Xilinx MicroBlaze: Embedded-processing platform includes a 32-bit processor

Using the enhanced 32-128-bit Core Connect PLB (processor-local bus), the MicroBlaze 32-bit embedded-processing platform provides a configurable MMU (memory-management unit) supported by the Embedded Design Kit Version 9.2. LynuxWorks’ BlueCat Linux Version 2.6 provides supports for the MicroBlaze processor and the PowerPC405 processor embedded in Virtex-4 FX devices. New instructions boost the performance of the configurable processor’s coupled FPU (floating-point unit), which converts between floating-point and integer operation. Enhancements to the PLB architecture allow scaling from 32-, 64-, and 128-bit interfaces. The PLB is also configurable for shared and point-to-point connections to the high-performance multiport-memory controller. The Version 9.2 development kit costs $495, including a MicroBlaze Version 7 processor core, an XPS (Xilinx Platform Studio) 9.2 tool suite with processing IP (intellectual-property) libraries, software drivers, documentation, and reference-design examples. XPS 9.2 supports MicroBlaze- and PowerPC-processing design for the vendor’s Virtex-5, Virtex-4, Virtex-II Pro, and most Spartan-3 FPGAs. The XPS 9.2 also supports 32-bit Windows XP, SP1, SP2, 32-bit Linux Red Hat Enterprise 5.0 and 4.0, 64-bit Linux Red Hat Enterprise 5.0, and Solaris 9 (2.9/5.9). The MicroBlaze development kit, Spartan-3E 1600E edition costs $595.

Xilinx, www.xilinx.com