A comprehensive new switched serial fabric-based COTS Continuum™ product line from Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing is the first to offer a full range of single-board computers and multicomputing engines (DSP and FPGA-reconfigurable platforms) based on the new VITA 46 standard. In addition, Continuum will deliver compatible mezzanine modules, carrier cards, chassis, and fully integrated systems. Continuum will provide system integrators with a standardized system integrator user experience and unmatched interoperability across the full range of Curtiss-Wright technologies.
Curtiss-Wright will introduce COTS Continuum products in each of its product categories. Availability information for each product will be announced as each is formally introduced.
COTS Continuum products based on the VITA 46 standard will include:
VITA 46 Single Board Computer
SVMX/DVMX-185: This SBC will feature FreeScale''s 8641 PowerPC processor as well as an integral switched-fabric interconnect. The SVMX/DVMX-185''s integral switched-fabric provides a high-bandwidth, low-latency Advanced Switching interconnect to exchange data with other SBCs, sensor interface boards, and PCIe-based XMC/PMC carrier cards and I/O cards at data rates beyond the capability of today''s VMEbus modules. The SVMX/DVMX-185 also supports a bridging mechanism to support integration with RapidIO-based multicomputing clusters. The 185 will host up to two VITA 42.3 XMC modules, providing support both for PCI Express connectivity to the XMC and high-speed I/O from the XMC to the backplane The capabilities of the SVMX/DVMX-185 SBC and its VITA 46 format extends the use of open-systems off-the-shelf modules to applications requiring radically increased data throughput and dense integration of high-speed serial interconnects such as sensor interfaces, digital video streams, and network and mass-storage interfaces.
In addition, the SVMX/DVMX-185''s ESD-protected connector system, when used with optional top and bottom covers, allows the SBC to be safely handled in flight-line environments where standard ESD precautions are not practical, in turn enabling military 2-level maintenance systems to be employed.
VITA 46 Signal Processing Engine
CHAMP 6: The CHAMP 6 will be a quad FreeScale 8641 processor design, available in both 8641 single-core and 8641 dual-core versions. With four dual-core processors, this card represents the largest increase in processing Curtiss-Wright has offered between generational upgrades of a product. Memory-intensive algorithms will benefit from the very high 9.6 Gbytes/sec bandwidth provided by the 8641''s dual memory controllers, more than four times the current capacity of the 7447/7448-based CHAMP AV-IV. The card will also support onboard PCIe based XMC sites (VITA 42).
The CHAMP 6 will feature Serial RapidIO interconnect to support tying many boards together in large multiboard DSP clusters. The card will also support PCIe connections to permit interoperability with PCIe based peripherals and SBCs. Curtiss-Wright will support the CHAMP 6 with its popular Inter-Processor Communications Software (IPC) library, and DSP function libraries enabling customers to seamlessly migrate applications developed on the current generation of PCI/StarFabric-based quad processor designs.
VITA 46 Reconfigurable Computing Engine
CHAMP FX-II: The CHAMP FX-II is a reconfigurable computing VITA 46 board. The board''s unique design combines an 8641PowerPC processor and Xilinx Virtex 4 FX and SX FPGAs to provide for high-speed serial I/O functions and a high density of DSP multiply/accumulate resources that are critical to most signal processing algorithms. The board also provides a Serial RapidIO core switch serial fabric interface. The CHAMP-FX-II can be configured with optional optical connections to support very high speed sensor interfaces including Serial FPDP. Application development is supported with an extensive VHDL design kit.
VITA 46 Card Carrier
SVMX/DVMX-215 ExpressReach XMC/PMC Carrier and I/O Expansion Module: The SVMX/DVMX-215 ExpressReach is a PCI Express-based XMC/PMC carrier and I/O expansion module. It provides system integrators with the means to add two additional PCI 2.3 XMC/PMC sites into their system architecture beyond those provided by the main processor cards, thus supporting cost-effective system expansion. The ExpressReach module connects to the host processor over a 4-lane PCI Express link providing 2 GB/sec aggregate peak-bandwidth path to the XMC/PMC modules -- a level of performance allowing XMC/PMC modules to function on ExpressReach as effectively as if they directly mounted on the host processor. In addition to providing the full 64 bits of PMC I/O for each XMC/PMC site, ExpressReach provides each XMC/PMC site with additional high-speed I/O on its XMC I/O connector, thus supporting multi-gigabit serial I/O such as ultra-high resolution digital video streams, network interfaces such as Infiniband or 10 GBE, and special purpose interfaces such as high-performance FPGA serial interconnects.
COTS Continuum products based on the VITA 41 standard will include:
VITA 41 Reconfigurable Computing Engine
CHAMP-FX V41: The CHAMP-FX V41, a dual FPGA-based digital signal processing (DSP) engine, is an enhanced version of Curtiss-Wright''s popular VME64x CHAMP-FX design, powered by dual Xilinx Virtex-II Pro™ FPGAs. It supports backplane multi-gigabit/sec serial connectivity in customer-selected options of: Serial RapidIO, PCI Express, Xilinx Aurora or proprietary formats. An example of usage of the CHAMP-FX VITA 41 port would include two x4 ports running at speeds up to 3.125 Gbps, for a nearly 5x improvement in bandwidth over the earlier generation CHAMP-FX board. The new board will be targeted at digital signal processing applications such as radar, sonar, and signal intelligence where the VITA 41 port can be used for the high-speed sensor interface.