Processor IP Wiki

Overview

Processor IP refers to pre-designed, licensable CPU or processing core designs used in System-on-Chip (SoC) development. These IP cores are integrated into semiconductor designs and are responsible for executing instructions, controlling hardware, and performing computations.

Processor IP enables companies to build custom chips without designing a CPU from scratch, reducing development time and cost while allowing scalability across different markets and applications.

📦 Types of Processor IP

Category	Description	Examples
CPU IP	General-purpose processors for control and application execution	Arm Cortex-A/M/R, RISC-V (SiFive, Andes), Synopsys ARC
DSP IP	Specialized in real-time signal processing (MAC-heavy workloads)	CEVA-X, Cadence Tensilica, Arm Helium
GPU IP	For graphics and compute tasks (2D/3D rendering, shaders)	Arm Mali, Imagination PowerVR
AI/ML IP	Neural processing units (NPUs), optimized for inference	Arm Ethos, CEVA NeuPro, Cadence DNA
Secure Processor IP	Hardware root of trust, crypto operations	OpenTitan, Secure-IC, PQShield
Embedded Controllers	Lightweight cores for control functions	Arm Cortex-M0/M3, ARC EM, RISC-V RV32

🛠️ Key Features

Feature	Purpose
ISA (Instruction Set Architecture)	Defines how software communicates with hardware (e.g., Arm, RISC-V)
Pipeline Architecture	Controls throughput and instruction execution stages
Multicore & Multithreading	Improves parallelism and performance
Cache Hierarchy	L1, L2, L3 caches for memory access optimization
Debug and Trace	Interfaces for JTAG, breakpoints, real-time monitoring
Security Extensions	TrustZone (Arm), PMP (RISC-V), Secure Boot
Custom Extensions	Application-specific instructions (e.g., AI, DSP)

🧮 Common Architectures and Providers

🔹 Arm

Cortex-A: Application processors (smartphones, tablets)
Cortex-R: Real-time processors (automotive, storage)
Cortex-M: Microcontrollers for IoT/embedded (e.g., M0, M3, M7)
Neoverse: Server/data center CPUs
SecurCore / TrustZone: Secure element processors

🔹 RISC-V

Open-source ISA with multiple providers:
- SiFive – Performance and embedded RISC-V cores
- Andes Technology – Compact and DSP-extended cores
- Codasip – Customizable RISC-V cores with compiler toolchains
- OpenHW Group – Open-source RISC-V cores (e.g., CV32E)

🔹 Synopsys ARC

Configurable 32-bit/64-bit cores optimized for embedded control and DSP
Targeted at audio, voice, sensor processing

🔹 Cadence Tensilica

HiFi DSPs: Audio, voice, soundbar, ANC, hearing aids
Vision DSPs: Imaging, vision, SLAM, ML

🔹 CEVA

Wireless (CEVA-X), vision, and AI cores (SensPro, NeuPro)
Strong in Bluetooth, 5G, sensor fusion

🔹 Imagination Technologies

MIPS (legacy CPU line) and Catapult RISC-V CPUs
Also offers GPU and AI cores

📈 Market Adoption

Processor IP is used in nearly every custom SoC across industries:

Industry	Application
Mobile	Application CPUs (Arm Cortex-A), audio (Tensilica, CEVA), camera
IoT	Microcontrollers (Cortex-M, RISC-V), BLE radios
Automotive	Safety controllers, ADAS compute (Cortex-R, DSPs)
Networking	Packet processing (ARC, RISC-V), secure routing
AI/ML Edge	DSP+NPU combo processors for inference
Storage	SSD controllers (ARC, Cortex-R)
Wearables	Compact power-efficient CPUs (M0, RISC-V RV32)

💡 Licensing Models

Model	Description
Upfront license + royalties	Pay for use, plus per-chip royalty (standard model)
Subscription (SaaS IP)	Newer model from Arm, others (for early startups)
Royalty-free (open source)	RISC-V under permissive license (e.g., Apache 2.0)
Single-use or multiproject	Limits use to one SoC or multiple derivatives

🧭 Design and Integration Tools

Processor IPs are typically bundled with:

RTL code (for soft cores) or GDSII (for hard macros)
Toolchains: GCC/LLVM-based compilers, IDEs, JTAG support
SoC integration kits: AMBA AXI/AHB bus interfaces, debug ports
Models: ISS (Instruction Set Simulator), Cycle-accurate models
SDKs and BSPs: For OS booting, HALs, and reference software

🔒 Secure and Safety IP Features

Feature	Use Case
Secure Boot ROM	Authentication at reset
TrustZone (Arm)	Partition secure/non-secure domains
RISC-V PMP (Physical Memory Protection)	Hardware memory access control
Safety ISO 26262 ASIL-D support	Automotive use
Hardware crypto engines	Secure data and communications