Main Processor
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Main SoC
See Kermit.
Cortex A9 MPcore
The custom SoC includes the ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore as its CPU, mounting four little-endian ARM Cortex-A9 processor cores, which is common in modern high performance embedded devices like cell phones and tablets. The PSVita cores have a MIDR value of 0x412FC09A, meaning it is Cortex-A9 r2p10. Indeed there are usage of undocumented CP15 registers.
Implemented Coprocessor registers
| Register | Name | Used by | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c0, #4 | DBGBVR0 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Value Register 0 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c1, #4 | DBGBVR1 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Value Register 1 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c2, #4 | DBGBVR2 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Value Register 2 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c3, #4 | DBGBVR3 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Value Register 3 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c4, #4 | DBGBVR4 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Value Register 4 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c5, #4 | DBGBVR5 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Value Register 5 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c0, #5 | DBGBCR0 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Control Register 0 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c1, #5 | DBGBCR1 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Control Register 1 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c2, #5 | DBGBCR2 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Control Register 2 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c3, #5 | DBGBCR3 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Control Register 3 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c4, #5 | DBGBCR4 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Control Register 4 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c5, #5 | DBGBCR5 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Breakpoint Control Register 5 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c0, #6 | DBGWVR0 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Value Register 0 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c1, #6 | DBGWVR1 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Value Register 1 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c2, #6 | DBGWVR2 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Value Register 2 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c3, #6 | DBGWVR3 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Value Register 3 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c0, #7 | DBGWCR0 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Control Register 0 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c1, #7 | DBGWCR1 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Control Register 1 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c2, #7 | DBGWCR2 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Control Register 2 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c3, #7 | DBGWCR3 | SceKernelThreadMgr | Watchpoint Control Register 3 |
| p14, #0, r0, c0, c2, #2 | DBGDSCRext | SceKernelThreadMgr | Debug Status and Control Register external view |
| p14, #6, r0, c0, c0, #0 | TEECR | SKBL/NSKBL | ThumbEE Configuration Register |
| p14, #6, r0, c1, c0, #0 | TEEHBR | SKBL/NSKBL | ThumbEE Handler Base Register |
| p14, #7, r0, c1, c0, #0 | JOSCR | SKBL/NSKBL | Jazelle OS Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c0, #0 | MIDR | N/A | Main ID Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c0, #1 | CTR | N/A | Cache Type Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c0, #2 | TCMTR | N/A | TCM Type Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c0, #3 | TLBTR | N/A | TLB Type Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c0, #5 | MPIDR | SceSysmem/SceExcpmgr | Multiprocessor Affinity Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c0, #6 | REVIDR | N/A | Revision ID Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #0 | ID_PFR0 | N/A | Processor Feature Register 0 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #1 | ID_PFR1 | N/A | Processor Feature Register 1 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #2 | ID_DFR0 | N/A | Debug Feature Register 0 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #3 | ID_AFR0 | N/A | Auxiliary Feature Register 0 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #4 | ID_MMFR0 | N/A | Memory Model Feature Register 0 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #5 | ID_MMFR1 | N/A | Memory Model Feature Register 1 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #6 | ID_MMFR2 | N/A | Memory Model Feature Register 2 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c1, #7 | ID_MMFR3 | N/A | Memory Model Feature Register 3 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c2, #0 | ID_ISAR0 | N/A | Instruction Set Attribute Register 0 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c2, #1 | ID_ISAR1 | N/A | Instruction Set Attribute Register 1 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c2, #2 | ID_ISAR2 | N/A | Instruction Set Attribute Register 2 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c2, #3 | ID_ISAR3 | N/A | Instruction Set Attribute Register 3 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c2, #4 | ID_ISAR4 | N/A | Instruction Set Attribute Register 4 |
| p15, #0, r0, c0, c2, #5 | ID_ISAR5 | N/A | Instruction Set Attribute Register 5 |
| p15, #1, r0, c0, c0, #0 | CCSIDR | N/A | Cache Size ID Register |
| p15, #1, r0, c0, c0, #1 | CLIDR | N/A | Cache Level ID Register |
| p15, #1, r0, c0, c0, #7 | AIDR | N/A | Auxiliary ID Register |
| p15, #2, r0, c0, c0, #0 | CSSELR | NSKBL | Cache Size Selection Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c1, c0, #0 | SCTLR | SKBL/SceDriverTzs/NSKBL/SceSysmem | System Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c1, c0, #1 | ACTLR | SKBL | Auxiliary Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c1, c0, #2 | CPACR | SKBL | Coprocessor Access Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c1, c1, #0 | SCR | SKBL | Secure Configuration Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c1, c1, #1 | SDER | N/A | Secure Debug Enable Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c1, c1, #2 | NSACR | SKBL | Non-Secure Access Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c2, c0, #0 | TTBR0 | SKBL/SceSysmem | Translation Table Base Register 0 |
| p15, #0, r0, c2, c0, #1 | TTBR1 | SKBL/SceSysmem/ScePower | Translation Table Base Register 1 |
| p15, #0, r0, c2, c0, #2 | TTBCR | SKBL/NSKBL | Translation Table Base Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c3, c0, #0 | DACR | SKBL/SceSysmem | Domain Access Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c3, c0, #1 | DACR | ScePower | Undocumented. Write-Only. |
| p15, #0, r0, c3, c0, #2 | DACR | ScePower | Undocumented. Unknown. |
| p15, #0, r0, c5, c0, #0 | DFSR | SceExcpmgr | Data Fault Status Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c5, c0, #1 | IFSR | SceExcpmgr | Instruction Fault Status Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c5, c1, #0 | ADFSR | SceExcpmgr | Auxiliary Data Fault Status Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c5, c1, #1 | AIFSR | SceExcpmgr | Auxiliary Instruction Fault Status Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c6, c0, #0 | DFAR | SceExcpmgr | Data Fault Address Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c6, c0, #2 | IFAR | SceExcpmgr | Instruction Fault Address Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c1, #0 | ICIALLUIS | SKBL/SceSysmem | Instruction cache invalidate all PoU, IS |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c1, #6 | BPIALLIS | SKBL/SceSysmem | Branch predictor invalidate all IS |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c4, #0 | PAR | SceSysmem | Physical Address Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c5, #0 | ICIALLU | SKBL/SceSysmem | Instruction cache invalidate all PoU |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c5, #1 | ICIMVAU | SceSysmem | Instruction cache invalidate |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c5, #6 | BPIALL | SceSysmem | Branch predictor invalidate all |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c6, #1 | DCIMVAC | SceSysmem | Data cache invalidate by MVA PoC |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c6, #2 | DCISW | SKBL/SceSysmem | Data cache invalidate by set/way |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c8, #0 | ATS1CPR | SceSysmem | Stage 1 Current state PL1 read |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c8, #1 | ATS1CPW | SceSysmem | Stage 1 Current state PL1 write |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c8, #2 | ATS1CUR | SceSysmem | Stage 1 Current state unprivileged read |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c8, #3 | ATS1CUW | SceSysmem | Stage 1 Current state unprivileged write |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c10, #1 | DCCMVAC | SceSysmem | Data cache clean by MVA PoC |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c10, #2 | DCCSW | SceSysmem | Data cache clean by set/way |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c14, #1 | DCCIMVAC | SceSysmem | Data cache clean and invalidate by MVA PoC |
| p15, #0, r0, c7, c14, #2 | DCCISW | SceSysmem | Data cache clean and invalidate by set/way |
| p15, #0, r0, c8, c3, #1 | TLBIMVAIS | SceSysmem | Invalidate unified TLB by MVA IS |
| p15, #0, r0, c8, c3, #3 | TLBIMVAAIS | SceSysmem | Invalidate unified TLB by MVA, all ASID IS |
| p15, #0, r0, c8, c7, #0 | TLBIALL | ScePower | Invalidate entire unified TLB |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c12, #0 | PMCR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c12, #1 | PMCNTENSET | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c12, #2 | PMCNTENCLR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c12, #3 | PMOVSR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c12, #4 | PMSWINC | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c12, #5 | PMSELR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c13, #0 | PMCCNTR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c13, #1 | PMXEVTYPER | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c13, #2 | PMXEVCNTR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c14, #0 | PMUSERENR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c14, #1 | PMINTENSET | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c9, c14, #2 | PMINTENCLR | ScePerf | perf |
| p15, #0, r0, c10, c2, #0 | PRRR | ScePower | Primary Region Remap Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c10, c2, #1 | NMRR | ScePower | Normal Memory Remap Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c12, c0, #0 | VBAR | NSKBL/ScePower/SceKernelThreadMgr | Vector Base Address Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c12, c0, #1 | MVBAR | SKBL | Monitor Vector Base Address Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c12, c1, #0 | ISR | N/A | Interrupt Status Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c13, c0, #0 | FCSEIDR | N/A | FCSE Process ID Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c13, c0, #1 | CONTEXTIDR | SKBL/NSKBL/ScePower | Context ID Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c13, c0, #2 | TPIDRURW | NSKBL | User Read/Write Thread ID Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c13, c0, #3 | TPIDRURO | NSKBL/SceLibKernel/SceKernelThreadMgr | User Read-Only Thread ID Register. Value is TLS pointer. |
| p15, #0, r0, c13, c0, #4 | TPIDRPRW | NSKBL/SceExcpmgr/SceKernelThreadMgr | PL1 only Thread ID Register. Value is SceKernelThreadObject pointer. |
| p15, #0, r0, c15, c0, #0 | PCTLR | SKBL | Power Control Register |
| p15, #0, r0, c15, c0, #1 | N/A | SKBL | Diagnostic Control Register (undocumented, used for errata workarounds) |
Each core includes the following features:
- L1 Instruction Cache of 32 KiB and Data Cache of 32 KiB
- Media Processing Engine (MPE) that can execute Advanced SIMD instructions (NEONv1) and Vector Floating-Point v3 instructions (VFPv3)
In addition, there is a L2 cache of 2 MiB shared by all cores, while precisely speaking, it's external to the ARM processor core.
Documentation
A lot of useful information is available about ARM (Advanced RISC Machines) on the internet including ARM Ltd. official site.
- Refer to the following document for the instruction set, memory model and programmers' model: ARM Architecture Reference Manual ARMv7-A and ARMv7-R edition.
- The ARM Cortex-A9 Technical Reference Manual gives a good overview of the specific processor features and is a good reference for what ARMv7 implementation specific features are enabled.
- Another manual that's important is the ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore Technical Reference Manual which is specific to the multi-core system the Vita uses. The main information of use are descriptors for the private memory region defined with the
PERIPHBASEsignal. This is mapped to physical address0x1A000000.
- Cortex-A9 Technical Reference Manual
(corresponding to the chip revision supposed to be included in DevKit):
http://infocenter.arm.com/help/topic/com.arm.doc.ddi0388f/DDI0388F_cortex_a9_r2p2_trm.pdf
- Cortex-A9 NEON Media Processing Engine Technical Reference Manual
(NEON: Advanced SIMD instructions)
http://infocenter.arm.com/help/topic/com.arm.doc.ddi0409f/DDI0409F_cortex_a9_neon_mpe_r2p2_trm.pdf
- Cortex-A9 NEON MPE > VFPv3 architecture hardware support
http://infocenter.arm.com/help/topic/com.arm.doc.ddi0409f/CHDEEJDB.html
(The above reference destination has been confirmed as of June 26, 2014. Note that pages may have been subsequently moved or its contents modified.)
Identification registers
| Register name | Value |
|---|---|
| AIDR | 0x00000000 |
| CCSIDR | 0x701FE019 |
| CLIDR | 0x09200003 |
| CTR | 0x83338003 |
| ID_AFR0 | 0x00000000 |
| ID_DFR0 | 0x00010444 |
| ID_ISAR0 | 0x00101111 |
| ID_ISAR1 | 0x13112111 |
| ID_ISAR2 | 0x21232041 |
| ID_ISAR3 | 0x11112131 |
| ID_ISAR4 | 0x00011142 |
| ID_ISAR5 | 0x00000000 |
| ID_MMFR0 | 0x00100103 |
| ID_MMFR1 | 0x20000000 |
| ID_MMFR2 | 0x01230000 |
| ID_MMFR3 | 0x00102111 |
| ID_PFR0 | 0x00001231 |
| ID_PFR1 | 0x00000011 |
| MIDR | 0x412FC09A |
| MPIDR | 0x80000003 |
| REVIDR | 0x412FC09A |
| TCMTR | 0x00000000 |
| TLBTR | 0x00000402 |
Interrupt Controller
As part of the Cortex A9 MPcore, the Vita also implements the Generic Interrupt Controller Architecture. More information on interrupts can be found here.
L2 Cache
Check Caches.