Specification

The Open Core Protocol (OCP) establishes the first openly licensed, core-centric protocol to meet contemporary system-level integration challenges. OCP comprehensively defines an efficient, bus-independent, configurable and highly scalable interface for on-chip subsystem communications.

Legacy IP cores are readily adapted to OCP, while new implementations may take full advantage of advanced features; designers select only those features and signals encompassing a core’s specific data, control and test configuration. Core definition using OCP encapsulates a complete system integration description enabling core and test bench reuse without rework. Not only does OCP provide clear delineation of design responsibilities for core authors and System-on-Chip (SoC) integrators, but also institutes a key partitioning formalism for verification engineers and automation software.

The OCP Specification makes IP reuse a reality. OCP works by separating the communications of an IP core from the actual function of that core. This allows the core to remain “golden,” so ensuring real reuse. The benefits of using the OCP standard are numerous and described in many places throughout the website.

Members may access the specification through our members-only website (Members Only). If you wish to access the OCP specification and are not an OCP-IP member, you must submit your contact information and accept the simple terms of our click-through Research Use License.

Specification Working Group: The OCP Specification Working Group (SWG) is comprised of the leading engineers from many of the most respected companies in the industry. The SWG is responsible for implementing revisions to the OCP specification as recommended by OCP members and prioritized by the OCP-IP Technical Vision Working Group.

Technical Vision Working Group:  OCP-IP’s Technical Vision Working Group (TVWG), comprised of GSC Members, meets annually to fully re-examine and prioritize OCP-IP’s role within the industry, including a comprehensive review of supporting infrastructure and benefits provided to members. All OCP-IP Working Groups develop specific road maps for work to be completed throughout the calendar year, based upon the prioritization and direction given by the TVWG. The work of each group is monitored and supported throughout the year by the OCP-IP Governing Steering Committee.

OCP Datasheet: A datasheet explaining the benefits and features of the Open Core Protocol (OCP standard) is available.

OCP Interoperability:  OCP is a highly configurable core-specific interface, which can be customized for use with virtually any type of IP core. In order to make it easier for the designer to use OCP with a particular core, the OCP specification provides the capabilities of subsets and profiles. Subsets are typically used when an IP core has only a small subset of the complete OCP configuration. For example, some IP cores only support write operations or read operations. In this case, OCP can be easily configured to only provide these basic capabilities.

Profiles are typically used for the case of more complex IP cores. The OCP Profile consists of two parts: 1) a pre-configured OCP interface, and 2) detailed implementation guidelines. These profiles are provided in the OCP Specification for IP cores with a native OCP interface, as well as for legacy IP cores, which already have an existing interface, but need to operate with other IP cores in a system. For example, the use of profiles for legacy cores involves interfaces such as AHB and AXI. By using these pre-configured OCP interfaces, the designer can ensure that these OCP interfaces will smoothly inter-operate with other cores having different OCP interfaces.

In addition to making it easy to configure the OCP interface for an IP core, these pre-configured OCP interfaces have been designed for inter-operability.  These profiles have been developed, based upon the knowledge and experience gained from developing interfaces for various types of IP cores. This information has then been distilled into the Profiles provided by the OCP Specification. These OCP Profiles do not merely provide a pre-configured OCP interface. In addition, the detailed implementation guidelines which are provided make it much easier for the designer to build the OCP interface for the IP core. These detailed implementation guidelines ensure that the resulting OCP interface is optimized for the target application. Thus, the resulting pre-configured OCP interface is designed to easily inter-operate with all of the other IP cores designed for the final system application. As an added bonus, the use of these OCP Profiles greatly reduces the development time needed to develop an OCP interface for an IP core.