Product category:
Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: LynuxWorks | Subject: BlueCat Linux for Xilinx Virtex-5 FXT
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 18 April 2008
RTOS is optimised for FPGAs with two
cores
Supports both the Power Architecture and the MicroBlaze processor that make up the processing components of Xilinx embedded processing solutions.
LynuxWorks now supports the latest Xilinx Virtex-5 FXT platform with its BlueCat Linux real time operating system The solution, which extends LynuxWorks' current Linux support for Xilinx embedded processors, is the first of a number of LynuxWorks RTOS products planned for the latest Virtex-5 platform
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 27 Feb 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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LynuxWorks' support of the Xilinx Virtex-5 FXT FPGAs expands an alliance that already is providing embedded developers with the most advanced development platform available.
LynuxWorks is currently the only commercial Linux and RTOS provider to support both the Power Architecture and the MicroBlaze processor that make up the processing components of Xilinx embedded processing solutions.
The Xilinx Virtex-5 FXT platform offers the capacity of two PowerPC 440 processor blocks, which offers software developers both a standard architecture and high-levels of processing power on a configurable hardware platform.
Further reading
Development kit supports embedded processor
The MicroBlaze embedded processor now offers the memory protection that traditional Linux users typically require in their designs.
Alliance brings new RTOS to SBC
The LynxOS 4.2 real-time operating system (RTOS) board support package (BSP) will be available on Curtiss-Wright's SVME/DMV-183 single board computer (SBC)
RTOS makes the most of multicore processing
Real-time operating system evolves to help software developers create more powerful devices using today's most advanced hardware and chipsets, including multicore processors.
The use of industry standard operating systems on this platform allows the development of very complex applications maximising reuse of legacy, open-source or commercial applications to help bring products out to market on time.
The power of two PowerPC 440 cores also leads the way for multiprocessing solutions.
This single configurable platform is capable of running two operating systems side by side, offering the possibility for running a GUI based operating system such as BlueCat Linux on one core and then asymmetrically running an RTOS like LynxOS on the other.
This helps with the migration of legacy code, and also the partitioning of embedded applications to maximise the performance of the embedded system.
"Our support of the latest Xilinx platform is the latest chapter in a very exciting relationship with Xilinx", says Robert Day, Vice President of Marketing at LynuxWorks.
"The addition of two PowerPC 440 cores opens up some very interesting opportunities for our customers to build bigger and faster embedded applications taking advantage of our open standards operating systems running on a programmable device".
"Our confidence in providing industry-leading platforms that raise the bar for embedded design and development is bolstered by our strong relationship with LynuxWorks and their strong product portfolio", says Tim Erjavec, Director of Embedded and DSP Marketing, Xilinx.
"With this latest solution we are able to target new designs in a range of applications in communications, medical, military and aerospace and more by providing a reliable open software platform for our customers".
The Xilinx Virtex-5 FXT platform delivers the first FPGAs to provide two industry-standard PowerPC 440 processor blocks.
Each processor, with integrated 32Kbyte instruction and 32Kbyte data caches, delivers up to 1100DMIPS at 550MHz.
Tightly coupled to each PowerPC 440 core is a new integrated 5x2 cross bar processor interconnect architecture and DMA controllers that provide simultaneous access to I/O and memory.
In addition, the enhanced high-performance auxiliary processor control unit (APU) provides added connectivity for dedicated co-processing engines or custom user defined instructions in applications such as video processing, 3D data processing and floating-point math.
LynuxWorks' BlueCat Linux is an implementation of the 2.6 Linux kernel, which supports microprocessor control and is enhanced for use in a wide array of embedded systems, from small consumer devices to large-scale, multiple-CPU systems.
BlueCat Linux offers the flexibility of open-source software that leverages the Linux model and extends developers' investment by providing a simple path to migrate to real-time, deterministic performance There are many embedded systems based on the Power Architecture running BlueCat Linux, from unmanned vehicles through to Navy Warships, wired and wireless routers through to next generation of consumer audio/visual devices.
The LynxOS family of operating systems also offer support for the Power Architecture 440, and provide a range of reliable, high performance open-standards that are also safety and security certifiable.
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