Use Tensilica DSP as a General Purpose DSP on i.MX8

[v-bertin]

Hello everyone,

I am using a i.MX8 "vanilla", which has its own Tensilica DSP Hifi 4.

Although it is described as an audio processor, I would like to use this DSP as a "General Purpose DSP", that is to say I would like to be able to use it to execute custom algorithms or even TFLite / TFLite micro models.

I know this kind of processes (for example, Cortex-M/DSP Hifi 4 communication) is well defined and documented for IMXRTxxx MCUs but for i.MX8 there is no documentation available.

Thus, I would like to know if some of you have experience with such topics on i.MX8 : how the Messaging Units works (the current Reference Manual does not provide information about it) , Cortex-A/DSP communication, Cortex-M/DSP communication, etc.
The point is less knowing how to compile code for Tensilica DSP than knowing how to interface the DSP with the other processors of the i.MX8.

Wishing you a good day,

Victor

[igorpadykov]

Hi Victor

for that info one can look at i.MX DSP Porting Guide described in

sect.8.1.1 HiFi 4 DSP framework    i.MX Linux User’s Guide​

Best regards
igor

[v-bertin]

Hi Igor,

Thanks for the quick reply.

From what I understand in the i.MX Porting Guide, a Hifi 4 DSP firmware is available on specific i.MX 8QuadXPlus, i.MX 8QuadMax and i.MX 8M Plus SoC but only to customers who have a Hifi 4 license with Cadence, right?

How can I get such a license ?

Victor

[igorpadykov]

Hi Victor

license can be obtained from Cadence :  https://ip.cadence.com/ipportfolio/tensilica-ip/audio

Alternatively one can look at open source SOF

https://github.com/thesofproject/sof-docs/blob/master/getting_started/build-guide/build-from-scratch...

Best regards
igor

[v-bertin]

Hi Igor,

I requested a license from Cadence ; hope I will be able to get one asap.

I also have another question.

By any mean, do you know if the processes described in the i.MXRT600 documentation about Cortex-M / Hifi 4 DSP communication, about the boot sequence of the DSP from Cortex-M, are still valid for i.MX8 ?

These processes are well and precisely explained in i.MXRT600 documentation and as i.MX8 also holds Cortex-M cores as well as a Hifi 4 DSP (in addition to its Core-A), I was wondering if it could be the case.

Thank you for your help,

Victor