Application-specific instruction-set processor

An application-specific instruction -set processor (ASIP to German as: processor with application specific instruction set ) is a processor whose instruction set has been optimized for a class of applications.

The term application or application is understood as a specific algorithm, such as a fast Fourier transform or a sorting algorithm. The purpose of a ASIPs is to realize a class of algorithms that have similar requirements efficiently with a digital circuit. In addition, an ASIP is flexible for changes to the algorithms due to its programmability.

Depending on the target you want in the design of ASIPs optimize the required silicon area, energy consumption or the computing speed. For many applications, you can reach with an ASIP by one to two orders of magnitude better results for each of these parameters than with a standard processor (eg ARM or PowerPC) or a standard DSP ( digital signal processor). This is achieved by the hardware architecture of the ASIPs and its software to be optimized together.

ASIP design

The design of the first group used in the application of elementary arithmetic operations (such as addition, subtraction, logical operations), and the flow of data to be analyzed. For illustration may serve a data flow diagram. Based on the frequency of individual groups of operations optimized instructions can then be defined.