Fraunhofer HHI, MLE Collaborate on Optimization

By Paula Bernier
Executive Editor, TMC

Fraunhofer (News - Alert) Heinrich Hertz Institute and its licensee Missing Link Electronics have optimized the 25G/50G Ethernet Low-Latency Media Access Controller for Xilinx Ultrascale+ Transceiver Technology.

“With Xilinx (News - Alert) Ultrascale+ transceivers reaching up to 30.5 Gbps, 100 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity becomes a reality,” said Johannes Fischer, Head of Fraunhofer HHI’s Digital Signal Processing Group. “This is reflected by the fact that Xilinx has integrated hard macros for 100GE MAC into their devices. However, many high-performance embedded, test and measurement or automotive applications are fully served by more cost-efficient 25G or 50G Ethernet. Our Low-Latency MAC soft IP Core addresses that gap.”

Missing Link Electronics CTO Endric Schubert added: “MLE has been collaborating with Fraunhofer HHI for several years on enabling high-speed connectivity solutions for Xilinx customers. Our team currently markets and supports Fraunhofer HHI’s proven 10GE MAC, and a corresponding TCP/IP stack, all made available through the Xilinx website. We are looking forward to offering 25G/50G Ethernet solutions to our customer base soon.”

Fraunhofer HHI’s 10GE MAC IP-Core is a low latency Ethernet Media Access Controller that’s compliant with the IEEE802.3-2008 specification. It has very low  latency, is resource efficient, and is available at this Xilinx link.

The 25GE MAC IP-Core will is slated for availability this quarter, and the 50GE MAC IP-Core counterpart will come along shortly after that. Related offerings include the Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ Kintex UltraScale+ Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC Virtex. 

“Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC devices provide 64-bit processor scalability while combining real-time control with soft and hard engines for graphics, video, waveform, and packet processing,” according to the Xilinx website. “Built on a common real-time processor and programmable logic equipped platform, three distinct variants include dual application processor devices, quad application processor and GPU devices, and video codec devices, creating unlimited possibilities for applications such as 5G wireless, next generation ADAS, and Industrial Internet of Things.”