Field-programmable logic has been available for a number of years. The role of Field-Programmable Logic Devices (FPLDs) has evolved from simply implementing the system "glue-logic" to the ability to implement very complex system functions, such as microprocessors and microcomputers. The speed with which these devices can be programmed makes them ideal for prototyping. Low production cost makes them competitive for small to medium volume productions. These devices make possible new sophisticated applications, and bring up new hardware/software trade-offs and diminish the traditional hardware/software demarcation line. Advanced design tools are being developed for automatic compilation of complex designs and routings to custom circuits. This text covers the subjects of digital systems design and (FPLDs), combining them into an entity useful for designers in the areas of digital systems and rapid system prototyping. It should also be useful for the growing community of engineers and researchers dealing with the field of FPLDs, reconfigurable and programmable logic.
The authors' goal is to bring these topics to students studying digital system design, computer design, and related subjects in order to show them how very complex circuits can be implemented at the desk. Overall, this book presents rapid prototyping and generation of computer systems using FPLDs.