Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)

Abstract

For FPGAs, the variety of architectures is larger as each manufacturer develops concepts for particular niche markets and this, coupled with the non-deterministic nature of the timing for place and route, makes them more difficult to incorporate into designs. Due to the considerable differences in internal architecture, it is difficult to make appropriate comparisons, so a number of different architectures will be considered and their specific properties outlined. The development tools available range from low-cost PC based packages to costly high-end workstation packages and there is an encouraging move towards standardisation through two avenues, that of standard formats for intermediate stage files or through standardised design languages such as VHDL.