1. Three FPLD Types
• Simple Programmable Logic Device (SPLD)
– LSI device
– Less than 1000 logic gates
• Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD)
– VLSI device
– Higher logic capacity than SPLDs
• Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
– VLSI device
– Higher logic capacity than CPLDs
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
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2. Three FPLD Types
• Simple Programmable Logic Device (SPLD)
– PLA or PAL
– Fixed internal routing, deterministic propagation delays
• Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD)
– Multiple SPLDs onto a single chip
– Programmable interconnect
• Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
– An array of logic blocks
– Large number of gates, user selectable interconnection,
delays depending on design and routing
Programmable
– A high ratio of flip-flops to logic resources Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
2
3. SPLDs
• SPLDs = Simple PLDs
• Popular SPLD Architecture Types
– Programmable Logic Array, PLA
– Programmable Array Logic, PAL (Vantis)
– General Array Logic, GAL (Lattice)
– others
• Architecture Differences
– AND versus OR implementation
– Programmability (e.g., EE)
– Fundamental logic block Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
3
4. SPLDs
• We have already taken a close
look at SPLDs
• A PLA-like SPLD is illustrated
at left
– PAL and GAL devices offered a
Logic Functions
somewhat better solution
• SPLDs are good alternative to
Sums
using SSI and MSI devices
– Especially if re-programmable
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
Product Terms
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
4
5. SPLDs
• Conventional programmable logic
– PALs, PLAs, GALs
– standard parts like GAL22V10 and PAL16R4 are available from
multiple vendors
• Includes programmable logic cells to a limited degree
(programming options in I/O cells, may have fixed
AND/OR gates for logic), limited routing network
• Lowest density of all programmable devices, however,
can offer very high performance
• SPLDs have nearly replaced
TTL logic which was the Programmable
Logic Devices
dominate approach to logic (FPLDs)
implementation SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
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6. How to Expand SPLD Architecture?
• Increase number of inputs and outputs in a
conventional PLD?
– e.g., 16V8 → 20V8 → 22V10
– Why not → 32V16 → 128V64 ?
• Problems:
– n times the number of inputs and outputs requires n2 as
much chip area – too costly
– logic gets slower as number of inputs to AND array
increases
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
6
7. How to Expand SPLD Architecture?
• Solution:
– Multiple SPLDs with a relatively small programmable
interconnect
– Less general than a single large PLD
– Can use software “fitter” to partition into smaller PLD blocks
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
CPLD Architecture
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
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8. CPLDs
• PALs and GALs are available only in small sizes
– equivalent to a few hundred logic gates
• For bigger logic circuits, complex PLDs or CPLDs can
be used.
• CPLDs contain the equivalent of several PALs/GALs
– linked by programmable interconnections
– all in one integrated circuit (IC)
• CPLDs can replace thousands, or even hundreds of
thousands, of individual logic gates
– increased integration density
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
8
9. Complex PLDs
• Some CPLDs are programmed using a PAL
programmer, but this method becomes inconvenient
for devices with hundreds of pins.
• A second method of programming is to solder the
device to its printed circuit board, then feed it with a
serial data stream from a personal computer.
• The CPLD contains a circuit that decodes the data
stream and configures the CPLD to perform its
specified logic function.
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
9
10. Complex PLDs versus FPGAs
• Xilinx, for example:
• Xilinx CPLD devices that are cheaper and have fewer
gates than Xilinx FPGAs
• Meant for interfacing rather than heavy computation
• Built-in flash memory
– Compare to FPGA which needs external configuration
memory
• Xess board has XC9572XL part
– Approximately $2-$7 in quantities of one
– vs. ~$15-20 for the Spartan2 FPGA on the board
– Larger quantities much lower
– 1600 gates, 72 registers
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
10
11. CPLD Architecture
• Simplified CPLD
architecture
• Small number of largish
PLDs (e.g., “36V18”) on a
single chip
• Programmable
interconnect between
PLDs
• Large number of I/O
blocks
• Large number of pins
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12. CPLDs
• Composition of Complex PLDs
– typically composed of 2-64 SPLDs
– interconnected using sophisticated logic
– includes macrocells (more about these later)
– includes input/output blocks
• Economical for designing large systems
• Fast – switching speed
Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
12
13. CPLDs
• Complex PLD's have arrays of PLD's on one chip, with
an interconnection matrix connecting them.
• Timing performance can be more predictable than
FPGAs because of simpler interconnect structure.
• Density is normally less than most FPGAs (although
high end CPLDs will have about the same density as
low-end FPGAs).
• Performance of CPLDs is
usually better than FPGAs,
but depends on vendor,
number of cells in CPLD, and Programmable
Logic Devices
(FPLDs)
compared FPGA.
SPLDs CPLDs FPGAs
(e.g., PALs)
13
14. CPLD Families
• Identical individual PLD blocks (Xilinx “FBs”) replicated
in different family members
– Different number of PLD blocks
– Different number of I/O pins
Xilinx
XC9500
CPLD
Series
14
15. Typical CPLD Packages
• CPLDs are made using 2 to 64 SPLDs
• Packages use 44-pins to over 200-pins (or more)
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16. Typical CPLD Packages
• QFP = Quad Flat Package
– A QFP is an IC package with leads extending from each of
the four sides.
– It is used primarily for surface mounting, no socketing
• TQFP = Thin Quad Flat Package
• PQFP = Plastic Quad Flat Package
• VQFP = Very small Quad Flat Package
• PLCC = Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier
– A package related to QFP
– Similar but has pins with larger distance, curved up
underneath a thicker body to simplify socketing
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17. CPLD Package Types
• CSP = Chip Scale Package
– IC package with an area no greater than 1.2 times that
of the die
• BGA = Ball Grid Array
– A type of surface-mount packaging used for ICs
– Pins are replaced by balls of solder stuck to the bottom
of the package
– The device is placed on a PCB that carries copper pads
in a pattern that matches the solder balls
– The assembly is then heated causing the solder balls to
melt
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18. CPLD Families
• Many CPLDs have fewer
I/O pins than macrocells
– “Buried” Macrocells – provide
needed logic terms internally
but these outputs are not
connected externally
– IC package size dictates
number of I/O pins but not
the total number of
macrocells
– Typical CPLD families have devices with differing
resources in the same IC package
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20. XC9572 CPLD Part Numbers
• The part number for Xilinx CPLD devices includes
information as follows:
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21. XC9500 CPLD Block Diagram
• The XC9500 CPLD
family provides
advanced in-system
programming and test
capabilities for high
performance, general
purpose logic
integration.
• All devices are in-
system programmable
for a minimum of
10,000 program/erase
cycles.
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22. 9500-Family Function Blocks (FBs)
• 18 macrocells per FB
• 36 inputs per FB (partitioning challenge, but also
reason for relatively compact size of FBs)
• Macrocell outputs can go to I/O cells or back into
switch matrix to be routed to this or other FBs
22
23. 9500-Series Macrocell
• 18 macrocells per Function Block
Set control
Programmable inversion
or XOR product term
Up to 5 product terms
Global clock or product-term clock
Reset control
OE control
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25. XC9500 Family
• An I/O block is composed of
input buffer, output buffer,
multiplexer for the output
control and grounding control
• Slew rate control is used to
smooth the rising and the falling
edges of the output pulse.
• Grounding control is used to
make the input/output pin (I/O)
an earth ground (noise
suppression).
• Each input/output pin can handle a 24-mA current.
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26. 9500-Series I/O Block
• OE Multiplexer (OE
MUX) controls an output
enable or stop.
• It is controlled by the
signal from the macrocell
or the signal from the
GTS (Global Three-State
control) pin.
• There are four
GTS in XC95216
and XC95288
two in the
others.
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27. Switch Matrix for XC95108
• Could be anything from a limited set of multiplexers to
a full crossbar
– Multiplexer -- small, fast, but difficult fitting
– Crossbar -- easy fitting but large and slow
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28. Problems with CPLDs
• Pin locking
– Small changes, and certainly large ones, can cause the
fitter to pick a different allocation of I/O blocks and pinout
– Locking too early may make the resulting circuit slower
or not fit at all
• Running out of resources
– Design may “blow up” if it doesn’t all fit on a single
device
– On-chip interconnect resources are much richer than off-
chip
– Larger devices are exponentially more expensive
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