Altera SOPC Builder Tool extends system-level design lead with third embedded soft processor option
(Top News, 16 Jun 2008 )
Giving system-level designers the broadest selection of soft processor cores for FPGAs, Altera Corporation has announced that Freescale will be delivering a 32-bit V1 ColdFire soft core for the SOPC Builder tool. To quickly and easily create system-level designs using Altera Cyclone III FPGAs, designers can now choose a Freescale, ARM or Altera soft processor core, along with a library of 50 other intellectual property (IP) blocks when using the SOPC Builder tool.
SOPC Builder is an exclusive Altera Quartus II design software tool that eliminates the manual system-integration tasks of IP blocks in an FPGA design. Designers can select functions from the Altera or third-party IP core libraries to include in their FPGA. SOPC Builder automatically generates interconnect logic and creates a testbench to verify functionality, saving valuable design time.
“With a choice of the Altera Nios II processor core, the ARM Cortex M1 and now the Freescale V1 ColdFire processor, the Altera SOPC Builder tool is the best and most productive way to design systems with soft core processors and IP,” said Chris Balough, director of marketing for software, embedded and DSP at Altera. “With the combination of premium processor cores and powerful easy-to-use tools to integrate these cores into designs, the Altera FPGA platform provides a unique value to system designers.”
The 32-bit V1 ColdFire core for the Cyclone III FPGA family will be available via a free license from IPextreme, a semiconductor-technology licensing specialist, in the third quarter of 2008. For more information on Altera’s embedded processor solutions, including the Nios II processor core, visit www.altera.com/embedded. The SOPC Builder tool is available in Quartus II design software. Both the subscription edition and the free web edition of Quartus II software version 8.0 are available for download at www.altera.com/download. The annual software subscription is $2,495 for a node-locked PC license and can be purchased at www.altera.com/buyquartus.
