PRODUCT OF THE WEEK: Abaco Systems’ SOSA aligned, FPGA processing card with Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC technology

This week’s product, the Abaco Systems’ VP831 3U FPGA processing card with 100 gigabit Ethernet, leverages Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ and Zynq UltraScale+ technology. A technology upgrade from the existing VP889 product, the VP831 is aligned with the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard and is designed for mission-critical military applications such as communications, sensor processing, radar, and electronic warfare.

The VP831 comes with a fully featured open-board support package giving customers a high-level reference design example to simplify integration of application specific IP and reduce risks of a program integration. By adhering to industry standards, users can upgrade their systems without a full system redesign, including future technology not yet available on the market.

Heterogeneous Processing Capability

Many readio frequency (RF) and signal processing systems require both a streaming digital signal processor (DSP) with a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a general-purpose processor (GPP) for decisions and control. Traditionally, these processing requirements were handled by separate processing cards.

With the VP831, both functions in a single module are available by leveraging application and real-time processing ARM cores of the Zynq UltraScale+ multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC). Removing the need for a single board computer in some applications, the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC provides customers an efficient way to maximize system performance while reducing complexity.

The Xilinx solution also brings advanced security to the forefront, providing the VP831 with the capability for advanced encrypted bit streams and secure boot, enabled by Xilinx tools. This makes it an ideal tool for applications where IP security is a top concern.

Flexibility

The VITA 57.4-compliant FMC+ site enables users to take levarage Abaco’s FMC I/O portfolio. Modular I/O built on an FMC+ standard interface enables engineers to easily upgrade to future technology without a complete system redesign. Availability of both low-latency LVDS data bus and JESD204B/C high-speed serial interface makes the VP831 a versatile solution for many RF data acquisition applications.

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