The Agility Compiler for SystemC

When it comes to C/C++/SystemC and similar-based flows, I made certain hard-hitting points in my recently-released tome "The Design Warrior's Guide to FPGAs." In the case of SystemC-based flows, I noted that although SystemC is a ferociously powerful language, generally speaking the tool-chain used to progress SystemC representations through to actual implementations is relatively immature and unsophisticated.

Well, according to the folks at Celoxica, this is no longer the case, because they recently announced their Agility Compiler for SystemC. This rather cunning tool can synthesize SystemC representations directly to FPGA and SoPC (System-on-Programmable-Chip) logic. Alternatively, it can generate RTL Verilog or VHDL for use with standard SoC synthesis solutions.

DK Accelerator for Altera's SOPC Builder

SOPC Builder is an automated system integration tool that is included within the Altera Quartus II design software. This tool lets you define and implement an SoPC design as a collection of building blocks.

Well, not content to leave this alone, the folks at Celoxica have introduced a DK Accelerator for use with the SOPC Builder. This DK Accelerator augments the Altera flow by providing the ability to automatically generate SOPC Builder components directly from C-language descriptions of custom algorithms.

As the Celoxica marketing folks like to say if you give them half a chance: "For each algorithm, the tool automatically converts the software into FPGA logic that the SOPC Builder tool can integrate along with other components to provide critical product differentiation. The created components can be used and re-used in the same manner as other off-the-shelf components."

IPFlex DAPDNA C-based flow

As you may have gathered from my columns over the last few years, I'm rather interested in the concept of Field Programmable Node Arrays (FPNAs). Actually, FPNA is a term that I coined to gather together a bunch of "sort-of-related" device architectures, but I'm rather hoping it will catch on.

The overall idea here is field-programmable devices that boast an array of processing elements. These processing elements can range from ALU-based nodes such as those sported by devices from Elixent, to the operation-based nodes fielded by IPflex, to the processor-based nodes trumpeted by picoChip.

Of course, it's one thing to have access to these devices, but having access to tools of sufficient power and sophistication to take full advantage of them is a different kettle of fish. Thus, it was interesting to hear the recent announcement of: "an alliance between Celoxica and IPFlex to extend Celoxica's C-based synthesis technology to the IPFlex Digital Application Processor/Distributed Network Architecture (DAPDNA) dynamically reconfigurable processor technology." (Good grief! I defy anyone to say that sentence out loud in a presentation without going blue and gasping for breath at the end.)

FPGA-based evaluation and prototyping boards

And then there was the recent announcement as to the availability of two new FPGA-based evaluation and prototyping boards — the RC300 and RC2000Pro.

These little rascals have more features than you can throw a stick at. For example, the RC300 is intended for the evaluation and development of high-performance, high-throughput FPGA and soft-core microprocessor based applications such as robotics and industrial vision systems, video compression, video distribution, high-speed encrypted VPN, packet filtering and network intrusion detection.

As an option, this board can be supplied with a high-resolution 1024x768 12.1-inch TFT/Touch-that provides the ability to evaluate and develop sophisticated imaging applications such as in-car infotainment. This beast can even accept things like real video feeds, because as the announcement says: "high-performance video, including stereoscopic video applications, is enabled by the dual video inputs and outputs, including both digital video to the DVI standard and analog video." In fact, as the lads and lasses at Celoxica proudly told me in a recent conversation: "It's got just about every interface you can think of!"

And the list of Celoxica's "new and improved" offerings goes on, and on, and on. Suffice it to say that I am duly impressed, and have no hesitation in awarding them an official "Cool Beans" from me (along with instructions to have a break and take some time to smell the coffee). Until next time, have a good one!

Clive (Max) Maxfield is president of Techbites Interactive, a marketing consultancy firm specializing in high-tech. Author of Bebop to the Boolean Boogie (An Unconventional Guide to Electronics) and co-author of EDA: Where Electronics Begins, Max was once referred to as a "semiconductor design expert" by someone famous who wasn't prompted, coerced, or remunerated in any way.