Documentation

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Title Description Version Released Date Document File
Enhancing eFPGA Functionality with Speedcore Custom Blocks (WP009)

Achronix Speedcore™ eFPGA IP can be integrated in an SoC for high-performance, compute-intensive and realtime processing applications such as AI, automotive sensor fusion, network acceleration and wireless 5G. Speedcore eFPGA IP is a game-changer for SoC developers, allowing them to add flexibility to their products by including FPGA technology in their ASICs. For SoC development, companies specify the quantity and mix of lookup-table (LUT) logic, embedded memory blocks, and DSP blocks that best meets their needs. Along with these functions, Achronix now offers the ability for companies to define custom block functions, optimized for their application, that can also be included in the eFPGA fabric. Speedcore custom blocks increase die area efficiency, increase performance and lower power.

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2018 Ushers in a Renewed Push to the Edge (WP012)

The past decade has seen massive growth in centralized computing, with data processing flowing to the cloud to take advantage of low-cost dedicated data centers. It was a trend that seemed at odds with the general trend in computing — a trend that started with the mainframe but moved progressively towards ambient intelligence and the internet of things (IoT). As we move into 2018, this centralization is reaching its limit. The volume of data that will be needed to drive the next wave of applications is beginning to force a change in direction.

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Mine Cryptocurrencies Sooner, Faster, and Cheaper with Achronix Speedcore Embedded FPGAs (WP014)

New cryptocurrencies such as Monero introduce ASIC-resistance and memory-hardness to prevent ASICs from being built that give some operators a competitive mining advantage over others who do not have access to the same technology. This white paper discusses the relevant background and presents a solution based on Achronix Speedcore™ embedded FPGAs (eFPGAs), enabling users to regain a highly profitable advantage over competing solutions.

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How to Meet Power Performance and Cost for Autonomous Vehicle Systems using Speedcore eFPGAs (WP015)

In the advanced, fully autonomous, self-driving vehicles of the future, the existence of dozens and even hundreds of distributed CPUs and numerous other processing elements is assured. Peripheral sensor-fusion and other processing tasks can be served by ASICs, SoCs, or traditional FPGAs. But the introduction of embedded FPGA blocks such as Achronix's Speedcore eFPGA IP provides numerous system-design advantages in terms of shorter latency, more security, greater bandwidth, and better reliability that are simply not possible when using CPUs, GPUs, or even standalone FPGAs.

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How to Design SmartNICs Using FPGAs to Increase Server Compute Capacity (WP017)

Intelligent server adapters, or SmartNICs, boost server performance in cloud and private data centers by offloading network processing workloads and tasks from server CPUs. Offloading network processing to a SmartNIC is not a new concept — for example, there are NICs that offload some network-processing functions such as checksum computation and segmentation. However, the rapid explosion in data-center network traffic driven by software-defined networking (SDN), Open vSwitch (OVS), and network functions virtualization (NFV) demands a new class of NIC with even greater offload capabilities: the SmartNIC.

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Title Description Version Released Date Document File
Repeatability in ACE (AN012)

One of the desired requirements of any FPGA design tool is the ability to reproduce the exact same results every time the tool is run under the same conditions — a requirement refereed to as repeatability. The ACE placer and router are deterministic, delivering 100% repeatability.

1.2 Repeatability_in_ACE_AN012.pdf
Pipelining the CPU Interface (AN016)

A Speedcore instance hosted in an SoC supports three different configuration modes: CPU, serial flash and JTAG. In CPU mode, an external CPU acts as the master and controls the programming operations for the Speedcore eFPGA, and offers a high-speed method for loading configuration data.

1.0 Pipelining_the_CPU_Interface_AN016.pdf
ACE ECO Flow Guide (AN015)

This tutorial serves as an introduce to the ACE engineering change order (ECO) suite — a set of Tcl commands that can add or remove instances, nets, pin connections, and more from a placed-and-routed design.

1.0 ACE_ECO_Flow_Guide_AN015.pdf
Migrating to Achronix eFPGA Technology (AN014)

Many users transitioning to Achronix eFPGA technology will be familiar with existing FPGA solutions from other vendors. Although Achronix technology and tools are similar to existing FPGA technology and tools, there are some differences. Understanding these differences are needed to achieve the very best performance and quality of results (QoR).

1.1 Migrating_to_Achronix_eFPGA_Technology_AN014.pdf
SoC-Speedcore Interface Tests (AN022)

The input and output paths between the host SoC and a Speedcore instance are an important test component. It is essential to have a structure that ties seamlessly to the SoC's test flow without requiring special functions such as loading a bitstream in the Speedcore instance.

1.0 SoC-Speedcore_Interface_Tests_AN022.pdf
Title Description Version Released Date Document File
Real-Time ASR Accelerator for Data Centers (PB036)

A real-time automatic speech recognition (ASR) accelerator for data centers, featuring industry-leading WER, concurrent real-time streams, and lowest latency — all running on a single VectorPath accelerator card.

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Speedster7t FPGAs Product Brief (PB033)

The Achronix Speedster®7t family is a revolutionary FPGA architecture highly optimized to meet the growing demands of AI/ML and high-bandwidth data acceleration applications. Specifically designed for these high-bandwidth workloads, the Speedster7t FPGA family features a revolutionary new 2D network on chip (NoC) and a high-density array of AI/ML optimized machine learning processors (MLP). Blending FPGA programmability with ASIC routing structures and compute engines, the Speedster7t family creates a new “FPGA+” class of technology.

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Accelerated Network Infrastructure Code Product Brief (PB037)

The Achronix Accelerated Networking Infrastructure Code (ANIC) is a modular suite of SmartNIC IP blocks optimized for Speedster®7t FPGAs and the VectorPath® Accelerator Card, offering high-performance networking for application acceleration.

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Speedcore eFPGA Product Brief (PB028)

Speedcore IP is embedded FPGA (eFPGA) that can be integrated into an ASIC or SoC. Customers specify their logic, RAM and DSP resource needs, then Achronix configures the Speedcore IP to meet their individual requirements.

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Bluespec RISC-V Soft Processors for Achronix FPGAs (PB038)

Bluespec, Inc., offers a portfolio of RISC-V processors provided as soft-IP for use in Achronix Speedster®7t FPGAs.

1.0 Download
Title Description Version Released Date Document File
Speedcore Clock and Reset Architecture User Guide (UG063)

This user guide details the clock structure for a Speedcore instance, covering the global core clock network, and interface clock networks. This guide also covers various clocking scenarios and their impact on timing closure.

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Speedcore Software Integration and Flow User Guide (UG062)

Speedcore Software Integration and Flow User Guide (UG062)

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Speedcore Configuration User Guide (UG061)

During normal SoC operation, the Speedcore eFPGA core requires configuration by the end user. This guide covers the details of how to configure a Speedcore instance via JTAG, CPU, or serial flash interface. Also included are details on the Achronix Configuration Bus (ACB) interface that can be used to program configuration bits for ASIC IP surrounding the Speedcore eFPGA.

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Speedcore Power Estimator User Guide (UG073)

The Achronix Speedcore Power Estimator tool provides a platform to calculate the power requirements for Achronix Speedcore eFPGAs. This user guide gives a detailed overview of the thermal and power needs depending on the device, environment and utilization of components in the design.

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Speedcore DFT and Test User Guide (UG067)

Design for test (DFT) is an important consideration for Speedcore eFPGAs from the perspective of both Achronix and the ASIC integrator. The programmable nature of Speedcore eFPGAs deliver the inherent benefit of being able to use the programmable logic fabric to test itself. This guide describes Speedcore eFPGAs from a testability perspective and outlines the general features and methodologies that Achronix uses to achieve the necessary coverage.

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