that performs arithmetic and logical operations.The ALU is a fundamental building block of the central processing unit of a computer, and even the simplest microprocessors contain one for purposes such as maintaining timers...
, load/store unit, floating point unit
Floating point unit
A floating-point unit is a part of a computer system specially designed to carry out operations on floating point numbers. Typical operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and square root...
, and branch processing unit. The dispatch unit can issue two instructions per cycle. The floating point unit has a three level deep pipeline. Out of order execution is supported through the use of shadow or rename registers. The completion unit can complete two instructions per cycle in order by copying results from the rename registers to the real registers. Independently, the branch processing unit can complete a branch each cycle. Thus, in theory, the RHPPC processor can complete three instructions per cycle. Within the RHPPC processor there is a 16 kB instruction
and a 16 kB data L1 caches
CPU cache
A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations...
that are 4 way set associative, and support write through or copy-back protocol. A cache line is fixed at eight words.
Fabrication process and packaging
The RHPPC processor is fabricatedSemiconductor fabrication
Semiconductor device fabrication is the process used to create the integrated circuits that are present in everyday electrical and electronic devices. It is a multiple-step sequence of photolithographic and chemical processing steps during which electronic circuits are gradually created on a wafer...
with Honeywell’s SOI
Silicon on insulator
Silicon on insulator technology refers to the use of a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate in place of conventional silicon substrates in semiconductor manufacturing, especially microelectronics, to reduce parasitic device capacitance and thereby improving performance...
-V 0.35 µm, four level metal process. Standard cells and custom drop-ins are used. It is packaged in a hermetic, aluminium oxide
Aluminium oxide
Aluminium oxide is an amphoteric oxide with the chemical formula 23. It is commonly referred to as alumina, or corundum in its crystalline form, as well as many other names, reflecting its widespread occurrence in nature and industry...
, 21 x 21 mm grid array
Surface-mount technology
Surface mount technology is a method for constructing electronic circuits in which the components are mounted directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards . An electronic device so made is called a surface mount device...
package with 255 (16 x 16) leads. The leads are on 1.27 mm centers. The lead can have either solder balls
Ball grid array
A ball grid array is a type of surface-mount packaging used for integrated circuits.- Description :The BGA is descended from the pin grid array , which is a package with one face covered with pins in a grid pattern. These pins conduct electrical signals from the integrated circuit to the printed...
, solder columns, or short pins attached. Standard die attach and wire bond
Wire bonding
Wire bonding is the primary method of making interconnections between an integrated circuit and a printed circuit board during semiconductor device fabrication. Although less common, wire bonding can be used to connect an IC to other electronics or to connect from one PCB to another...
die interconnect are used.