A Decoder – Look up Tables for FPGAs

Abstract

The FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) has recently become the popular hardware and so-called LUTs (Look up Tables) are the basic of the FPGAs logic. For example, n-LUT is the MOS pass transistors multiplexer 2ⁿ-1 which input data receive SRAM cells logic function configuration (user’s projects Truth Table). Address inputs of the LUT are the variables. Therefore, we get one n-arguments logic function for the actual FPGA configuration. To get m functions (even with the same n-arguments) we should take m LUT. Authors propose a novel Decoder n-LUT (n-DC LUT), which makes possible to get m functions with the same n-arguments, like in Program Logic Array (PLA) CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device). DC LUT activates one of the 2ⁿ product terms outputs. Combined with OR product terms we can get m functions with the same n-arguments. To do this option we can use, for example, FPGAs typical connections units. The restriction of Meade-Conway for the FPGAs allows n=3 in one tree. Two 3-LUTs with one 1-LUTs form 4-LUT. Modern Adaptive Logic Modules (ALM) have n=8, but not all possible functions are implemented. The article deals with the design and investigation of some variants 3-DC LUT: with pull up output resistors, with orthogonal output circuits, with orthogonal transistors for each pass transistor. Simulation confirms the feasibility of the proposed method and shows that DC LUT with orthogonal output circuits is better variant of the systems realization in terms of current consumption and time delay at large n. A further development of the ALM concept may be the introduction of adaptive DC LUT, which, by tuning, can calculate single LUT function or 2ⁿ decoder functions. The proposed elements allow to increase the functionality of the FPGAs.