赛灵思和ARM宣布合作官方问答 - FPGA/CPLD - 电子工程师俱乐部

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<i class="pstatus"> 本帖最后由 老郭 于 2009-10-20 16:00 编辑 </i>

双方的协议为下一代可编程平台奠定了基石

问) 今天的新闻要点是什么？

赛灵思和ARM签署了协议，赛灵思已经：
o  购买ARM Cortex处理器IP授权
o  采用ARM Physical IP
o  启动下一代ARM AMBA互联技术的开发

问) 你们为何选择这个时候宣布？
赛灵思和ARM公司在各自的生态系统中对驱动和刺激创新至关重要。 这个时候宣布双方的合作，开发人员可以为将来的设计实施考虑架构的选用。

问) ARM/Xilinx协议和其他的处理器/FPGA协议有何区别？
本协议不仅是处理器内核的授权问题，因为它包括Xilinx采用ARM物理IP和双方的技术承诺，以定义下一个版本的AMBA规范，这个规范是片上通信的实际标准。

问) Xilinx为何采用ARM处理器技术？
赛灵思近年来已经观察到了若干市场趋向，主要的客户偏好ARM结构。Xilinx主要考虑的是ARM处理器的路线图和ARM的业界领先地位所带来的广阔生态系统：

•  作为一个成功的供应商，ARM有200多家半导体合作伙伴，500多项授权和设计，在全球的付货量超过100亿。
•  在处理器架构方面，ARM的全球地位很明显。它在市场上非常成功，在嵌入式、主流和高性能应用中都有产品。

问) Xilinx已经支持ARM Cortex了吗?
是的。ARM已经宣布在Virtex FPGA和Spartan FPGA系列上支持Cortex-M1，而且有
基于Xilinx器件的RealView开发板，可以用于开发完整的系统、验证客户IP和写器件驱动。

Q) Xilinx采用的是什么ARM物理IP？
ARM在特定的处理节点上交付为处理器应用优化的IP。除了借助ARM在微处理器架构上的领先地位，Xilinx还将采用其优化的cell libraries和嵌入式内存。

Q) 为何在AMBA规范上的合作如此重要？
ARM and Xilinx have a shared vision of future processing needs that will require advanced processor and FPGA architectures working closely together.By working together on the specification, both companies are able to ensure that the needs of the processor systems, FPGA systems and any combination thereof will be met in a coherent and efficient manner.

Q) Have any third party EDA or IP providers been involved in the next generation AMBA?
Xilinx worked closely with ARM to define and include key elements in the next generation AMBA interconnect architecture to ensure it’s optimized for FPGAs. While the details on the specification will not be disclosed until the spec is publicly announced, key EDA and IP vendors have been provided an advanced version of the specification under NDA.These vendors are currently defining their roadmap and development plans for products that will utilize this new open-standard interconnect for usage in Xilinx FPGAs.A complete list of the EDA and IP vendors is available in the press release and quote sheet.

Q) What influence will Xilinx adopting ARM technologies have on the development environment?
This move will complement the changes occurring at Xilinx over the past year.Xilinx is committed to the development and proliferation of a world class FPGA design environment.By moving to ARM technologies, Xilinx will provide customer and ecosystem developers with flexible computing platforms where their IP and software development can be shared and re-used on a broad scale.

Q) What impact will adopting ARM technologies have on the Xilinx ecosystem?
It will provide members of the Xilinx ecosystem with an open standard to develop and offer their IP to the broad AMBA-based user community. This also provides a direct path to the ARM Connected Community to develop on Xilinx platforms.Given the abundance of positive feedback from our current engagements, we expect customers and ecosystem partners to benefit and grow.

Q)  How does this announcement tie into Xilinx Targeted Design Platforms?
It’s a vital component to Xilinx’s Targeted Design Platform success. When Xilinx announced its Targeted Design Platform Strategy in February 2009 with the introduction of the 40nm Virtex-6 FPGA and 45nm Spartan-6 FPGA families, it underscored the importance of IP standardization and ecosystem support as cornerstones to successful SoC implementations using FPGAs. The alliance with ARM reflects the commitment and investment Xilinx is making in these two areas.

Q) Does today’s announcement affect Xilinx’s support for the PowerPC® architecture?
No. Xilinx provides a wide range of embedded processing capabilities encompassing integrated hard cores in the high-performance Virtex FPGA families. While Xilinx is laying the foundation to meet future requirements for next-generation embedded processing technologies, it will continue to support the PowerPC architecture for customers using Virtex-II Pro FPGAs, Virtex-4 FX FPGAs and Virtex-5 FXT FPGAs.

Q) Will Xilinx continue to support the MicroBlaze soft core processor?
Yes. MicroBlaze processor support will continue and be an important component of the Xilinx embedded portfolio.