Field-programmable and reconfigurable analogue and mixed-signal arrays

Abstract

This chapter overviews field programmable analogue array (FPAA). General concepts, architectures, design issues, circuit techniques and applications of FPAAs are presented. Commercial FPAAs are reviewed and a CMOS OTA-C FPAA is described. The concepts of field programmable mixed-signal array (FPMA) and systems on a programmable chip are also introduced. Potential applications of FPAAs and FPMAs in wireless communications are discussed. The chapter is organised in the following way. Section 4.2 is concerned with generic concepts, architectures, design issues, advanced circuit techniques, and general applications of FPAAs. Section 4.3 overviews commercial FPAA products with different bandwidths and circuit tech niques. The design and implementation of a continuous-time high-frequency CMOS OTA-C FPAA is then presented in Section 4.4. Section 4.5 introduces the concepts of FPMA and systems on a programmable chip (SoPC). Potential applications of FPAA and FPMA in universal transceivers are described in Section 4.6. Finally, Section 4.7 concludes the chapter with some future research perspectives of the FPAA and FPMA.