What source code is supplied

[seeker]

I have some questions about the Namuru GPS development kit:

1. Does the source code in Verilog HDL provided in the kit, include all sources or only the signal processing logic? That is, whether all source code concening the Namuru is provided in the kit?

2. Are there any IP cores, e.g. FFT/CORDIC, used in the source code? Do these need to be purchased to use the kit ?

3. What tools need to be purchased to use the development kit ?

Thanks a lot!

[possum]

Hello Seeker,

Good questions.
To answer :

1. The full source code of everything for the GPS functions are supplied. This means the signal processing FPGA logic in Verilog and also the software written in C. We supply 4 working example projects of the FPGA logic showing how to use the receiver to help build your own version. These are working examples that you can study and modify if you wish. You also get the full source code in C of the GPS software functions supported by the ECOS RTOS which is also open source.

2. No, we don't use any FFT or CORDIC cores, but we do use 2 Altera cores. The first IP core is the NIOS II 32 bit soft core CPU from Altera which is used in the FPGA to run the GPS software for the tracking loops and PVT etc. The second IP core is the SDRAM controller which is used to control the external SDRAM chips on the receiver board. Both of these cores are provided free with the Altera tools. These tools can be downloaded free from the web with all of this included.
The source code of the NIOS CPU core is not supplied from Altera, but you would not want this anyway. Just treat it as a black box processor, but you can configure it a number of different ways via the very nice GUI interface called SOPC builder. The SDRAM controller source can be examined but it works well and it can be configured via a GUI wizard which is about all you would want to do. If your main focus is in researching and developing the GPS parts of the design then all the source code you need for this is supplied.

What we aim to do is make the development kit as open source as possible by giving you all the source code that we develop, unless it comes from another party. In this case a small amount of IP from Altera, but you are not likely to want to change these parts of the kit anyway therefore the source code is not required. So you don't need to buy anything else to get started. You can of course buy the full license for the Altera tools but you don't need this to compile and run the receiver.

There is a list on the web site of the other few components you need like antenna, power supply, cables etc on the web site at http://www.dynamics.co.nz/gpsreceiver .

P

[student]

hello possum!
you have said that the source code in C of the GPS software functions is open source.
Where is this code?
I don´t found in the "namuru_v2_public.zip"
How can I acquire this code in c made of Namuru team?


thanks!

[possum]

Hello Student,

Yes the software is the open source GPL-GPS code. This is written in C and ported to the Namuru platform running under ECOS, which is also an open source RTOS.

The code is supplied with the kit inside the zip file that you download after you buy the kit. If you have a Namuru receiver kit and you can't find the source code then maybe you have the wrong zip file. I suggest that you register on the web site as a customer (if you are not already registered), place an order for an update from http://www.dynamics.co.nz/index.php?mai ... ducts_id=8 but you need to login first. The system will send you an e-mail with a link to download from.
There is another post about this under "Where to find the reference designs and source code". I suggest that you look through this thread to understand the mechanism we use to distribute and protect the code from the hackers who got into the FTP site some time back.

If you don't find the correct source files in your zip file, then order an update and check out a new zip file.

P

[student]

Hello possum!

I have the open source GPL-GPS code.
But I thought that when I recibed the board the NIOS II works
with another code, because in the CD which I adquire with the board
this code was not present.
sorry. I was confused.

Thanks you very much!!!

[possum]

Hello Student,

Yes if you received one of the early Namuru releases we were then sending out the supporting code and sources on a CD with the receiver board. The source code for the GPL software was not quite ready at that time because the NIOS port was not complete. We also had a FTP site for updates. There were two problems with this approach:

1. Development was moving fast so the code on the CD was quickly left behind. The ZIP file of all the code (a zip of the CD contents) rose from about 20Mb to 31Mb in only a few months.

2. The FTP site was hacked so we had to make it more secure. There are posts in other threads about this as in "Where to find the reference designs and source code".

To solve your problem, I suggest that you find the link (in the other thread) for the update request and order an update. If you already have a receiver then its free. You haven't said what university or school you are at but if you have a receiver, then include the receiver serial number or the invoice number of the original purchase with your software update order then the system will identify you.

You will find the source code of the ported GPL software in the ZIP file when you receive the update. You will also find the ECOS library and updated documentation about how to rebuild this.

P

[student]

Hi possum!

All is clear!
If you don´t mind
I will post more doubt,about the code GPL

Regards!