PSoC is a software configured, mixed-signal array with a built-in Microcontroller unit core. The core is a Cypress proprietary, 8bit harward design called the M8C. PSoC has three separate memory spaces: paged SRAM for data, flash memory for instructions and fixed data, and I/O Registers for controlling and accessing the configurable logic blocks and functions.
Here is a comparison table showing the major differences between PSoC ASIC and FPGA
| PSoC | ASIC | FPGA | |
| Time to Market | hours | years | hours |
| Design Complexity | Very less | More | less compared to ASIC |
| Configuration | can be changed during run time | cannot be changed | can be changed to some extend |
| Freq of operation | Very less | More | Less comp to ASIC |
The configuration is obtained by loading instructions from the built-in Flash memory in a PSoC whereas in an FPGA the configuration is loaded at the begining from an EEPROM into SRAM distributed memory as well as block memory.Also the FPGA uses some configurable logic blocks(CLBs).
PSoC most closely resembles a MCU in usage, where code is executed to interact with the user-specified peripheral functions (called "User Modules"), using automatically generated APIs and interrupt routines. The PSoC Designer IDE generates the startup configuration code and peripheral APIs automatically based upon the users selections in a visual-studio-like GUI.Cypress offers a visual, code-free embedded design tool for PSoC called PSoC Express. Using PSoC Express, most features of the PSoC can be accessed with drag and drop icons and logical expressions. The vishual design is compiled to executable code without exposing the user to the underlying converted code, though a visual design can be converted and used as a basis of a traditional code-based design in PSoC Designer. Visual design elements cover features such as temperature sensors, fan control, accelerometers, I2C master and slave protocols, USB virtual serial ports, capacitive sensors, and wireless 2.4 GHz radio communications.PSoC programmer is another software that is available in cypress.com that can be used to program the bitstream into the PSoC devices.
PSoC Designer
PSoC programmer
You have to register for getting the softwares and u can create cases for queries in cypress.com.
In a PSoC device the user defines What functions appears,When they appear and how !!!!!
1)Technical ref manuals
2)User module datasheets (available with PSoC designer software)
3)Device datasheets
4)Project Config datasheets generated by the tool at the end of the design
Dynamic Reconfiguration
Dynamic reconfiguration is a similar kind of a thing like polymorphism in C++. One device performing different functions at different times. Multiple function sets operate on same hardware at different times in the same application. In this case we dynamically load the configuration at run time.
PSoC Applications
Voltage Monitoring,Airflow Sensing, Humidity Sensing, I2C, SPI, UART, CPU Reset, Temp Sensing, Pressure Sensing, Current Sensing, Accelerometers, Fan Control, USB devices etc are the typical applications where the PSoC can be used.
2)User module datasheets (available with PSoC designer software)
3)Device datasheets
4)Project Config datasheets generated by the tool at the end of the design
Dynamic Reconfiguration
Dynamic reconfiguration is a similar kind of a thing like polymorphism in C++. One device performing different functions at different times. Multiple function sets operate on same hardware at different times in the same application. In this case we dynamically load the configuration at run time.
PSoC Applications
Voltage Monitoring,Airflow Sensing, Humidity Sensing, I2C, SPI, UART, CPU Reset, Temp Sensing, Pressure Sensing, Current Sensing, Accelerometers, Fan Control, USB devices etc are the typical applications where the PSoC can be used.
