Digital Hardware

System
 Basic of
Programmable
Logic
FAMOS Floating Gate Avalanche MOS Transistor

FATOS Floating Gate Tunnel Oxide Transistor

JTAG Joint Test Action Group

NVM Non Volatile Memory

CPLD was suitable for testing and reprogrammable. Mid 2000s CPLDs were replaced by FPGA.
Soft vs Hard Blocks
•In the parlance of a modern FPGA, “soft” has a specific meaning- the ability to reprogram.
Everything implemented using CLBs (configurable logic blocks) is soft, by definition. It may
contain logic that is not meant to be changed while the device is running, but it’s all soft logic.
•Hard blocks are parts of the IC design that are designed for a specific purpose, and are not
reprogrammable to do a completely separate and unrelated purpose. Some examples of hard
blocks are the high-speed SERDES, the PCIe controller, and the processor(s).
•A Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) is a pair of functional blocks commonly used in high speed
communications to compensate for limited input/output. These blocks convert data between
serial data and parallel interfaces in each direction.
World of Integrated Circuits

Full-Custom Semi-Custom User

ASICs ASICs Programmable

PLD FPGA
 ASIC FPGA
Application Specific Field Programmable
Integrated Circuit Gate Array
• designs must be sent •Small development
for expensive and time overhead
consuming fabrication •No NRE (non-recurring
in semiconductor foundry engineering) costs
• designed all the way •Quick time to market
from behavioral description •No minimum quantity
to physical layout order
•Reprogrammable
Which Way to Go?
ASICs FPGAs

Off-the-shelf
High performance
Low development cost
Low power
Short time to market
Low cost in
high volumes Reconfigurability
Role of FPGA
Not suitable for specific function as a dedicated chip. Expensive.
Slower and burn more power BUT the advantages are:
• No wait from completing the design to obtaining a working chip.
The design can be programmed into the FPGA and tested
immediately.
•When FPGA is used in the final design, the jump from prototype to
product is much smaller and easier to negotiate.
•Same FPGA can be used in several different designs, reducing
inventory costs.
Other FPGA Advantages

Manufacturing cycle for ASIC is very costly, lengthy and engages lots of manpower
◦ Mistakes not detected at design time have large impact on development time and cost
◦ FPGAs are perfect for rapid prototyping of digital circuits

Easy upgrades like in case of software

Unique applications
◦ reconfigurable computing
What is an FPGA?

Configurable
Logic
Blocks

I/O
Block RAMs

Block RAMs
Blocks

Block
RAMs