Embedded PowerPC Core and Auxiliary Processor Controller Unleash New Hardware
Acceleration Applications for Faster, More Flexible Embedded Systems
EMBEDDED SYSTEMS CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO, March 7 /PRNewswire/ --
Xilinx, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLNX) today announced that its breakthrough Virtex(TM)-4
FX family is rapidly gaining traction with new applications for FPGA-based
embedded systems and the availability of the new ML403 development platform.
Fueled by the innovative Auxiliary Processor Unit (APU) controller for the
integrated dual-PowerPC(TM) processor, the Virtex-4 FX platform empowers
designers to achieve up to an astounding 20X boost in overall system
performance relative to traditional software only execution. This
application-specific hardware acceleration approach enables designers to
implement faster, more flexible programmable embedded platforms for a broader
range of product applications.
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020822/XLNXLOGO )
Xilinx is demonstrating the latest capabilities of the PowerPC FX APU
controller this week at Embedded Systems Conference held March 6-10, 2005 with
real-world applications and expert presentations in Booth 1525
(http://www.xilinx.com/events/tradeshows/esc_sf05/index.htm).
Industry Adoption
The Virtex-FX APU controller builds on the proven track record of market
adoption and customer success achieved with Xilinx Virtex-II Pro FPGAs, the
world's first FPGA with an embedded PowerPC processor. Xilinx is shipping the
new Virtex-4 FX devices and development platforms to companies in a variety of
end markets including wired and wireless communications, network security,
automotive, scientific and medical imaging, as well as test and measurement.
With accelerated processing capabilities, the FX APU controller expands the
range of options available to embedded system designers for applications such
as network encryption, packet processing off-load, enhanced high-definition
broadcast video, accelerated storage routines, and waveform processing for
algorithmic acceleration.
"Power Architecture runs in a wide array of high performance embedded
systems, including much of the world's networking and communications
infrastructure," said Nigel Beck, vice president, Technology Marketing,
Systems and Technology Group, IBM. "A key dimension of opening up the Power
Architecture, in addition to the efforts of the open power.org community, is
the extensibility and customization offered by FPGAs such as the Xilinx
Virtex-II Pro and Virtex-4 FX solutions."
"We designed our latest Nova identity4 broadcast production video switcher
with what we consider a truly disruptive technology utilizing only a single
Virtex-II Pro FPGA. This approach reduced our part count 10-fold over prior
systems while providing a per channel cost at a fraction of our competition,"
commented Roger Smith, chief engineer at Echolab. "We are very excited about
the new Virtex-4 FX family of devices, where the higher performance processor
and integrated APU will allow us to rapidly create hardware modules for
accelerating specific software functions. By leveraging these capabilities
with the integrated EMAC cores and enhanced RocketIO available in the Virtex-4
FX devices, our next generation systems will further widen the distance
between us and our competition."
"Leveraging a high degree of IP design re-use developed with our first
Virtex-II Pro based system, we can rapidly migrate our high performance
storage networking architecture to the Virtex-4 FX family of devices. By
utilizing many of the FX features, we are able to increase both functionality
and performance while reducing system cost. Key elements include the enhanced
PowerPC processor running Linux OS to manage and control our high throughput
multi-channel switching matrix and the integrated dual Tri-mode Ethernet MAC
and RocketIO transceivers for high speed data transfer. The APU controller can
also offload some tasks via custom defined instructions, resulting in further
computing and performance headroom," said Sandy Helton, chief technology
officer of SAN Valley Systems.
Virtex-4 FX Platform & APU Controller
The Virtex-4 FX Platform features the industry's only dual 32-bit embedded
PowerPC processors running at up to 450 MHz and delivering over 700 Dhrystone
MIPS each, while providing a three-fold performance advantage over processors
in competing FPGAs. Two fully-integrated, UNH-certified 10/100/1000 Ethernet
MACs further increase the Virtex-4 FX processing platform by saving up to
7,200 logic cells, providing increased FPGA resource availability.
The FX APU controller provides embedded system designers with the
flexibility to extend the native PowerPC 405 instruction set and significantly
improve software algorithm execution utilizing application-specific hardware
accelerators implemented in the FPGA logic. Designers can create user-defined
instructions for hardware acceleration to achieve a more efficient integration
between an application-specific function and the PowerPC processor. Utilizing
the high bandwidth, low latency interface established between the APU
controller and the FPGA fabric, the APU controller decodes high-performance
load and store instructions between the processor data cache or system memory
and the FPGA fabric.
For example, a single instruction transfers up to 16 bytes of data -- four
times greater than a load or store instruction for one of the general purpose
registers in the processor itself. Additional examples for floating point and
algorithmic calculations are highlighted in the recently published Xcell
Journal article entitled, "Accelerated System Performance with APU-Enhanced
Processing."
Enabling High Performance Embedded System Development
To build the custom Virtex-4 FX and PowerPC systems, the award-winning
Xilinx Platform Studio tool suite abstracts, automates and accelerates
implementation without restricting designer innovation. Easy-to-use and
menu-driven wizards, including hardware co-processing accelerator generation
utilizing a new APU-based fabric co-processor wrapper to simplify integration,
are supported by the Platform Studio environment and delivered with the Xilinx
Embedded Development Kit.
The latest ML403 development board also targets the essential needs of the
embedded system designer. Featuring the Virtex-4 FX12, the compact board
supports multiple types of memories and densities with the flexibility of
multiple configuration options. Standard peripheral such as serial ports, USB
(Host & Peripheral), VGA & AC97 Audio and an expansion header are also
included along with easy to use step by step tutorials and a plethora of
reference design examples.
Pricing & Availability
The Virtex-4 FX12 is shipping with volume prices starting at $29.99 for
50K units at the end of 2005. The ML403 development board is also available
now for order U.S. list priced at $495.
Information about Xilinx Virtex-4 FX FPGAs and embedded processing
solutions is available online at
http://www.xilinx.com/products/design_resources/proc_central/index.htm
About Xilinx
Xilinx, Inc. is the worldwide leader of programmable logic solutions. For
more information, visit http://www.xilinx.com.
SOURCE Xilinx, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.xilinx.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020822/XLNXLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Laurie Stanley of Wired Island,
+1-408-879-5292, or laurie.stanley@xilinx.com, for Xilinx, Inc.
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