MicroTCA
The Actel MicroTCA Power Module
General Description
Actel is enabling the MicroTCA market by providing
Fusion-powered reference designs. The Actel Fusion
Programmable System Chip (PSC) improves the design of
MicroTCA power modules by dramatically reducing part
count, board space, system cost, and power while
increasing reliability, flexibility, and system availability.
The Fusion device includes analog I/O, an analog-to-
digital converter, FPGA gates, large Flash memory,
clocking, and other features that enable it to reduce the
part count of the Actel Power Module (PM) reference
design by hundreds of parts over other FPGA- and MCU-
enabled power modules. The analog I/O, digital
processing of analog signals, and Flash memory enable
improved system monitoring and control so that system
reliability and availability increases. As an FPGA, Fusion is
the most flexible solution on the market, with in-system
reprogrammable microcode and FPGA logic gates.
Finally, Fusion improves performance with many
functions coprocessed in FPGA gates alongside the
Core8051 processor.
Actel has reduced the part count required for MicroTCA
power module designs in a unique reference design
platform that includes hardware, software, and FPGA
hardware description language (HDL)—a full solution.
Unlike component-driven ASSP designs, the Actel Fusion
FPGA enables integration of multiple functions, which
include voltage and temperature monitoring, a large
Flash memory for event logging, and nonvolatile FPGA
fabric for nearly instantaneous hot-swap and power
switchover. All of this functionality is delivered today
with an Actel Fusion chipset while reducing your bill-of-
materials cost over ASSP-based power module systems.
IPMB-0 to MCH
Actel Fusion
CoreI2C
Standby
Management Power
Management
Power (3.3 V)
Core8051
CoreI2C
Management
Power Monitor
PM
Communication
Interface
JTAG/JSM
Inteface
Hot-Swap
Interface
and
GPIO
Payload
Power
Payload
Power Monitor
Up to 16
Up to 16
MicroTCA
Slot
Information
CoreUART
MP
PP
Front Panel
Figure 2 •
Power Module Fusion Device Block Diagram
2
P ro du ct B ri e f
ACTEL [ Actel Corporation ]
