Introduction
The project involved a two phased implementation approach with the objective of running Android on the Altera board. This was achieved by installing the Android software into Altera Nios II board, the latest version of Altera boards that came with integrated advanced features such as LCD touch screen, VGA output, SD memory card, and etc. The open-source Android system was ported/integrated to the FPGA platform. Since NIOS IDE is a cooperating component of quartus 9.1 software, quartus was installed on Linux and instantiated on the NIOS processor with the IDE and Quartus tool ported to the software port to run on the FPGA hardware board. The DE2-70 FPGA board supported the instantiation of a 32-bit NIOS soft processor on FPGA. The Android SDK (Software Development Kit) platform is java programming language compatible for applications development. The Android OS was shipped with a suite of core applications, reusable components, and C/C++ specific class libraries that rely on Linux 2.6 OS developed by Open Handset Alliance. Embedded applications can be developed with Altera Nios II evaluation kit Cyclone III edition. The project was cost effective with Android source code freely available except the Linux kernel under GNU public licensing scheme. The two phased implementation scheme was constrained by the need for a skilled engineer to update packages required for Android to be Ubuntu OS compatible and troubleshooting Linux access permission with the option of login as a super user and troubleshooting the virtual machine created for the Linux OS that necessitated the option of creating another one.
Literature Review
The architectural framework of Android operating system is an integration of email client capabilities, SMS programs, Browser, Maps, and calendar components. Cross platform reusable application framework components with broadcast capabilities afford an interface with a range of applications characterizing the Android OS with C/ C ++ Android specific class libraries for system developers. Android’s run time core libraries provide functionalities specific to Java Programming language with the DVK virtual machine’s functionality dependent on the Linux kernel for its underlying functionalities.
User capabilities on Altera Embedded Systems Development Kit Cyclone III for creating embedded applications incorporate hardware, firmware, and software packages for building, downloading, and testing applications developed on a host machine are embedded features. Altera’s distinct features include Ethernet, SD/MMC, Flash, Serial, the display, and others such as Touch Panel driver based on Altera SPI.
Linux 2.6 version’s embedded characteristics include abstraction services between hardware and software stack and core support functionalities such as security management among others.
Open Handset Alliance under the funding and leadership of Google in collaboration with mobile operators, device handset manufacturers, component manufacturers, software solution and platform providers, and marketing companies developed Android with the first G1 model headset manufactured, marketed and sold by HTC with later developments of models with integrated capabilities.
On the other hand, Altera Nios II evaluation kit Cyclone III edition provides user embedded application development capabilities that incorporate a suite of hardware, firmware, and software for building, downloading, and testing applications developed on a host machine. Distinct features specific to this edition include an Ethernet Altera TSE driver, SD/MMC with SLS SD Host Controller driver, a Flash specifically Intel/AMD CFI Parallel Flash (8/16-bit), Generic SPI Flash, a Serial specifically Altera JTAG UART, Altera Serial UART, Open Cores I2C Controller, SLS PS/2 and Altera SPI drivers, Display specifically Altera LCD and VGA driver, and Others more distinctly LED PIO, and Touch Panel driver based on Altera SPI.
Zibreg (1) views a new approach of incorporating Android 1.5 OS and SDK advanced features in a similar mobile project compatible with the above hardware and software for enhanced mobile device performance and additional features. The new approach incorporates compatibility options with other applications such as the SUPL Assisted-GPS technology (Zibreg 1). A2DP profiles, Virtual keyboards, RSS feeds, and faster web browsing capabilities dependent on complex JavaScript codes among embedded applications (Zibreg 1).
The justification to this approach was that the open-source Android system can be ported to the FPGA platform since the DE2-70 FPGA board can support the instantiation of a 32-bit NIOS soft processor on the FPGA platform. In addition to that, NIOS IDE is a cooperating component of quartus 9.1 software. Prior to Quartus installation on Linux, NIOS can be instantiated with IDE and Quartus tools and ported to the software to run on the FPGA hardware board. A cost benefit analysis puts Android at an advantage with friendly commercial licensing terms and additional benefits of freely accessing the source code. Prior to source code shipment, manufacturer devices are released under the GNU Public License requirements since Linux kernel is licensed under the latter.
Conclusion
The two phased project implementation to run Android on the Altera board by installing Android software into Altera Nios II board, a later version of Altera boards with integrated and advanced features such as LCD touch screen, VGA output, SD memory card, and e.t.c was a success despite challenging update capabilities for packages required for Android to be Ubuntu OS compatible. Quartus was successfully installed on Linux and NIOS processor was instantiated using the IDE and Quartus tools to the software port to run on the FPGA hardware board.
The open-source Android system was successfully ported/integrated to the FPGA platform. Problems with Linux access were troubleshot by skillful login in as a super user after several trials. Success of the project laid motivation to the start and implementation of other phases of the project, a sound basis for future plans.
Works Cited
Zibreg, Christian. Top 10 features you’ll love about Android 1.5. Geeknet, Inc. 8, 2009. Web.