Introduction
ARM DDI 0500D Copyright © 2013-2014 ARM. All rights reserved. 1-11
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1.7.2 Design flow
The Cortex-A53 processor is delivered as synthesizable RTL. Before it can be used in a product,
it must go through the following process:
Implementation The implementer configures and synthesizes the RTL to produce a hard
macrocell. This includes integrating RAMs into the design.
Integration The integrator connects the macrocell into a SoC. This includes
connecting it to a memory system and peripherals.
Programming This is the last process. The system programmer develops the software
required to configure and initialize the Cortex-A53 processor, and tests the
required application software.
Each process:
• Can be performed by a different party.
• Can include implementation and integration choices that affect the behavior and features
of the Cortex-A53 processor.
The operation of the final device depends on:
Build configuration
The implementer chooses the options that affect how the RTL source files are
pre-processed. These options usually include or exclude logic that affects one or
more of the area, maximum frequency, and features of the resulting macrocell.
Configuration inputs
The integrator configures some features of the Cortex-A53 processor by tying
inputs to specific values. These configurations affect the start-up behavior before
any software configuration is made. They can also limit the options available to
the software.
Software configuration
The programmer configures the Cortex-A53 processor by programming
particular values into registers. This affects the behavior of the processor.
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