UQAC as a member of the SOC Research Network (SOCRN) have received from CMC (Canadian Microelectronics Corporation) a new series of FPGA rapid-prototyping platforms. It consists of a System-Level Prototyping Station (SLPS) that is a series of 3 ‘turn-key’ rapid-prototyping systems, containing the tools and hardware necessary to prototype SOC designs. Each SLPS station consists of FPGA hardware, PC-based CAD tools, and a host/design PC station. 

A total number of 10 SLPS systems have been shipped to UQAC university. They are presently fully utilized by ERMETIS research group to investigate new algorithms on different areas related to Multimedia, DSP, and Embedded Systems applications. Mainly the SLPS systems are serving (will serve) for parallel configurable computing, algorithm development for AC control drives, and they are (will be) used as a basis for the development of co-design and SoC research tools which target both a hardware design flow (FPGA) and a software design flow (CPU).

Occasionally the SLPS stations have been very useful for training and instruction in SOC design concepts for our graduate and undergraduate students. The main features of the above stations are herein described.

• PC hardware : IBM-Intel Station

•  FPGA Hardware

  • Xilinx Multimedia Board
    

  • Xilinx download cable (Parallel IV)

  • 16 MB CompactFlash card (for storing preloaded FPGA configurations)

  • SanDisk CompactFlash adapter (read/write flash card)

• CAD environment

• • <>Xilinx System Generator Blockset

  •  Mentor Graphics’ FPGA Advantage, which includes:

    •  HDL Designer Series (HDL entry)

    • ModelSim (HDL simulation)

    • Precision RTL (FPGA synthesis)

  •  Xilinx EDK (Embedded Design Kit), featuring MicroBlaze embedded processor and related IP

  •  Xilinx ISE Foundation implementation tools

  • Matlab/Simulink and related toolboxes and blocksets :

• Matlab

• Simulink

• CDMA Reference Blockset

• Communications Toolbox and Blockset

• Data Acquisition Toolbox

• Signal Processing Toolbox and DSP Blockset

• Real-Time Workshop, RT Embedded Coder and RT Windows Target

• Image Processing Toolbox

• Filter Design Toolbox

• Stateflow and Stateflow Coder

•           xPC Traget and xPC Embedded Option
  

• PC hardware : IBM-Intel Sation

•  FPGA Hardware : Altera DSP Development Kit, Professional Stratix Edition

• CAD environment

  • Altera DSP Builder blockset for Simulink

  •  Mentor Graphics’ FPGA Advantage, which includes:

    •  HDL Designer Series (HDL entry)

    • ModelSim (HDL simulation)

    • Precision RTL (FPGA synthesis)

  •  Altera SOPC Builder, featuring Nios embedded processor and related IP)

  •  Altera Quartus II  implementation tools

  • Matlab/Simulink
  
  
  Note: The same toolboxes and blocksets as for SLPS for multimedia applications
  

• PC hardware : IBM-Intel Station

•  FPGA Hardware : Altera NIOS Development Kit, Professional Stratix Edition

• CAD environment

• Altera DSP Builder blockset for Simulink

• <> Mentor Graphics’ FPGA Advantage, which includes same toolset as for SLPS for multimedia and DSP applications.
  

• Altera SOPC Builder  featuring Nios embedded processor and related IP)

•  Altera Quartus II  implementation tools

• Matlab/Simulink

During March 2002 ERMETIS have received a Rapid Prototyping Platform from CMC under the same SOCRN program.  The Rapid Prototyping Platform is a high capacity FPGA-based hardware board with digital and analog interfaces to the "real-world" for real-time system operation, for the purposes of IP validation and evaluation and system integration where full chip fabrication is not warranted or desired. Also useful for training and instruction in SOC design concepts. Its main features are:

• ARM CM7TDMI (ARM7) module
• ARM LM-XCV600E+ (FPGA) module
• ARM Multi-ICE unit (debug)
• ARM Development Suite (ADS)
• ATX power supply and PC case
• Extra memory (128 MB DIMM) for ARM7
• Mentor VRTX Development System for ARM.
  
• Mentor XRAY RDI for ARM).

During May 2004, members of ERMETIS group have participated at the DSP Design Flow Professor workshop hold by Xilinx, a worldwide semiconductor industry leader on programmable logic devices. As a result, ERMETIS received from Xilinx 2 Virtex-II Pro based PCI development platforms, each contains a ML-310 Virtex-II Pro board along with the related software.  The workshop is designed to provide University faculty members with introduction to the System Generator tool for DSP designs.  See the description below.

• 200K gate Xilinx Spartan 2E FPGA board with improved signal routing

• 50 MHz oscillator; socket for second oscillator

• Socket for JTAG programmable Flash-ROM

• Two 1A voltage regulators (3.3V and 1.8V)

• Six expansion connectors

• LED/pushbutton on board

• Ships with programming cable and power supply

• MAX+PLUS II development software, version 10.1

• UP2 development board with a FLEX 10K^®EPF10K70RC240-4  and MAX EPM7128SLC84-7 CPLD devices
  

• LEDs/pushbuttons, four 7-segments LEDs, and DIP connectors on board

• ByteBlaster^™ download cable and Power supply