Nios® V Embedded Processor Design Handbook

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Date 7/16/2025
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Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. About the Nios® V Embedded Processor 2. Nios® V Processor Hardware System Design with Quartus® Prime Software and Platform Designer 3. Nios® V Processor Software System Design 4. Nios® V Processor Configuration and Booting Solutions 5. Nios® V Processor - Using the MicroC/TCP-IP Stack 6. Nios® V Processor Debugging, Verifying, and Simulating 7. Nios® V Processor — Remote System Update 8. Nios® V Processor — Using Custom Instruction 9. Nios® V Embedded Processor Design Handbook Archives 10. Document Revision History for the Nios® V Embedded Processor Design Handbook
1. About the Nios® V Embedded Processor x
1.1. Altera® FPGA and Embedded Processors Overview 1.2. Quartus® Prime Software Support 1.3. Nios® V Processor Licensing 1.4. Embedded System Design
2. Nios® V Processor Hardware System Design with Quartus® Prime Software and Platform Designer x
2.1. Creating Nios® V Processor System Design with Platform Designer 2.2. Integrating Platform Designer System into the Quartus® Prime Project 2.3. Designing a Nios® V Processor Memory System 2.4. Clocks and Resets Best Practices 2.5. Assigning a Default Agent 2.6. Assigning a UART Agent for Printing 2.7. JTAG Signals 2.8. Optimizing Platform Designer System Performance
2.1. Creating Nios® V Processor System Design with Platform Designer x
2.1.1. Instantiating Nios® V Processor Altera® FPGA IP 2.1.2. Defining System Component Design 2.1.3. Specifying Base Addresses and Interrupt Request Priorities
2.1.1. Instantiating Nios® V Processor Altera® FPGA IP x
2.1.1.1. Instantiating Nios® V/c Compact Microcontroller Altera® FPGA IP 2.1.1.2. Instantiating Nios® V/m Microcontroller Altera® FPGA IP 2.1.1.3. Instantiating Nios® V/g General Purpose Processor Altera® FPGA IP
2.1.1.1. Instantiating Nios® V/c Compact Microcontroller Altera® FPGA IP x
2.1.1.1.1. CPU Architecture Tab 2.1.1.1.2. Use Reset Request Tab 2.1.1.1.3. Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Tab 2.1.1.1.4. ECC Tab
2.1.1.2. Instantiating Nios® V/m Microcontroller Altera® FPGA IP x
2.1.1.2.1. Debug Tab 2.1.1.2.2. Use Reset Request Tab 2.1.1.2.3. Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Tab 2.1.1.2.4. CPU Architecture 2.1.1.2.5. ECC Tab
2.1.1.3. Instantiating Nios® V/g General Purpose Processor Altera® FPGA IP x
2.1.1.3.1. CPU Architecture 2.1.1.3.2. Debug Tab 2.1.1.3.3. Lockstep Tab 2.1.1.3.4. Use Reset Request Tab 2.1.1.3.5. Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Tab 2.1.1.3.6. Memory Configurations Tab 2.1.1.3.7. ECC Tab 2.1.1.3.8. Custom Instruction Tab
2.2. Integrating Platform Designer System into the Quartus® Prime Project x
2.2.1. Instantiating the Nios® V Processor System Module in the Quartus® Prime Project 2.2.2. Connecting Signals and Assigning Physical Pin Locations 2.2.3. Constraining the Altera FPGA Design
2.3. Designing a Nios® V Processor Memory System x
2.3.1. Volatile Memory 2.3.2. Non-Volatile Memory
2.3.1. Volatile Memory x
2.3.1.1. On-Chip Memory Configuration – RAM or ROM 2.3.1.2. Caches 2.3.1.3. Tightly Coupled Memory 2.3.1.4. External Memory Interface (EMIF)
2.3.1.2. Caches x
2.3.1.2.1. Peripheral region
2.3.1.4. External Memory Interface (EMIF) x
2.3.1.4.1. Address Span Extender IP 2.3.1.4.2. Using Address Span Extender IP with Nios® V Processor 2.3.1.4.3. Defining Address Span Extender Linker Memory Device
2.4. Clocks and Resets Best Practices x
2.4.1. System JTAG Clock 2.4.2. Reset Request Interface 2.4.3. Reset Release IP
2.4.2. Reset Request Interface x
2.4.2.1. Typical Use Cases
2.6. Assigning a UART Agent for Printing x
2.6.1. Preventing Stalls by the JTAG UART
3. Nios® V Processor Software System Design x
3.1. Nios V Processor Software Development Flow 3.2. Altera FPGA Embedded Development Tools
3.1. Nios V Processor Software Development Flow x
3.1.1. Board Support Package Project 3.1.2. Application Project
3.2. Altera FPGA Embedded Development Tools x
3.2.1. Nios® V Processor Board Support Package Editor 3.2.2. RiscFree* IDE for Altera FPGAs 3.2.3. Nios V Utilities Tools 3.2.4. File Format Conversion Tools 3.2.5. Other Utilities Tools
4. Nios® V Processor Configuration and Booting Solutions x
4.1. Introduction 4.2. Linking Applications 4.3. Nios® V Processor Booting Methods 4.4. Introduction to Nios® V Processor Booting Methods 4.5. Nios® V Processor Booting from On-Chip Flash (UFM) 4.6. Nios® V Processor Booting from General Purpose QSPI Flash 4.7. Nios® V Processor Booting from Configuration QSPI Flash 4.8. Nios® V Processor Booting from On-Chip Memory (OCRAM) 4.9. Nios® V Processor Booting from Tightly Coupled Memory (TCM) 4.10. Summary of Nios® V Processor Vector Configuration and BSP Settings 4.11. Reducing Nios® V Processor Booting Time
4.2. Linking Applications x
4.2.1. Linking Behavior
4.2.1. Linking Behavior x
4.2.1.1. Default BSP Linking 4.2.1.2. Configurable BSP Linking
4.4. Introduction to Nios® V Processor Booting Methods x
4.4.1. Nios® V Processor Application Execute-In-Place from Boot Flash 4.4.2. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from Boot Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier 4.4.3. Nios® V Processor Application Execute-In-Place from OCRAM 4.4.4. Nios® V Processor Application Execute-In-Place from TCM
4.4.1. Nios® V Processor Application Execute-In-Place from Boot Flash x
4.4.1.1. alt_load()
4.4.2. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from Boot Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier x
4.4.2.1. Nios® V Processor Bootloader via Generic Serial Flash Interface 4.4.2.2. Nios® V Processor Bootloader via Secure Device Manager
4.5. Nios® V Processor Booting from On-Chip Flash (UFM) x
4.5.1. MAX® 10 FPGA On-Chip Flash Description 4.5.2. Nios® V Processor Application Execute-In-Place from UFM 4.5.3. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from UFM to RAM using Boot Copier
4.5.2. Nios® V Processor Application Execute-In-Place from UFM x
4.5.2.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.5.2.2. Software Design Flow 4.5.2.3. Programming
4.5.3. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from UFM to RAM using Boot Copier x
4.5.3.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.5.3.2. Software Design Flow 4.5.3.3. Programming
4.6. Nios® V Processor Booting from General Purpose QSPI Flash x
4.6.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes-In-Place from General Purpose QSPI Flash 4.6.2. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from General Purpose QSPI Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier (Bootloader via GSFI)
4.6.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes-In-Place from General Purpose QSPI Flash x
4.6.1.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.6.1.2. Software Design Flow 4.6.1.3. Programming Files Generation 4.6.1.4. QSPI Flash Programming
4.6.2. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from General Purpose QSPI Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier (Bootloader via GSFI) x
4.6.2.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.6.2.2. Software Design Flow 4.6.2.3. Programming Files Generation 4.6.2.4. QSPI Flash Programming
4.7. Nios® V Processor Booting from Configuration QSPI Flash x
4.7.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes-In-Place from Configuration QSPI Flash 4.7.2. Nios V Processor Design, Configuration and Boot Flow (Control Block-based Device) 4.7.3. Nios V Processor Design, Configuration and Boot Flow (SDM-based Devices)
4.7.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes-In-Place from Configuration QSPI Flash x
4.7.1.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.7.1.2. Software Design Flow 4.7.1.3. Programming Files Generation 4.7.1.4. QSPI Flash Programming
4.7.2. Nios V Processor Design, Configuration and Boot Flow (Control Block-based Device) x
4.7.2.1. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from Configuration QSPI Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier (Bootloader via GSFI) 4.7.2.2. Bootloader via GSFI Example Design
4.7.2.1. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from Configuration QSPI Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier (Bootloader via GSFI) x
4.7.2.1.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.7.2.1.2. Software Design Flow 4.7.2.1.3. Programming Files Generation 4.7.2.1.4. QSPI Flash Programming
4.7.3. Nios V Processor Design, Configuration and Boot Flow (SDM-based Devices) x
4.7.3.1. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from Configuration QSPI Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier (Bootloader via SDM) 4.7.3.2. Bootloader via SDM Example Design
4.7.3.1. Nios® V Processor Application Copied from Configuration QSPI Flash to RAM Using Boot Copier (Bootloader via SDM) x
4.7.3.1.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.7.3.1.2. Software Design Flow 4.7.3.1.3. Software Design Flow (Bootloader via SDM Project) 4.7.3.1.4. Software Design Flow (User Application Project) 4.7.3.1.5. Programming Files Generation 4.7.3.1.6. QSPI Flash Programming SDM
4.8. Nios® V Processor Booting from On-Chip Memory (OCRAM) x
4.8.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes in-place from OCRAM
4.8.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes in-place from OCRAM x
4.8.1.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.8.1.2. Software Design Flow 4.8.1.3. Programming
4.9. Nios® V Processor Booting from Tightly Coupled Memory (TCM) x
4.9.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes in-place from TCM
4.9.1. Nios® V Processor Application Executes in-place from TCM x
4.9.1.1. Hardware Design Flow 4.9.1.2. Software Design Flow 4.9.1.3. Programming
4.11. Reducing Nios® V Processor Booting Time x
4.11.1. Boot Methods 4.11.2. Boot devices 4.11.3. Peripheral Initialization 4.11.4. Caches 4.11.5. System Speed
5. Nios® V Processor - Using the MicroC/TCP-IP Stack x
5.1. Introduction 5.2. Software Architecture 5.3. Support and Licensing 5.4. MicroC/TCP-IP Example Designs 5.5. Development Flow 5.6. Operating the Example Designs 5.7. Optional Configuration 5.8. MicroC/TCP-IP Simple Socket Server Concepts
5.4. MicroC/TCP-IP Example Designs x
5.4.1. Hardware and Software Requirements 5.4.2. Overview 5.4.3. Acquiring the Example Design Files 5.4.4. Hardware Design Files 5.4.5. Software Design Files
5.4.5. Software Design Files x
5.4.5.1. MicroC/TCP-IP IPerf Example Design 5.4.5.2. MicroC/TCP-IP Simple Socket Server Example Design
5.5. Development Flow x
5.5.1. Hardware Development Flow 5.5.2. Software Development Flow 5.5.3. Device Programming
5.5.2. Software Development Flow x
5.5.2.1. Creating a BSP project 5.5.2.2. Configuring the BSP 5.5.2.3. Creating an Application Project 5.5.2.4. Building the Application Project
5.6. Operating the Example Designs x
5.6.1. Operating the MicroC/TCP-IP IPerf 5.6.2. Operating the MicroC/TCP-IP Simple Socket Server
5.7. Optional Configuration x
5.7.1. Configuring Hardware Name 5.7.2. Configuring MAC and IP Addresses 5.7.3. Configuring MicroC/TCP-IP Initialization 5.7.4. Configuring iPerf Server Auto-Initialization
5.7.3. Configuring MicroC/TCP-IP Initialization x
5.7.3.1. Network Task Configuration 5.7.3.2. Network Interface Configuration
5.8. MicroC/TCP-IP Simple Socket Server Concepts x
5.8.1. MicroC/OS-II Resources 5.8.2. Error Handling 5.8.3. MicroC/TCP-IP Stack Default Configuration
6. Nios® V Processor Debugging, Verifying, and Simulating x
6.1. Debugging Nios® V/c Processor 6.2. Debugging Nios® V Processor Hardware Designs 6.3. Debugging Nios® V Processor Software Designs 6.4. Debugging Tools 6.5. Additional Embedded Design Considerations 6.6. Simulating Nios® V Processor Designs
6.1. Debugging Nios® V/c Processor x
6.1.1. Pilot System with Non-pipelined Nios® V/m Processor 6.1.2. printf() Debugging
6.2. Debugging Nios® V Processor Hardware Designs x
6.2.1. JTAG Server 6.2.2. System Console 6.2.3. Signal Tap Logic Analyzer 6.2.4. In-System Sources and Probes
6.2.2. System Console x
6.2.2.1. JTAG to Avalon® Host Bridge Core
6.2.3. Signal Tap Logic Analyzer x
6.2.3.1. Hardware and Software Requirements 6.2.3.2. Setting Up Signal Tap Logic Analyzer 6.2.3.3. Running the Capture Session 6.2.3.4. Analyzing Results
6.2.3.2. Setting Up Signal Tap Logic Analyzer x
6.2.3.2.1. Enabling Signal Tap Logic Analyzer 6.2.3.2.2. Adding Signals for Monitoring and Debugging 6.2.3.2.3. Specifying Trigger Conditions 6.2.3.2.4. Assigning the Acquisition Clock, Sample Depth, and Memory Type, and Buffer Acquisition Mode 6.2.3.2.5. Compiling the Design and Programming the Target Device
6.2.3.2.3. Specifying Trigger Conditions x
6.2.3.2.3.1. Basic Trigger Conditions 6.2.3.2.3.2. Power-Up Trigger Conditions 6.2.3.2.3.3. Other Trigger Conditions 6.2.3.2.3.4. No Trigger Conditions
6.2.3.3. Running the Capture Session x
6.2.3.3.1. Performing Data Capture with Ashling* RiscFree* IDE for Altera® FPGAs 6.2.3.3.2. Performing Data Capture Without Software Download
6.2.3.4. Analyzing Results x
6.2.3.4.1. Viewing Data 6.2.3.4.2. Correlating Trace Data to Software ELF 6.2.3.4.3. Saving and Converting Captured Data
6.3. Debugging Nios® V Processor Software Designs x
6.3.1. Ashling* RiscFree* IDE for Altera™ FPGAs 6.3.2. Ashling Visual Studio Code Extension for Altera FPGAs 6.3.3. OpenOCD 6.3.4. Objdump File 6.3.5. Show Make Commands
6.5. Additional Embedded Design Considerations x
6.5.1. JTAG Signal Integrity 6.5.2. Additional Memory Space for System Prototyping
6.6. Simulating Nios® V Processor Designs x
6.6.1. Prerequisites 6.6.2. Setting Up and Generating Your Simulation Environment in Platform Designer 6.6.3. Creating Nios V Processor Software 6.6.4. Generating Memory Initialization File 6.6.5. Generating System Simulation Files 6.6.6. Running Simulation in the QuestaSim Simulator Using Command Line
6.6.2. Setting Up and Generating Your Simulation Environment in Platform Designer x
6.6.2.1. Using IP and Platform Designer Simulation Setup Scripts
6.6.3. Creating Nios V Processor Software x
6.6.3.1. Generating the Board Support Package 6.6.3.2. Generating the Application Project File 6.6.3.3. Building the Application Project
7. Nios® V Processor — Remote System Update x
7.1. Overview 7.2. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software and Tool Support 7.3. Nios® V Processor RSU Quick Start Guide in SDM-based Devices
7.2. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software and Tool Support x
7.2.1. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software 7.2.2. Programming File Generator
7.2.1. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software x
7.2.1.1. Setting Max Retry Parameter 7.2.1.2. Selecting Factory Load Pin
7.2.2. Programming File Generator x
7.2.2.1. Programming File Generator File Types 7.2.2.2. Bitswap Option 7.2.2.3. Quartus® Prime Programmer 7.2.2.4. Supported QSPI Flash Devices
7.3. Nios® V Processor RSU Quick Start Guide in SDM-based Devices x
7.3.1. Individual Factory, Application, and Update Images 7.3.2. Hardware Design Flow 7.3.3. Software Design Flow 7.3.4. Individual Images Generation 7.3.5. Remote System Update Image Files Generation 7.3.6. QSPI Flash Programming 7.3.7. Operating the RSU Client API
7.3.2. Hardware Design Flow x
7.3.2.1. Create a Platform Designer System 7.3.2.2. Quartus® Prime Software Settings
7.3.3. Software Design Flow x
7.3.3.1. Generating the ZLIB libraries 7.3.3.2. Creating a Board Support Package Project 7.3.3.3. Configuring and Generating the BSP Project 7.3.3.4. Creating Multiple Application Projects 7.3.3.5. Building the Application Projects 7.3.3.6. Generating HEX Files
7.3.5. Remote System Update Image Files Generation x
7.3.5.1. Generating Initial RSU Image Using SOF file 7.3.5.2. Generating an Application Update Image 7.3.5.3. Generating a Factory Update Flash Image
7.3.6. QSPI Flash Programming x
7.3.6.1. Programming the Initial RSU Image 7.3.6.2. Programming the Update Images
7.3.7. Operating the RSU Client API x
7.3.7.1. Trigger Reconfiguration Menu with Selected Image 7.3.7.2. Updating an Application Image 7.3.7.3. Updating the Factory Image
8. Nios® V Processor — Using Custom Instruction x
8.1. Introduction 8.2. Unimplemented Instruction Example Design 8.3. Hardware Acceleration Example Design
8.2. Unimplemented Instruction Example Design x
8.2.1. Hardware and Software Requirements 8.2.2. Overview 8.2.3. Acquiring the Example Design File 8.2.4. Hardware Design Files 8.2.5. Software Design Files 8.2.6. Development Flow 8.2.7. Operating the Example Design
8.2.6. Development Flow x
8.2.6.1. Hardware Development Flow 8.2.6.2. Software Development Flow 8.2.6.3. Device Programming
8.3. Hardware Acceleration Example Design x
8.3.1. Hardware and Software Requirements 8.3.2. Overview 8.3.3. Acquiring the Example Design File 8.3.4. Hardware Design Files 8.3.5. Software Design Files 8.3.6. Development Flow 8.3.7. Operating the Example Design
8.3.6. Development Flow x
8.3.6.1. Hardware Development Flow 8.3.6.2. Software Development Flow 8.3.6.3. Device Programming
1. About the Nios® V Embedded Processor
2. Nios® V Processor Hardware System Design with Quartus® Prime Software and Platform Designer
3. Nios® V Processor Software System Design
4. Nios® V Processor Configuration and Booting Solutions
5. Nios® V Processor - Using the MicroC/TCP-IP Stack
6. Nios® V Processor Debugging, Verifying, and Simulating
7. Nios® V Processor — Remote System Update
8. Nios® V Processor — Using Custom Instruction
9. Nios® V Embedded Processor Design Handbook Archives
10. Document Revision History for the Nios® V Embedded Processor Design Handbook

2.3.1.4. External Memory Interface (EMIF)

EMIF (External Memory Interface) functions similarly to SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), but it is dynamic and requires periodic refreshing to maintain its content. The dynamic memory cells in EMIF are much smaller than the static memory cells in SRAM, which results in higher capacity and lower-cost memory devices.

In addition to the refresh requirement, EMIF has specific interface requirements that often necessitate specialized controller hardware. Unlike SRAM, which has a fixed set of address lines, EMIF organizes its memory space into banks, rows, and columns. Switching between banks and rows introduces some overhead, so you must carefully order memory accesses to use EMIF efficiently. EMIF also multiplexes row and column addresses over the same address lines, reducing the number of pins required for a given EMIF size.

Higher-speed versions of EMIF, such as DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5, impose strict signal integrity requirements that PCB designers must consider.

EMIF devices rank among the most cost-effective and high-capacity RAM types available, making them a popular option. A key component of an EMIF interface is the EMIF IP, which manages tasks related to address multiplexing, refreshing, and switching between rows and banks. This design allows the rest of the system to access EMIF without needing to understand its internal architecture.


Section Content
Address Span Extender IP
Using Address Span Extender IP with Nios V Processor
Defining Address Span Extender Linker Memory Device

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