Signal processing core optimised for FPGAs

Altra Broadband has a high-performance fast Fourier transform (FFT) and inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) solution for use on Virtex-II platform FPGAs.

Xilinx and Ansoft subsidiary Altra Broadband have successfully designed a high-performance fast Fourier transform (FFT) and inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) solution for use on Virtex-II platform FPGAs.

The pipelined architecture allows 2us throughput required for advanced signal processing in gigabit-speed networking subsystems manufactured by Altra Broadband.

"The ability to reprogram the Virtex-II FPGA allows us to rapidly implement advanced signalling methods on fibre, coax, and wireless channels at gigabit datarates", said Dr Lawrence Williams, Altra Broadband's Vice President of Technology.

"This flexibility combined with the complete XtremeDSP initiative from Xilinx, accelerates development of new products to significantly boost data rates on existing communications infrastructures".

Altra selected Xilinx platform FPGAs, over commercial DSP processors, based on its extreme speed requirements.

The Altra FFT-IFFT core multiplexes 1024 x 16bit complex numbers and performs discrete Fourier transformation using a radix-4 decimation-in-frequency (DIF) algorithm.

The implementation relies on the Virtex-II FPGA on-chip memory and 18 x 18 embedded multipliers to achieve the high speed and performance.

Altra Broadband applied the Xilinx integrated software environment (ISE) design suite for design entry, synthesis, and implementation.

Physically optimised to 125MHz clock speeds, the FFT-IFFT core provides throughput in 2us.

"The Virtex-II allowed us to meet a critical technology development milestone", said Williams.

"Excellent technical support from our Xilinx distributor Insight Electronics was also crucial to our success".

"We are pleased that Altra Broadband was able to use the speed and flexibility offered by the Virtex-II FPGA to deliver such performance", said David Squires, director of the Xilinx DSP Division.

"Our Platform FPGAs provide the industry with access to embedded multipliers and customers continue to innovate amazing products".

(This was Electronicstalk's Top Story on 28 March 2002).

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