Xylon's 3D graphics accelerator IP core targets the Xilinx Zynq-7000 Extensible Processor Platform (EPP) family

The new IP core from Xylon's logicBRICKS IP library enables designers to use industry standard graphics API and add 3D graphics to their Xilinx Zynq-7000 EPP designs

ZAGREB, Croatia, October 14, 2011 – Xylon d.o.o., a leading provider of advanced FPGA application solutions and IP cores, announces the availability of a new version of its logi3D Scalable 3D Graphics Accelerator IP core which is specifically designed for the new Xilinx Zynq-7000 Extensible Processing Platform (EPP). The logi3D enables designers to add attractive 2D and 3D graphics, including advanced Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), to their Zynq-7000 EPP System-On-Chip (SoC) designs. This high performing 3D Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) can be implemented with other soft IP cores in the Zynq-7000 EPP's programmable logic fabric and interfaced with an industry-standard ARM® dual-core Cortex-A9 MPCore processing system available on the same chip. Due to its AMBA® AXI4 compliance, the logi3D IP core can also be implemented in Xilinx 7 Series and other Xilinx FPGA families as a graphics coprocessor in various ASSP plus FPGA combinations.

The logi3D Scalable 3D Graphics Accelerator IP core is designed from the ground up for the most efficient Xilinx Zynq-7000 EPP implementations. The IP is carefully partitioned between hardware and software to assure the highest performances and optimal utilization of FPGA resources, i.e. the complex geometry engine uses the ARM NEON coprocessor programmed in the optimized assembly code, while the rendering engine works fully in the on-chip programmable logic. Special care has been taken to assure a lot of free programmable logic resources for other IP cores used alongside the logi3D IP core in the same Xilinx Zynq-7000 EPP SoC. The programmability of programmable logic allows for future extensions of the logi3D functionality and the design of graphics solutions customized at the hardware and software level.

To enable early development and demonstrate the IP core before implementing in Zynq-7000 EPP devices, Xylon has designed the ASSP+FPGA based logiGPU Graphics Demonstration Kit that combines an ARM Cortex-A8 CPU and the Xilinx Spartan®-6 FPGA, and it runs the Linux operating system. The kit emulates future logicBRICKS graphics subsystems implemented in the Xilinx Zynq-7000 EPP and provides graphics performance which allow for the immediate design of attractive 3D graphics. To learn more about this emulation system please visit http://www.logicbricks.com/Solutions/logiGPU-Graphics-Demonstration-Kit-Zynq-7000-Emulation.aspx.

The logi3D IP core is designed to support the OpenGL® ES 1.1 API. Linux is the currently supported operating system, with support for other OSes planned for the next year. The current firmware works with ARM processors and can be re-compiled for different CPUs. The assembly code acceleration can be used with ARM processors supported by the ARM NEON coprocessor.

The logi3D Scalable 3D Graphics Accelerations IP core is, like all of Xylon's IP cores from the logicBRICKS IP library, fully compatible with the Xilinx Platform Studio and the EDK integrated software development tools. Designers can set up the IP core through a GUI, optimize feature sets and control the utilization of programmable logic resources, and implement Xilinx SoC in a drag & drop fashion.

The logi3D IP core is available as encrypted VHDL source and VHDL source code formats for immediate purchase from Xylon. The logi3D IP core license fees offered through Xylon's Low-Volume IP Program (LVIP) start at €6,900 (< $9,900). Besides the LVIP licensing program, Xylon offers other flexible licensing options to fit customers' specific needs.

For a datasheet and general information about the logi3D Scalable 3D Graphics Accelerator please visit: http://www.logicbricks.com/Products/logi3D.aspx.

More information about Xylon 3D graphics solutions at: http://www.logicbricks.com/Solutions/EPP-FPGA-Graphics-3D-Accelerator.aspx.

About Xylon

Xylon is an electronic company focused on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) design development. It was established in 1995 and is based in Zagreb, Croatia. Xylon offers a comprehensive IP cores library named logicBRICKS, and it is optimized for Xilinx FPGA architectures. Xylon’s expertise in the fields of embedded graphics, video, image processing and networking is confirmed by a large number of successful FPGA designs, which are produced by our partners and distributed worldwide. All of Xylon’s IP cores are exhaustively tested to ensure that they can be easily implemented and integrated in the customers’ designs.

Xylon is a Xilinx Premier Alliance Partner. More information can be found at www.logicbricks.com, the official Xylon web site.