Configurable processor design apparatus and design method, library optimization method, processor, and fabrication method for semiconductor device including processor

摘要

A design apparatus for designing a configurable processor for an application, includes an analysis unit that analyzes the content of a program to be executed by the processor; a hardware extension unit that searches the program for a part of the program allowing hardware extension in accordance with the analysis results by the analysis unit and generates hardware extension information for the searched part; an extension instruction definition unit that searches the program for a part allowing use of an extension instruction in accordance with the analysis results by the analysis unit and generates definition of an extension instruction for the searched part; and a performance estimation unit that estimates whether or not the performance of the processor satisfies a target performance using at least one of the hardware extension information generated by the hardware extension unit and the definition of the extension instruction generated by the extension instruction definition unit.