New FPGA-based PowerRACE-e Performs Image Processing Functions 10-15x Faster than PowerPC

FFT, Pulse Compression, Image Processing Handled on PMC; Carriers Dramatically Reduces Processor Board Count and System Size

Long Beach, CA January 19 2004--TEK Microsystems, Inc. of Chelmsford MA today announced the PowerRACE-3, the first platform to combine high density FPGAs, onboard switched fabric, PowerPCs, and PMC interfaces. In this new breed of embedded platform, high speed I/O and image processing are done in a single slot. For example, in a complex image processing application such as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) or in advanced industrial inspection, the PowerRACE-3 can reduce system board count by up to 40 percent, reducing weight, power, volume and cost.

This is the first platform to fully utilize the high gate density (3 million gates) and on chip processors featured in devices such as the VirtexII Pro from Xilinx. TEK Microsystems PowerRACE-3 boards and systems combine PowerPC and FPGA processing engines with powerful PMC I/O capabilities.

The announcement of the PowerRACE-3 is TEK Microsystems next step toward providing complete embedded systems, said Andy Reddig, president and CTO of TEK Microsystems. As the leader in both high performance PMC I/O modules and integrated I/O solutions for switched fabrics, we have been continually enhancing our technology to handle a larger and larger part of the embedded computing challenge. Its the new embedded paradigm -- using FPGAs and flexible, core-based switched fabrics. The PowerRACE-3 is the first tightly integrated PowerPC-based platform to deliver customizable I/O with the convenience of built-in intelligent stream management. As a client-server solution, it includes a common API that provides rapid technology insertion with low integration risk and a seamless migration path.

The PowerRACE-3 uses two 533 MHz 440GX PowerPC processors to support high throughput without incurring host processor overhead. Currently supporting the RACE++ interconnect fabric, future implementations will be fabric agnostic. An on-board fabric allows each PMC site to transfer data concurrently to off-board RACE++ ports, FPGA processing or to memory thereby eliminating fabric contention and maximizing overall system performance. Configured with any one of the more than 30 available TEK Microsystems PMC modules, the new PowerRACE-3 delivers unmatched speed and flexibility.

Included with the PowerRACE-3 is the tekX software environment, providing tools for fabric configuration, buffer management, data transfer, interprocessor communications, data storage/playback and integration of streaming FPGA and I/O modules. tekX reduces system development cycles by using a common API to shield the developer from the complexities of the fabrics and the hardware. The tekX environment supports all current PowerRACE models and will support integration of future products without application changes. The result is low integration risk and seamless technology upgrades.

PMC/XMC Modules
The PowerRACE-3 can be configured with any of the more than 30 TEK Microsystems PMC I/O modules. TEK PMC modules are built as two separate pieces. The front end interfaces for FPDP, HOTLink I and II, Channel Link, LVDS, TAXI, and more, are married to one of three standard back end interfaces for 32-bit and 64-bit PCI. The back end interfaces all use FPGAs so that customer specific code can be easily downloaded for maximum flexibility, throughput and performance. Using this design methodology TEK brings the latest technologies to market as they emerge. XMC modules are currently under development.

The PowerRACE-3 is available 10-12 weeks ARO and is priced beginning at $17,500.

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TEK Microsystems, Inc., founded in 1981 and headquartered in Chelmsford Massachusetts, designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of advanced high-performance boards and systems for embedded real-time computing systems. Our comprehensive product line includes PowerRACE carrier boards based on the RACEway standard and more than 30 PMC cards (PCI Mezzanine Cards). These products are used in real-time systems designed for data acquisition, instrumentation, control systems and signal processing in customer applications such as reconnaissance, signals intelligence, satellite telemetry, mine detection, medical imaging, radar, sonar, semiconductor inspection and seismic research.