PARIS, Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –

ARM European Technical Conference 2011 — Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) today announced its first Zynq(TM)-7000 Extensible Processing Platform (EPP) shipments to customers, a major milestone in the roll-out of a complete embedded processing platform that for the first time offers developers ASIC levels of performance and power consumption, the flexibility of an FPGA and the programmability of a microprocessor. Customers who have developed systems using the Zynq-7000 EPP emulation platform, early access Xilinx hardware tools and standard software tools supported by the ARM® Connected Community, are now migrating their applications to these first devices and beginning the next stages of their product development.

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Xilinx is showcasing the first public demonstration of a Zynq-7000 EPP at the ARM European Technical Conference, where attendees can see the device running a Linux-based application.

“It’s exciting to see early access customers take what they’ve accomplished since we first launched the Extensible Processing Platform program in April 2010 and apply their systems to these first devices,” said Lawrence Getman, Vice President of Processing at Xilinx. “We are able to give them a significant time to market advantage in their development and introduction of new products that require the unrivaled levels of system performance, flexibility and integration offered by this new class of system-on-chip.”

For systems that need to support applications which require high, real-time performance, the Zynq-7000 EPP delivers levels of performance that go beyond what traditional processing solutions can implement. Emulation platforms, hardware development tools, Open Source Linux support and the recently announced Extensible Virtual Platform developed jointly with Cadence Design Systems, Inc. all help to make developing and implementing Zynq-7000 EPP systems possible. A growing list of OS support is adding to an expanding ecosystem offering embedded tool and software development solutions.

“Participating in the Early Access Program gave National Instruments the opportunity to jump start development to make it possible for NI LabVIEW system design software to program both the high performance processor and programmable fabric present in the Zynq-7000 EPP with a single development environment,” said Jamie Smith, Director of Embedded Systems Product Marketing at National Instruments. “Now that we’ve received the silicon, we’ll continue our development toward providing control and monitoring systems to our customers leveraging the increased capabilities of the Zynq-7000 devices.”

The Zynq-7000 family combines an industry-standard ARM dual-core Cortex(TM)-A9 MPCore(TM) processing system with Xilinx’s scalable 28nm programmable logic architecture. It supports parallel development of software for the dual-core Cortex-A9 processor-based system and custom accelerators and peripherals in the programmable logic. Software developers can leverage the open source Eclipse platform, Xilinx Platform Studio Software Development Kit (SDK), ARM Development Studio 5 (DS-5) and ARM RealView Development Suite (RVDS), or compilers, debuggers, and applications from leading vendors within the ARM Connected Community and Xilinx Alliance Program ecosystems. Customers can go to vendors such as Enea Services Linkoping AB, Express Logic, Inc., Lauterbach Datentechnik GmbH, The MathWorks, PetaLogix, Mentor Graphics Corp., Micrium, and Wind River Systems for their development solutions.

“When we looked at the possibility of leveraging our processor based development investments across different product lines, the Zynq-7000 Extensible Processing Platform’s combination of processor and programmable logic became a clear choice for several of our applications,” said Bernd Liebetrau, Head of CoC Digital Integration at Rohde & Schwarz. “The platform approach allows us to customize each device to meet our various application needs while at the same time enabling us to leverage the software developments over multiple products. Rohde & Schwarz has always been at the forefront of technology and being an early adopter and receiving early samples of the Zynq-7000 EPP is a significant milestone for us.”

Developers can tailor the Zynq-7000 family’s programmable logic to maximize system level performance and efficiently address application specific requirements. Xilinx’s award-winning ISE® Design Suite provides a comprehensive hardware development environment that includes development tools and AMBA® 4 Advanced Extensible Interface (AXI) bus protocol-compliant Plug-and-Play intellectual property (IP) cores as well as Bus Functional Models (BFM) to accelerate design and verification.

“We’ve been heavily focused on the development of our Zynq-7000 EPP products and IP over the past several months,” says Michael Fawcett, CTO of iVeia, “So, naturally, we were very excited to receive our first Zynq-7020 devices. Our Atlas-I-Z7e will be the first computer-on-module to host a Zynq device and will drop into existing sockets for Android handheld, digital radio, and video processing applications. We fully expect to be able to demonstrate such applications within a few months, a credit to Xilinx’s early access support, tools, and emulation platform.”

Addressing Evolving Market Needs

To meet new customer requirements in high-end applications targeting Wired, Wireless and Video Broadcast markets, Xilinx is also announcing the replacement of the Zynq-7040 device with the new Zynq-7045 device to extend the family’s range of twelve, 12.5 Gbps transceiver technology to sixteen. This will enable further bridging applications and wider connections to high speed DAC/ADCs. The increased programmable logic capacity (DSP, BRAM and Logic) will offer designers greater signal processing capability for functions such as filtering, digital conversions, and more, as well as greater opportunities for customizing specific functions. The Zynq-7045 device becomes the new high end of the Zynq-7000 family that spans from 30k logic cells to target the most cost sensitive industrial, automotive and consumer applications, all the way up to 350k logic cells for the applications requiring the highest capacity and performance in a single scalable platform.

To Learn More

Register now for a new TechOnline Webcast on December 13th in which Xilinx technical experts will follow up from their first webcast at the beginning of the year and provide further architectural details and updates about Open Source Linux support and the Extensible Virtual Platform with Cadence. All of this including new detailed documentation and videos can be found at http://www.xilinx.com/zynq.

Availability

Zynq-7020 EPP initial samples are shipping now to participants of the Early Access program, with production qualified parts on track to begin shipping in the second half of 2012.

About Xilinx

Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic solutions. For more information, visit http://www.xilinx.com/.

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Xilinx, the Xilinx logo, Artix, ISE, Kintex, Spartan, Virtex, Zynq and other designated brands included herein are trademarks of Xilinx in the United States and other countries. AMBA, ARM, Cortex, and MPCore are trademarks of ARM in the EU and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Xilinx, Inc.

“The introduction of MatchstiqTM marks the start of the next chapter in mobile computing, where the flexibility of the software now extends all the way to the antenna,” noted John Orlando, CEO of Epiq Solutions. “We believe this paradigm shift in capability will open up entirely new markets where fixed- function radios have ruled the airwaves for far too long.”

MatchstiqTM includes an Atlas-I-LPeTM computer module developed by iVeia Inc, which combines a Xilinx® Spartan®-6 LX45 FPGA with a Texas Instruments 1 GHz ARM® CortexTM-A8 processor running the 2.6.35 Linux kernel. This enables a wide range of advanced signal processing tasks to execute on the platform while consuming as little as 3 watts for typical receive-only use. “The marriage of Epiq and iVeia technology has yielded an impressive product,” stated Michael Fawcett, CTO of iVeia Inc. “Both our companies strive for innovation and cutting edge capabilities in small form factors. MatchstiqTM fills a void in the SDR landscape, performing at the same level of competing systems but at less than half the size, cost, and power.”

When combined with the library of signal processing applications available from Epiq Solutions or other software suites such as GNU Radio, MatchstiqTM enables an array of capabilities including use as a point-to-point data modem, LTE survey tool, or portable spectrum analyzer. A development kit is also available for users who wish to create their own custom applications.

MatchstiqTM will start shipping in December 2011 with single unit pricing of $4,500 USD. Pre-orders are currently being accepted.

For more information, please visit http://www.epiqsolutions.com/matchstiq/.

About Epiq Solutions

Epiq Solutions designs and builds state-of-the-art wireless systems for both commercial and government applications. These applications include the detection, classification, and location of radio emitters, as well as real-time processing and decoding of Layers 1, 2, and 3 for numerous wireless radio standards (including 2G/3G/4G cellular). For more information regarding Epiq Solutions’ products and services, please visit http://www.epiqsolutions.com/.

Before getting carried away with the possibilities of an FPGA-imbued, dual-core Cortex-A9 processor that can run Linux and Android, note that iVeia’s Atlas-I-27e module won’t start sampling until the fourth quarter, and won’t ship in production quantities until 2012. This more or less follows the schedule for Xilinx’ first two Zynq-7000 devices, the Zynq-7010 and Zynq-7020, announced earlier this month.

However, customers interested in the module and its development framework can get a head start by developing now on iVeia’s Atlas-I-LPe module, the company says. (See farther below for more information on these existing products.)

The Atlas-I-Z7e measures just 3.37 x 1.25 x 0.25 inches

On the Atlas-I-Z7e (above), iVeia will provide the Zynq-7020 with 512MB of LPDDR2 memory, with an option to upgrade to 1GB. A removable microSD flash card offers 64GB of storage, says iVeia. The module offers both USB 2.0 OTG and host interfaces, as well as a console UART, JTAG, 4×3 keypad, and audio I/O, says the company.

The 3.37 x 1.25 x 0.25-inch module runs on 3.3 VDC power, and offers support for a wide temperature range, preliminarily slated for -40 to 185 deg. F (-40 to 85 deg. C), says iVeia. The board offers power management features including smart clocking, power plane control, and “extremely low power sleep modes,” says the company.

The Atlas-I-Z7e features a “low-profile mezzanine style I/O interface,” with up to 56 I/O pins in dual high-speed connectors that are designed to hook up to Atlas-compatible carrier boards, says iVeia. Each bank has its own I/O voltage controls, and is said to be designed to withstand “stringent environmental, vibration, and signal integrity standards.”

The connectors are user configurable via the Zynq’s FPGA (field programmable gate array) interface, says the company. The I/O interface also offers compatibility with other Iveia Atlas processing modules and an array of glueless peripheral expansion options, including soft peripherals from iVeia and Xilinx.

The Atlas-I-Z7e will be supported by embedded Linux and Android, with distributions available from iVeia. Custom development kits are said to be available, targeting handhelds and tablets, software-defined radio (SDR), video/imaging, Gstreamer video, and “GNU radio.”

In an EEtimes video interview from Embedded World earlier this month, iVeia CTO Michael Fawcett says he is particularly interested in the possibilities of integrating Android with FPGA capabilities. “We’ve been seeing Android requests for proposals in interesting sectors like military radios and other handheld devices, most of them in industrial applications,” says Fawcett.

Velocity-EHF and Atlas-I-LPe

The Atlas-I-Z7e supports iVeia’s Velocity Embedded Hybrid Framework (Velocity-EHF), a portability layer offered with all Iveia modules. According to the company, one of its customers recently used Velocity-EHF to port an application in a single day from iVeia’s Titan-V5e, a module, which includes a PowerPC-based Virtex-5 FPGA, to its Atlas-I-LPe module, the device that the company recommends for preliminary Atlas-I-Z7e development.

The Linux-ready Atlas-I-LPe module combines a Texas Instruments Cortex-A8 based OMAP3525 SoC with a Xilinx Spartan 6LX16 FPGA. The module also offers 512MB or 1GB of LPDDR memory, and microSD expansion.

Xilinx Zynq-7020 background

Announced earlier this month, the Zynq-7000 devices integrate dual 800MHz ARM Cortex-A9 cores with 28nm-fabricated, low-power programmable logic derived from the Xilinx Artix7 (Zynq-7010 and Zynq-7020) and higher-end Kintex-7 (Zynq-7030 and Zynq-7040) FPGA technologies.

Billed as the industry’s first Extensible Processing Platform (EPP), the Zynq targets high-end markets such as video surveillance, automotive driver assistance, and factory automation, among others.

PowerPC-based processors have been integrated in a number of Xilinx’ FPGA processors. However, the Zynq is the company’s first FPGA processor that integrates an ARM processor. It is also the first FPGA/application processor hybrid that boots at power-up and can run a variety of operating systems independent of the programmable logic, says Xilinx.

Zynq-7000 block diagram

The Zynq-7000 SoCs incorporate ARM dual-core Cortex-A9 cores with MPCore technology and integrated Neon and double precision floating point engines. The SoCs also include 32KB/32KB L1 and 512KB L2 caches, plus 256KB memory on-chip.

A variety of memory controllers including DDR3 and NAND flash are also provided. The extensive I/O support, meanwhile, ranges from gigabit Ethernet to CAN to I2C, according to Xilinx.

A high-bandwidth AMBA4 “Advanced Extensible Interface” (AXI4) interconnect between the processing system and the programmable logic enables multi-gigabit data transfers at very low power, says Xilinx. The interconnect is said to reduce performance bottlenecks for control, data, I/O, and memory.

Built on nine AXI interfaces, the interconnect is said to offer numerous control signals, representing more than 3,000 interconnections. The interconnect enables designers to build their own custom devices by adding peripherals in the programmable logic. It is also touted as enabling designers to increase overall performance by partitioning hardware and software functions via custom accelerators.

Availability

Live demos of the Atlas-I-Z7e will launch in Q4 2011, with production availability in 2012, says iVeia. Customers interested in the Atlas-I-Z7e and the Velocity-EHF can begin development now on iVeia’s Atlas-I-LPe.

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Eric Brown for eWeek Linux Devices

The Atlas-I-Z7e is nearly half the size of a credit card with a Xilinx Zynq-7020 device, 512MB of LPDDR2 memory, USB 2.0 OTG, Secure Digital (microSD/SDHC) memory card, audio and more, as well as a number of soft peripherals options available from iVeia and Xilinx. The Atlas-I-Z7e is fully supported by embedded Linux and Android with distributions available from iVeia.

The Atlas-I-Z7e supports iVeia’s Velocity Embedded Hybrid Framework (Velocity-EHF), a portability layer iVeia offers with all of its products. “The Velocity-EHF has just recently enabled one of our key customers to port their application from our PowerPC/Virtex-5 FPGA Titan-V5e product to our ARM/Spartan-6 FPGA Atlas-I-LPe product in only one day,” said Michael Fawcett, CTO of iVeia.

“The Velocity-EHF is being fully optimized for the advanced Zynq-7000 family architecture and I expect to see a significant performance improvement for many of our customers. Atlas modules are form-factor and electrically compatible, so Atlas applications can benefit from frequent technology refreshes as new modules become available from iVeia. Market-specific development kits are available that provide a complete path from development to deployment. Live demos of the Atlas-I-Z7e will be available in the fourth quater of 2011 with production availability due in 2012.

Colin Holland for EE Times
3/7/2011 6:31 AM EST

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The Atlas-I-Z7e supports iVeia’s Velocity Embedded Hybrid Framework (Velocity-EHF)™, a portability layer iVeia offers with all of its products. “The Velocity-EHF has just recently enabled one of our key customers to port their application from our PowerPC™/Virtex™-5 FPGA Titan-V5e™ product to our ARM/Spartan-6 FPGA Atlas-I-LPeTM product in only one day,” said Michael Fawcett, CTO of iVeia. “The Velocity-EHF is being fully optimized for the advanced Zynq-7000 family architecture and I expect to see a significant performance improvement for many of our customers.”

The Atlas-I-Z7e is the latest addition to iVeia’s Atlas family of low-power, small form factor COTS processing modules. Atlas modules are form-factor and electrically compatible, so Atlas applications can benefit from frequent technology refreshes as new modules become available from iVeia. Market-specific development kits are available for the Atlas family of products that provide a complete path from development to deployment.

Look for live demos of the Atlas-I-Z7e in Q4 2011, and production availability in 2012. Customers interested in the Atlas-I-Z7e and the Velocity-EHF can begin development on iVeia’s Altas-I-LPe.

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