Achronix announces FPGA IP blocks with 400 GbE connectivity

FPGA and embedded FPGA (eFPGA) IP provider, Achronix has announced that its suite of flexible FPGA IP blocks, the Achronix Network Infrastructure Code (ANIC) includes 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) connectivity. ANIC IP blocks are optimised to accelerate high performance networking pipelines for Speedster 7t FPGAs and the VectorPath accelerator card.

As the demand for high speed data processing continues to grow exponentially, said Achronix, it has developed its IP to address the evolving needs of the networking industry. Integrating 400 GbE and PCIe Gen 5.0, Achronix empowers data centre operators, cloud service providers and telecommunications companies to create SmartNIC solutions which are scalable and flexible.

With 400 GbE support, the ANIC IP enables fast data transfer rates, allowing organisations to process massive amounts of data in real time. This accelerated network throughput maximises application performance and significantly reduces latency, said the company.

ANIC’s modular architecture enables customers to select SmartNIC components necessary for an application. Each optimised IP block is pre-verified with closed timing to speed design. Coupled with partial reconfiguration (the ability to dynamically change the functionality of a block within the IP design), solutions can be seamlessly modified in the field.

Customers can deploy custom IP functions, such as key value stores, intrusion prevention, de-duplication and other network applications, to provide highly parallelised, value added network solutions at 400 GbE network speeds.

Steve Mensor, vice president of marketing for Achronix Semiconductor described the introduction of 400 GbE as a breakthrough which will allow customers to unlock new levels of performance and address the ever-growing demands of modern data centres and communication networks.

ANIC modular IP runs on Speedster7t AC7t1500 FPGAs and VectorPath S7t-VG6 accelerator cards offering what is claimed to be the industry’s highest performance for networking and compute acceleration applications. The Speedster7t architecture includes a 2D network on chip (2D NoC) that provides 20 Tbits per second of total bandwidth. The 2D NoC offers high speed connectivity between the FPGA fabric and the high speed interfaces including 400 GbE, PCIe Gen 5.0, GDDR6, and DDR4/5. Additionally, Speedster7t FPGAs have machine learning processors (MLPs) distributed across the FPGA fabric. Each MLP is a highly configurable, compute-intensive block, with up to 32 multipliers that support integer formats from four to 32 bits and various floating-point modes including direct support for TensorFlow’s bfloat16 format and block floating-point (BFP) format.

Achronix Semiconductor is a fabless semiconductor company based in Santa Clara, California, USA, offering FPGA-based data acceleration solutions, designed to address high- performance, compute-intensive and real time processing applications. Achronix claims to be the only supplier to have both high-performance, high-density standalone FPGAs and licensed eFPGA IP solutions.

Its portfolio includes Speedster 7t FPGA and Speedcore eFPGA IP as well as  ready-to-use VectorPath accelerator cards targeting AI, machine learning, networking and data centre applications. All Achronix products are fully supported by the Achronix tool suite which enables customers to quickly develop their own custom applications.

Achronix has sales and design teams across the US, Europe and Asia. 

http://www.achronix.com

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MEMS-based RF multiplexers use switching technology to boost performance

Delivering up to 300 times the operational life and 60 times the test system throughput, PXI / PXIe RD multiplexer modules by Pickering Interfaces are based on the Ideal Switch switching technology from Menlo Microsystems and have a substantially improved performance, said the company.

Suitable for wireless communications and semiconductor test, the new MEMS-based RF multiplexers deliver vastly increased operational life (up to 300x), faster operating speed (up to 60x), higher bandwidth and increased RF power handling compared to traditional EMR (electromechanical relay) alternatives, claimed Pickering. Insertion loss also remains comparable with EMRs and much lower than solid state switches, added the company. 

According to Pickering, the modules are the first commercial MEMS components with the performance characteristics to support demanding RF test environments such as semiconductor, consumer wireless devices and various S-band applications (including mobile services, satellite communications, and radar). “Pickering has been monitoring MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) technology closely for years,” said Steve Edwards, switching product manager at Pickering Interfaces. Menlo Micro is the first company to offer a production MEMS switch that meets the specifications needed for RF test, he added.

The 40-878 (PXI) and 42-878 (PXIe) are 50 Ohm four to one 1 RF multiplexers. To accommodate varying sizes of test application, the 40-878 (PXI) and 42-878 (PXIe) are available with single, dual, or quad four-channel multiplexers. All occupy a single PXI or PXIe chassis slot, providing flexibility in chassis selection and minimising slot count. The 40-878 can also be supported in all Pickering’s LXI / USB modular switching chassis, allowing the use of a PXI-, LAN-, or USB-controlled switching solution with the same high levels of performance. The module is offered with either SMB or MCX connectors to allow users to select the most suitable interface for an application. Pickering also provides a full range of cabling solutions. 

Operational life is at least three billion operations for the 40/42-878 which far exceeds that offered by EMR-based solutions (typically 10 million operations). This minimises system downtime due to relays wearing out or requiring service. 

Operating speed is just 50 microseconds which minimises test cycle time, maximising system throughput, since multiple transitions can be performed in the time previously required for a single EMR switching operation. 

The bandwidth of 4GHz rather than 3GHz for existing EMR products contributes to test system longevity to support new higher frequency test requirements. The  increased RF power handling exceeds the 10W capability of EMR solutions, confirmed the company. “Unlike solid state solutions, the MEMS switches used in the 40/42-878 exhibit low insertion loss, typically less than 1.4db at 4GHz – comparable to EMR solutions, while offering all the benefits of a MEMS-based design,” added Edwards. 

The 40/42-878 modules are supplied with drivers that allow support in all popular software programming environments. All Microsoft-supported Windows versions and popular varieties of Linux OS are supported, as well as other real time hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) tools. All modules are covered by Pickering’s standard three-year warranty.

http://www.pickeringtest.com 

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RF calibration and verification testing automates V2X chipset production

Keysight Technologies’ PathWave Test Executive for Manufacturing Developer Version now supports automated RF calibration and verification testing for the Autotalk cellular vehicle to everything (LTE V2X) and dedicated short range communications (DSRC) chipsets. The chipsets are typically used in telematics control units which are embedded onboard systems that control wireless tracking, diagnostics and communication to and from a connected vehicle.

New vehicles are being equipped with multiple wireless systems which can present increased testing complexity and more complicated, expensive and time-consuming test and validation procedures. Telematics in particular, are required to interface with dozens of network technologies and communications protocols, said Keysight.

Off-the-shelf support for Autotalks chipsets automates complex calibration and verification testing to accelerate time to market, said the company. The software based test supports industry-leading chipsets, including 5G V2X, LTE V2X and DSRC communication chipsets. It also accelerates complex testing scenarios with automated control of Autotalks chipset and Keysight test instruments used as a standard test solution for a production line.

It also reduces deployment time and costs because the off the shelf test software does not require manufacturers to develop or maintain costly custom testing software or have deep wireless / radio frequency expertise for its development and use, explained Keysight Technologies.

The testing software runs on the Keysight E6640A wireless test set and is automated by the KS8328A PathWave Test Executive for Manufacturing Developer Version.

Amos Freund, vice president of R&D at Autotalks, said: “This collaboration with Keysight Technologies gives our mutual customers access to a turnkey calibration and verification solution, instead of going through the costly internal development process. Keysight implemented and automated Autotalks’ calibration guidelines and optimised it for performance utilising Keysight’s equipment capabilities.”

Thomas Goetzl, vice president and general manager of Keysight’s Automotive and Energy Solutions, said: “This solution . . . abstracts the complexity of RF calibration and verification of chipsets into a simple and easy-to-use test sequence”. 

Keysight Technologies delivers design, emulation and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product lifecycle. It serves customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defence, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets.

http://www.keysight.com

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Compact edge AI developer kit is based on Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX

The AIE110-XNX is the latest edge AI developer kit from Axiomtek. It is powered by the Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX which features six core Nvidia Carmel Arm v8.2 64-bit CPU delivering up to 21 Tera operations per second  (TOPS) of accelerated AI computing performance. It integrates an advanced 384-core Nvidia Volta GPU with 48 Tensor cores. Aimed to save effort on system integration and reduce complexity for embedded developers, the AIE110-XNX enables users to develop AI solutions on a friendly budget with no limit of minimum order. The palm-sized edge AI developer kit is ideal for makers, learners, and system integrators to build more AI innovation with little effort.

The AIE110-XNX can be quickly engaged to be the AIE100-903-FL-NX for smart city, the IP67-rated AIE800-904-FL for outdoor edge AI applications, the AIE900-XNX for robotics and AMR or self-service kiosk applications, advised Axiomtek. It can also be upgraded with AI performance such as Nvidia Jetson Orin NX, Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano. The AIE110-XNX has reserved mounting holes on the bracket, which helps system integrators to start development.

The edge AI developer kit AIE110-XNX has a rugged design for harsh environments, allowing it to operate under a wide temperature range from -10 to +60 degrees C and vibration of up to 3Grms. It has 8Gbyte of LPDDR4x memory and 16Gbyte eMMC onboard. One M.2 Key M 2280 SSD slot with a high-speed PCIe x4 NVMe interface and one Micro SD slot are available for extensive storage needs. One 15W GbE PoE port is available for both power and video transmission to easily deploy an IP camera. It also supports one PCI Express Mini Card slot for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, and GPS. 

The AIE110-XNX supports the Nvidia JetPack, which provides a full development environment for end-to-end accelerated development on Nvidia Jetson modules, to foster the development of AI-assisted operations across industries.

The AIE110-XNX supports device monitoring and management services by Allxon, bringing comprehensive remote management onto edge AI devices. Axiomtek’s edge AI developer kit AIE110-XNX is available now.

http://www.axiomtek.com 

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