Software reference frameworks aid DSP design

Texas Instruments has developed a novel approach to DSP systems design with the release of a range of DSP software reference frameworks.

Texas Instruments has developed a novel approach to DSP systems design with the release of a range of DSP software reference frameworks.

The design-ready reference frameworks are getting-started solutions for designers in the early stages of application development, featuring easy-to-use source code that is common to many applications.

This empowers development teams with fast application development ramp and a structure to easily integrate custom or eXpressDSP-compliant algorithms into their design.

By implementing TI's reference frameworks, adaptable to a variety of customer applications, TI has eliminated much of the initial low-level design decisions for the developer allowing them more time to focus on the code that truly differentiates their products.

TI has analysed common customer requirements such as data rates, the number of algorithms, number of channels, memory constraints, static or dynamic configuration and other characteristics, and used this information to optimise the three reference frameworks announced today.

Designers can choose from TI's three reference frameworks for the one that best meets their system needs.

Designers will take these frameworks and populate them with any of the more than 500 available eXpressDSP-compliant algorithms available from TI third parties or they can use their own algorithms, creating specific applications for a range of end-equipments such as broadband, voice, video imaging, biometrics and wireless infrastructure.

"In talking to designers, we discovered that whether you're building an MP3 player or a fingerprint recognition system, there are many similarities in the system design", said Steve Blonstein, Technical Director of Software Development Systems, TI.

"Designers are spending a lot of valuable time developing generic resource management code.

The new frameworks package that code for designers, allowing them to increase their productivity and concentrate on code that adds real value to their applications".

The "Compact" framework (RF1) aimed at portable applications, has been highly tuned for systems with a very limited footprint, and is suitable for compact, low-cost products such as those on the TMS320C5000 DSP platform.

Applications that will benefit from this framework include digital scanners, smart toys and low-power pay phones.

The "Flexible" framework (RF3) is more flexible because it has the ability to be used in a wide spectrum of systems that range from a single-channel single-algorithm configuration to a more complicated multichannel, multirate, multi-algorithm system.

It is well suited for a number of TI DSPs across both the low-power C5000 DSP platform and the high performance TMS320C6000 DSP platform.

Designers of hands free voice kits, multichannel phone systems and digital video cameras will benefit from this framework.

The "Extensive" framework (RF5), scheduled to be available in the second half of 2002, is for system designers who are looking for extensive flexibility.

It supports static object creation, plus both static and dynamic memory management.

The Extensive framework supports up to a very large number of algorithms and channels, plus allows both single- and multirate operation.

"These products are unique in the DSP space and are made possible by TI's commitment to developing a standard operating system for its devices", said Will Strauss, President, Forward Concepts.

"The development and adoption of the eXpressDSP strategy has continued to distinguish TI in terms of easily getting developers started and enabling them to get their products to market".

The Compact (RF1) and Flexible frameworks (RF3) are licensed royalty-free with every TMS320 device and are ready to implement with Code Composer Studio v2.1 on TI DSPs or DSP starter kits (DSKs).

Each framework includes: design-ready, tested reusable C-language source code; simple algorithms that act as placeholders for any of the hundreds of eXpressDSP-compliant TI third party algorithms or in-house proprietary algorithms; detailed memory and instruction cycle budgets; an adaptation guide for adding algorithms, channels and drivers; an API reference manual to document the functions of new modules; and consistent documentation in application notes.

"After working with TI's Flexible framework (RF3) we have found that we can quickly build applications without going back to the drawing board for each new development.

This has drastically improved our productivity when integrating our algorithms into various platforms", said Scott Kroeker, Director of Business Development, Imagine Technologies.

"We have several customers using our DSP demos based on the Flexible framework (RF3) design and can now offer our own customisable solution for audio, full-duplex speakerphones and VoIP applications such as IP phones".

The Compact (RF1) and Flexible (RF3) frameworks are available today and can be downloaded from TI's website, with the Extensive framework (RF5) scheduled to be available in the second half of 2002.

Additional frameworks are in development.

The Compact and Flexible frameworks are licensed royalty free for all TMS320 devices.

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