Trends in Electronics Design with Applications in Astronomy Presented by David Warren University of Tasmania (Astronomy) Altium Ltd. (Electronic Design Tools)

“Old” Electronic Design Before the late 70’s electronic devices were all hardware. Before the late 70’s electronic devices were all hardware. –Component based. (switches, relays, valves, transistors, IC’s, VLSI IC.) –Limited functionality –Time consuming –Iterative hardware proving –Very expensive

The Microprocessor Developed in 1972 by Intel for the calculator market. Developed in 1972 by Intel for the calculator market. By ~1980 the microprocessor was By ~1980 the microprocessor was –Fast (~1M instructions/sec) –Powerful (full featured instruction set (Z80)) –Cheap !! (<US$20 ) –Ubiquitous (Even in Tasmania)

The Soft Design Revolution The advent of the Microprocessor meant that Electronic Engineers could move a large part of their design into the mutable “Software Space”. The advent of the Microprocessor meant that Electronic Engineers could move a large part of their design into the mutable “Software Space”. You all saw what happened! You all saw what happened! Explosion of appliances and devices. Explosion of appliances and devices. The PC, communications The PC, communications And now GOOGLE EARTH! And now GOOGLE EARTH!

The FPGA Revolution By 2005 the FPGA has become; By 2005 the FPGA has become; –Fast (100s of MHz) –Powerful (1M gates+) –Cheap (~US$20) –Ubiquitous (multiple manufacturers) So What Revolution???

The “Soft Hardware” Revolution FPGA’s are very large arrays of electronic logic hardware which have not yet been configured. FPGA’s are very large arrays of electronic logic hardware which have not yet been configured. They will be told what to become by the User. That’s YOU. They will be told what to become by the User. That’s YOU. They can be reconfigured almost instantly. They can be reconfigured almost instantly. So we have Soft Hardware!! So we have Soft Hardware!!

Implications of Soft Hardware Engineers can now move much of the remaining (not Software) design into Soft Hardware. Engineers can now move much of the remaining (not Software) design into Soft Hardware. Very little of the design need be immutable (fixed Hard Hardware). Very little of the design need be immutable (fixed Hard Hardware). The target PCB becomes Connectors, powersupply, and FPGA. Very little else is required in many cases. The target PCB becomes Connectors, powersupply, and FPGA. Very little else is required in many cases.

The Post-Processor World The Von-Neumann world has limitations The Von-Neumann world has limitations Instructions & data distinguished by usage. -Sequential memory (one dimensional) -Data has no inherent meaning “Word at a Time” operation & bottleneck “Word at a Time” operation & bottleneck So Ditch the Processor! So Ditch the Processor! HDLs, esp. VHDL & VERILOG HDLs, esp. VHDL & VERILOG High Level language to RTL translators. High Level language to RTL translators. C to RTL, or more exactly C to VHDL to RTL C to RTL, or more exactly C to VHDL to RTL

New Generation of Design Tools Most FPGA design tools are Vendor Dependent. (YOU don’t want this) Most FPGA design tools are Vendor Dependent. (YOU don’t want this) Existing tools remain fragmented. Existing tools remain fragmented. Strong need for Integrated Approach. Strong need for Integrated Approach. As designers for Astronomy we want an integrated system which provides all the tools we want. As designers for Astronomy we want an integrated system which provides all the tools we want. We want to finish the design and get on with the SCIENCE. We want to finish the design and get on with the SCIENCE.

Altium Designer Let’s see how we can do this……. Let’s see how we can do this…….

Familiar Design Paradigm

Generic Logic Library

Mixed Block/Schematic/HDL/ASS/High Level Design Entry

FPGA based Instruments

Embedded Processor and Nanoboard Facilities

Embedded Processor Library

Embedded Design – No HDL (necessary)

Device Chain – FPGA’s, uP’s, Test Insts.

Full PCB - FPGA Interface management

Main Points Integrated Tool Kit Integrated Tool Kit FPGA based System Design FPGA based System Design VHDL Support VHDL Support Embedded support Embedded support Test Instruments Test Instruments PCB Design PCB Design PCB – FPGA Management PCB – FPGA Management Vendor Independent Vendor Independent

Video Demo’s er/altiumdesigneroverview/ er/altiumdesigneroverview/>>>>>>END>>>>

The future is soft The movement of design into the ‘soft’ realm brings great benefits to the electronic product development process The movement of design into the ‘soft’ realm brings great benefits to the electronic product development process –Critical design decisions can be made later in the design cycle –Different implementation options can be considered throughout the design cycle –Product can be brought to market earlier and then upgraded in the field –The hard-wired platform and the embedded intelligence can be developed concurrently –The methodology facilitates easier design reuse and modularisation of design To capitalise on these benefits and move into the future your design tools must be ready and capable of facilitating this new design paradigm. To capitalise on these benefits and move into the future your design tools must be ready and capable of facilitating this new design paradigm. Hard-wired design Design function is fixed and cannot be changed after manufacture Hard-wired components are fixed, but software can be changed after manufacture Processor-based design ‘Soft’ design Both software and soft-wired components can be changed after manufacture –- freedom of system implementation

Anticipating the next big thing FPGAs allow embedded intelligence to encompass not only software, but soft-wired physical device blocks FPGAs allow embedded intelligence to encompass not only software, but soft-wired physical device blocks FPGAs allow more of the design to be done in a ‘soft’ realm FPGAs allow more of the design to be done in a ‘soft’ realm –Blocks of the physical design can be soft-wired –Soft-wired components can be easily changed throughout the development process The emergence of highly-capable FPGA devices at relatively low cost is fuelling an explosion in ‘soft’ system design The emergence of highly-capable FPGA devices at relatively low cost is fuelling an explosion in ‘soft’ system design In this paradigm electronic product development involves two elements In this paradigm electronic product development involves two elements –Defining a hardwired platform to house the programmable elements using off-the-shelf components and connection interfaces –Developing the embedded intelligence that resides within the programmable elements.

Altium Designer integrated technology coverage Hardware Board-level system design Soft-wired hardware FPGA-level system design Software Embedded Software design Mixed schematic block diagram and HDL design entry Mixed schematic block diagram and HDL design entry Ready-to-use, FPGA-based functional components, including processors and peripherals Ready-to-use, FPGA-based functional components, including processors and peripherals Vendor-independent device selection and design Vendor-independent device selection and design HDL functional simulation HDL functional simulation RTL-level synthesis RTL-level synthesis FPGA-based virtual instruments for LiveDesign interactive system design and debug FPGA-based virtual instruments for LiveDesign interactive system design and debug Centralized control of design processing and download to FPGA Centralized control of design processing and download to FPGA Bi-directional PCB-FPGA design constraint propagation Bi-directional PCB-FPGA design constraint propagation FPGA-PCB co-design Hierarchical, multi-channel schematic capture Hierarchical, multi-channel schematic capture Mixed analog-digital SPICE circuit simulation Mixed analog-digital SPICE circuit simulation Pre- and post-layout signal integrity analysis Pre- and post-layout signal integrity analysis Rules-based PCB design and layout Rules-based PCB design and layout Situs Topological autorouting Situs Topological autorouting Automatic and interactive FPGA pin optimization for routing Automatic and interactive FPGA pin optimization for routing PCB-FPGA I/O synchronization PCB-FPGA I/O synchronization CAM file generation, inspection and editing CAM file generation, inspection and editing Hardware Software co-design Integrated embedded software development for supported FPGA-based and discrete processors Integrated embedded software development for supported FPGA-based and discrete processors Viper optimizing compilers Viper optimizing compilers Source-level debug Source-level debug Debug from source and disassembly views Debug from source and disassembly views Simulator-based debug Simulator-based debug Language-aware, configurable code editor Language-aware, configurable code editor Software profilers Software profilers

Who is this Dave Guy Anyway? { Dave's life is deeply schizophrenic with half of his brain focused on the business of software tools for electronic design, and the other half focused on hedonistic pursuits which include a large dose of astronomy. Another half is deeply involved in the promotion of Physics & Maths at the Uni. of Tas and generally. If that's too many halves, well that's how I often feel. Dave's life is deeply schizophrenic with half of his brain focused on the business of software tools for electronic design, and the other half focused on hedonistic pursuits which include a large dose of astronomy. Another half is deeply involved in the promotion of Physics & Maths at the Uni. of Tas and generally. If that's too many halves, well that's how I often feel. The truth is that Dave is a sad refugee from the Grand Old Days of Australian X-Ray Astronomy (Greenhill school of applied integrated technology (read as "honours student tech slave")) of the early 80's. The truth is that Dave is a sad refugee from the Grand Old Days of Australian X-Ray Astronomy (Greenhill school of applied integrated technology (read as "honours student tech slave")) of the early 80's. After failing to complete numerous PhD's in variously x-rays, cosmic rays, and physiology, Dave stepped sideways into technology companies one of which grew into Protel Technology which begat Altium Ltd, the Australian ASX listed electronic CAD company. After failing to complete numerous PhD's in variously x-rays, cosmic rays, and physiology, Dave stepped sideways into technology companies one of which grew into Protel Technology which begat Altium Ltd, the Australian ASX listed electronic CAD company. Dave never quite left involvement with astronomy and has returned with vigour to this his favorite pastime in recent years. Dave never quite left involvement with astronomy and has returned with vigour to this his favorite pastime in recent years. Anyway, Dave has 25 years experience in electronics, both for science and industry, and 20 year experience in the design, development and selling of CAD tools for electronic design. Anyway, Dave has 25 years experience in electronics, both for science and industry, and 20 year experience in the design, development and selling of CAD tools for electronic design. In the last years Dave has gotten real interested in electronics design for radio astronomy. In the last years Dave has gotten real interested in electronics design for radio astronomy. In particular Altium Ltd has developed significant tools for integrated FPGA design. In particular Altium Ltd has developed significant tools for integrated FPGA design. These tools allow the "non-expert" electronic designer to jump into the FPGA world with unprecedented ease.... These tools allow the "non-expert" electronic designer to jump into the FPGA world with unprecedented ease.... }