SBIR-STTR Award

Crossfield Technology LLC proposes to develop an innovative implementation of HOST hardware that incorporates HOST-defined 6U electrical profiles and interfaces with the addition of an electrical and optical System Communications Transmission Interface (SCTI) in the Data Plane. To implement this architecture, Crossfield will develop HOST payload modules, a HOST switch module, a HOST Power Supply Module (PSM), and an ultra-high-speed backplane with VITA 66/67 support in the P5/P6 positions. The payload modules include a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) System-on-Chip (SoC) with VITA 57.4 FPGA Mezzanine Card Plus (FMC+) slots and a Nonvolatile Memory Express (NVMe) Solid State Disk (SSD) that will be revised to support the HOST specified interfaces and protocols (HOST-SS).

Benefit:
The ecosystem of HOST products will benefit industrial and government laboratories that employ embedded systems for data acquisition and control. Plug and play of payload modules, switches and backplanes from multiple sources would directly benefit users by offering compatibility and interoperability between components.

Keywords:
VPX, VPX, Chassis, Backplane, embedded, Switch, OpenVPX, Avionics, Payload

Crossfield Technology LLC proposes to develop 3U VPX prototype modules to demonstrate Scalable Hardware Open System Technologies (HOST) interoperability, modularity, and upgradeability. A 3U VPX module with a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) System-on-Chip (SoC) will implement a VITA 46.11 Chassis Manager under embedded Linux on the FPGA SoCs quad-core ARM processor. A 3U VPX HOST Switch Profile 1 module will feature dual Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) M.2 Solid State Disk (SSD) slots for ultra-high-speed data storage. Crossfield also proposes to develop an Intelligent Platform Management Controller (IPMC) on a Microsemi SmartFusion2 SoC and will use the IPMC to monitor the states of the proposed VPX modules and communicate with the Chassis Manager.

Benefit:
Crossfields SBIR Phase II program will benefit the VITA 84 Hardware Open Systems Technologies (HOST) and Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) standards and working groups. The prototype HOST hardware developed under this program will be used to provide feedback to the standards organizations and help increase industry adoption of HOST and SOSA through innovative advancements in VPX hardware. Crossfields successful demonstration of HOST prototype hardware will encourage industry adoption through proof-of-concept and help to eliminate stovepipe architectures in Department of Defense avionics, sensor data acquisition, and electronic warfare systems.

Keywords:
FPGA Mezzanine Card, solid state disk, VPX, Hardware Open Standards Technologies, Sensor Open Systems Architecture, Non-Volatile Memory Express, Field Programmable Gate Array System-on-Chip, VITA 46.11