Core-A: A 32-bit Synthesizable Processor Core

Core-A is 32-bit synthesizable processor core with a unique instruction set architecture (ISA). In this paper, the Core-A ISA is introduced with discussion of useful features and the development environment, including the software tool chain and hardware on-chip debugger. Core-A is described using Verilog-HDL and can be customized for a given application and synthesized for an application-specific integrated circuit or field-programmable gate array target. Also, the GNU Compiler Collection has been ported to support Core-A, and various predesigned platforms are well equipped with the established design flow to speed up the hardware/software co-design for a Core-A-based system.