FPGAs - a Challenge for Complex Digital Systems Design
Zoran A. Salcic · 1997
Abstract Although relatively new FPGAs have become an important digital system implementation technology which can be compared in importance of microprocessors and memories. Using their features of field programmability and dynamic reconfigurability, it becomes realistic to implement new computation paradigms, such as custom-computing and hardware/software co-design, at the desk without having access to the semiconductor fabrication processes. This opens new opportunities for rapid system prototyping and low medium volume application implementations and a challenge for overall digital system design area. This paper represents an attempt to explain major challenges of using FPGAs as digital systems implementation technology.