Lattice unveils first low cost FPGA to support Broadcom HiGig protocol

November 29, 2010 // Paul Buckley

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation has added the HiGig MAC IP core to low cost LatticeECP3 FPGA family. Multiple individual devices interconnected via the HiGig protocol operate as one logical network, seamlessly providing features like quality of service (QoS), mirroring and link aggregation.

The HiGig MAC ensures that the Media Access rules specified in the 802.3ae IEEE standard and HiGig Protocol definitions are met while transmitting a frame of data over Ethernet.  On the receive side, it extracts the different components of a frame and transfers them to higher applications through a FIFO interface.  With this new Lattice IP core, designers will be able to implement low cost network solutions using Broadcom devices.  

Compliant with Broadcom HiGig and HiGig2 protocol definitions, the HiGig MAC IP core has a 64-bit wide internal data path operating at a maximum frequency of 156 MHz on the LatticeECP3 FPGA.  The core provides XGMII and XAUI interfaces to the PHY layer and supports variable-sized packet transmission with fixed-sized messaging capability (HiGig2 only).  With multicast address filtering and 16-bit statistics counters, the core requires approximately 4100 FPGA look-up tables (LUTs) for HiGig implementations and approximately 4700 FPGA LUTs for HiGig2 implementations.

The HiGig MAC IP core developed by Lattice is supported by Lattice’s IPexpress FPGA design tool module.  Included as a standard feature in the Lattice Diamond design environment, the IPexpress module reduces design time by allowing IP parameterization and timing analysis on the designer’s desktop.  This allows users to customize Lattice's extensive library of IP functions for their unique applications, integrate them with their proprietary FPGA logic designs and evaluate the overall device operation via simulation and timing analysis prior to making any IP purchase commitments.


Availability and Pricing

The HiGig MAC IP core is available now and can be ordered through Lattice sales with a list price of $5,000.  

More information about the HiGig MAC IP core at
www.latticesemi.com/products/intellectualproperty/ipcores/higigethernetmac/index.cfm

Visit Lattice Semiconductor at www.latticesemi.com

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