There are a number of options for operating systems, development tools, intellectual property (IP) cores, and professional services. Many are provided by ecosystem partners.
The Cyclone® V SoC FPGA includes a sophisticated high-performance multicore ARM* Cortex*-A9 processor. This processor can be used for a wide range of functions from very simple bare-metal applications running on one of the available cores to high-bandwidth, low-latency, real-time operations. For a simple single-core application with minimal real-time constraints, bare-metal application can be build using the Hardware Libraries (HWLIBs). However to take full advantage of the capabilities of the device, it is highly recommended to use an operating system (OS). The chosen operating system can be a simple real-time kernel running on a single-core or a full-featured operating system such or Linux, or one of a number of multicore-capable real-time operating systems.
In addition to open-source Linux, there are a number of commercial operating systems available for the Cyclone V SoC FPGA.
You can obtain Linux* and open-source products for Intel SoC FPGAs on RocketBoards.org. This site provides a development environment and collaboration for embedded developers using SoC FPGAs. For information about the Golden System Reference Design that comes pre-installed on the Intel SoC FPGA boards, search rocketboards.org for “GSRD”.
| Operating System | Company | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Abassi | Code Time Technologies | Yes |
| Android | Fujisoft | Yes |
| Android | MRA Digital | Yes |
| AUTOSAR MCAL (contact Intel) | Intel | Yes |
| Bare-Metal/Hardware Libraries (in SoC EDS) | Intel | Yes |
| Carrier Grade Edition 7 (CGE7) | MontaVista | Yes |
| DEOS | DDC-I | Yes |
| eCosPro | eCosCentric | Yes |
| eT-Kernel | eSOL | Yes |
| FreeRTOS | FreeRTOS.org | Yes |
| INTEGRITY RTOS | Green Hills Software | Yes |
| Nucleus | Mentor Graphics | Yes |
| OSE | Enea | Yes |
| PikeOS | Sysgo | Yes |
| QNX Neutrino RTOS | QNX | Yes |
| RTEMS on github | RTEMS | Yes |
| RTXC | Quadros Systems | Yes |
| ThreadX | Express Logic | Yes |
| uC/OS-II, uC/OS-III | Micrium | Yes |
| uC3 (Japanese) | eForce | Yes |
| VxWorks | Wind River | Yes |
| Wind River Linux | Wind River | Yes |
| Windows Embedded Compact 7 | Witekio | Yes |
Operating systems are highly optimized to take full advantage of the processor capabilities and limitations. It has been found that real-time operating systems designed for Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP) will generally provide similar or better performance and lower latency than bare-metal applications (no operating system). Commercial operating systems also typically include specialized embedded development tools, middleware, technical support, and are thoroughly tested in the OS partner's test framework.
For professional quality development tools including JTAG debuggers and instruction trace functions consider the following options:
| Products | Company | Description | Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARM* Development Studio 5* (DS-5*) for Intel SoC FPGAs | Intel | Software development and debug tools for the Intel SoC FPGA devices based on ARM Development Studio-5 (DS-5). Use with Intel FPGA Download Cable II JTAG debugger tool or with ARM DSTREAM tools for JTAG debugging and high-speed instruction Trace. | Yes |
| iC5000 | iSystem | iSYSTEM’s embedded on-chip debug/analyzer, real-time test and measurement tool platform. It is based on programmable hardware where support for different microcontroller families and features is controlled via software. Major benefit is one time investment into hardware while supported debug and advanced test feature set can be extended at any time via software. | Yes |
| J-Link | SEGGER | J-Link debug probes support up to 3 MBps download speed to RAM and high speed flashloaders, as well as the ability to set an unlimited number of breakpoints in flash memory of MCUs. | Yes |
| Multi | Green Hills | Software development and debug tools for Green Hills INTEGRITY real-time operating system. MULTI is complemented with the Green Hills Probe for high-speed JTAG debugging. | Yes |
| Poly-Platform,uC/OS-II | PolyCore Software and Micrium support Cyclone V SoCs with a multicore solution. This development environment gives users a time-tested message-passing programming model and a trusted Real Time Operating System (RTOS), and makes it easy to create new multicore designs. | Yes | |
| Simulink Embedded Coder | MathWorks | Use Simulink and Embedded Coder from Mathworks to generate C/C++ code for Cyclone V SoCs. When used in combination with SoC FPGA support from HDL Coder, this solution can be utilized in a hardware/software workflow spanning simulation, prototyping, verification, and implementation on SoC FPGAs. | Yes |
| Sourcery CodeBench | Mentor Embedded | GNU toolchain support for the dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor-based SoC FPGA Virtual Target. | Yes |
| Tasking VX-toolset | Altium | Optimizing C compiler, assembler, linker, and locator. | Yes |
| TRACE32 | Lauterbach | Lauterbach TRACE32 is a family of modular microprocessor development tools that include debug, trace, and instruction-set simulators that support the Nios II processor and the dual-core ARM Cortex*-A9 MPCore* processor-based SoC. | Yes |
| Workbench | Wind River | Software development tools for VxWorks on the dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor in Cyclone® V SoCs | Yes |
Our SoC FPGAs are supported by a wide range of third-party as well as soft intellectual property (IP) cores. These blocks can be instantiated in the FPGA portion of the SoC FPGA device. Some examples of key soft IP cores are shown below.
For a complete list of third-party and our IP for a full range of functions including memory controllers, PCIe* interfaces and more, refer to the IP Portfolio page.
| IP | Company | Description | Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphics Accelerator for Android | Fujisoft | Accelerates graphics functions for Android OS | Yes |
| Graphics Rendering | TES Electronic Solutions | 2D, 2.5D, 3D, and HD graphics rendering with support for EGL 1.3, OpenGL ES 1.1, OpenVG 1.01 APIs | Yes |
| Sercos III Industrial Ethernet Protocol | Sercos | Sercos III master and slave controllers | Yes |
The Nios® II processor, the world's most versatile processor, according to Gartner Research, is the most widely used soft processor in the FPGA industry. The Nios II processor delivers unprecedented flexibility for your cost-sensitive, real-time, safety-critical (DO-254), ASIC-optimized, and applications processing needs. The Nios II processor supports all of our SoC FPGA and FPGA families.
Intel FPGA Design Solutions Network (DSN) members offer an extensive portfolio of design services, intellectual property (IP) and products that can help customers meet challenging product development needs, lower risk, and accelerate time to market. They have expertise designing with our products, tools, and intellectual property combined with application experience to offer customers design services ranging from selecting the right Intel FPGA device to full turnkey or systems-level design.
The Cyclone® V SoC FPGA is supported by a wide range of development kits, boards, and system on modules (SOMs). SoC FPGA-based boards are available from us and our ecosystem partners. Boards can be standalone or system on module configuration.
Standalone boards are sometimes included as part of a development kit. A development kit typically includes software and hardware. The Intel SoC FPGA development kits include the board and all associated cables, documentation, and software development tools (SoC FPGA EDS and ARM* Development Studio 5 for Intel® SoC FPGAs).
Our SoC FPGA system on modules (SoMs) are small, integrated single-board computers with Cyclone V or Arria® V SoC FPGAs at its core. The SoC FPGA SoM includes DDR3 memory, flash memory, power management, common interface controllers, and board support package (BSP) software to help you create a fully customized embedded design without starting from scratch.