Re-programmable Prototyping for Actel RTAX and RTSX space-flight systems designs

1. Re-programmable Prototyping for Actel™ RTAX and RTSX space-flight systems designs MAPLD 2009 Presentation Poster Session

2. 2 Today’s Prototyping Solution Socket + AX/SX-A Approach Good solution, but several design iterations could require several of the OTP (One Time Programmable) or Actel AX/SX-A commercial chips to complete the design. Weak Point The potential risk for using several of these OTP or AX/SX-A devices could add to the overall project cost and impact the budget.

3. 3 Today’s Prototyping Design Flow

4. 4 Aldec Re-programmable Solution Ability to prototype RTAX-S/SL and RTSX-SU designs using re-programmable Actel Flash ProASIC®3E FPGA family chips Adaptor board is footprint-compatible with the final RTAX-S/SL and RTSX-SU device Programming connector (JTAG) allows on-the-fly reprogramming of the device without detaching the adaptor from the target PCB EDIF netlist converter allows to migrate from RTAX-S/SL and RTSX-SU to ProASIC®3E FPGA easily Design efficiency is achieved, saving Development Time and Costs

5. 5 Aldec Suggested Design Flow 1

6. 6 Aldec Suggested Design Flow 2

7. 7 The Advantages of Flash Flash switches are used in the ProASIC3/IGLOO architecture to connect signal lines to logic tile inputs and outputs. The ProASIC3 flash switch uses one transistor. Charges stored in the floating gate determine if signal lines are connected. The SRAM interconnect is larger – it contains 4 transistors and two resistors. A 6T cell. The smaller flash switch allows abundant routing resources to be placed on the die resulting in a high percentage of utilization and routability at very cost effective price points.Flash switches are used in the ProASIC3/IGLOO architecture to connect signal lines to logic tile inputs and outputs. The ProASIC3 flash switch uses one transistor. Charges stored in the floating gate determine if signal lines are connected. The SRAM interconnect is larger – it contains 4 transistors and two resistors. A 6T cell. The smaller flash switch allows abundant routing resources to be placed on the die resulting in a high percentage of utilization and routability at very cost effective price points.

8. 8

9. 9 Prototyping Adaptors and Converter ALDEC Prototyping Solution consists of two parts: Selection of Prototyping Adaptors(designers picks adaptor according to the desired package of RTAX/RTSX chip and design size) EDIF Netlist Converter(allows conversion of RTAS/RTSX netlist to ProASIC3 format,skipping synthesis stage and proceeding directly to implementation) Converter use is optional, but allows faster workflow in many design cases

10. 10 A3PE1500/3000-CQ256 Adaptor Description Adaptor size: 43.07mm x 43.07mm The following elements reside on the top part of the adaptor Actel ProASIC3E device A3PE1500-FGG484 or A3PE3000-FGG484 JTAG connector Capacitors, resistors The following elements reside on the bottom part of the adaptor Leads that mimic CQ256 package

11. 11 A3PE1500/3000-CQ352 Adaptor Description Adaptor size: 55mm x 55mm The following elements reside on the top part of the adaptor Actel ProASIC3E FPGA device A3PE1500-FGG484 or A3PE3000-FGG484? JTAG connector Power connector Capacitors, resistors The following elements reside on the bottom part of the adaptor Leads that mimic CQ352 package

12. 12 A3PE3000-CG624 Adaptor Description Adaptor size: 32.5mm x 34mm The following elements reside on the top part of the adaptor Actel ProASIC3E FPGA device, A3PE3000-FGG896? JTAG connector Capacitors, resistors The following elements reside on the bottom part of the adaptor Leads that mimic CG624 package

13. 13 RTAX4000S/SL-CQ352 Adaptor Description Adaptor size: 55mm x 55mm The following elements reside on the top part of the Daughter Board AND Mother Board Actel ProASIC3E FPGA device A3PE3000-FGG896? JTAG connector Capacitors, resistors The following elements reside on the Bottom part of the adaptor Leads that mimic CQ352 package

14. 14 RTAX4000S/SL-CQ352 

15. 15 Aldec RTAX-S/SL Adaptors * The adaptor can be used to prototype the specified RTAX-S/SL device only if the customer design does not exceed the capacity of the flash device on top of the adaptor.

16. 16 RTSX-SU Prototyping  Description Stacked Architecture Mother Board with Actel ProASIC3 FPGA and RTSX-SU compatible leads Daughter Board with Power components and JTAG connector Packages supported CQ208 CQ256 CG624 1:1 I/O and bank mapping Powered from the target board (through RTSX-SU pins)

17. 17 Aldec RTSX-SU Adaptors *The adaptor is available in ACT-RTSX-CG624-3V3 and ACT-RTSX-CG624-5V option

18. 18 RTAX2A3P EDIF Netlist Converter RTAX2A3P EDIF Netlist Converter performs automatic conversion of the RTAX-S/SL and RTSX-SU EDIF netlist to ProASIC3E FPGA EDIF netlist Features Conversion of combinatorial primitives Conversion of sequential primitives Conversion of I/O macros Memory conversion Replacement of sequential primitives to TMR primitives

19. 19 RTAX2A3P EDIF Netlist Converter Input RTAX-S/SL or RTSX-SU EDIF netlist RTAX-S/SL or RTSX-SU PDC file Output ProASIC3E FPGA EDIF netlist ProASIC3E FPGA PDC file for selected adaptor board

20. 20 RTAX2A3P EDIF Netlist Converter Primitives Mapping

21. 21 Summary Reduce chip costs Save Development Time – “Re-Programmability” ProASIC®3 FPGA “flash-based” technology Wide Device & Package Support: CQ208, CQ256, CQ352 & CG624 packages Footprint compatible adaptors Automatic translation of netlist, memories and constraints Customer proven with over 100 units shipped worldwide