Design of embedded web server based on NIOS-II soft core processor

Abstract

An embedded processor inside an FPGA has a lot of benefits. Application specific peripherals can be chosen based on the requirement. The system can be made more fruitful and powerful by adding peripherals, peripheral controllers, memories, memory controllers and busses. Soft core processor is the HDL model of a processor designed over an FPGA. Nios-II is the second generation of the soft-core processor from Altera. It is a 32-bit general purpose embedded RISC processor. With its reconfigurable nature, Nios-II provides a solution to the interoperability and resource wastage by various microcontrollers. It is a processor meant to be configured by the customer or designer, as per his requirement. In this paper, the design of, an embedded web server is described based on Altera Nios-II soft core processor. This web server is the most important functional unit to get access on an embedded system with help of any web browser. It proves to be a good solution over the traditional heavyweight servers that are bulky and support only certain platform. This web server has reduced cost, complexity and size and features high speed. Altera's DE2-115 development and education board, which contains the Cyclone IV EP4CE115F29 FPGA, is used as the platform for our design.