LynuxWorks says it will commercially support uClinux on Xilinx FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) running MicroBlaze soft-cores. The addition means that LynuxWorks now supports all of Xilinx's 32-bit processors, LynuxWorks claims.

Xilinx offers several chips that, along with programmable logic arrays, integrate one or more IBM PowerPC 405 cores; LynuxWorks supports these with its just-updated BlueCat Linux commercial distribution, it says.

Xilinx also offers a number of high-capacity “Virtex” and “Spartan” model FPGAs on which MicroBlaze CPUs can be implemented using the FPGA's actual programmable logic elements. LynuxWorks says it will support these MicroBlaze “soft cores” under uClinux, “utilizing LynuxWorks's embedded support and services group to help get MicroBlaze developers up and running fast.”

LynuxWorks praises Xilinx FPGAs for their performance, low power consumption, “superior” signal integrity, and high-bandwidth memory interfaces, compared to other available FPGAs. The company claims to have a “growing alliance” with Xilinx, having joined Xilinx's third-party network in March.

Additionally, LynuxWorks offers an Eclipse-based “Luminosity” IDE (integrated development environment) said to incorporate compiler tools used by developers of both PowerPC and MicroBlaze cores. The IDE also features an “RTOS-aware” debugger supporting both processors, and system profiling tools supporting both BlueCat Linux and LynuxWorks's Linux-like RTOS, LynxOS. LynxOS also supports Xilinx FPGAs with hard 32-bit PowerPC cores.

Availability

LynuxWorks's BlueCat- and uClinux-based distributions and tools for Xilinx FPGAs appear to be available now.

 
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