Just Released: The AMX Prototyping System (TAPS)

The AMX Prototyping System (TAPS) can be used to develop and debug an AMX application on a Windows^® workstation. TAPS lets you test your AMX system even before your target hardware is available. TAPS is a fully functional AMX implementation including a real-time clock, ensuring that your tested system is ready for the final move to your embedded system.

A TAPS application runs as a single thread within a Win32 application. TAPS includes a fully functional AMX implementation which does not use Win32 services to simulate multitasking operation.

Instead, TAPS provides a complete AMX multitasking environment which operates within the single TAPS Win32 thread. The TAPS version of AMX executes in a non-preemptive manner without support for interrupts.

As with any AMX implementation, the current task will always be the highest priority task which is ready for execution. However, under TAPS, the current task cannot be preempted by an external event such as an interrupt. The current task will only be suspended if it calls some AMX function which forces the task to wait for some event.

The TAPS Library provides support for two simulated hardware devices: a real-time clock and a serial I/O device (UART).

The simulated clock device provides timing based on the Windows Performance Counters. These counters provide a very accurate timing source. Since TAPS does not support interrupts, AMX clock ticks are generated at the required intervals by calls from the TAPS Event Generator.

The simulated serial I/O device is a polled (not interrupt driven) device that is accessed via the simple AMX serial I/O interface provided with the AMX Sample Program. Character input is read from the stdin data stream and written to the stdout data stream. These are the standard data streams available to all Win32 console applications.

You can download the complete TAPS User's Guide from the "Manuals" page on our website. This on-line HTML guide describes how to use TAPS to test an AMX application on the Windows desktop.

KADAK's AMX RTOS, KwikPeg GUI and KwikNet Network Products Support the MIPS32 Architecture

KADAK's AMX RTOS, KwikPeg GUI and KwikNet TCP/IP Stack are now available for the MIPS32 family of processors from MIPS Technologies, Inc. and its partners.

KADAK's MIPS products target the MIPS32 architecture, which has replaced a number of previous specifications used by MIPS partners. Support is also included for the NEC VR4181, which uses an instruction set similar to MIPS32.

AMX, KwikNet and KwikPeg support the High C/C++ tools from MetaWare. In addition, KADAK's KwikLook Fault Finder adds complete AMX kernel awareness to the MetaWare SeeCode Debugger to simplify application testing.

Focus on x86

KADAK has released an update of AMX 86 with support for Paradigm Systems Inc. C/C++ software development tools. This new AMX 86 release also supports the VAutomation iCon186 TotalCore and the Turbo186 and Turbo86 microprocessor cores on the VAutomation IPS Evaluation Board.

The AMX RTOS is used in time critical medical, telecommunication, data acquisition, industrial control, robotics and aerospace applications. AMX will also be found at the heart of 80x86 SoC designs such as the Pixelworks PW364 Image Processor, the first integrated flat panel display controller contained on a single chip, which uses a VAutomation microprocessor core.

Since 1983, AMX 86 has been widely used with 80x86/88 and compatible processors. Now, AMX supports the 24-bit (16-Mbyte) addressing capability of VAutomation's Turbo186/86 cores using the Paradigm tools. Board support for VAutomation's iCon186 TotalCore and IPS Evaluation Board is included with AMX 86.

VAutomation's Turbo86 and Turbo186 microprocessor cores provide three times the speed and sixteen times the address space provided by standard implementations of the 8086 and 80186. These cores are especially suitable for SoC designs that require a high-performance 16-bit processor with a large address space and proven development tools.

"Many new applications, as well as evolving 8-bit and 16-bit products, benefit from the increased performance and address space of the Turbo86 and Turbo186 plus the integrated connectivity provided by iCon186," notes Brian Machesney, VAutomation's director of marketing. "Turbo86 and Turbo186 address the needs of designers who have a 16-bit problem, but are otherwise forced to incur the expense and delay of moving to a 32-bit core."

KADAK and SoftConnex Announce Integrated USB Software Solution for Developers using the AMX RTOS

KADAK Products Ltd. and SoftConnex Technologies, Inc. announced in June that the SoftConnex USBLink software now supports KADAK's AMX RTOS providing AMX developers with the ability to access a wide variety of peripheral devices connected using USB technology.

Now, AMX developers can incorporate USBLink to access an expandable serial interface that ensures a standard, low-cost socket for adding peripherals. USBLink supports low (1.5 Mbs), full (12 Mbs) and high speed (480 Mbs) USB devices and simulates a plug and play environment with AMX. It also supports host controllers from leading chip suppliers, such as Agere Systems, Intel, NEC, OPTi, Philips Semiconductors, ScanLogic and TransDimension.

SoftConnex USBLink provides a framework for developing class modules to support USB devices. This framework allows either class modules to manage USB device configuration or the USB stack to perform the necessary configuration, initialization of interface(s) and allocation of USB data pipes or endpoints. USBLink supports simple topologies with one USB device attached to the root hub, as well as complex topologies including cascading USB hubs and several different USB devices.

New Bits

• KADAK's new KwikNet device driver for the Standard Microsystems Corporation (SMSC) LAN91C96 Ethernet controller provides Ethernet service at 10Mbps. Although platform independent, the driver has been tested and is ready for use on the Intel StrongARM SA-1111 Microprocessor Development Module.
• AMX 4-ARM board support has been added for the Intel StrongARM SA-1110 processor as provided with the SA-1111 Microprocessor Development Module.
• The KwikLook Fault-Finder can now be used with the Paradigm Debugger making it task-aware when testing your AMX 86 real-mode embedded application.

New on our Website

Significant revision of site organization:

• Eliminated "Library" menu; replaced by "News" menu
• Added new menu "Tech Info" in place of "News"
• Eliminated "site map" menu; replaced by "manuals" menu
• Moved trouble and webmaster topics to "request info"
• Moved site map and history to link on "request info"
• Moved PDF and HTML manuals from "downloads" to "manuals"
• Moved booklets from "Library" to product briefs
• Moved all tech topics from product briefs to "Tech Info"

Revised content:

• Added AMX MA32 for MIPS32
• Added Paradigm 86 tools support and KwikLook 86
• Added AMX MA32 timing information
• Updated AMX 86 timing data
• Added TAPS
• Added all AMX, AMX/FS and KwikLook manuals
• Updated targets and tools
• Removed AMX 386/EP references (no longer supported)
• Removed InSight Debug Tool (no longer supported)

Current Software Releases

The following table lists the version number for the current release of each KADAK software product.

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