LSI Logic Announces Embedded FPGA Technology
Breakthrough Programmable Capability a Key to System on a Chip
MILPITAS, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE: LSI) announced an important breakthrough with the addition of an embedded FPGA core into the company's CoreWare(R) library for high-volume programmable applications.
Dataquest Principal Analyst, Jordan Selburn, commented on the significance of this new product development in a GartnerGroup's Dataquest report(1). "Embedding programmable logic into system-level ASSPs has the potential to be the super-component of the future," said Mr. Selburn. "Over the next 10 years the impact of this combined technology is likely to have severe, if not catastrophic, ramifications for suppliers of PLD (Programmable Logic Device) technology."
This breakthrough represents an important development in LSI Logic's strategy of adding more functionality to system-on-a-chip applications. "Embedding an FPGA as an intellectual property core is the next major milestone for system-on-a-chip integration," said John Daane, executive vice president, LSI Logic. "By adding programmable logic to the mixed-signal capabilities and to the increased gate densities of our G12(TM) technology, we will be delivering unprecedented system-on-a-chip technology that will enable our customers to develop new classes of applications."
Combining FPGA technology with system-on-a-chip Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and Application-Specific Standard Products (ASSP) technology provides designers the best of both worlds: FPGA flexibility and ASIC/ASSP advantages of lower cost, reduced size, lower power and higher performance.
Embedding an FPGA core into an ASIC offers a range of design options to system designers. Initial applications include: in-field upgrades and bug fixes, variations of system-on-a-chip products for multiple applications, real-time changes within system environments and reduction in prototype development and overall verification time.
This breakthrough will provide customers and the market with the enhancements and capabilities that they are asking for in order to meet complex SOC designs. Bill Harris, engineering manager of Cisco Systems, stated at the FPGA'99 conference: "When we need field programmability, what we would prefer is not to have a huge programmable device, or even a programmable device with a huge piece of hardware set down beside it. We would prefer to have an FPGA core to drop into our ASIC. We typically need small amounts of reconfigurable logic beside the fixed hardware."
This technology is optimized for embedded applications and will be implemented in LSI Logic's G12(TM) (0.18-micron, drawn; 0.13-micron, effective) technology. It has a programmable logic cell structure unlike standard FPGA architectures and offers higher density and performance, lower power consumption and shorter test times. Most importantly, the architecture has been developed for an ASIC design flow, enabling a straightforward integration of the tools and methodology into LSI's FlexStream(R) design environment.
Beta customer engagements are expected to begin in the first half of 2000. The application-specific programmable products will be manufactured in LSI Logic's state-of-the-art Gresham, Oregon facility.
LSI Logic has licensed the technology from Adaptive Silicon, Inc. (ASi), a Los Gatos, California-based start-up developing programmable logic cores designed for integration with microprocessors, memories and other standard functions. LSI Logic has made an equity investment in ASi and holds a seat on the Board of Directors.
"We are very pleased that LSI Logic is a licensee of our Programmable Logic Core(TM)," said Tim Garverick, President of Adaptive Silicon Inc. "It is an important validation of our technology to have LSI Logic, include it as part of their CoreWare(R) design program."
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