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A rich collection of software running on the embedded RISC CPU provides significant features to the chip and provides the basis for significant customer differentiation. Typically termed as ‘host software’, salient features are mapped out below. Note that a larger portion of the host software comes from the operating system distribution as running on the RISC CPU.
The choice of operating system is critical to the timely development and delivery of the finished products. Vivace has chosen Linux as the ‘host’ operating system for the RISC CPU due it’s native support for real-time functionality, multi-processing and multi-threaded execution along with an extensive list of bundled software components including rich networking and graphics. Key features supported by the Linux operating system include the following:
- Real-Time Extensions - Linux kernel v2.6 provides a fully preemptive kernel with user-selectable modes for real time execution. Note that interrupt handlers are scheduled as threads with priorities for maximum control. The baseline kernel also supports high-resolution POSIX timers.
- Linux Security Modules (LSM) - The Linux Security Modules (LSM) project provides a lightweight, general-purpose framework for access control. In support of advanced digital rights management (DRM), adding enhanced access control models to the kernel improves host security and will allow our products to survive malicious attacks.
- Cryptology - In support of advanced digital rights management (DRM) schemes and protocols, Linux provides a full-strength general-purpose cryptography library including ciphers such as AES, DES, 3-DES, support for popular “public key” technologies, certificates, authentication codes and hash functions. Also included are OSI layer 2 or 3 secure network extensions supported using the industry standard SSL/TLS protocol. Key cryptography functions are “hardened” in blocks on our chips to eliminate tampering by end users. In addition, Native support includes flexible client authentication methods based on certificates, smart cards, and/or 2-factor authentication, and allows user or group-specific access control policies.
- Networking - The Linux OS provides broad support for routing, security, tunneling and also provides an extensive complement of clients and servers via key networking technologies such as: IPv4, IPv6, SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol), RTP (Real Time Protocol), RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol), RTSP (Real Time Stream Protocol), SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), and H.323 among other technologies.
- File Systems - Linux provides rich support for conventional (FAT) and failsafe journaling file systems via hard disk, flash and network-based (NFS) devices. For “diskless” devices, RAM disks are supported via the protected, persistent RAM-based special file system (PRAMFS). PRAMFS is a full-featured, lightweight, and space-efficient RAM-based non-volatile file system. PRAMFS also minimizes the risk of file system corruption due to errant writes caused by kernel bugs.
- Graphics - Linux provides rich support for graphics based on the powerful yet flexible graphics functionality of the X Windows system. Well known and used for over 15 years, X Windows provides serious graphics features, in a modular package, designed to work across a wide variety of technologies and interfaces. Linux includes graphical user interfaces (GUI) widget tools and auxiliary applications such as window managers, browsers, and multimedia services necessary to create sophisticated 2D & 3D user interfaces.
Other software modules will also run on the host processor. These will largely be selected by or programmed the customer for specific purposes. These will include DRM scheme (we will provide pre-compiled versions of Windows Media DRM), user interface modules, OSD package and Java run-time environment.
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