As compute-intensive machine vision systems are integrated at the network edge, FPGAs are becoming the preferred flexible platform for next-generation designs. In addition to demanding higher bandwidth processing capacity, the deployed smart systems have a small footprint and strict thermal and power consumption constraints.
The Smart Embedded Vision initiative provides an FPGA suite consisting of IP, hardware, and tools for small-sized, low-power machine vision designs intended for the industrial, medical, broadcasting, automotive, aerospace, and defense markets.
Following the launch of this initiative, Microchip has added these products to meet the design requirements of intelligent vision systems:
• Serial Digital Interface (SDI) IP – This interface, designed for transmitting uncompressed video data over coaxial cable, is available in several speeds: HD-SDI (1.485 Gbps, 720p, 1080i), 3G-SDI (2.970 Gbps, 1080p60), 6G-SDI (5.94 Gbps, 2Kp30), and 12G-SDI (11.88 Gbps, 2Kp60).
• MIPI-CSI-2 IP with 1.5 Gbps per lane – MIPI-CSI-2, commonly used in industrial cameras, is a sensor interface that connects image sensors and FPGAs. The PolarFire family achieves receive speeds of up to 1.5 Gbps per lane and transmit speeds of up to 1 Gbps per lane.
• SLVS-EC Rx at 2.3 Gbps per lane – SLVS-EC Rx is an image sensor interface IP compatible with high-resolution cameras. Customers can deploy an SLVS-EC Rx FPGA core with two or eight lanes.
• Gigabit MAC for multiple speeds – The PolarFire family achieves speeds of 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 Gbps over the Ethernet physical layer, enabling the initiative to meet the need for an IP MAC for the auto-negotiating USXGMII (Universal Serial 10 GE Media Independent Interface).
• CoaXPress v1.1 host and device IP at 6.25 Gbps – CoaXPress is a standard used in high-performance machine vision, medical, and industrial inspection. Microchip, which follows the development roadmap for this standard, supports CoaXPress v2.0, which doubles the bandwidth to 12.5 Gbps.
• HDMI 2.0b – The HDMI IP core achieves resolutions up to 4K at 60 fps for transmission and 1080p at 60 fps for reception.
• PolarFire FPGA Image Processing IP Package – Incorporates MIPI-CSI-2 and image processing IP for edge detection, alpha composition, and image enhancement for color, brightness, and contrast adjustments.
• Expanded Third-Party Ecosystem – The Smart Embedded Vision initiative includes Kaya Instruments, which supplies PolarFire FPGA IP cores for CoaXPress v2.0 and 10 GigE vision to Microchip’s third-party ecosystem. Also part of this ecosystem are Alma Technology, Bitec, and ASIC Design Services, an AI firm that provides the Core Deep Learning (CDL) environment to facilitate a low-power Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based image and video processing platform for embedded and edge computing applications.
PolarFire FPGAs reduce total power consumption by between 30% and 50% compared to mid-range SRAM (Static Random-Access Memory) based FPGAs from their competitors.
The members of this family, which integrate from 100K to 500K Logic Elements (LE), reduce static power consumption by five to ten times, making them ideal for a new line of edge devices that use intensive computing, including those installed in environments with thermal and power limitations.
In addition to high-speed image processing IP cores and the PolarFire image processing IP package, a new MIPI-CSI2-based machine learning camera reference design for smart embedded systems is available. This reference design, based on the PolarFire FPGA image and video processing kit using inference algorithms from ASIC Design Services, is free for customer evaluation. All Smart Embedded Vision solutions are supported by Microchip's Libero® SoC Design Suite.
All IP is delivered via the Libero® SoC Design Suite and can be deployed on the PolarFire FPGA image and video processing kit, the evaluation platform for Smart Embedded Vision designs. These IP cores are now available:
• HD-SDI (1.485 Gbps, 720p, 1080i)
• 3G-SDI (2.970 Gbps, 1080p60)
• MIPI-CSI-2
• Dual-lane SLVS-EC Rx FPGA core
• 6.25 Gbps CoaXPress v1.1
• HDMI 2.0 4k at 60 fps transmit and 1080p at 60 fps receive
The following IP cores will be added gradually until the end of 2019:
• 6G-SDI (5.94 Gbps, 2Kp30)
• 12G-SDI (11.88 Gbps, 2Kp60)
• USXGMII MAC
• Eight-lane SLVS-EC Rx
• 6.25 Gbps CoaXPress v2.0
• HDMI 2.0b 4k at 60 fps on receive
The PolarFire image processing IP package is now available for $1,499 and the MPF300-VIDEO-KIT, also available, is priced at $999.
