The IEEE 1588 specification provides a standard method to synchronize devices on a network with sub-microsecond precision. This capability is a key requirement for consumer products in digital home applications as well as measurement and control systems. The addition of the AMBA 3 AXI interface enables designers to add Ethernet connectivity to their systems-on-chips (SoCs). Synopsys' DesignWare Ethernet IP solution is certified by the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH-IOL), which demonstrates proven interoperability and conformance to the IEEE standards.
As Ethernet is increasingly a standard interface in applications such as set-top boxes, routers, control systems and entertainment systems, synchronizing these devices within the Ethernet network can be challenging. The IEEE 1588 specification implements real-time clocks to precisely synchronize all of the connected devices, allowing systems to exchange the required amount of data such as audio and video streams, within a predefined time. Support for this specification has been added to the silicon-proven DesignWare Ethernet MAC 10/100/1G IP to help designers quickly incorporate this functionality into their SoCs.
By using the new AMBA 3 AXI interface available in the DesignWare Ethernet IP, designers can leverage this high-performance on-chip bus to deliver higher throughput designs with access to a wealth of Ethernet-based systems and peripherals. In addition to Ethernet IP, Synopsys offers a portfolio of digital and mixed-signal IP including USB, PCI Express, DDR3/DDR2, SATA, 1394, Datapath and AMBA On-Chip Bus targeted for digital home applications. All are optimized to support advanced process technologies and deliver high system performance, enabling designers to develop feature-rich digital home SoCs.
