AN 978: Nios® V Processor Migration Guidelines

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ID 773196
Date 5/22/2025
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. Shadow Register 6.4. Ethernet Stack 6.5. Bootloader 6.6. Data and Instruction Cache 6.7. Tightly Coupled Memory 6.8. Custom Instructions 6.9. Error Correction Code 6.10. Altera HAL Settings 6.11. Micrium MicroC/OS-II BSP Settings 6.12. 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

5.2.1.1. Signal and Interface Mapping

Table 14.  Primary Interface
Interface Nios® V Processor Nios® II Processor Description
Clock clock clock Similar clock input
Reset reset reset Similar hard reset
Debug reset

  • dbg_reset_out

  • ndm_reset_in

debug_reset_request Mainly used to issue debug reset from CLI or IDE. By default, this feature is enabled in Nios® II/e processor but disabled in Nios® V/m processor.
Interrupts platform_irq_rx irq Nios® II/e processor supports 32 platform interrupts. Nios® V/m processor supports 16 platform interrupts.
Timer and Software Interrupt Module timer_sw_agent N/A Only supported in Nios® V processor. By default, it is connected to the data manager.
Debug dm_agent debug_mem_slave Allow JTAG download and debug. For Nios® V/m processor, it is connected to the data manager and instruction manager by default.
Data bus data_manager data_master
  • Nios® II/e processor uses Avalon® memory-mapped interface
  • Nios® V/m processor uses Arm* AMBA* AXI-4 by default. You can switch to Avalon® memory-mapped interface.
Instruction bus instruction_manager instruction_master
  • Nios® II/e processor uses Avalon® memory-mapped interface
  • Nios® V/m processor uses Arm* AMBA* AXI-4 by default. You can switch to Avalon® memory-mapped interface.
Custom instruction — custom_instruction_master Nios® V/m processor does not support custom instruction.
Table 15.  Optional Interface
Interface Nios® V Processor Nios® II Processor Description
Debug request —
  • debugreq
  • debugack
Nios® V/m processor does not support debug requests.
CPU reset request
  • cpu_resetreq_resetreq
  • cpu_resetreq_ack
  • cpu_resetrequest
  • cpu_resettaken
Same application
ECC event cpu_ecc_status ecc_event_bus Nios® V/m processor supports ECC on embedded memory blocks of the core. Nios V processor supports error detection and status reporting, but not ECC recovery.
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