Latest Programmable Logic Technical Articles

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From VHDL Code to Real Hardware: Designing an 8-bit ALU

In this project we create an 8-bit arithmetic logic unit (ALU) in the VHDL language and run it on an Altera CPLD development board connected to a custom PCB with input switches and LED display.

October 22, 2023 by Kristijan Nelkovski

What is an Application-specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)?

Indispensable for modern electrical engineering, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) form a diverse group of integrated circuits (ICs) that help designers to optimize sophisticated electronic devices.

June 14, 2023 by Robert Keim

Boolean Algebra Basics—An Overview of Boolean Logic

New to digital logic, want a refresher, or to dive deeper into Boolean algebra? This article teaches the basics of Boolean algebra and prepares you for further learning.

July 28, 2022 by William Bahn

Combinational Logic Circuit Design and Simulation Using Gates

Gate-level implementation of logic functions is limited by the gate fan-in. This article examines logic factoring, grouping, and level increases to implement logic functions with limited input gates.

December 29, 2021 by Dale Wilson

An Introduction to Digital Signal Processing

This article provides a general understanding of what DSP is, how it works, and what advantages it can offer. To appreciate the advantages of DSP, let’s first have a look at the conventional method of signal processing, i.e., analog signal processing.

June 30, 2021 by Dr. Steve Arar

Which Encoding Type Should I Use? Example FPGA Applications

Follow three experiments that show the process of determining which kind of encoding suits a given FPGA.

January 06, 2021 by Eduardo Corpeño

The Initial State of Finite State Machines and the Memory Debate

This article discusses the use of finite state machines (or FSMs) in design, including the initial state and the way memory configuration affects FPGA design.

January 04, 2021 by Eduardo Corpeño

What Is a Hardware Description Language (HDL)?

This FEQ (or Frequent Engineering Question) covers the basics of a crucial topic: hardware description languages.

March 11, 2020 by Robert Keim

Understanding Verilog Shift Registers

This article will discuss how to implement a shift register in Verilog. The register described can be synthesized and downloaded to an FPGA for test in actual hardware.

August 27, 2019 by Garrett Holthaus

An Overview of Software Languages for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)

What software languages are used with programmable logic controllers?

May 10, 2019 by Stephen St. Michael

How to Choose Microcontroller Peripherals for Digital Signal Processing Applications

This article continues a discussion of microcontroller features and characteristics that are particularly important when you’re thinking in terms of DSP capabilities.

April 08, 2019 by Robert Keim

How to Choose a Microcontroller for Digital Signal Processing Applications

This article discusses the features that you should look for when you need an MCU to act as both a system controller and a digital signal processor.

April 05, 2019 by Robert Keim

How to Choose the Right Microcontroller for Your Application

This article continues the Introduction to Microcontrollers series with a discussion of the most important things to consider when you’re trying to find the best MCU for your next project.

March 28, 2019 by Robert Keim

Using Verilog to Describe a Sequential Circuit

This article focuses on using Verilog to describe synchronous sequential circuits.

March 01, 2019 by Dr. Steve Arar

Understanding ASCII in Embedded Firmware Development

This article, which serves as preparation for a discussion of C-language strings, introduces the concept of ASCII characters and explains two benefits of ASCII-based coding techniques.

February 15, 2019 by Robert Keim

Five Tips for Using Functions in C-Language Firmware

In this article we’ll conclude our exploration of C functions with some additional information and a few useful implementation techniques.

January 30, 2019 by Robert Keim

What Are Functions in C Programming?

This article will help you to understand what functions are, why they are used, and how they are implemented in embedded hardware.

January 21, 2019 by Robert Keim

Getting Started with the Verilog Hardware Description Language

In this article, we’ll study the basic structure of a Verilog module, look at some examples of using the Verilog “wire” data type and its vector form, and briefly touch on some differences between VHDL and Verilog.

January 05, 2019 by Dr. Steve Arar

Introduction to the C Programming Language for Embedded Applications

This article discusses the basic characteristics of C, a straightforward language that is still widely used for programming microcontrollers.

January 03, 2019 by Robert Keim

Clock Signals in FPGA Design: Data Path Maximal Clock Rates and the Xilinx PERIOD Timing Constraint

This article will discuss the Xilinx Period timing constraint that allows us to describe the characteristics of the clock signal that will be used with an FPGA design.

December 05, 2018 by Dr. Steve Arar