Anadigm's New Dynamically Reconfigurable Field Programmable Analog Array Features Rich I/O Cell Design for Multichannel Signal Processing.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003 A new dynamically reconfigurable Field Programmable Analog Array (FPAA FPAA Field-Programmable Analog Array FPAA Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association FPAA Fairmount Park Art Association (Philadelphia, PA) FPAA Fresh Produce Association of the Americas FPAA Fire Protection Association of Australia ) with a versatile input/output cell design was launched today by Anadigm(R) Inc. The latest offering of the second-generation Anadigmvortex family, the new AN221E04 FPAA will be used by designers to implement signal conditioning Imagine feeding the output of a temperature sensor, which is in millivolts, to an Analog-to-digital converter to be processed. Is it possible for the Analog-to-Digital converter to process such a minute voltage amplitude? The answer is probably no. , filtering, data acquisition, closed-loop control, and other analog applications in a wide range of industrial, automotive, medical, communications, automatic test equipment and instrumentation systems. As replacements for discrete component An elementary electronic device constructed as a single unit. Before integrated circuits (chips), all transistors, resistors and diodes were discrete. They are widely used in amplifiers and other devices that use large amounts of current. or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) Pronounced "a-sick." A chip that is custom designed for a specific application rather than a general-purpose chip such as a microprocessor. solutions, dynamically reconfigurable FPAAs greatly simplify the analog design process while allowing on-the-fly, real-time control Real-time control is a popular term for a certain class of digital controllers. For effective digital control, it is critical that sample time be constant. Real-time control achieves nearly constant sample time. See also
The new AN221E04 features an advanced input/output structure that allows the FPAA to be programmed with up to six outputs -- or triple the number provided by the AN220E04. The device has four configurable I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output cells and two dedicated output cells. For I/O-intensive applications, this means a single FPAA can now be used to process multiple channels of analog signals where two or more such devices were previously needed. In addition, the AN221E04 allows designers to implement an integrated 8-bit analog-to-digital converter on the FPAA, eliminating the potential need for an external converter. Using this new device, designers can route the digital output of the A/D converter (Analog/Digital converter) A device that converts continuously varying analog signals from instruments and sensors that monitor conditions, such as sound, movement and temperature into binary code for the computer. off-chip using one of the dedicated output cells. "The AN221E04 was inspired by feedback we've received from customers who needed more outputs to implement their analog designs on a single integrated platform," said Michael Sera, vice president of marketing at Anadigm(R). "Many customers need analog-to-digital conversion analog-to-digital or A/D conversion, the process of changing continuously varying data, such as voltage, current, or shaft rotation, into discrete digital quantities that represent the magnitude of the data after signal conditioning, and now that functionality can be integrated on the same chip." Anadigm(R)'s proprietary FPAA technology brings the industry an analog equivalent to the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) A type of gate array that is programmed in the field rather than in a semiconductor fab. Containing up to hundreds of thousands of gates, there are a variety of FPGA architectures on the market. , allowing complex analog signal conditioning and processing functions to be integrated within an off-the-shelf, pre-tested device. Designers will program the AN221E04 using AnadigmDesigner(R)2 EDA (1) (Electronic Design Automation) Using the computer to design, lay out, verify and simulate the performance of electronic circuits on a chip or printed circuit board. software, the latest in a family of design tools from Anadigm(R) that allow designers to construct complex analog functions using configurable analog modules (CAMs) as building blocks. With an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, the design process can be measured in minutes, allowing complete analog systems to be built rapidly, simulated immediately, and then downloaded to the FPAA chip for testing and validation. With dynamic reconfigurability, the functionality of the AN221E04 can be reconfigured in-system by the designer or on the fly by a microprocessor. A single AN221E04 can thus be programmed to implement multiple analog functions and/or to adapt on the fly to maintain precision operation despite system degradation and aging. With analog functions defined by software, control is easily implemented using C-code automatically generated by AnadigmDesigner(R)2. In addition to the AN221E04, Anadigm(R) offers the statically reconfigurable AN121E04, which shares the same input/output structure while requiring a reset before loading a new configuration bitstream. Packaged in the 44-pin QFP (Quad FlatPack) A square, surface mount chip package that has leads on all four sides and comes in several varieties. PQFP (Plastic QFP) may refer to all of the following QFP types. All quad flatpacks use gull-wing leads, except for the CQFP, which stick straight out. , samples and production quantities of both devices are available now. Pricing in 10,000-piece quantities for U.S. delivery starts at $16 for the AN221E04 and $8.95 for the AN121E04. A multimedia demonstration of the AnadigmDesigner(R)2 EDA tool can be viewed at the Anadigm(R) Web site at www.anadigm.com. A trial copy of AnadigmDesigner(R)2 is available for free download at http://www.anadigm.com/Down_05_a.asp. A complete evaluation kit with a development board, entry-level software and updated documentation is now available for $499. About Anadigm(R) Anadigm(R) combines the three most powerful design trends from the digital world (design automation, field programmable ICs, real-time updating) into a platform for analog design, greatly reducing cost of ownership for analog signal conditioning and processing functions across many market segments. Founded in January 2000 as a venture-backed technology spinoff from Motorola, the company maintains U.S. headquarters in Campbell, and European headquarters in Crewe, U.K. For further information, visit Anadigm(R) on the Web at www.anadigm.com. Anadigm and AnadigmDesigner are trademarks of Anadigm Inc. |
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