An FPGA (field programmable gate array) is a reprogrammable silicon chip that can be configured to perform different logic functions. It allows for personalized hardware design without physical chips and wiring. FPGAs offer parallel processing capabilities across different sections of the chip. They contain programmable logic blocks and routing resources that can be configured using hardware description languages. FPGAs provide advantages over processors like true parallel processing, high reliability, maintenance flexibility, and performance that exceeds DSPs. They are useful for applications like signal processing, robotics, and prototyping.

1. FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE
ARRAY TECHNOLOGY
An overview of modern digital electronic design
Angel Salas
Mechatronics Engineer

2. What is an FPGA?
 Reprogrammable silicon chip,
choosing prebuilt logic blocks and
programmable routing.Create
personalized hardware without
proto-board, chips & wiring.
 Hardware-timed speed up to 25 ns
response and high reliability in
processing.
 Can implement a Soft Core
processor embedded.
 Parallel nature: Each processing
task is assigned to a specific
section of the chip and functions
autonomously from other
processing operations.
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

3. True Parallelism
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer
Example: Having 6 PWM working
simultaneously with different frequency
and variation of the duty cycle in each
cycle.

4. Overall architecture
 The fabric of a basic FPGA
contains: input/output
blocks, a sea of
programmable routing
wires, islands of logic
blocks and memory
blocks.
 More sophisticated
includes: digital signal
processing, MB chip-on
memory, high-speed serial
interconnect transceiver,
phase-locked loop and
other functions.
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

5. Internal architecture
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

6. Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs)
* Contain the slices: SLICEM (memory),
SLICEL (logic).
• Look-upTables (LUT) which
implement logic functions truth table
*Carry and Control Logic
Implements fast arithmetic operations
(++/ --)
Configured for additional operations
(Built-in-Self Test iterative-OR chain)
*Memory Elements
Configurable Flip Flops (FFs)/ Latches(
Programmable clock edges, set/reset,
and clock enable)
These memory elements can be
configured as shift-registers
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer
16-bit SR
flip-flop
clock
mux
y
q
e
a
b
c
d
16x1 RAM
4-input
LUT
clock enable
set/reset

7. Look Up Table (LUT)
 Can be configured to represent whatever
logical function.
 Uses memory to program output truth table
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

8. How to program it
•Needs Hardware Description
Language code (Firmware).
•Hardware implementation designed
like software.
•Verification & validation: reviews,
simulations & test.
•IDE (integrated development
environment)
Different types of coding:VHDL,
VERILOG, SYSTEMVERILOG,
HANDEL-C, LabVIEW, MatLab.

9. Hardware Description Language
 Describe functions
 Abstraction level is
on RegisterTransfer
Level
 Uses variables,
parameters &
subroutines
 Code ‘executes’ in
parallel with separate
hardware
 VHDL (very high
speed integrated
circuit HDL)
 Verilog.
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

10. High Level Synthesis G-Language LabVIEW
 Represents
parallelism &
dataflow
 Can integrate IP
VHDL code into
the graphic
design
 Test benches
and depurations
implemented
graphically
 Interactive
mode with PC

11. FPGA Implementation Examples
Phase Shifted PWM Multilevel three-phase
inverter for wind turbine generator
 7 PSPWM levels
 18 PWM simultaneous
 Phase shift controller
 Carrier modulation signal
 Interface to PC to modify parameters on the run
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

12. DNA chip and AG for mobile robot
 Parallel operations of hundreds of Genes
 Path planning
 Rule evaluation according with matching
 Genetic Algorithm applied to the “learning” of the system
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

13. Artificial Vision in Robotics
 Feature Density & DistributionAlgorithm
 Principal ComponentAnalysis
 Stereo vision & motion analysis to discover depth away
 Sum of Absolute DifferencesAlgorithm
 Path tracking for moving objects
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

14. Advantages of FPGA technology
 MAINTENANCE. FPGA chips can keep up with future modifications
that might be necessary. Functional enhancements can be made
without spending time redesigning hardware or modifying the
board layout.
 RELIABLILITY. Processor-based systems often involve several
layers of abstraction to help schedule tasks and share resources
among multiple processes. For any given processor core, only one
instruction can execute at a time, and processor-based systems are
continually at risk of time-critical tasks preempting one another.
FPGAs, which do not use OSs, minimize reliability concerns with
true parallel execution and deterministic hardware dedicated to
every task.
 PERFORMANCE. FPGAs exceed the computing power of digital
signal processors (DSPs) by breaking the paradigm of sequential
execution and accomplishing more per clock cycle. Controlling
inputs and outputs (I/O) at the hardware level provides faster
response times and specialized functionality to closely match
application requirements.
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

15. Summary
 FPGA is a flexible hardware device adaptable
to different needs.
 Parallel processing of data
 High speed processing
 Useful for prototyping & research in various
fields
 Able to have embedded cores
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer

16. Questions session
Angel A. Salas Mechatronics Engineer