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Getting started with IUNIVERSAL

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Introduction[edit]

TI sells many system on chip (SoC) devices that feature both an ARM and a DSP. Typically TI provides an executable which runs on the DSP but is callable from the ARM to provide multimedia capabilities (e.g. H.264 encode/decode, etc.). TI customers frequently would like to have their own algorithm also capable of running on the DSP. Codec Engine provides a framework to enable customers to run their code on the DSP and to call it seamlessly from the ARM. The UNIVERSAL interface provides a method for customers to plug in any algorithm into this framework and take advantage of the dual core architecture.

This article intends to provide TI SoC users a process of writing algorithms which utilize the UNIVERSAL interface and Codec Engine framework to quickly get their code running on the DSP through function calls from the ARM.

Additional Background Info[edit]

[Skip this section if you're already familiar with VISA, XDM, XDAIS, RTSC.]

If you're not quite sure what this all means, let's take a few steps back: in the beginning, we wanted to be able to run multiple algorithms from multiple developers on a single DSP, so TI created a standard to ensure the algorithms didn't steal resources from each other, had unique namespaces, and could "play nice" together in general. There are a number of app notes and docs on this, so check out XDAIS Documentation. If you learn better by example, go to XDAIS Sample Algorithm. There's even a clever tool to make sure you’ve got it right: QualiTI.

Since most of the algorithms were strictly multimedia, TI then extended XDAIS to create a standard API (called XDM) specifically designed for multimedia codecs. These codecs are frequently referred to as VISA (for video, imaging, speech, and audio). Check out the XDM Users Guide. When combined with Codec Engine, we then have a nice way to simply "plug and play" our VISA codecs.

We then started getting questions like, "How can I get my face detection algorithm to work with Codec Engine?" One solution is to create adaptors as described here to make your algorithm look like a multimedia codec, and this worked well for a number of folks. But surely there should be another (possibly easier) way to get your algorithm to run – thus we get the introduction of the IUNIVERSAL API.

If you want a crash course on the above (XDAIS, XDM, RTSC Packaging, etc. but not IUNIVERSAL in particular), check out the freely available OMAP and DaVinci Software for Dummies book.

Procedure for Making DSP Algorithms that are callable from the ARM[edit]

Step 1: Invoke GenCodecPkg[edit]

The first thing to do is launch the wizard!

Step 2: Generate IUNIVERSAL starterware[edit]

Screen 1

Screen 1
  1. Click 3rd option, "I want to create an algorithm from scratch"
  2. The XDAIS directory should already point to your XDAIS directory (frequently the $(CE_INSTALL_DIR)/cetools/packages directory if you're not using a DVSDK).
  3. Point to the root of the compiler installation (i.e. one above the "bin" directory).
  4. Click Next.

Screen 2

Screen 2
  1. In the "Module" field enter the name of the algorithm you're creating.
  2. In the "Vendor" field enter your company name.
  3. Under "Base Interface" choose "IUNIVERSAL".
  4. For "Target" choose C64P for 64x+ devices or choose C674 for 674x devices (floating point).
  5. The output repository is where the generated files will be placed.
  6. Click Finish to generate the starter files.

Generated Output

Output Files

The generated files will reside at <output_repository>/<vendor>/<module.

Step 3: Build[edit]

Before making any changes, you should be able to build the generated package as is.

Step 4: Customizing the Code to Fit Your Algorithm[edit]

Edits to <module>_<vendor>_priv.h[edit]

The object definition for <MODULE>_<VENDOR>_Obj is the instance object for your algorithm. The instance object is considered "private" in the sense that it is utilized internally by your algorithm. It should contain the state of each instance of your algorithm. In an FIR filter example this might consist of a pointer to the history buffer, a pointer to the filter coefficients, and the length of the filter. In this way each new filter that is created can have its own associated filter coefficients and history. Memory acquired during the alloc phase of the algorithm would likely have a parameter in this structure for use by the algorithm.

Edits to <module>_<vendor>.h[edit]

  1. Define commands for use in the control() function.
    • Look for #define I<MODULE>_USERCMD0
    • Change USERCMD0 to something more meaningful, e.g. CHANGE_VOLUME.
    • Remove the #ifdef 0 from around the commands in order to use them.
  2. Extend the I<MODULE>_Params as needed. This structure defines only parameters used at the time of instance creation. The I<MODULE>_DynamicParams structure we see later is what will be passed to the control() function.
  3. Extend the I<MODULE>_InArgs structure as needed. These are the input arguments that will be passed to your process() function.
  4. Extend the I<MODULE>_OutArgs structure as needed. This structure is used by the process() function to return info back to the application.
  5. Extend the I<MODULE>_DynamicParams structure as need. This structure is passed along with a command to the control() function.
  6. Extend the I<MODULE>_Status structure as necessary. This structure gets filled in by the control() function to provide status info back to the application.

Edits to <module>.c[edit]

  1. const I<MODULE>_Params I<MODULE>_PARAMS
    • This code defines default parameters for instance creation.
    • When creating an algorithm instance the application has the option of passing a NULL handle for the I<MODULE>_Params. In that case the algorithm uses the default parameters which you define here.
  2. <MODULE>_<VENDOR>_alloc()
    • This is the process by which you request memory for your algorithm. XDAIS algorithms never malloc() their own memory. They request it from the application through this function. This allows the system integrator to have better control over how memory is being given out.
    • By default it requests memory to contain your instance object. Any other memory needed (working buffers, etc.) should be requested here.
    • Each memTab entry tells size, alignment, internal/external, and persistent/scratch/write-once.
    • This function returns the number of entries it filled in. If you add any entries make sure you increment the return value accordingly.
  3. <MODULE>_<VENDOR>_free()
    • Normally this can just utilize the alloc() function.
    • You only need to do something here if your initial memory request in alloc() was dependent upon the I<MODULE>_Params passed into the function.
  4. <MODULE>_<VENDOR_initObj()
    • This function gets called after the application has granted memory requests based on your alloc() function.
    • The rest of the memTab has now been filled out by the application with the corresponding pointers to the memory you requested.
    • Those pointers should be assigned to corresponding members of your instance object for use during run-time.
  5. <MODULE>_<VENDOR>_process()
    • This is where the actual algorithm goes! Add your algorithm code here.
    • IMPORTANT: For the purpose of cache coherence it's important to tell the framework about how the CPU (not DMA if you're using ACPY!) has accessed the buffers.
    • You must tell the application if you have read from or written to any of the buffers. This is achieved by using the accessMask fields associated with each and every buffer.
  6. <MODULE>_<VENDOR>_control()
    • By default this function already supports the required command XDM_GETVERSION.
    • There is an #ifdef 0 that you can get rid of to add handling for any commands that you defined in <module>_<vendor>.h.

Step 5: Creating a "server" that integrates your algorithm plus any others[edit]

Codec Engine supports running any IUNIVERSAL-compliant algorithm 'locally' (on the same processor as your app) or 'remotely' (on a slave processor, like the C64P of an OMAP3 device). See the Codec Engine GenServer Wizard FAQ for details on creating a server that integrates your GenCodecPkg-generated IUNIVERSAL algorithm into a DSP Server.

Step 6: Invoking the DSP Code from the ARM[edit]

  • See the universal_copy example app in the Codec Engine Examples (found in examples/ti/sdo/ce/examples/apps/universal_copy). That example demonstrates
    • Building an application that contains an "Engine" that includes the algs in the "Server" you just built
    • At runtime, opening the named Engine (Engine_open())
    • Creating an instance of your algorithm (UNIVERSAL_create()
    • Interacting with that algorithm instance (UNIVERSAL_process()/UNIVERSAL_control())
    • Deleting the algorithm instance (UNIVERSAL_delete())
    • Closing the Engine (Engine_close())

Step 7: Debug[edit]

Using the console output

JTAG based debug with CCS

IUNIVERSAL Examples[edit]

Example code always makes it easier, so you should review the IUNIVERSAL examples provided with XDAIS and CE. There is also a article that builds on these examples and provides a worked example of a Canny Edge Detector to build a C64+ IUNIVERSAL-compliant alg and then calls it from multiple platforms with both single cores (DM6437) and ARM+DSP cores (DM6467 + OMAP3530).

Let's first checkout some examples and source within the XDAIS and CE products:

Source Code[edit]

XDAIS IUNIVERSAL Header File: xdais_<version>/packages/ti/xdais/dm/iuniversal.h - Notice here that each of the IUNIVERSAL structs (i.e. IUNIVERSAL_Params, IUNIVERSAL_InArgs, etc) contain a size field. Only a few structs contain other fields, such as IUNIVERSAL_Status contains extendedError and data.

CE Universal Code (of particular interest is universal.h): codec_engine_<version>/packages/ti/sdo/ce/universal - Notice that universal.h is where UNIVERSAL_process(), UNIVERSAL_control(), etc. are defined. These functions differ from the traditional XDM classes only slightly – mainly UNIVERSAL_process() includes an XDM1_BufDesc *inOutBufs argument that can be used for buffers that are used for both input and output to/from the algorithm.

Reference Examples[edit]

Universal Copy Codec: xdais_<version>/examples/ti/xdais/dm/examples/universal_copy/

Universal Copy Codec Package: codec_engine_<version>/examples/ti/sdo/ce/examples/codecs/universal_copy

Universal Copy Server Package: codec_engine_<version>/examples/ti/sdo/ce/examples/servers/all_codecs - Check out the main.c file to see that the DSP executable (aka "Server") merely inits CE and trace. It is useful to note that the memory map is contained in the tci (or tcf) and the codec configuration is done in the .cfg file.

Universal Copy Sample application: codec_engine_<version>/examples/ti/sdo/ce/examples/apps/universal_copy - This shows a short application that can run the codec either locally or remotely.

See Also[edit]

E2e.jpg {{
  1. switchcategory:MultiCore=
  • For technical support on MultiCore devices, please post your questions in the C6000 MultiCore Forum
  • For questions related to the BIOS MultiCore SDK (MCSDK), please use the BIOS Forum

Please post only comments related to the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here.

Keystone=
  • For technical support on MultiCore devices, please post your questions in the C6000 MultiCore Forum
  • For questions related to the BIOS MultiCore SDK (MCSDK), please use the BIOS Forum

Please post only comments related to the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here.

C2000=For technical support on the C2000 please post your questions on The C2000 Forum. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here. DaVinci=For technical support on DaVincoplease post your questions on The DaVinci Forum. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here. MSP430=For technical support on MSP430 please post your questions on The MSP430 Forum. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here. OMAP35x=For technical support on OMAP please post your questions on The OMAP Forum. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here. OMAPL1=For technical support on OMAP please post your questions on The OMAP Forum. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here. MAVRK=For technical support on MAVRK please post your questions on The MAVRK Toolbox Forum. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here. For technical support please post your questions at http://e2e.ti.com. Please post only comments about the article Getting started with IUNIVERSAL here.

}}

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