Embed often uses FPGAs. These FPGAs have many advantages in the flexible development of embedded software applications, because they offer a lot of flexibility over conventional devices and/or microcontrollers. Applying standard softcore CPUs allows using standard development tools to build efficient designs.
The usage of FPGAs was challenging for Embed. Using FPGAs was a challenge, because it imposes new demands on the design and prototyping proces of embedded electronics. The most important changes are:
- Multi-layer PCBs are unavoidable;
- BGA chips must be processed;
- complex supply circuits have to be set up.
Embed wanted to make the usage of FPGAs simple and quick for future developments. That is why Embed designed a prototyper. With this prototyper Embed can immediately start projects, without encountering new FPGA requirements.
Application of FPGAs in projects
Embed has used FPGAs in various projects:
- LEDWork- high speed decoding of a DVI video signal.
- Logger – using a Atmel (AVR8) softcore with modifications and shared memory for multiple CPU’s.
- Prototyper – implementation of the OpenRISC softcore
Embed has used various types of FPGAs:
- Spartan3 from Xilinx
- Virtex 6 from Xilinx
- Spartan 6 from Xilinx