ECE 375: Digital Design II

Class 13

Programmable Hardware

There are many different types of hardware, including ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) which is not re-programmable. However, there are some re-programmable hardware types:

FPGA

• Field Programmable Gate Array
• Most common re-programmable hardware

  PLA

• Programmable Logic Arrays
• Older type of re-programmable hardware
• Programmable 'AND' plane
• Programmable 'OR' plane

  PAL

• Programmable Array Logic
• Programmable 'AND' plane

  CPLD

• Complex Programmable Logic Device
• Many PAL/PLA inside

The last three use configurable interconnects to create logic.

To connect between the logic and I/O pins, you have to use macro cells.