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

2.1.1.3.5. Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Tab

Table 15.  Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Tab when Enable Core Level Interrupt Controller is Turned Off
Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Tab Description
Reset Agent
  • The memory hosting the reset vector (the Nios® V processor reset address) where the reset code resides.
  • You can select any memory module connected to the Nios® V processor instruction master and supported by a Nios® V processor boot flow as the reset agent.
Reset Offset
  • Specifies the offset of the reset vector relative to the chosen reset agent's base address.
  • Platform Designer automatically provides a default value for the reset offset.
Enable Core Level Interrupt Controller (CLIC)
  • Enable CLIC to support pre-emptive interrupts and configurable interrupt trigger condition.
  • When enabled, you can configure the number of platform interrupts, set trigger conditions, and designate some of the interrupts as pre-emptive.
Interrupt Mode Specify the interrupt types as Direct, or Vectored
Shadow Register Files Enable shadow register to reduce context switching upon interrupt.
Table 16.  Traps, Exceptions and Interrupts when Enable Core Level Interrupt Controller is Turned On
Traps, Exceptions, and Interrupts Descriptions
Reset Agent
  • The memory hosting the reset vector (the Nios® V processor reset address) where the reset code resides.
  • You can select any memory module connected to the Nios® V processor instruction master and supported by a Nios® V processor boot flow as the reset agent.
Reset Offset
  • Specifies the offset of the reset vector relative to the chosen reset agent's base address.
  • Platform Designer automatically provides a default value for the reset offset.
Enable Core Level Interrupt Controller (CLIC)
  • Enable CLIC to support pre-emptive interrupts and configurable interrupt trigger condition.
  • When enabled, you can configure the number of platform interrupts, set trigger conditions, and designate some of the interrupts as pre-emptive.
Interrupt Mode
  • Specify the interrupt types as Direct, Vectored, or CLIC.
Shadow Register Files
  • Enable shadow register to reduce context switching upon interrupt.
  • Offers two approaches:
    • Number of CLIC interrupt levels
    • Number of CLIC interrupt levels - 1: This option is useful when you want the number of register file copies to fit in an exact number of M20K or M9K blocks.
  • Enable the Nios® V processor to use shadow register files which reduce context switching overhead upon interrupt.

For more information about shadow register files, refer to the Nios® V Processor Reference Manual.

Number of Platform interrupt sources
  • Specifies the number of platform interrupt between 16 to 2048.
Note: CLIC supports up to 2064 interrupt inputs, and the first 16 interrupt inputs are also connected to the basic interrupt controller.
CLIC Vector Table Alignment
  • Automatically determined based on the number of platform interrupt sources.
  • If you use an alignment that is below the recommended value, the CLIC increases logic complexity by adding an extra adder to perform vectoring calculations.
  • If you use an alignment that is below the recommended value, this results in increased logic complexity in the CLIC.
Number of Interrupt Levels
  • Specifies the number of interrupt levels with an additional level 0 for application code. Interrupts of a higher level can interrupt (pre-empt) a running handler for a lower-level interrupt.
  • With non-zero interrupt levels as the only options for interrupts, the application code is always at the lowest level 0.
    Note: Run-time configuration of an interrupt's level and priority is done in a single 8-bit register. If the number of interrupt levels is 256, it is not possible to configure the interrupt priority at run-time. Otherwise, the maximum number of configurable priorities is 256 / (number of interrupt levels - 1).
Number of Interrupt Priorities per level
  • Specifies the number of interrupt priorities, which the CLIC uses to determine the order in which non pre-empting interrupt handlers are called.
    Note: Concatenation of binary values of the selected interrupt level and selected interrupt priority must be less than 8 bits.
Configurable interrupt polarity
  • Allows you to configure interrupt polarity during runtime.
  • Default polarity is positive polarity.
Support edge triggered interrupts
  • Allows you to configure interrupt trigger condition during runtime, i.e. high-level triggered or positive-edge triggered (when interrupt polarity is positive in Configurable interrupt polarity).
  • Default trigger condition is level triggered interrupt.
Note: Platform Designer provides an Absolute option, which allows you to specify an absolute address in Reset Offset. Use this option when the memory storing the reset vector is located outside the processor system and subsystems.
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