RTXM-2200:

A feature rich RISC-V CPU

RTXM-2200 CPU is a highly scalable real-time, deterministic, 32-bit embedded CPU, that is feature-rich and flexible in design for mainstream devices. It’s the ideal solution for several markets. Please select a use case below to understand more about how RTXM-2200 can be used and its benefits and solutions.

RTXM-2200 as a helper core

What is a helper core?

A Helper Core is a small and efficient CPU built into a System on Chip (SoC) that takes care of dedicated tasks to reduce the load on the main processor. Such tasks typically have a real-time QoS requirement or specialised functionality. Using such a core to help the main processor increases efficiency and effectiveness. As the control requirements on different processors evolves and grows, Helper Cores are becoming popular additions. RTXM-2200 can be used as a Helper Core in GPU clusters, Image Signal Processing blocks, Modems, Network Processors, 2D/3D Display Engines, Computer Vision, AI Accelerators, Power Management Units, Peripheral Hubs and more.

An example use case is within an Image Signal Processor (ISP). Sensor resolutions and frame rates are increasing, so the volume of data that the ISP needs to process in real-time is increasing too, which has the potential to increase its demands on the main CPU. On top of this, ISP algorithms such as Auto Focus, Auto Exposure and Auto White Balance are increasing in sophistication which may in turn require a more flexible approach to control than fixed-function hardware can provide. Offloading some of these tasks to a local CPU “Helper Core” can make the ISP unit more efficient without needing to resort to using the main SoC application processor.

Yet another impactful use case of RTXM-2200 is within a GPU. The GPU is a specialized hardware unit that performs extensive parallel processing supported by many high level tasks. RTXM-2200 can be used as Helper Core, also called a firmware processor, that is responsible for interaction with the driver on the main CPU and the orchestration of workloads on the GPU. It can manage tasks like initialization, scheduling, context switching, arbitration, power management, memory management, cache monitoring, safety monitoring, to name a few. A real-time, lightweight RTXM-2200 CPU when used as the “Helper Core” can significantly help in achieving better performance and power.

RTXM-2200 as a helper core

RTXM-2200 is a 32-bit, in-order RISC-V based CPU from Imagination’s Catapult range. It is a highly configurable core that can adapt itself to a wide range of use cases.

Not only is RTXM-2200 a real-time, deterministic CPU with extremely competitive performance density, it has features that make it ideal for operating as a Helper Core:

  • Low latency memory access thanks to 0-128KB of integrated Tightly Coupled Memory (TCM) with Error Correction Code (ECC) for both instructions and data.
  • Independent interaction with main system memory thanks to Direct Memory Access (DMA) via a 128-bit AXI-Slave Interface.
  • Cache sizing, tightly coupled memory sizing, PMA regions and interrupts are all configurable so licensees can tailor this CPU to fit their specific requirements.

>>>Interested in RTXM-2200? Contact us to see if it is the right fit for your next project. 

Back to top ^

RTXM-2200 as a storage controller

What is a storage controller?

A Storage Controller (or SSD Controller) handles the processing and storing of data for a host computer system. Across all industries, the volume of data collected and processed is rising, creating a challenge for its storage and handling. In a data centre, multiple servers can be connected together to create giant data storage solutions, and these are dependent on high performance Storage Controllers that can quickly, reliably and efficiently write data to an appropriate area of memory, and read it back again whenever the host system needs it.

These Storage Controllers need to be:

High performance:
Able to transfer the necessary volumes of data to and from storage quickly.

Reliable:
Able to maintain data integrity.

Secure:
Able to protect the storage solution from corruption.

Energy efficient:
Especially important if used in devices where power is constrained.

RTXM-2200 as a storage controller

RTXM-2200 is a 32-bit, in-order RISC-V based CPU from Imagination’s Catapult range. It is a highly configurable core that can adapt itself to a wide range of use cases.

RTXM-2200 can be deployed in the Flash Translation Layer (FTL) of a Storage Controller which maps the logical and physical addresses, runs the wear-levelling algorithm, performs garbage collection and dispatches read/write descriptors to the appropriate flash memory. It can also be used as a Backend Processor in a Storage Controller for checking control sequences closer to the flash memory.

RTXM-2200’s features make it ideal for operating as a storage controller

To summarize:

  • Its high performance ensures that the location of the requested data is quickly understood.
  • It is capable of dual issuing memory operations which enable high memory bandwidth, useful for Flash Translation Layer workloads.
  • Its tightly coupled memory (TCM) units are covered by SECDED ECC for safety and help with determinism by ensuring a consistent access time.
  • Its low power consumption makes it ideal as a backend processor where efficiency is valued.
  • It has an optimised path for pointer chasing loads, a common task in a FTL which manages large, dynamic data structures.
  • It has support for RISC-V Cache-Management Operations such as Zicbom for software-managed coherency and Zicboz / Zicbop for increased performance.

>>>Interested in RTXM-2200? Contact us to see if it is the right fit for your next project. 

Back to top ^

RTXM-2200 as a network processor

What is a Network Processor?

Network processors are programmable microprocessors that are optimised for handling the packets of data that travel through today’s telecommunications networks. Data traffic on these networks is increasing year-on-year, creating demand for more capable network processors that can manipulate and transform the data packets as required. Operations that network processors can execute include encryption, packet inspection and queue management.

To deliver on these functions, network processors need to be:

  • Able to handle high data rates.
  • Software programmable, so that the processor has the flexibility to deliver on a variety of functions.
  • Low area and power efficient, enabling multiple processors to be efficiently combined in an array to create a high performance parallel processing engine.
RTXM-2200 in a Network Processor

RTXM-2200 is a 32-bit, in-order RISC-V based CPU from Imagination’s Catapult range. It is a highly configurable core that can adapt itself to a wide range of use cases. RTXM-2200 can be deployed across a Network Processor SoC as either a Fabric Processor, Queue Management Unit or Channel Processor.

It is an ideal processor for these scenarios thanks to:

  • Its excellent bandwidth throughput delivered by a 128-bit wide data path and high frequency.
  • The reliability of real-time determinism delivered by tightly coupled memory and memory protection.
  • The efficient single precision floating point format.
  • Its scalability, so different configurations can be tailored to suit specific needs.

By combining this CPU IP with readily available assets, such as a RISC-V application processor as well as PCIe and SRAM from the Imagination ecosystem, it is possible to make an effective RISC-V based Network Processor.

>>>Interested in RTXM-2200? Contact us to see if it is the right fit for your next project. 

Back to top ^

RTXM-2200 as a security enclave

What is a security enclave?

A Security Enclave is a dedicated secure subsystem isolated from the main processor in order to provide an extra layer of security. It is used to keep sensitive user data secure, even if the application processor kernel becomes compromised, with many devices using the Security Enclave for user authentication.

To minimise the risk of attack, the Security Enclave often has a dedicated processor that runs at a lower clock speed. Although it will not have its own dedicated storage, it does include a mechanism by which it can separate out its own section of DRAM / SRAM, isolated from that used by the application processor, which it can read and write from with true security.

RTXM-2200 in the Security Enclave

RTXM-2200 is a 32-bit, in-order RISC-V based CPU from Imagination’s catapult range. It is a highly configurable core that can be customised to fit a wide range of use cases. RTXM-2200 can be used as the main computing power for the Security Enclave. It is a real-time, deterministic CPU with high efficiency and includes:

  • Memory protection support for access control
  • Support for data-independent timing instructions

By combining this CPU IP with readily available assets, such as a True Random Number Generator, crypto-engine and secure non-volatile storage, from the Imagination ecosystem, it is possible to make an effective RISC-V based Security Enclave.

>>>Interested in RTXM-2200? Contact us to see if it is the right fit for your next project. 

Back to top ^