Developed to meet the needs of next-generation communication and embedded systems, StarFabric is a high-speed switched interconnect technology that enables the creation of scalable, highly reliable systems with an easy migration path from existing industry-standard bus architectures. Bridging between StarFabric and existing or emerging architectures requires devices with the highest performance characteristics and leading-edge I/O capabilities. Equipped with integrated clock-data recovery (CDR) at speeds up to 1.25 Gbps, True-LVDS differential I/O support, and up to 18 independent transmit and receive channels, Mercury PLDs are the only programmable logic devices that meet these rigorous demands.
We are pleased to be working with Altera to give designers the tools they need to rapidly deploy custom StarFabric-based solutions, said Tracy Richardson, president of StarGen, Inc. We evaluated PLDs from all major vendors for this effort, but only Mercury PLDs met our needs because of their superior clock data recovery offering and overall performance. By partnering with the leading programmable logic provider, we are continuing our commitment to develop the infrastructure for the widest possible deployment of StarFabric technology.
The combined efforts of StarGen and Altera will result in the availability of physical and link layer intellectual property (IP) cores, which will enable developers to create custom StarFabric-compatible interfaces with Mercury PLDs. StarGen will join the Altera Megafunction Partners Program (AMPPSM), adding to the growing list of IP cores available via the Altera IP MegaStore web site. Availability of these cores will allow system designers to expand their value-add and competitive advantage while leveraging off-the-shelf StarFabric silicon available from StarGen.
Partnering with StarGen to offer Mercury PLD-based StarFabric-compatible IP cores demonstrates Altera’s continued commitment to providing the industry with access to leading-edge solutions, said Craig Lytle, vice president of Altera’s intellectual property business unit. The combination of Altera’s industry-leading PLDs and StarGen’s innovative interconnect technology, StarFabric, results in clear benefits for the system developer community, including design flexibility, lower development costs, and rapid time-to-market.
