Nios® V Processor Reference Manual

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ID 683632
Date 10/07/2024
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Overview 2. Nios® V/c Processor 3. Nios® V/m Processor 4. Nios® V/g Processor 5. Nios V Processor Reference Manual Archives 6. Document Revision History for the Nios® V Processor Reference Manual
1. Overview x
1.1. Quartus® Prime Software Support
2. Nios® V/c Processor x
2.1. Processor Performance Benchmarks 2.2. Processor Pipeline 2.3. Processor Architecture 2.4. Programming Model 2.5. Core Implementation
2.3. Processor Architecture x
2.3.1. General-Purpose Register File 2.3.2. Arithmetic Logic Unit 2.3.3. Reset and Debug Signals 2.3.4. Memory and I/O Organization 2.3.5. Error Correction Code (ECC)
2.3.4. Memory and I/O Organization x
2.3.4.1. Instruction and Data Buses 2.3.4.2. Address Map
2.3.4.1. Instruction and Data Buses x
2.3.4.1.1. Instruction Manager Port 2.3.4.1.2. Data Manager Port 2.3.4.1.3. Choosing a Suitable Interface
2.4. Programming Model x
2.4.1. Privilege Levels
2.5. Core Implementation x
2.5.1. Instruction Set Reference
3. Nios® V/m Processor x
3.1. Processor Performance Benchmarks 3.2. Processor Pipeline 3.3. Processor Architecture 3.4. Programming Model 3.5. Core Implementation
3.1. Processor Performance Benchmarks x
3.1.1. Pipelined 3.1.2. Non-pipelined
3.2. Processor Pipeline x
3.2.1. Pipelined Architecture 3.2.2. Non-pipelined Architecture
3.3. Processor Architecture x
3.3.1. General-Purpose Register File 3.3.2. Arithmetic Logic Unit 3.3.3. Reset and Debug Signals 3.3.4. Control and Status Registers 3.3.5. Trap Controller 3.3.6. Memory and I/O Organization 3.3.7. RISC-V based Debug Module 3.3.8. Error Correction Code (ECC)
3.3.5. Trap Controller x
3.3.5.1. Exception Handling 3.3.5.2. Interrupt Handling
3.3.5.2. Interrupt Handling x
3.3.5.2.1. Timer and Software Interrupt Module
3.3.6. Memory and I/O Organization x
3.3.6.1. Instruction and Data Buses 3.3.6.2. Address Map
3.3.6.1. Instruction and Data Buses x
3.3.6.1.1. Instruction Manager Port 3.3.6.1.2. Data Manager Port 3.3.6.1.3. Choosing a Suitable Interface
3.3.7. RISC-V based Debug Module x
3.3.7.1. Debug Mode 3.3.7.2. Halt from Debug Module 3.3.7.3. Trigger 3.3.7.4. Abstract Commands in Debug Mode 3.3.7.5. Hardware/Software Interface
3.4. Programming Model x
3.4.1. Privilege Levels 3.4.2. Control and Status Registers (CSR) Mapping
3.4.1. Privilege Levels x
3.4.1.1. Machine Mode (M-mode) 3.4.1.2. Debug Mode (D-mode)
3.4.2. Control and Status Registers (CSR) Mapping x
3.4.2.1. Control and Status Register Field
3.5. Core Implementation x
3.5.1. Instruction Set Reference
4. Nios® V/g Processor x
4.1. Processor Performance Benchmarks 4.2. Processor Pipeline 4.3. Processor Architecture 4.4. Programming Model 4.5. Core Implementation
4.3. Processor Architecture x
4.3.1. General-Purpose Register File 4.3.2. Arithmetic Logic Unit 4.3.3. Multipy and Divide Units 4.3.4. Floating-Point Unit 4.3.5. Custom Instruction 4.3.6. Reset and Debug Signals 4.3.7. Control and Status Registers 4.3.8. Trap Controller 4.3.9. Memory and I/O Organization 4.3.10. RISC-V based Debug Module 4.3.11. Error Correction Code (ECC) 4.3.12. Branch Prediction 4.3.13. Lockstep Module
4.3.4. Floating-Point Unit x
4.3.4.1. IEEE 754 Exception Conditions 4.3.4.2. Floating Point Operations
4.3.4.2. Floating Point Operations x
4.3.4.2.1. Floating Point Classification
4.3.8. Trap Controller x
4.3.8.1. Exception Controller 4.3.8.2. Interrupt Controller
4.3.8.2. Interrupt Controller x
4.3.8.2.1. Timer and Software Interrupt Module
4.3.9. Memory and I/O Organization x
4.3.9.1. Instruction and Data Buses 4.3.9.2. Address Map 4.3.9.3. Cache Memory 4.3.9.4. Tightly Coupled Memory
4.3.9.1. Instruction and Data Buses x
4.3.9.1.1. Instruction Manager Port 4.3.9.1.2. Data Manager Port
4.3.9.3. Cache Memory x
4.3.9.3.1. Instruction Cache 4.3.9.3.2. Data Cache 4.3.9.3.3. Configurable Cache Memory 4.3.9.3.4. Bypassing Cache (Peripheral Region) 4.3.9.3.5. Using Cache Memory Effectively
4.3.9.4. Tightly Coupled Memory x
4.3.9.4.1. Instruction and Data Tightly Coupled Memory 4.3.9.4.2. Accessing Tightly Coupled Memory 4.3.9.4.3. Using Tightly Coupled Memory Effectively
4.3.10. RISC-V based Debug Module x
4.3.10.1. Debug Mode 4.3.10.2. Halt from Debug Module 4.3.10.3. Trigger 4.3.10.4. Abstract Commands in Debug Mode 4.3.10.5. Hardware/Software Interface
4.3.11. Error Correction Code (ECC) x
4.3.11.1. ECC Interface 4.3.11.2. ECC Error Injection 4.3.11.3. Affected CSR during ECC Event
4.4. Programming Model x
4.4.1. Privilege Levels 4.4.2. Control and Status Registers (CSR) Mapping
4.4.1. Privilege Levels x
4.4.1.1. Machine Mode (M-mode) 4.4.1.2. Debug Mode (D-mode)
4.4.2. Control and Status Registers (CSR) Mapping x
4.4.2.1. Control and Status Register Field
4.5. Core Implementation x
4.5.1. Instruction Set Reference
1. Overview
2. Nios® V/c Processor
3. Nios® V/m Processor
4. Nios® V/g Processor
5. Nios V Processor Reference Manual Archives
6. Document Revision History for the Nios® V Processor Reference Manual

4.3.12. Branch Prediction

Nios® V/g processor core supports Static Branch Prediction. This core implements Backward Taken, Forward Not Taken (BTFN) mechanism. This technique is a simple form of branch prediction because it does not rely on the history of the branches. It predicts the outcome of a branch instruction as follows:
  • Always taken, when backward branches, or
  • Always not taken when forward branches.
The processor core determines the type of branches by comparing the Program Counter and targeted branch address (branch PC).
  • Backward branch - When the target branch address is less than the Program Counter.
  • Forward branch - When the target branch address is greater than the Program Counter.
For example, the assembly code below shows a forward branch. ef0 is the Program Counter, and f10 is the targeted branch address. Since the targeted branch address is greater than the Program Counter, the processor core does not take the branch.
Figure 12. Branch Prediction
Note: Enabling branch prediction can improve the core performance (such as the Dhrystone and CoreMark benchmark), but it may also increase logic resource utilization.
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