Programming an SoC

using C Language

Intro to System-on-Chip Design course

© 2021 Arm
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
• Outline the advantages and disadvantages of C and Assembly programming languages.
• Outline the steps in which high level language programs like C are generated and
downloaded onto the hardware.
• Identify the data types supported by in Arm processors.
• Describe how data is stored in RAM.
• Identify how to call a C function from Assembly and call an Assembly function from C
Identify how to write and call an assembly function inside C files.

2 © 2021 Arm
Module Syllabus

• Principles of C Programming and Assembly Programming

• Programming Cortex-M0 Processors using C Language and Assembly Language
• Writing Assembly Functions Inside C Files

3 © 2021 Arm
Building a System on a Chip (SoC)

Software high-level
Application Design (e.g., Game)
application development

Application Programming Interface (API)

Software low-level drivers

& libraries programming Arm CMSIS-Core Peripheral Drivers

Timer GPIO 7-Segment

Hardware design
Arm Cortex-M0 Peripheral Peripheral Peripheral
AHB
Processor Memory
VGA UART
Peripheral Peripheral

Interrupt

4 © 2021 Arm
C and Assembly Language Review
Language Advantages Disadvantages
Easy to learn Limited or no direct access to core registers and
stack
Portable No direct control over instruction sequence
C generation
Easy handling of complex data structures No direct control over stack usage

Allow direct control to each instruction step and all Take longer time to learn
memory
Assembly Allows direct access to instructions that cannot be Difficult to manage data structure
generated with C
Less portable

5 © 2021 Arm
Typical Program-Generation Flow
• The generation of a program follows a typical development flow.
• Compile > Assemble > Link > Download
• The generated executable file (or program image) is stored in the program memory (normally an on-
chip flash memory), to be fetched by the processor.

Off-line Compilation
C Code
Compile Processor
Assembly Code Fetch
Assemble Instruction
Fetch Decode
Machine Code Libraries
Link Execute
Program Image
Download Data Input Data Output
Processing
Program Memory

Typical program-generation flow

6 © 2021 Arm
Program-Generation Flow with Arm Tools
C, C++
C Source Code Assembly Source Code ASM files

Compile Using Armcc Assemble Using Armasm

.O Files
Object Files (.o) C/C++
C/ C++
Libraries .S Files

Link Using Armlink

.AXF File
Executable Program Mage .LIB file

Download to Program Memory

.BIN File
.HEX File
7 © 2021 Arm Binary Disassembly File
Program Image

Code region
Interrupt vectors
0x00000040
SysTick vector 0x0000003C
PendSV vector 0x00000038
Start-up routine
Reserved
SVC vector 0x0000002C
Program code Reserved
Program
Image Hard fault vector 0x0000000C
NMI vector 0x00000008
C library code
Reset vector 0x00000004
Initial MSP value 0x00000000
Vector table
0x00000000
8 © 2021 Arm
Program Image

Code region
Interrupt vectors
0x00000040
SysTick vector 0x0000003C
PendSV vector 0x00000038
Start-up routine
Reserved
SVC vector 0x0000002C
Program code Reserved
Program
Image Hard fault vector 0x0000000C
NMI vector 0x00000008
C library code
Reset vector 0x00000004
Initial MSP value 0x00000000
Vector table
0x00000000
9 © 2021 Arm
Program Image

Code region
Interrupt vectors
0x00000040
SysTick vector 0x0000003C
PendSV vector 0x00000038
Start-up routine
Reserved
SVC vector 0x0000002C
Program code Reserved
Program
Image Hard fault vector 0x0000000C
NMI vector 0x00000008
C library code
Reset vector 0x00000004
Initial MSP value 0x00000000
Vector table
0x00000000
10 © 2021 Arm
Program Image

Code region
Interrupt vectors
0x00000040
SysTick vector 0x0000003C
PendSV vector 0x00000038
Start-up routine
Reserved
SVC vector 0x0000002C
Program code Reserved
Program
Image Hard fault vector 0x0000000C
NMI vector 0x00000008
C library code
Reset vector 0x00000004
Initial MSP value 0x00000000
Vector table
0x00000000
11 © 2021 Arm
Program Image

Code region
Interrupt vectors
0x00000040
SysTick vector 0x0000003C
PendSV vector 0x00000038
Start-up routine
Reserved
SVC vector 0x0000002C
Program code Reserved
Program
Image Hard fault vector 0x0000000C
NMI vector 0x00000008
C library code
Reset vector 0x00000004
Initial MSP value 0x00000000
Vector table
0x00000000
12 © 2021 Arm
Program Image in Global Memory
0xFFFFFFFF
Reserved
0xE0100000
512MB
0xE00FFFFF
Private Peripheral Bus
0xE0000000
0xDFFFFFFF

External Device 1GB

0xA0000000
0x9FFFFFFF

External RAM 1GB

0x60000000
0x5FFFFFFF
Peripherals 512MB
Mainly used for data memory 0x40000000
0x3FFFFFFF
e.g., on-chip SRAM, SDRAM SRAM 512MB
0x20000000
0x1FFFFFFF
Mainly used for program image Code 512MB

e.g., on-chip FLASH 0x00000000

13 © 2021 Arm
 Program Data Types
Data type Size Signed range Unsigned range
char, int8_t, uint8_t Byte -128 to 127 0 to 255
short, int16_t, uint16_t Half word -32768 to 32767 0 to 65535

int, int32_t, uint32_t, long Word -2147483648 to 2147483647 0 to 4294967295

long , int64_t, uint64_t Double word -263 to 263-1 0 to 264-1

float Word -3.4028234 × 1038 to 3.4028234 × 1038

double, long double Double word -1.7976931348623157 ×10308 to 1.7976931348623157 ×10308

pointers Word 0x00 to 0xFFFFFFFF

enum Byte/half word/word Smallest possible data type
bool (C++), _bool(C) Byte True or false

wchar_t Half word 0 to 65535

14 © 2021 Arm
Data Qualifiers in C Language
const vs volatile
const volatile
• Never written by program • Can be changed outside of normal program
• Can be put in ROM to save RAM flow: ISR, hardware register
• Compiler must be careful with optimizations

15 © 2021 Arm
How Is Data Stored in RAM
High

• Typically, data can be stored in three

regions: static data, stack, and heap Stack
Grow
Downwards
• Static data: contains global variables and static
variables
• Stack: contains temporary data for local Memory
variables, parameter passing in function calls, Address

registers saving during exceptions, etc.

Grow
• Heap: contains the pieces of memory spaces Heap Upwards
that are dynamically reserved by function calls,
such as “alloc(),” “malloc()” Static
Data

Low

16 © 2021 Arm
Example of Data Storage

Zero-initialized Static int a, b; Constant Data

Data const char c=123;
int d=31;
Initialization Data
void main(void) {
Initialized Static Data
int i;
char f[32]; Startup Code
int *array;
Stack Data
array =(int *)malloc(128); Program Code
e = d + 7; .text
printf(“Hello!”);
Heap Data
} Runtime Library Code

Usually stored in volatile Usually stored in non-volatile memories,

memories, e.g., SRAM e.g., FLASH

17 © 2021 Arm
Define Interrupt Vector in C
• The interrupt vector can be defined in either C language or assembly language. For
example, in C:
typedef void(* const ExecFuncPtr)(void) __irq;

#pragma arm section rodata="exceptions_area”

ExecFuncPtr exception_table[] = {
(ExecFuncPtr)&Image$$ARM_LIB_STACK$$ZI$$Limit, /* Initial SP */
(ExecFuncPtr)__main, /* Initial PC */
NMIException,
HardFaultException,
MemManageException,
BusFaultException,
UsageFaultException,
0, 0, 0, 0, /* Reserved */
SVCHandler,
DebugMonitor,
0, /* Reserved */
PendSVC,
SysTickHandler
/* Configurable interrupts start here...*/
};
#pragma arm section
18 © 2021 Arm
Define Stack and Heap
• The stack and heap can be defined in either C language (with a linker file) or assembly
language. For example, in C:
/* Set stack and heap parameters */

#define STACK_BASE 0x10020000 //stack start address

#define STACK_SIZE 0x5000 //length of the stack
#define HEAP_BASE 0x10001000 //heap starts address
#define HEAP_SIZE 0x10000 – 0x6000 //heap length

/* inker generated stack base addresses */

extern unsigned int Image$$ARM_LIB_STACK$$ZI$$Limit

extern unsigned int Image$$ARM_LIB_STACKHEAP$$ZI$$Limit

19 © 2021 Arm
Define Stack and Heap
• Define stack and heap in assembly language:

Stack_Size EQU 0x00000400 ; 256KB of STACK

AREA STACK, NOINIT, READWRITE, ALIGN=4

Stack_Mem SPACE Stack_Size
__initial_sp

Heap_Size EQU 0x00000400 ; 1MB of HEAP

AREA HEAP, NOINIT, READWRITE, ALIGN=4

__heap_base
Heap_Mem SPACE Heap_Size
__heap_limit

20 © 2021 Arm
Accessing Peripherals in C
• Define base addresses for peripherals.
#define AHB_VGA_BASE 0x50000000
#define AHB_UART_BASE 0x51000000
#define AHB_TIMER_BASE 0x52000000
#define AHB_GPIO_BASE 0x53000000
#define AHB_7SEG_BASE 0x54000000
#define NVIC_INT_ENABLE 0xE000E100

• Write a value to a peripheral register.

*(unsigned int*) AHB_TIMER_BASE = 0x3FFFF; //store a value to the peripheral

• Read a value from a peripheral register.

i=*(unsigned int*) AHB_GPIO_BASE; //read a value from the peripheral

21 © 2021 Arm
Calling a C Function from Assembly

• When a C function is called from an assembly file, the following areas should be
checked:
• Register R0, R1, R2, R3, R12, and LR could be changed; hence, it is better to save them to the stack.
• The value of SP should be aligned to a double-word address boundary.
• Input parameters have to be stored in the correct registers; for example, registers R0 to R3 can be
used for passing four parameters.
• The return value is usually stored in R0.

22 © 2021 Arm
Calling a C Function from Assembly

• ISR can be written in either assembly or C language; for example, in C:

void UART_ISR() {
char c;
c=*(char*) AHB_UART_BASE; //read a character from UART
…
}

• Call a C function from the assembly code; for example:

UART_Handler PROC
EXPORT UART_Handler // label name in assembly
IMPORT UART_ISR // function name in C
PUSH {R0,R1,R2,LR} // context saving
BL UART_ISR // branch to ISR written in C
POP {R0,R1,R2,PC} // context restoring
ENDP

23 © 2021 Arm
Calling an Assembly Function from C

• When calling an assembly function from C code, the following areas should be checked:
• If registers R4 to R11 need to be changed, they have to be stacked and restored in the assembly
function.
• If another function is called inside the assembly function, the LR register needs to be saved on the
stack and used for return.
• The function return value is normally stored in R0.

24 © 2021 Arm
Calling an Assembly Function from C
• Write a function in assembly:
EXPORT add_asm
add_asm FUNCTION
ADDS R0, R0, R1
ADDS R0, R0, R2
ADDS R0, R0, R3
BX LR ; result is returned in R0
ENDFUNC

• Calling an assembly function in C:

external int add_asm( int k1, int k2, int k3, int k4);
void main {
int x;
x = add_asm (11,22,33,44); // call assembly function
…
}

25 © 2021 Arm
Embedded Assembly

• The embedded assembler allows a developer to write assembly functions inside C files:

_asm int add_asm( int k1, int k2, int k3, int k4) {

ADDS R0, R0, R1

ADDS R0, R0, R2
ADDS R0, R0, R3
BX LR
}

void main {
int x;
x = add_asm (11,22,33,44); // call assembly function
…
}

26 © 2021 Arm
 Thank You
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