Is FPGA and analogue circuit design related?

[zahrein]

Guyz, im now training to become IC design engineer. I wanted to know , what is the relation of FPGA and IC design. It occurs to me when i want to apply job at Alterra company where it mentions FPGA knowledge is necessity. Im an IC design engineer, is it easy for me to learn FPGA by myself.


If i can learn by myself, can anyone provide me some good tutorial links about FPGA. Thank u.

 

[davyzhu]

Hello,

As far as I know, design FPGA applications is different from design FPGA chip, the latter may be more difficult.

If you want to design FPGA applications, you may need learn to write HDL, learn to use software provided by Altera, and use one of its board to test what you design. These resouces are provided by Altera on its web site.

If you want to design FPGA chip, you may need to learn structure of the FPGA chip, so read the datasheet is surely not enough, maybe you should search its patent.

BTW, admire you (My wish is enter one of Xilinx or Altera too

Regards,

Davy Zhu

 

[mc_navman]

Yes, easy. Best way is to build a design. If you are in the US use verilog. You can download the tools from altera's web site, quartus, and get a web licence which is free. It does take time but if you know verilog already then you are 80% of the way there. Also if you get a board from them which are quite cheap you can compile and test designs, it is so easy that it is fun.

 

[semiconductor]

Guyz, im now training to become IC design engineer. I wanted to know , what is the relation of FPGA and IC design. It occurs to me when i want to apply job at Alterra company where it mentions FPGA knowledge is necessity. Im an IC design engineer, is it easy for me to learn FPGA by myself.


If i can learn by myself, can anyone provide me some good tutorial links about FPGA. Thank u.

From my point of view, FPGA is a way to design a digital system or application! while IC design is not.

I'm favour of VHDL so I'll recommend you to start learning VHDL. I remember that on this site, there's a book: VHDL, Programming by Examples. It's a good start for you.

Also, you can access the site: https://www.fpga4fun.com

Good luck to you!

 

[cawan]

fpga based system could be simplest like counter design or hardest like high-speed transceiver design. verilog or vhdl is recommended to build your career in this field. besides, the skill of logic optimization, timing tuning need to be study to establish high performance design.

 

[zahrein]

Any FPGA links ?

 

[kelvin_sg]

Guyz, im now training to become IC design engineer. I wanted to know , what is the relation of FPGA and IC design. It occurs to me when i want to apply job at Alterra company where it mentions FPGA knowledge is necessity. Im an IC design engineer, is it easy for me to learn FPGA by myself.


If i can learn by myself, can anyone provide me some good tutorial links about FPGA. Thank u.

FPGA is one layer above microelectronics(IC Design). The IC designers uses transistors to build gates and analog circuits, Digital, FPGA & ASIC designers uses these gates to build digital circuits.

If you are in the analog & microelectronics, it's not difficult to learn FPGA.
All you need are, 1) pick up a book on basic discrete logic, for example, this book: "Microprocessor Design Principles and Practices With VHDL.rar", which can be found in EDABoard forum. 2) When you study this book, you can download Quartus and ISE Webpack to exercise the
VHDL synthesis.

Three months later, you are above novice...

 

[davyzhu]

Xilinx's Application notes are better than Altera's, and especially its TechXclusive. They are all available on Xilinx's website.

Cheers,

Davy Zhu

 

[semiconductor]

Any FPGA links ?

Yeah, there's lots of FPGA links such as:

https://www.opencores.com
https://www.fpga4fun.com
https://www.fpgajournal.com

Check them!

 

[Usman Hai]

the best link which i recommend u

www.xess.com

USMAN HAI
PAKISTAN

 

[jetset]

Guyz, im now training to become IC design engineer. I wanted to know , what is the relation of FPGA and IC design. It occurs to me when i want to apply job at Alterra company where it mentions FPGA knowledge is necessity. Im an IC design engineer, is it easy for me to learn FPGA by myself.


If i can learn by myself, can anyone provide me some good tutorial links about FPGA. Thank u.

hum you should start learning different architectures and technologies available, to implement programable logic. I understand that FPGA's IC's have a configuration circuitry section, and the other section is the one that contains all the logic elements, and arrays that you can configure.

 

[jitendra]

I will try to explain the IC design process in brief. And will explain where the FPGA comes into the picture.
FPGA is device with in-built memory and digital logic.
Note: FPGA is used for digital design only, chips used for mixed signal design (analog and digital) are called as SOC (system on chip).
Steps for IC design (Digital):
1. After deciding the design specifications, the hardware is designed on paper. This need not be gate level design, block diagram is sufficient. design should be partitioned in to proper sized blocks.
2. Hardware for each block is designed and HDL code for block is written.
3. HDL code is verified for its functionality according to the design specifications. For verification purpose Simulation tools like Modelsim are used. This verification is called as pre-layout simulation.
4. After functional simulation you need to decide the device on which you want to target the code. This is where FPGA comes in to picture. Other options include CPLD and few more. Based on size and complexity of your design you need to select the device for targeting the code. Synthesis tools are used for converting HDL (RTL) code to net list, which is specific to device you select from synthesis tools.
5. After synthesis there is one more verification process called post-layout simulation where you have to check both functional and timing specifications.
6. To program the net list on selected device there are some options available, one possibility is JTAG port.

This is only overview and there is lot more to learn even I am learning this and such discussions will surely help us to improve our field knowledge.

 

[kasra1357]

Hi,
I heared many things about a new technology called FPAA. It is firstly implemented by a japanese company (I am searching in my docs about it to post).
Cypress company also introduce a technology called PSoC. It is something like a FPAA with logic abilities.
I think that it must fit many applications that include mixed signal works.
These chips are low priced and you can use it on wide range of analoge projects.

Kasra

 

[wenty]

try these link, they may help
**broken link removed**
http://www.fpga.org

 

[gaonkc]

In ASIC design . FPGA is used to verify the RTL code