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Actel unveiled SmartFusion, an intelligent mixed-signal FPGA. Available in production quantities, SmartFusion devices feature Actel’s FPGA fabric, a complete microcontroller subsystem built around a hard ARM Cortex-M3 processor and programmable analog blocks on a flash process. The combination of three programmable elements--logic, a microcontroller subsystem and analog makes the SmartFusion family a fully-customizable system design platform. Embedded designers can optimize hardware/software tradeoffs on the fly without board-level changes.
In the SmartFusion device, all the data transferred from the processor to the FPGA or from the analog to the processor or between the FPGA and the analog is on-chip. In addition, Actel’s FlashLock technology provides intellectual property (IP) security. When faced with options for co-processing or interface customization, SmartFusion devices offer a compelling solution in a wide variety of applications, including motor control, system and power management and industrial automation.
These applications span the industrial, military, medical, telecommunications, computing and storage markets. SmartFusion devices evolved from the company’s first Fusion mixed-signal FPGAs, introduced in 2005. Key components and features of the device are:
Full-Featured FPGA
SmartFusion devices feature Actel’s, flash-based ProASIC3 FPGA architecture. Built on an advanced 130-nm CMOS process, Actel offers densities ranging from 60K to 500K system gates, with 350 MHz performance and up to 204 I/Os. This combination enables the integration of existing functions from other devices, reducing board space and power consumption of the overall system.
Microcontroller Subsystem
Intelligence is added to the FPGA in the form of a microcontroller subsystem that features a hard ARM Cortex-M3 processor running at 100 MHz. A full complement of standard peripherals and features include:
- Multi-layer AHB communications matrix with up to 16 Gbps throughput
- 10/100 Ethernet MAC with RMII interface
- Two of each: SPI, I2C, UART, 32-bit Timers
- Up to 512 KB flash memory and 64 KB of SRAM
- External memory controller (EMC)
- 8-channel DMA controller
Programmable Analog
The proprietary Analog Compute Engine (ACE) performs sample sequencing and computation, which offloads the ARM Cortex-M3 processor from analog initialization and processing. The programmable analog system features:
- ADCs and DACs with 1 percent accuracy
- Up to three 12-bit ADC with up to 600 Ksps sampling rate
- Up to three 12-bit first order sigma delta DACs
- Up to ten 50 ns high-speed comparators
- Multiple integrated temperature, voltage and current monitors
Design support
The family is supported by Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) v9.0, Actel’s software toolset for designing with all Actel FPGAs. Libero IDE version 9.0 is available for download, free of charge. Libero IDE includes synthesis, simulation and debug tools from Synopsys and Mentor Graphics as well as timing and power optimization and analysis.
For embedded designers, Actel offers free SoftConsole Eclipse-based IDE with GNU, as well as, evaluation versions of software from Keil and IAR Systems. Full versions are available from the respective suppliers. Micrium supports SmartFusion devices with their new real-time operating system (RTOS) μC/OS-III, TCP/IP stack and μC/Probe products.
Pricing and Availability
SmartFusion A2F200 devices are available in volume production. A2F500 devices are scheduled for delivery in Q2 2010 and A2F060 devices are expected at the second half of the year. Evaluation kits priced at $99 and a full development kit for $999 are immediately available.
