AN 978: Nios® V Processor Migration Guidelines

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ID 773196
Date 11/25/2024
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Overview 2. Architecture Comparison 3. Processor Core Upgrade Paths 4. Design Flow Comparison 5. Processor Core Comparison 6. Feature Comparison 7. Assembly Language Comparison 8. Document Revision History for the AN 978: Nios® V Processor Migration Guidelines
2. Architecture Comparison x
2.1. Features Comparison 2.2. Ecosystem Comparison 2.3. Software Optimization
4. Design Flow Comparison x
4.1. Differences in the Design Flow 4.2. Design Upgrade from Nios® II Processor to Nios® V Processor
4.2. Design Upgrade from Nios® II Processor to Nios® V Processor x
4.2.1. Quartus® Prime Standard Edition 4.2.2. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition
4.2.1. Quartus® Prime Standard Edition x
4.2.1.1. Hardware Component 4.2.1.2. Software Component
4.2.2. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition x
4.2.2.1. Hardware Component 4.2.2.2. Software Component
5. Processor Core Comparison x
5.1. Upgrading Nios® II/e Processor to Nios® V/c Processor 5.2. Upgrading Nios® II Processor to Nios® V/m Processor 5.3. Upgrading Nios® II/f Processor to Nios® V/g Processor
5.1. Upgrading Nios® II/e Processor to Nios® V/c Processor x
5.1.1. Hardware Perspective 5.1.2. Software Perspective
5.1.1. Hardware Perspective x
5.1.1.1. Signal and Interface Mapping 5.1.1.2. IP Parameter Configuration 5.1.1.3. BSP Project Generation
5.1.2. Software Perspective x
5.1.2.1. Command-Line Build Flow 5.1.2.2. IDE Build Flow
5.2. Upgrading Nios® II Processor to Nios® V/m Processor x
5.2.1. Hardware Perspective 5.2.2. Software Perspective
5.2.1. Hardware Perspective x
5.2.1.1. Signal and Interface Mapping 5.2.1.2. IP Parameter Configuration 5.2.1.3. BSP Project Generation
5.2.2. Software Perspective x
5.2.2.1. Command-Line Build Flow 5.2.2.2. IDE Build Flow
5.3. Upgrading Nios® II/f Processor to Nios® V/g Processor x
5.3.1. Hardware Perspective 5.3.2. Software Perspective
5.3.1. Hardware Perspective x
5.3.1.1. Signal and Interface Mapping 5.3.1.2. IP Parameter Configuration 5.3.1.3. BSP Project Generation
5.3.2. Software Perspective x
5.3.2.1. Command-Line Build Flow 5.3.2.2. IDE Build Flow
6. Feature Comparison x
6.1. Timer 6.2. Interrupt 6.3. Ethernet Stack 6.4. Bootloader 6.5. Data and Instruction Cache 6.6. Tightly Coupled Memory 6.7. Custom Instructions 6.8. Error Correction Code 6.9. Intel® HAL Settings 6.10. Micrium MicroC/OS-II BSP Settings 6.11. Software Packages
7. Assembly Language Comparison x
7.1. Arithmetic and Logic Operations 7.2. Data Handling and Memory Operations 7.3. Control Flow Operations 7.4. Miscellaneous Operations
1. Overview
2. Architecture Comparison
3. Processor Core Upgrade Paths
4. Design Flow Comparison
5. Processor Core Comparison
6. Feature Comparison
7. Assembly Language Comparison
8. Document Revision History for the AN 978: Nios® V Processor Migration Guidelines

6.2. Interrupt

Nios® V processor implements 16 hardware interrupt inputs and internal timer or software interrupts.
Table 26.  Interrupt Feature Comparison
Feature Nios® V Processor Nios® II Processor
Hardware interrupts 16 interrupts 32 interrupts
Software interrupt Supported Not supported
Timer interrupt Supported Not supported
External Interrupt Controller Not supported Supported
Legacy HAL Interrupt API Not supported Supported
Enhanced HAL Interrupt API Supported Supported
  • The HAL driver for hardware interrupt is compatible, but take note that the Nios® V processor accepts interrupts number up to 16 only which reflects the difference in interrupt bus width.
  • Altera provides the HAL API for software interrupt and timer interrupt for the Nios® V processor.

If you have custom device drivers, Altera recommends that you upgrade them to use the enhanced HAL interrupt API. The enhanced API maintains compatibility with the IIC. The legacy HAL interrupt API is deprecated. Upgrading your device driver is very simple, requiring only minor changes to some function calls.

Table 27.  HAL Interrupt Legacy and Enhanced API Functions
Legacy API Function Enhanced API Function
alt_irq_register() alt_ic_isr_register()
alt_irq_disable() alt_ic_irq_disable()
alt_irq_enable() alt_ic_irq_enable()
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