Date: 17/11/2009

Actel and Pigeon collaborate to deliver FPGA IP for xTCA platform management apps

Actel has announced its IP core enhancements in collaboration with Pigeon Point Systems to strengthen the suitability of Actel Fusion mixed-signal FPGAs for platform management applications, and xTCA applications.

"These DirectCore enhancements further demonstrate the benefits of using Fusion mixed-signal FPGAs for local xTCA management controllers," said Mark Overgaard, president of Pigeon Point Systems. "These enhancements demonstrate the continuing investment by Actel and Pigeon Point Systems in general purpose IP core improvements for management applications."

CoreLPC v2.0 is a new core that provides an APB3-compliant interface to the Low Pin Count (LPC) pin-reduced subset of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus. It also provides an LPC-based implementation of the Keyboard Controller Style (KCS) interface registers that are defined in the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) specification. Fusion-based xTCA management controller incorporate CoreLPC can communicate with unmodified IPMI-compliant applications running on their corresponding payload processors.

CorePWM v4.0 adds the capability to measure the frequency of fan tachometer signals. When combined with the current pulse width modulated (PWM) output capabilities of this block, the tachometer input function enables closed loop fan management, and thus Fusion-based xTCA management controllers for fan trays.

CoreI2C v6.0 implements an interface to the I2C bus that includes key in-box management links based on the Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB). The updated core adds support for a multi-channel configuration to reduce tile consumption in FPGA designs that require many I2C interfaces. Implementing separate I2C channels for each AdvancedMC slot in AdvancedTCA and MicroTCA carriers improves the robustness and performance of these critical in-box management links.

For more details visit www.actel.com/products/solutions/xtca/