AXIe local bus architecture delivers unprecedented bus speed and flexibility

AXIe is commonly referred to as the "big brother" of PXI. This is because it shares many of the features of PXI (open modular structure, PCI Express fabric, similar software) while deploying a large board size, power, and cooling matching that found in high performance instruments. However, it also adds one very unique aspect: the AXIe local bus. In this paper the authors describe the local bus, and compare it to other common bus topologies. The authors describe local bus capabilities, and real world implementations and applications that demonstrate breakthrough system performance utilizing the local bus. These capabilities include real time streaming and processing in excess of 40GB/s per link, with up to 12 links per chassis. Real time high-speed streaming enables a number of applications previously unrealized. Radar system evaluation and simulation is an example, where data is streamed indefinitely from high-speed digitizers into a data processing module or RAID array. High-energy physics is another example where data is recorded for long periods, to be triggered by an event that is detected by a digital processor unit. Indeed, there is a broad range of data acquisition applications where long data streams need to be recorded or processed while searching for an intermittent event. The AXIe local bus enables this capability at previously unattainable speeds.