Combining ARM CPU, FPGA and analog functions in a single chip

By Rajiv Nema, Actel

The introduction of SmartFusion devices gives the designer access to a single-chip solution providing programmable logic, plus programmable analog circuitry, alongside a powerful microcontroller core with the industry-leading 32-bit architecture.

If there were such a thing as a typical or an average embedded system application, the catalogues of the major semiconductor companies would be a great deal shorter. Not only can the designer choose from multiple processor architectures – most embedded system designs centre on a processor core – but having made that choice, there is an almost limitless choice of combinations of peripherals, communications ports and analog functions to accompany them. It speaks for the diversity of embedded applications that, despite having so many standard parts to choose from, few designers end up with a single-chip solution. Very often, the outcome of their efforts features a microcontroller with a number of other chips surrounding it. These frequently include some programmable logic, to provide specific logic functions that are not present on the microcontroller, and analog ICs to implement real-world signal interfaces...

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