System management continues to gain importance in the design of all electronic systems. Smaller process geometries drive more multi-volt devices and are more susceptible to voltage and temperature fluctuations. While system management designs can run into hundreds of discrete components, the Actel Fusion solution can integrate these system management functions and provide programmable flexibility and system-level integration—all in a single chip. Unprecedented integration in Fusion devices can offer cost and space savings of 50% or greater relative to current implementations.

Actel, the world leader of mixed-signal FPGAs, now offers the only single-chip system management solution. The Actel Fusion integrates configurable analog, large flash memory blocks, comprehensive clock generation and management circuitry, and high performance programmable logic in a monolithic device. Actel has developed turn-key solutions, including a development kit and a software GUI for system management. This level of integration, configurability, and support establishes Fusion as the definitive system management solution.

Power Management

• Control up to 10 power supplies from –11 V to +12 V
• Voltage monitoring
• Current monitoring
• Power-on detection and reset
• Power-up sequencing

Thermal Management

• Integrated temperature monitoring into the Analog Quad, requiring only an external transistor
• Measure up to 10 remote sensors
• Fan control capability to enable closed-loop thermal management

System Clocking

• Internal and external oscillator clock sources
• Backup system clock

SRAM FPGA Management

• Integration of boot PROMs and brownout detection devices
• Power-up sequencing

Diagnostics/Prognostics

• Save and timestamp key system parameters for failure analysis

Remote and Local Communications

• Supports multiple standard or proprietary communication protocols
• Large number of general purpose I/Os available

Identification/Authentication

• Backed with AES security
• No communication between devices of any programming files that could be intercepted and cloned
• Supports secure "handshakes" or device authentication

Other Features

• Boot loader for MCU
• Error/alarm recovery
• Low power operation

System Management in a Single Chip

Actel Fusion integrates mixed-signal analog front-end, flash memory, and programmable logic fabric in a monolithic device. The Actel Fusion devices enable designers to quickly move from concept to completed design and deliver feature-rich systems to market. This new technology takes advantage of the unique properties of Actel flash-based FPGAs, including a high-isolation, triple-well process, and the ability to support high voltage transistors to meet the demanding requirements of mixed-signal system design.

Fusion sets the standard in system management as the market's only single-chip solution. Leveraging a unique combination of flash memory, configurable analog, and flash programmable logic, Fusion reduces cost, board space, and design time.

The Fusion device's flexibility enables users to implement proprietary or standards-based system management solutions. As a single-chip implementation, Fusion simplifies design implementation, enabling all system management functions to be configured in a single design environment with increasing reliability.

Read more about Fusion Benefits.

The Actel Fusion-based System Management Development Kit provides an excellent platform for developing system management applications and/or applications with a microprocessor. The kit includes an ARM-enabled Fusion device, a system management GUI, and a platform for systems that performs these functions:

• Power-up detection
• Power sequencing
• Thermal management
• Sleep modes
• System diagnostics
• Remote communications
• Clock generation and management

The board includes an M1AFS1500 device, which is compatible with Cortex-M1, Core8051, and other processors, as well as non-processor-based implementations. The kit's demonstration design uses the MicroC/OS-II on Cortex-M1 with the system management GUI, which is multi-tabbed for board status, application data, IPMI data, and a graphical display of the monitored analog data. In addition, the GUI source code is available for custom modification.

For more information, go to the System Management Development Kit page.

All-Inclusive and Low Cost

The low cost Fusion Starter Kit contains everything you need to start using the advanced features of the Actel Fusion family:

• Evaluation Board with an AFS600-FG256 Fusion Device
• Actel Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) Gold
• FlashPro3 and Programming Cable
• Power Supply
• User's Guide Including Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Schematics

The board is designed to allow users to easily implement System Management Functions. The on-board voltage regulation, enables you to independently set the I/O voltages to 1.5 V or 3.3 V on each of two I/O banks. Two other I/O banks are fixed at 3.3 V. The remaining I/O bank is for high voltage analog I/Os that support direct connection to voltages ranging from –12 V to +12 V. These I/Os support current monitoring, temperature monitoring, and metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) driver outputs.

The Fusion Low Cost System Management Reference Design can be easily downloaded and run on the Starter Kit. The Low Cost System Management Design enables users to:

• Monitor multiple voltages and currents
• Monitor ambient temperature
• Drive 5 gate drivers (power sequencing, fan control…)
• Supports post-processing and sets flags for control
• Uses <1,100 FPGA tiles
• Flexible implementations (both VHDL and Verilog)

• Fusion
• MicroTCA
• IP and Partners
• CoreMP7
• Articles
• System Management in the News
• Fusion in the News
• Soft/Firm Errors