Reference Designs

R

Stand-Alone Software Applications

Software applications (Table 1) that run on the EDK hardware reference design can be compiled within EDK and downloaded to the ML501 with a JTAG download cable for verification. A set of pre-built ELF and ACE files as well as a readme.txt file explaining how to run each of the applications for the ML501 are available at:

http://www.xilinx.com/products/boards/ml501/reference_designs.htm#ref_design

Table 1: Demonstration Software Applications

 

Name

Description

 

 

 

 

 

Complete collection of stand-alone BIT, ELF,

 

 

and ACE files. To run each application

 

ml501_mb_standalone_apps_bit_elf_ace.zip

individually, select one of the ACE files and

 

replace system_my_ace.ace in

 

 

 

 

configuration address 6 of the production

 

 

ML501 CF card.

 

 

 

 

download.bit

MicroBlaze embedded processing system

 

running bootloop code.

 

 

 

 

 

 

bootload.elf

Main menu to load and launch ACE file

 

bootload.ace

 

demonstrations.

 

bootload_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

 

button_led_test.elf

Verifies functionality of GPIO DIP switches,

 

button_led_test.ace

 

GPIO LEDs, N-E-S-W buttons and LEDs.

 

button_led_test_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

 

flash_hello.elf

Placeholder application for a user-generated

 

flash_hello_readme.txt

linear flash design. Loaded from linear flash.

 

 

 

 

flash_test.elf

 

 

flash_test.ace

Tests linear flash memory.

 

flash_test_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

hello.elf

Exercises serial port output and input

 

hello.ace

 

functionality using libc routines.

 

hello_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

 

hello_uart.elf

Exercises serial port output and input

 

hello_uart.ace

functionality using low-level UART driver

 

hello_uart_readme.txt

routines.

 

 

 

 

iic_eeprom.elf

 

 

iic_eeprom.ace

Software bit-banging tests of IIC EEPROM.

 

iic_eeprom_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

my_ace.elf

Placeholder application for a user-generated

 

my_ace.ace

 

ACE file. Loaded from CompactFlash card.

 

my_ace_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

 

my_plat_flash.elf

Placeholder application for a user-generated

 

Platform Flash design. Loaded from Platform

 

my_plat_flash_readme.txt

 

Flash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

piezo.elf

 

 

piezo.ace

Demonstrates audio output to the onboard

 

ringtones.zip

piezo speaker using the ringtone RTTTL files.

 

piezo_readme.txt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

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ML501 Reference Design

 

 

UG227 (v1.0) June 18, 2007

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Xilinx ML501 manual Stand-Alone Software Applications, Demonstration Software Applications Name Description

ML501 specifications

The Xilinx ML501 Evaluation Platform is a highly versatile and powerful development board that targets a variety of applications in the fields of digital signal processing, communications, and embedded systems. Designed to simplify the process of designing and evaluating high-performance systems, the ML501 harnesses the capabilities of the Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA, known for its speed, flexibility, and capability to integrate complex functions into a single chip.

At the heart of the ML501 is the Virtex-5 FPGA, which offers an impressive array of resources, including a large number of logic cells, embedded multipliers, and DSP slices, making it ideal for tasks that require significant processing power and parallelism. The platform supports a variety of I/O interfaces, such as LVDS, GPIO, and USB, enabling seamless connection to other devices and peripherals. This flexibility allows developers to implement diverse applications ranging from high-bandwidth data processing to real-time control systems.

The board features an embedded PowerPC 440 processor, which allows for the execution of complex software algorithms alongside the hardware processing capabilities of the FPGA. This combination of hardware and software processing empowers developers to create systems that can simultaneously handle intensive computational tasks while maintaining responsiveness to external events.

One of the standout features of the ML501 is its support for the Xilinx EDK (Embedded Development Kit) and Xilinx SDK (Software Development Kit), providing developers with all the necessary tools to integrate hardware and software seamlessly. The platform also supports various communication interfaces such as Ethernet and serial connections, making it easy to transfer data and interface with other systems.

In terms of memory, the ML501 includes ample resources such as DDR2 SDRAM, which facilitates high-speed data processing and storage solutions. Additionally, the board provides a rich set of expansion connectors, enabling users to interface with custom hardware and add more functionalities as needed.

The ML501 is also designed with user-friendly features, including various LEDs and buttons that aid in debugging and monitoring the system's state. With extensive documentation and reference designs provided by Xilinx, developers can quickly get started and experiment with their own applications.

Overall, the Xilinx ML501 Evaluation Platform stands out as a powerful tool for engineers and developers looking to leverage the capabilities of FPGAs in developing advanced embedded systems. Its combination of robust processing power, extensibility, and support for both hardware and software development makes it a valuable asset in the realm of modern digital design.