Optimize data flow video apps by tightly coupling ARM-based CPUs to FPGA fabrics

Michael Fawcett, iVeia, with Dan Isaacs, Xilinx

May 10, 2011

Michael Fawcett, iVeia, with Dan Isaacs, Xilinx

Processor-centric designs
Some design teams are more comfortable working with a model in which the microprocessor is the heart of the system where the FPGA is utilized as a coprocessor – albeit a very powerful one. The processor-centric model allows design teams to immediately begin software development concurrently with the design of the FPGA subsystem that will handle the portions of the application that require parallel processing and manipulation of real-time data streams.

Let’s examine the options a design team at a company like ours to quickly develop and deploy systems on a tightly integrated processor and FPGA that boots like a typical microprocessor-based system. iVeia has a family of mezzanine-style modular products that combine processors and FPGAs.

We also offers a series of application-specific development kits along with a general-purpose kit. An SDR Development Kit targets wireless applications such as unattended sensor networks where the FPGA handles intermediate-frequency and baseband processing. The company also offers a Video Development Kit and a Handheld Development Kit.

Design teams can quickly access tremendous processing power utilizing such a modular approach. Our Atlas-I-LPe is based on a Texas Instruments’ OMAP processor (Figure 2 below). The OMAP IC combines both an ARM microprocessor core and a DSP core. Moreover, the module includes a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA.

Figure 2: The iVeia Atlas-I-LPe design utilizes dedicated interfaces between the FPGA and OMAP processor allowing the FPGA to implement pre- and post-processing functions on a live video stream (To view larger image, click here).
The standard product integrates a XC6SLX16 FPGA with 14,579 logic cells and 136 DSP slices. Optionally, iVeia offers a version with the XC6SLX45 that integrates 43,661 logic cells and 401 DSP slices.

The Atlas-I-LPe affords a number of advantages to embedded design teams. The ARM architecture is arguably the most broadly-favored choice in the embedded industry today. Most design teams are familiar with the ARM architecture and instruction set.

Moreover, most design teams are familiar with the development tools and the entire ecosystem that includes code libraries and other IP that can accelerate the design cycle. In the case of the Atlas-I-LPe, the OMAP IC integrates an ARM Cortex-A8 core that operates up to 1 GHz.

The ARM implementation includes the optional Neon SIMD (single instruction multiple data) unit that is optimized for multimedia processing. Moreover it also includes a double-precision floating-point unit.

The OMAP IC also includes a broadly-utilized DSP core with which many design teams will be familiar. The TMS320C64x+ core operates at speeds as fast as 800 MHz. Moreover there is an extensive support ecosystem behind the DSP including development tools and algorithm libraries.