Network Processor Core Architecture

Nowadays, network processors (NP) are considered as a key technology that promotes the development of next generation network, and it has caught people's attention more and more. The appearance of network processor is thought to be a revolution of the communication industry. The market has accepted the contribution to network development of NP. Many companies and universities put people in the research of NP.This paper, first, studies the performance and architecture of high performance processor pipeline, and the technology that used to deal with the correlation and interrupt in pipeline. The author takes part in study and design of pipeline of ARMP, which is a 32-bit embed microprocessor. Secondly, this paper analyses several kind of NP, based on this work, author summarizes the characteristic of NP, and introduces the new technology that used by NP. Finally, author chooses the NP3400 network processor, which has a fabric and 32-bit RISC processor core and is the product of AMCC Company, to be the reference design, based on the pipeline of ARMP, scheme out the pipeline of RISC processor core that compatible with NP3400.The work in this thesis is part of National 05' project entitled "Application Specified high performance microprocessor".