CP-FPGA-6: SignalHawk I/O Programmable FPGA Card

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The SignalHawk I/O FPGA Card (CP-FPGA-6) is a programmable digital I/O solution designed for real-time applications requiring flexible, low-latency signal processing. Built on an Altera Cyclone V FPGA with 301K logic elements, the card provides configurable digital I/O capabilities for simulation, data acquisition, and industrial control environments.

Designed for use in Concurrent Real-Time iHawk systems, the card integrates with RedHawk Linux to deliver deterministic performance and scalability across single and multi-system deployments.

Configurable High-Speed Digital I/O

The card features a 32-channel TTL-compatible digital I/O interface, with each channel individually configurable as input or output. Supported signal levels include 3.3V and 5V TTL, with:

• 32 mA output source
• 64 mA output sink

Additional capabilities include:

• • Per-bit output selection
  • Input snapshot functionality
  • Change-of-state sensing for event detection
  • Output channel synchronization for consistent timing

Switchable 100-ohm termination helps maintain signal integrity in high-speed applications.

FPGA-Based Deterministic Performance

The CP-FPGA-6 leverages an FPGA architecture to enable deterministic I/O behavior and custom logic implementation. The card supports development using FPGA Workbench with Verilog and VHDL, allowing users to implement application-specific processing directly on the hardware.

Daughter Card Expansion

The card includes a single FMC-style daughter card interface (3″ x 3.75″), enabling expansion for specialized I/O requirements. The interface supports:

• • • 1.8V LPC signaling
    • HPC signals routed to I/O connectors
    • Four-lane DisplayPort (DP) transceiver for high-bandwidth communication

This allows integration with custom or third-party modules for extended functionality.

System Integration and Data Throughput

The card uses a PCIe Gen 1 x4 interface with MSI interrupt support for low-latency event handling. Data movement is optimized through six MSG DMA engines, supporting efficient high-speed transfers between the FPGA and host system.

A programmable clock generator with TCXO provides precise timing for real-time applications.

Connectivity and Synchronization

External connectivity is provided through high-density 68-pin SCSI connectors. The card supports integration into existing systems and enables coordinated operation across multiple systems.

Software Support

The SignalHawk I/O FPGA Card is supported by:

• • • RedHawk Linux for real-time operation
    • FPGA Workbench for development and deployment
    • NightStar tools for event logging, scheduling, and analysis

This provides a complete environment for developing and managing FPGA-based real-time applications.

Applications

The CP-FPGA-6 is designed for applications requiring flexible and deterministic digital I/O, including:

• • • Real-time simulation
    • Data acquisition
    • Industrial automation
    • Event synchronization and timing control