2. What is IP ?

What is IP ? IP is short for Intellectual Property. More specifically, it is a block of logic that can be used in making ASIC's and FPGA's. Examples of "IP Cores" are, UART's, CPU's, Ethernet Controllers, PCI Interfaces, etc. In the past, quality cores of this nature could cost anywhere from US$5,000 to more than US$350,000. This is way too high for the average company or individual to even contemplate using -- Hence, the Free-IP project.

Initially the Free-IP project will focus on the more complex cores, like CPU's and Ethernet controllers. Less complex cores might follow.

The Free-IP project is an effort to make quality IP available to anyone.

Visit the following sites for IP cores -

• Open IP org http://www.openip.org
• Free IP org - ASIC and FPGA cores for masses http://www.free-ip.com
• FPGA Main site http://www.fpgacpu.org

2.1 Free CPU List

Here is the list of Free CPUs available or curently under development -

• F-CPU 64-bit Freedom CPU http://www.f-cpu.org mirror site at http://www.f-cpu.de

• European Space Agency - SPARC architecture LEON CPU http://www.estec.esa.nl/wsmwww/leon
• European Space Agency - ERC32 SPARC V7 CPU http://www.estec.esa.nl/wsmwww/erc32
• Atmel ERC32 SPARC part # TSC695E http://www.atmel-wm.com/products click on Aerospace=>Space=>Processors

• Sayuri at http://www.morphyplanning.co.jp/Products/FreeCPU/freecpu-e.html and manufactured by Morphy Planning Ltd at http://www.morphyone.org and feature list at http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/aj93/waggy/hp/features/morphyone.htm and in Japanese language at http://www.morphyplanning.or.jp

• OpenRISC 1000 Free 32-bit processor IP core competing with proprietary ARM and MIPS is at http://www.opencores.org/cores/or1k
• OpenRISC 2000 is at http://www.opencores.org
• STM 32-bit, 2-way superscalar RISC CPU http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~uf8e-itu

• Green Mountain - GM HC11 CPU Core is at http://www.gmvhdl.com/hc11core.html
• Open-source CPU site - Google Search "Computers>Hardware>Open Source" http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Hardware/Open_Source
• Free microprocessor and DSP IP cores written in Verilog or VHDL http://www.cmosexod.com
• Free hardware cores to speed development http://www.scrap.de/html/opencore.htm
• Linux open hardware and free EDA systems http://opencollector.org

2.2 Commercial CPU List

• Russian E2K 64-bit CPU (Very fast CPU !!!) website : http://www.elbrus.ru/roadmap/e2k.html. ELBRUS is now partnered (alliance) with Sun Microsystems of USA.

• Korean CPU from Samsung 64-bit CPU original from DEC Alpha http://www.samsungsemi.com Alpha-64bit CPU is at http://www.alpha-processor.com Now there is collaboration between Samsumg, Compaq of USA on Alpha CPU
• Intel IA 64 http://developer.intel.com/design/ia-64
• Transmeta crusoe CPU and in near future Transmeta's 64-bit CPU http://www.transmeta.com
• Sun Ultra-sparc 64-bit CPU http://www.sun.com or http://www.sunmicrosystems.com
• MIPS RISC CPUs http://www.mips.com
• Silicon Graphics MIPS Architecture CPUs http://www.sgi.com/processors
• IDT MIPS Architecture CPUs http://www.idt.com
• IBM Power PC (motorola) http://www.motorola.com/SPS/PowerPC/index.html
• Motorola embedded processors. SPS processor based on PowerPC, M-CORE, ColdFire, M68k, or M68HC cores http://www.mot-sps.com
• Hitachi SuperH 64-bit RISC processor SH7750 http://www.hitachi.com sold at $40 per cpu in quantities of 10,000. Hitachi SH4,3,2,1 CPUs http://semiconductor.hitachi.com/superh
• Fujitsu 64-bit processor http://www.fujitsu.com
• HAL-Fujitsu (California) Super-Sparc 64-bit processor http://www.hal.com also compatible to Sun's sparc architecture.
• Seimens Pyramid CPU from Pyramid Technologies
• Intel X86 series 32-bit CPUs Pentiums, Celeron etc..
• AMDs X86 series 32-bit CPUs K-6, Athlon etc..
• National's Cyrix X86 series 32-bit CPUs Cyrix etc..
• ARC CPUs : http://www.arccores.com
• QED RISC 64-bit and MIPS cpus : http://www.qedinc.com/about.htm
• Origin 2000 CPU - http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/manuals/3000/007-3511-001/html/O2000Tuning.1.html
• NVAX CPUs http://www.research.compaq.com/wrl/DECarchives/DTJ/DTJ700 and at mirror-site
• Univ. of Mich High-perf. GaAs Microprocessor Project http://www.eecs.umich.edu/UMichMP
• Hyperstone E1-32 RISC/DSP processor http://bwrc.eecs.berkeley.edu/CIC/tech/hyperstone
• PSC1000 32-bit RISC processor http://www.ptsc.com/psc1000/index.html
• IDT R/RV4640 and R/RV4650 64-bit CPU w/DSP Capability http://www.idt.com/products/pages/Processors-PL100_Sub205_Dev128.html
• ARM CPU http://www.arm.com/Documentation
• Cogent CPUs http://www.cogcomp.com
• CPU Info center - List of CPUs sparc, arm etc.. http://bwrc.eecs.berkeley.edu/CIC/tech
• Main CPU site is : Google Search engine CPU site "Computers>Hardware>Components>Microprocessors" http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Hardware/Components/Microprocessors

Other important CPU sites are at -

• World-wide 24-hour news on CPUs http://www.newsnow.co.uk/cgi/NewsNow/NewsLink.htm?Theme=Processors
• The computer architecture site is at http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~arch/www
• ARM CPU http://www.arm.com/Documentation
• Great CPUs http://www.cs.uregina.ca/~bayko/cpu.html
• Microdesign resources http://www.mdronline.com