Product category:
Programmable Logic Devices
News Release from: Altera Europe | Subject: Stratix II
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 10 February 2006
Security-conscious FPGAs protect
military secrets
Tactical Communication Systems uses Stratix II devices to cut the cost of protecting intellectual property inside its AN/GRC-512A(V) software defined radio system.
Canadian tactical radio maker Tactical Communication Systems (TCS) is using the unique security capabilities of Altera's Stratix II devices to cut the cost of protecting intellectual property (IP) inside its AN/GRC-512A(V), a software defined radio (SDR)-based system By reducing the cost of securing its IP - as well as integrating more functions into a single chip - Ultra Electronics TCS now enjoys greater economies of scale as it pursues new markets around the world
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 27 May 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Software upgrade provides speed boost
Customers using the 8.0 release to design Altera's 65nm Stratix III FPGAs on Windows platforms will see compile times reduced by up to 50%.
Shrink to 40nm increases FPGA capabilities
The Stratix IV family has up to 680K logic elements, 2x bigger than Altera's Stratix III family, which currently comprise currently the largest FPGAs on the market.
"The security feature in the Stratix II device allows easy and inexpensive protection of our IP as we work with our manufacturers, creating improved economies in new markets", said Stephan Charbonneau, rAdio Products Manager at Ultra Electronics TCS.
"The high capacity and exceptional digital signal processing (DSP) performance of Stratix II devices combined with Nios II processors enabled us to add firmware-based support for additional waveforms, which extends our product lifetime".
"We also increased reliability by reducing three boards of DSP processors and other components to a single Stratix II-based board".
Further reading
FPGAs support serial gigabit interface
Stratix III FPGAs are the industry's first programmable logic devices able to support Gigabit Ethernet SGMII on LVDS pins.
FPGAs support SFI-5 optical comms standard
The SFI-5 specification is a chip-to-chip standard that ensures interoperability between forward-error correction and the framer, as well as from industry-leading optical transponder devices.
FPGAs race to DDR3 interface speeds
Higher memory bandwidth enables new communications, computing and video processing applications that were either previously impossible or required doubling the number of memory banks.
For security reasons, military equipment customers often place restrictions on where components of their systems can be manufactured, making it necessary for developers like Ultra Electronics TCS to hand off proprietary technology to multiple manufacturing partners around the world.
Prior to adopting Stratix II devices, Ultra Electronics TCS protected its IP with custom-built chips.
Now, with the benefit of the Stratix II family's security features, the company can avoid the high cost and risk associated with custom chips, maintain the highest level of protection for its IP and enter new markets where the cost of protecting its IP might previously have been prohibitive.
Stratix II devices are the first programmable chips to support configuration security encryption using the 128bit advanced encryption standard (AES) and a nonvolatile key.
The AES key provides greater security than the 56bit data encryption standard (DES) key or Triple DES (112bit effective key size).
The nonvolatile key retains its information when power is off, eliminating the need for battery backup.
"By relying on leading-edge programmable logic devices and the industry's most robust IP security solution, Ultra Electronics TCS has positioned themselves as one of the industry's SDR technology leaders", said Jeff Lamparter, Director of Altera's Industrial Business Unit.
"The Stratix II device family gives customers like Ultra Electronics TCS the ability to enjoy all the advantages that programmable logic brings to the table without sacrificing design security".
Combining the DSP performance and reconfigurability of Altera's Stratix II devices, Nios II processors and intelligent configuration control provided by MAX II CPLDs also allows Ultra Electronics TCS to extend the product life of the AN/GRC 512A(V).
Delivering an upgraded version of the company's multichannel electronic counter-counter measure (ECCM) radio relay supporting additional waveforms can be accomplished in the field with only a firmware adjustment.
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