ECONOMICS

Actel Corporation today introduced the third solution in its MIL-STD-1553 portfolio, the Core1553BRM intellectual property (IP) core. Designed for use with Actel's field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), including the company's recently announced, space-qualified RTAX250S device, the software-programmable Core1553BRM solution enables designers to select an integrated, individual or dual-function bus-controller (BC), remote-terminal (RT) or monitor-terminal (MT) solution. Both MIL-STD-1553A and MIL-STD-1553B compliant, Actel's new core speeds time to market and eliminates non-recurring engineering (NRE) costs and reduces high system costs when compared with custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The Core1553BRM also reduces the high system cost associated with implementing discrete standard product 1553 solutions. Hardware and software compatible with industry-leading legacy 1553 systems, the Core1553BRM core allows customers to easily upgrade existing designs without extensive modifications to application and driver software. "Increasingly, customers require a hardware-configurable and software-programmable 1553B solution that will allow them to speed time to market and reduce component count over industry-leading, fixed-semiconductor legacy 1553 systems," stated Yankin Tanurhan, senior director of Actel's applications and IP solutions group. "When Actel's new Core1553BRM solution is implemented in our nonvolatile FPGAs, including the company's radiation-tolerant devices, designers have the ability to dynamically choose an integrated, individual or dual-function 1553 solution, providing them with the versatile, cost-efficient solution they need for military, space and industrial applications in which high-reliability and system redundancy are essential." Since reliability is essential in 1553 applications, Actel has verified the core in simulation and on a MIL-STD-1553 development board. Actel's Core1553BRM will be certified by an objective, third-party test company to verify that the core works in accordance with Notice 2 of MIL-STD-1553B. Core1553BRM Key Features Actel's Core1553BRM can interface to standard external transceivers and legacy systems, enabling designers to replace existing components and easily reuse current software. This core provides simultaneous operation of the remote terminal and bus monitor. The remote terminal also allows for internal or external legalization registers to reduce the required footprint as well as advanced RT functions (circular and ping-pong buffering and message indexing). The bus controller includes terminal polling, message scheduling and multiple message processing. Core1553BRM provides low-power operation at 12, 16, 20 or 24 MHz on Actel's ProASIC Plus, Axcelerator, SX-A, RTSX-S and RTAX-S FPGAs. Core1553BRM Evaluation Board Delivering a complete solution, Actel provides everything needed to incorporate a 1553 BC, RT or MT into a system design, including a development board and tools, documentation and software. The development board includes a ProASIC Plus APA600 FPGA, synchronous SRAM memory, 1553B transceivers and bus termination components and a serial port. Compatible with standard dual- redundant 1553 cabling, the board will demonstrate operation of the BC and RT solutions without the need for additional hardware. Pricing and Availability The Core1553BRM is available now with documentation accessible from Actel's Website at http://www.actel.com/products/ip. Pricing for the Core1553BRM is $10,000 for a single-use netlist. A prototype development board based on this core is also available and is priced at $1,500.