Language for Instruction Set Architecture
Encyclopedia
LISA is a Language targeting the description of Instruction Set Architecture. The aim is to capture all the information required to generate software tools (compiler
, assembler
, Instruction Set Simulator
, ...) and implementation hardware (in VHDL or Verilog
) of a given processor
core.
LISA is not focused on the modeling of other on-chip components around the processor core itself, such as peripherals, hardware accelerators, buses and memories; Other languages such as SystemC
will be used for these.
While the scope of the language is quite large, many industrial cases are targeting a subset of its possibility. For instance LISA have been used to re-implement the hardware of certain processor core keeping the binary compatibility with the legacy version, as all software tools did already exist and legacy compiled software images could be executed on the newly created hardware.
Another focus case has been to focus only on generating ISS (Instruction Set Simulator
), most known case are the ARM Architecture
ISSes.
The language has not been yet stantardised by IEEE nor ISO and is currently owned by RWTH Aachen
University, in Germany
.
University, in Germany
.
The current official version from RWTH Aachen
is LISA2.0
The language is still in evolution to cover newly (and future) research on micro-computers, this includes Reconfigurable computing
(in LISA3.0) , multi-core, Parallel programming, ...
One noticeable branch has been created for handling the modeling of peripherals (such as interrupt controller, timer, ...); Called LISA+. (see infocenter.arm.com and search for LISA+ Reference Language Manual)
Compiler
A compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language...
, assembler
Assembly language
An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices. It implements a symbolic representation of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture...
, Instruction Set Simulator
Instruction Set Simulator
An instruction set simulator is a simulation model, usually coded in a high-level programming language, which mimics the behavior of a mainframe or microprocessor by "reading" instructions and maintaining internal variables which represent the processor's registers.Instruction simulation is a...
, ...) and implementation hardware (in VHDL or Verilog
Verilog
In the semiconductor and electronic design industry, Verilog is a hardware description language used to model electronic systems. Verilog HDL, not to be confused with VHDL , is most commonly used in the design, verification, and implementation of digital logic chips at the register-transfer level...
) of a given processor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
core.
LISA is not focused on the modeling of other on-chip components around the processor core itself, such as peripherals, hardware accelerators, buses and memories; Other languages such as SystemC
SystemC
SystemC is a set of C++ classes and macros which provide an event-driven simulation kernel in C++ . These facilities enable a designer to simulate concurrent processes, each described using plain C++ syntax...
will be used for these.
While the scope of the language is quite large, many industrial cases are targeting a subset of its possibility. For instance LISA have been used to re-implement the hardware of certain processor core keeping the binary compatibility with the legacy version, as all software tools did already exist and legacy compiled software images could be executed on the newly created hardware.
Another focus case has been to focus only on generating ISS (Instruction Set Simulator
Instruction Set Simulator
An instruction set simulator is a simulation model, usually coded in a high-level programming language, which mimics the behavior of a mainframe or microprocessor by "reading" instructions and maintaining internal variables which represent the processor's registers.Instruction simulation is a...
), most known case are the ARM Architecture
ARM architecture
ARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
ISSes.
The language has not been yet stantardised by IEEE nor ISO and is currently owned by RWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen University is a research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany with roughly 33,000 students enrolled in 101 study programs....
University, in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
Initially developed at Institute for Integrated Signal Processing Systems (ISS) Aachen, belonging to RWTH AachenRWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen University is a research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany with roughly 33,000 students enrolled in 101 study programs....
University, in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The current official version from RWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen University is a research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany with roughly 33,000 students enrolled in 101 study programs....
is LISA2.0
The language is still in evolution to cover newly (and future) research on micro-computers, this includes Reconfigurable computing
Reconfigurable computing
Reconfigurable computing is a computer architecture combining some of the flexibility of software with the high performance of hardware by processing with very flexible high speed computing fabrics like field-programmable gate arrays...
(in LISA3.0) , multi-core, Parallel programming, ...
One noticeable branch has been created for handling the modeling of peripherals (such as interrupt controller, timer, ...); Called LISA+. (see infocenter.arm.com and search for LISA+ Reference Language Manual)
See also
- Alphabetical list of programming languagesAlphabetical list of programming languagesThe aim of this list of programming languages is to include all notable programming languages in existence, both those in current use and historical ones, in alphabetical order, except for dialects of BASIC and esoteric programming languages.- A :...
- SystemCSystemCSystemC is a set of C++ classes and macros which provide an event-driven simulation kernel in C++ . These facilities enable a designer to simulate concurrent processes, each described using plain C++ syntax...
- VerilogVerilogIn the semiconductor and electronic design industry, Verilog is a hardware description language used to model electronic systems. Verilog HDL, not to be confused with VHDL , is most commonly used in the design, verification, and implementation of digital logic chips at the register-transfer level...
- VHDL
Books
- Oliver Wahlen: C Compiler Aided Design of Application-specific Instruction-set Processors Using the Machine Description Language LISA (Berichte Aus Der Electrotechnik), Shaker VerlagShaker VerlagShaker Verlag is a German publishing house located in Maastricht and Herzogenrath , established in 1986 by Dr. Chaled Shaker. Shaker Verlag is a publisher of scientific literature, especially monographs and dissertations. More than 20,0000 books are on stock, many of them in English, also sold as...
GmbH, Germany (August 13, 2004) , ISBN 3832230351
External links
- http://www.iss.rwth-aachen.de
- http://www.arm.com