Micropython

Pico-ice and pico2-ice support micropython.

To install

• Acquire the latest release for the device you have from: https://github.com/tinyvision-ai-inc/pico-ice-micropython/releases
• Flash the device as normal (uf2 pasted in the RP2 disk)

To use

The API to use the FPGA is as follow:

• ice is the microypthon module: import ice
• fpga is the class provided by the module to manage the ICE40 FPGA ice.fpga(...)
• fpga provides the methods stop(), start(), and cram(file)

How to program a bitstream to the FPGA RAM

• The Pin class is imported from the machine module to provide interfacing with the hardware.
• The module is imported
• The fpga type is configured with the approriate pins for the device, as well as the frequency (in MHz) that the FPGA will run at.
• The bitstream file is opened, in byte (as opposed to text) mode (b), to read (r).
• The fpga is brought out of reset with fpga.start()
• The bitstream is loaded into the FPGA using fpga.cram(file) with the previously opened file as argument.

On pico-ice:

from machine import Pin
import ice
fpga = ice.fpga(cdone=Pin(26), clock=Pin(24), creset=Pin(27), cram_cs=Pin(9), cram_mosi=Pin(8), cram_sck=Pin(10), frequency=48)
file = open("bitstream.bin", "br")
fpga.start()
fpga.cram(file)

On pico2-ice:

from machine import Pin
import ice
fpga = ice.fpga(cdone=Pin(40), clock=Pin(21), creset=Pin(31), cram_cs=Pin(5), cram_mosi=Pin(4), cram_sck=Pin(6), frequency=48)
file = open("bitstream.bin", "br")
fpga.start()
fpga.cram(file)

How to program a bistream to the FPGA Flash (persistent bitstream)

On pico-ice:

from machine import Pin
import ice
file = open("bitstream.bin", "br")
flash = ice.flash(miso=Pin(8), mosi=Pin(11), sck=Pin(10), cs=Pin(9))
flash.erase(4096) # Optional
flash.write(file)
# Optional
fpga = ice.fpga(cdone=Pin(26), clock=Pin(24), creset=Pin(27), cram_cs=Pin(9), cram_mosi=Pin(8), cram_sck=Pin(10), frequency=48)
fpga.start()

On pico2-ice:

from machine import Pin
import ice
file = open("bitstream.bin", "br")
flash = ice.flash(miso=Pin(4), mosi=Pin(7), sck=Pin(6), cs=Pin(5))
flash.erase(4096) # Optional
flash.write(file)
# Optional
fpga = ice.fpga(cdone=Pin(40), clock=Pin(21), creset=Pin(31), cram_cs=Pin(5), cram_mosi=Pin(4), cram_sck=Pin(6), frequency=48)
fpga.start()