Xilinx intros Zynq-7000 family of extensible processing platform (EPP)

Xilinx Inc. has unveiled the Zynq-7000 family, the industry's first Extensible Processing Platform (EPP). It is supported by an extensive ecosystem of tools and IP providers.

According to Tim Erjavec, senior director, platform soluutions and service marketing, the Zynq-7000 family tightly integrates a complete ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor-based system with 28nm, low-power programmable logic for system architects and embedded software developers to extend, customize, optimize, and differentiate their systems.

Back in April 2010, Xilinx had announced a new class of devices featuring an extensible processing platform and a processor-centric solution. Now, in March 2011, the first Xilinx EPP family and brand has been announced.

Embedded designers are said to be asking for more. There will be a combined market of $12,74 billion by 2014, featuring automotive driver assistance, intelligent video surveillance, industrial control, telemetry and guidance, enterprise femtocell, broadcast cameras, multifunction printers, aerospace avionics, etc.

Zynq-7000 device portfolio includes the 7010, 7020, 7030 and 7040. These have faniliar design environments, familiar software programming model, familiar hardware design flow, besides flexible accelerators and IP such as common AXI-4 interface and a broad ecosystem featuring tools, OSs and IPs.

Zynq-7000 family highlights include a complete ARM processing system, featuring a dual ARM Cortex-A9 and ontegrated memory controllers and peripherals. A tightly integrated programmable logic extends the processing system, scalable density and performance and features over 3000 internal interconnects. There is also a flexible array of I/O, featuring a wide range of external multi standard I/O, high performance integrated serial tranceivers, and ADC inputs.

Built with state-of-the-art 7 series programmable logic featuring 430K to 3.5 million equivalent ASIC gates and 30K-235K logic cells. It also enables massive parallel processing with up to 760 DSP engines delivering over 910 GMACs.

The flexible internal I/O includes 54 processor I/Os, 350 multi-standard and high performance I/Os, flexible memory interfaces and high performance untegrated serial tranceivers.

A wide range of Zync-7000 applications are supported, such as driver assistance, factory automation, broadcast camera, smart surveillance systems, consumer equipment, AVB routers, switches and cameras, and military radios and medical imaging.

The Zync-7000 software development environment includes the ARM development environment. ARM ecosystem support and other, vast off-the-shelf software and libraries. The hardware design environment includes the Xilinx ISE Development Suite, plug and play IP portfolio, hardware abstraction layer, and drivers and APIs.

The Zync program status includes the early access program open with over 200 applicants, with the ISE 13.1 Development Suite and the emulation platform. Initial devices are said to be available by 2H 2011. Some of the publically announced Zynq early access customers include Agilent, iVeia, National Instruments, etc.