DSP Processors

Why to Study Digital Signal Processors ?

Computers Designed for business and other
general applications which are not optimized for
algorithms such as,
Digital filtering Fourier analysis.

Digital Signal Processors are microprocessors
specifically designed to handle Digital Signal
Processing tasks (e.g. Fast Fourier Transforms, inner
products, Multiply & Accumulate)
Tremendous growth in the last decade, finding use
in everything from cellular telephones to advanced
scientific instruments.

Hardware engineers use "DSP" to mean Digital
Signal Processor, just as

Algorithm developers use "DSP" to mean Digital
Signal Processing.

Key difference: DSP / DSP Processor / MC
DSP stands for digital signal processing. Signal processing
that is done on a digital signal or information signal.

A DSP processor is a specialized microprocessor that has an
architecture optimized for the operational needs of digital
signal processing.

Microcontroller, on the other hand, is a small computer on a
single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory,
and programmable I/O peripherals. The microcontroller often
also includes program memory, as well as, a small amount of
RAM.
Digital Signal Processors Microcontroller
Don't have a flash program memory. They need
the software to be 'loaded' into them.
Have a non power off erasable program
memory inside, some with EPROM store
capabilities.
Much faster for integer mathematics
operations.(Floating point operation)
Many microcontrollers do not have the
hardware.(Co-processors)
Much faster for floating point operations. In microcontrollers, this has to be done in
software.
DSPs are not designed to be a 'robust' device.
They need a well designed board to work
properly.
Microcontrollers can work on a Test Board.
DSPs are a fast calculator microprocessor, that
is very effective for computing calculations and
moving data.
Microcontrollers are a more flexible device
with more features.
GPP Drawbacks
More instructions/task.
Slow in performing multiply and divide
operations.
Consume many cycles to complete.
Common Memory for data and program
Limited bus/memory bandwidth
Solution : DSP Architectures
The DSP performs multiplication in a single cycle
by implementing all shift and add operations in
parallel.

DSPs have a specialized instruction that allows
them to multiply, add, and save the result in a
single cycle.

This instruction is usually called MAC (short for
Multiply, Accumulate).
Some practical DSP systems are:
Hi-Fi Equipment(Music Systems)
Toys
Videophones
Modems
Phone Systems
3D Graphics Systems(flight simulators)
Image Processing Systems(compression, robot vision,
fingerprint recognition, etc)

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Advantages

Repeatability
Low sensitivity to component tolerances
Low sensitivity to temperature changes
Low sensitivity to aging effects
Nearly identical performance from unit
to unit
Matched circuits cost less.
High noise immunity
In many applications DSP offers higher
performance and lower cost.
CD players versus phonographic turntable
Why go digital?
Analogue signal processing is achieved by using
analogue components such as:
Resistors.
Capacitors.
Inductors.
The inherent tolerances associated with these
components, temperature, voltage changes and
mechanical vibrations can dramatically affect the
effectiveness of the analogue circuitry.

Why go digital?
With DSP it is easy to:
Change applications.
Correct applications.
Update applications.
Additionally DSP reduces:
Noise susceptibility.
Chip count.
Development time.
Cost.
Power consumption.

Why NOT go digital?
High frequency signals cannot be processed
digitally because of two reasons:
Analog to Digital Converters, ADC cannot work fast
enough.

The application can be too complex to be performed
in real-time.
Why not use a General Purpose Processor (GPP)
such as a Pentium instead of a DSP processor?

What is the power consumption of a Pentium and a
DSP processor?

What is the cost of a Pentium and a DSP processor?
Why do we need DSP processors?
Use a DSP processor when the following
are required:
Cost saving.
Smaller size.
Low power consumption.
Processing of many high frequency
signals in real-time.
Use a GPP processor when the following
are required:
Large memory.
Advanced operating systems.

Why do we need DSP processors?

Advantages of DSP Processors
Characteristics of DSP Processors
Types of architectures
Architecture for programmable DSP devices.
Execution Control & Pipelining.
Programmable DSP TMS320C67xx
Analog DSP Processor 21061 series
Implementation of DSP Algorithms.
eg. FIR, IIR filters, Adaptive filters etc.

Learning
Chapter 1
Introduction
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