资料来源 : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

field-programmable gate array
     
         (FPGA) A {gate array} where the logic network can
        be programmed into the device after its manufacture.  An FPGA
        consists of an array of logic elements, either gates or lookup
        table {RAM}s, {flip-flops} and programmable interconnect
        wiring.
     
        Most FPGAs are reprogrammable, since their logic functions and
        interconnect are defined by RAM cells.  The {Xilinx} LCA,
        {Altera} FLEX and {AT&T} ORCA devices are examples.  Others
        can only be programmed once, by closing "antifuses".  These
        retain their programming permanently.  The {Actel} FPGAs are
        the leading example of such devices.  Atmel FPGAs are
        currently (July 1997) the only ones in which part of the array
        can be reprogrammed while other parts are active.
     
        As of 1994, FPGAs have logic capacity up to 10K to 20K
        2-input-NAND-equivalent gates, up to about 200 I/O pins and
        can run at {clock rate}s of 50 MHz or more.  FPGA designs must
        be prepared using {CAD} software tools, usually provided by
        the chip vendor, to do technology mapping, partitioning and
        placement, routing, and binary output.  The resulting binary
        can be programmed into a {ROM} connected to the FPGA or
        {downloaded} to the FPGA from a connected computer.
     
        In addition to ordinary logic applications, FPGAs have enabled
        the development of {logic emulators}.  There is also research
        on using FPGAs as computing devices, taking direct advantage
        of their reconfigurability into problem-specific hardware
        processors.
     
        {Usenet} newsgroup: {news:comp.arch.fpga}.
     
        (1997-07-11)