Texas Instruments TMS320
Encyclopedia
Texas Instruments TMS320 is a blanket name for a series of digital signal processor
s (DSPs) from Texas Instruments
. It was introduced on April 8, 1983 through the TMS32010 processor, which was then the fastest DSP on the market.
The processor is available in many different variants, some with fixed-point arithmetic
and some with floating point arithmetic
. The floating point DSP TMS320C3x, which exploits delayed branch logic, has as many as three delay slots
.
The flexibility of this line of processors has led to it being used not merely as a co-processor for digital signal processing
but also as a main CPU. Newer implementations support standard IEEE JTAG
control for boundary scan and/or in-circuit debugging.
The original TMS32010 and its subsequent variants is an example of a CPU with a Modified Harvard architecture
, which features separate address spaces for instruction and data memory but the ability to read data values from instruction memory. The TMS32010 featured a fast multiply-and-accumulate useful in both DSP applications as well as transformations used in computer graphics. The graphics controller card for the Apollo Computer
DN570 Workstation, released in 1985, was based on the TMS32010 and could transform 20,000 2D vectors/second.
For this reason people working with DSPs often abbreviate a processor as "C5x" when the actual name is something like TMS320C5510, since all products obviously have the name "TMS320" and all processors with "C5" in the name are code compatible and share the same basic features. Sometimes you will even hear people talking about "C55x" and similar subgroupings, since processors in the same series and same generation are even more similar.
, C++
, and/or assembly language
. Most work on the TMS320 processors is done using Texas Instruments proprietary toolchain
and their integrated development environment
Code Composer Studio
, which includes a mini operating system
called DSP/BIOS
. Additionally, a department at the Chemnitz University of Technology
has developed preliminary support for the TMS320C6x series in the GNU Compiler Collection
.
In November 2007 TI released part of its toolchain as freeware
for non-commercial users, offering the bare compiler, assembler, optimizer and linker under a proprietary license. However, neither the IDE nor a debugger were included, so for debugging and JTAG access to the DSPs, users still need to purchase the complete toolchain.
Digital signal processor
A digital signal processor is a specialized microprocessor with an architecture optimized for the fast operational needs of digital signal processing.-Typical characteristics:...
s (DSPs) from Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
. It was introduced on April 8, 1983 through the TMS32010 processor, which was then the fastest DSP on the market.
The processor is available in many different variants, some with fixed-point arithmetic
Fixed-point arithmetic
In computing, a fixed-point number representation is a real data type for a number that has a fixed number of digits after the radix point...
and some with floating point arithmetic
Floating point
In computing, floating point describes a method of representing real numbers in a way that can support a wide range of values. Numbers are, in general, represented approximately to a fixed number of significant digits and scaled using an exponent. The base for the scaling is normally 2, 10 or 16...
. The floating point DSP TMS320C3x, which exploits delayed branch logic, has as many as three delay slots
Branch delay slot
In computer architecture, a delay slot is an instruction slot that gets executed without the effects of a preceding instruction. The most common form is a single arbitrary instruction located immediately after a branch instruction on a RISC or DSP architecture; this instruction will execute even if...
.
The flexibility of this line of processors has led to it being used not merely as a co-processor for digital signal processing
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
but also as a main CPU. Newer implementations support standard IEEE JTAG
JTAG
Joint Test Action Group is the common name for what was later standardized as the IEEE 1149.1 Standard Test Access Port and Boundary-Scan Architecture. It was initially devised for testing printed circuit boards using boundary scan and is still widely used for this application.Today JTAG is also...
control for boundary scan and/or in-circuit debugging.
The original TMS32010 and its subsequent variants is an example of a CPU with a Modified Harvard architecture
Modified Harvard architecture
The Modified Harvard Architecture is a variation of the Harvard computer architecture that allows the contents of the instruction memory to be accessed as if it were data...
, which features separate address spaces for instruction and data memory but the ability to read data values from instruction memory. The TMS32010 featured a fast multiply-and-accumulate useful in both DSP applications as well as transformations used in computer graphics. The graphics controller card for the Apollo Computer
Apollo Computer
Apollo Computer, Inc., founded 1980 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts by William Poduska and others, developed and produced Apollo/Domain workstations in the 1980s. Along with Symbolics and Sun Microsystems, Apollo was one of the first vendors of graphical workstations in the 1980s...
DN570 Workstation, released in 1985, was based on the TMS32010 and could transform 20,000 2D vectors/second.
Variants
The TMS320 architecture has been around for a while so a number of product variants have developed. The product codes used by Texas Instruments after the first TMS32010 processor have involved a very popular series of processor named TMS320Cabcd where a is the main series, b the generation and cd is some custom number for a minor sub-variant.For this reason people working with DSPs often abbreviate a processor as "C5x" when the actual name is something like TMS320C5510, since all products obviously have the name "TMS320" and all processors with "C5" in the name are code compatible and share the same basic features. Sometimes you will even hear people talking about "C55x" and similar subgroupings, since processors in the same series and same generation are even more similar.
Outside the main series
- TMS320C1x, the first generation 16-bit fixed-pointFixed-point arithmeticIn computing, a fixed-point number representation is a real data type for a number that has a fixed number of digits after the radix point...
DSPs. All processors in these series are code-compatible with the TMS32010- TMS32010, the very first processor in the first series introduced in 1983, using external memory
- TMS320M10, the same processor but with an internal ROM of 3KB
- TMS320C10, TMS320C15 etc.
- TMS320C3x, floating point
- TMS320VC33
- TMS320C4xTMS320C4xThe TMS320C4x is the second generation of 32-bit floating point digital signal processors. The first family member, the TMS320C40, was introduced in 1990. TMS320C4x family members target multiprocessor floating-point DSP systems for scientific, industrial, and military applications...
, floating point - TMS320C8xTMS320C8xThe TMS320C8x is a family of multimedia video processor chip that was introduced in 1994 by Texas Instruments. The family includes the TMS320C80 and a scaled down version, the TMS320C82. This is one of the first single-chip processors that integrated MPEG-1 encoding...
, multiprocessor chip- TMS320C80 MVP (multimedia video processor) has a 32 bit floating-point "master processor" and four 32-bit fixed-point "parallel processors". In many ways the Cell microprocessorCell microprocessorCell is a microprocessor architecture jointly developed by Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment, Toshiba, and IBM, an alliance known as "STI". The architectural design and first implementation were carried out at the STI Design Center in Austin, Texas over a four-year period beginning March 2001 on a...
followed this design approach.
- TMS320C80 MVP (multimedia video processor) has a 32 bit floating-point "master processor" and four 32-bit fixed-point "parallel processors". In many ways the Cell microprocessor
C2000 Series
- TMS320 C2000 series consists of 2 families: C240x, an older 16-bit line that is no longer recommended for new development and the C28xx 32-bit line. The newer C28xx family consists of a Delfino high-performance floating point line and a low-cost Piccolo line. The C2000 series is notable for its high performance set of on-chip control peripherals including PWMPWM-Science:* Position-specific scoring matrix or Position weight matrix, in bioinformatics, a commonly used representation in motifs in biological sequences...
, ADCAnalog-to-digital converterAn analog-to-digital converter is a device that converts a continuous quantity to a discrete time digital representation. An ADC may also provide an isolated measurement...
, quadrature encoder modules, and capture modules. The series also contains support for I2C, SPISPISPI may refer to:-Companies:* Shotmed Paper Industries, an Egyptian paper manufacturer* Simulations Publications, Inc., an American publisher of board wargames* Sony Pictures Imageworks, a visual effects and animation company...
, serial (SCI), CANCAN- Organizations :* Andean Community of Nations, a South American trade bloc with Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru* Campus Antiwar Network, an American network of students opposing the occupation of Iraq...
, watchdogWatchdog timerA watchdog timer is a computer hardware or software timer that triggers a system reset or other corrective action if the main program, due to some fault condition, such as a hang, neglects to regularly service the watchdog A watchdog timer (or computer operating properly (COP) timer) is a computer...
, McBSP, external memory interface and GPIO. Due to features like PWM waveform synchronization with the ADC unit, the C2000 line is well suited to many real-time control applications. The C2000 family is commonly used for digital motor control and power conversion. A line of low cost kits for digital power, renewable energy and digital motor control allow experimentation with the MCU.
C5000 Series
- TMS320C54x 16-bit fixed point DSP, 5 stage pipeline with in-order-execution of opcodes, parallel load/store on arithmetic operations, multiply accumulate and other DSP enhancements. Internal multi-port memory. no cache unit.
- A popular choice for 2G2G2G is short for second-generation wireless telephone technology. Second generation 2G cellular telecom networks were commercially launched on the GSM standard in Finland by Radiolinja in 1991...
Software defined cellphone radios, particularly GSM, circa late 1990s when many NokiaNokiaNokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
and EricssonEricssonEricsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
cellphones made use of the C54x. - At the time, desire to improve the user interface of cellphones led to the adoption of ARM7 as a general purpose processor for user interface and control, off-loading this function from the DSP. This ultimately led to the creation of a dual core ARM7+C54x DSP, which later evolved into the OMAP product line.
- A popular choice for 2G
- TMS320C55x generation - fixed point, runs C54x code but adds more internal parallelism (another ALU, dual MAC, more memory bandwidth) and registers, while supporting much lower power operation
- Today, most C55x DSPs are sold as discrete chips
- OMAP1OMAPOMAP developed by Texas Instruments is a category of proprietary system on chips for portable and mobile multimedia applications. OMAP devices generally include a general-purpose ARM architecture processor core plus one or more specialized co-processors...
chips combine an ARM9 (ARMv5TEJ) with a C55x series DSP - OMAP2420OMAPOMAP developed by Texas Instruments is a category of proprietary system on chips for portable and mobile multimedia applications. OMAP devices generally include a general-purpose ARM architecture processor core plus one or more specialized co-processors...
chips combine an ARM11ARM11ARM11 is an ARM architecture 32-bit RISC microprocessor family which introduced the ARMv6 architectural additions. These include SIMD media instructions, multiprocessor support and a new cache architecture...
(ARMv6) with a C55x series DSP
C6000 Series
- TMS320 C6000 series, or TMS320C6x: VLIW based DSP's.
- TMS320C62x fixed point /2000 MIPS/1.9 Watts
- TMS320C64x fixed point - code compatible with TMS320C62x (also known as C64, C64x, and C64x+)
- TMS320C67x floating point - code compatible with TMS320C62x
- Other parts with C6000 series DSPs include
- DaVinciTexas Instruments DaVinciThe Texas Instruments DaVinci Technology combines TI's offering of digital signal processing chips, software, tools and support for developing a broad spectrum of optimized digital video end equipments...
chips include one or both of an ARM9 and a C64x+ fixed point DSP - OMAP-L13xOMAPOMAP developed by Texas Instruments is a category of proprietary system on chips for portable and mobile multimedia applications. OMAP devices generally include a general-purpose ARM architecture processor core plus one or more specialized co-processors...
chips include an ARM9 (ARMv5TEJ) and a C67x floating point DSP - OMAP243xOMAPOMAP developed by Texas Instruments is a category of proprietary system on chips for portable and mobile multimedia applications. OMAP devices generally include a general-purpose ARM architecture processor core plus one or more specialized co-processors...
chips combine an ARM11ARM11ARM11 is an ARM architecture 32-bit RISC microprocessor family which introduced the ARMv6 architectural additions. These include SIMD media instructions, multiprocessor support and a new cache architecture...
(ARMv6) with a C64x series DSP - OMAP3 and OMAP4OMAPOMAP developed by Texas Instruments is a category of proprietary system on chips for portable and mobile multimedia applications. OMAP devices generally include a general-purpose ARM architecture processor core plus one or more specialized co-processors...
chips include an ARM Cortex-A8 or A9 (ARMv7) and frequently a fixed point C64x+ DSP
- DaVinci
DaVinci Series
- The DaVinci seriesTexas Instruments DaVinciThe Texas Instruments DaVinci Technology combines TI's offering of digital signal processing chips, software, tools and support for developing a broad spectrum of optimized digital video end equipments...
started with systems-on-a-chipSystem-on-a-chipA system on a chip or system on chip is an integrated circuit that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system into a single chip. It may contain digital, analog, mixed-signal, and often radio-frequency functions—all on a single chip substrate...
using an embedded C6000 Series (C64x+) DSP, ARM9 application processors, and Digital Media peripherals. There are variants without ARMs, and without DSPs. Their marketing focuses on their video processing capabilities. Original chips supported NTSC and PAL, while newer ones support HDTV.
OMAP Variants
- OMAPOMAPOMAP developed by Texas Instruments is a category of proprietary system on chips for portable and mobile multimedia applications. OMAP devices generally include a general-purpose ARM architecture processor core plus one or more specialized co-processors...
variants, these also have an ARMARM architectureARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
processor in the same chip, see main article on Texas Instruments OMAP. (There are also OMAP processors with other secondary processors, so these are not necessarily DSPs.)
DA Variants
- DA variants (target "Digital audio")
- DA25x is an ARMARM architectureARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
processor and a C55x core. It has some on-chip peripherals like a USB slave controller and security features. Documentation of this chip is only available after signing a Texas Instruments NDANon-disclosure agreementA non-disclosure agreement , also known as a confidentiality agreement , confidential disclosure agreement , proprietary information agreement , or secrecy agreement, is a legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties...
. These variants are used exclusively in the Creative ZENCreative ZenThe Creative ZEN is a range of digital audio players and portable media players made by Creative Technology. The players evolved from the now-defunct NOMAD brand through the NOMAD Jukebox series...
and Dell Digital JukeboxDell Digital JukeboxThe Dell Digital Jukebox or just Dell DJ was a brand name for a series of digital audio players sold by the Dell Computer corporation....
MP3 players, as the primary CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
and signal processor for all processing of MP3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
data streams. - TMS320DA7xx Aureus chips are built around C67x+ DSPs
- DA83x is another Aureus, essentially the same as the OMAP-L137 ... which derives from non-video DaVinci technologies. It includes a C67x floating point DSP and a relatively fast ARM9 core. The TMS320DA828 is much the same, but removes some I/O interfaces.
- DA610/601 is a processor with a C67x core. It has on chip peripherals needed to connect to audio codecs for a 5.1 or 7.1 system. This chip is used in the YAMAHA high end receivers : RX-V1400, RX-V2400, RX-V1600, RX-V2600, RX-V2500.
- DA25x is an ARM
DM Variants
- DM variants:
- DM270 has an ARM7TDMIARM7TDMIARM7 is a generation of ARM processor designs. This generation introduced the Thumb 16-bit instruction set providing improved code density compared to previous designs. The most widely used ARM7 designs implement the ARMv4T architecture, but some implement ARMv3 or ARMv5TEJ...
core and a TMS320 C5409 DSP - DM320 has an ARM926ARM architectureARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
core and a TMS320 C5409 DSP - DSC25 has an ARM7TDMIARM7TDMIARM7 is a generation of ARM processor designs. This generation introduced the Thumb 16-bit instruction set providing improved code density compared to previous designs. The most widely used ARM7 designs implement the ARMv4T architecture, but some implement ARMv3 or ARMv5TEJ...
core and a TMS320 DSP - Texas Instruments DaVinciTexas Instruments DaVinciThe Texas Instruments DaVinci Technology combines TI's offering of digital signal processing chips, software, tools and support for developing a broad spectrum of optimized digital video end equipments...
chips
- DM270 has an ARM7TDMI
Toolchain
The TMS320 series can be programmed using CC (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
, C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
, and/or assembly language
Assembly language
An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices. It implements a symbolic representation of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture...
. Most work on the TMS320 processors is done using Texas Instruments proprietary toolchain
Toolchain
In software, a toolchain is the set of programming tools that are used to create a product...
and their integrated development environment
Integrated development environment
An integrated development environment is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development...
Code Composer Studio
Code Composer Studio
Code Composer Studio is an integrated development environment for developing applications for Texas Instruments embedded processors. Texas Instruments embedded processors include DSPs, ARM based devices and other processors such as MSP430. Code Composer Studio includes a real time operating...
, which includes a mini operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
called DSP/BIOS
DSP/BIOS
SYS/BIOS is a real time operating system created and offered by Texas Instruments for use in a wide range of their embedded processors. SYS/BIOS is a component of TI’s Code Composer Studio integrated development environment....
. Additionally, a department at the Chemnitz University of Technology
Chemnitz University of Technology
Chemnitz University of Technology is located in the town of Chemnitz in Germany. With over 10000 students it is the third largest university in Saxony and around 750 international students from 100 universities all over the world are enrolled each year...
has developed preliminary support for the TMS320C6x series in the GNU Compiler Collection
GNU Compiler Collection
The GNU Compiler Collection is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain...
.
In November 2007 TI released part of its toolchain as freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
for non-commercial users, offering the bare compiler, assembler, optimizer and linker under a proprietary license. However, neither the IDE nor a debugger were included, so for debugging and JTAG access to the DSPs, users still need to purchase the complete toolchain.
External links
- DSP product tree at Texas Instruments
- Texas Instruments enters the DSP market historical article from TI
- OpenCores54x DSP
- C2000 low cost experimenter kits
- DSP product tree at Texas Instruments
- c6000 Discussion Forum at DSPRelated.com