With the widespread acceptance of the Nios® II embedded processor family and the SOPC Builder system integration tool, Altera has established itself as the premier player in the system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) market. In addition to innovative embedded processor solutions, Altera also offers plug-and-play design capability with SOPC Builder, a tool that enables quick, easy connection and configuration of system blocks, including processors, processor peripherals, and intellectual property (IP) cores.
Altera awards the SOPC Builder Ready certification to IP functions that are ready to integrate with the Nios® II embedded processor or the system interconnect fabric via SOPC Builder. These cores support the Avalon® Memory-Mapped interface or the Avalon Streaming interface and include applicable software drivers, low-level routines, or other software design files.
Availability
Visit the IP search engine for an up-to-date list of SOPC Builder Ready IP cores.
SOPC Builder Ready IP Core Deliverables
For Altera to certify a core as SOPC Builder Ready, the core must meet the following requirements.
Compatible Bus Interface
All SOPC Builder Ready cores support the Avalon Memory-Mapped interface or the Avalon Streaming interface. SOPC Builder can automatically make the appropriate connections, bus width conversions, and arbitration between these cores.
SOPC Builder Support Files
A SOPC Builder Ready core ships with a SOPC Builder supporting file that specifies the core attributes and bus connections. The core directory structure also conforms to the one required by the SOPC Builder.
Push-Button SOPC Builder Flow
All SOPC Builder Ready cores are deployable through SOPC Builder without requiring manual integration tasks. IP core connections to the system interconnect fabric are automatically handled by SOPC Builder.
Software Tested or Hardware Tested
All SOPC Builder Ready cores have been functionally verified in simulation. Furthermore, applicable IP cores have been hardware-tested on Altera development kits to verify software-hardware integration and protocol compliance.
Software Support Files
Most SOPC Builder Ready cores are intended for processor-based architectures, so these cores ship with the necessary software source code that may be used to perform functions such as initialization, setup, and basic transactions with the processor.
Example Code
If necessary, the core also includes an example SOPC Builder system to demonstrate the correct interaction of the core with the system interconnect fabric and other design components.
AMPP Approved Certification (AMPP Cores Only)
SOPC Builder Ready cores developed by third-parties also undergo an additional AMPPSM Approved review process. During testing, Altera verifies that the partner's IP core compiles in an Altera standard design flow, passes its own testbench, and includes good quality documentation. Refer to the AMPP Approved web page for more information about AMPP Approved IP cores.
