Configurable logic for digital communications: Some signal processing perspectives

For the past two decades software programmable digital signal processors an d ASICs have provided hardware solutions for signal processing system desig ners. In comparatively recent times a new option has become available: fiel d programmable gate arrays. FPGA-based DSP platforms allow the designer to realize a data path that exactly matches the required processing, while at the same time maintaining the flexibility of a software approach. This arti cle presents an overview of some FPGA DSP applications. Several filter desi gns are presented, and the use of CORDIC arithmetic for constructing an FPG A carrier recovery loop is outlined. In addition to presenting design examp les that can be realized using present-generation devices and tools, we tak e a brief look at how the dynamic reconfiguration aspect of certain FPGAs c ould be exploited in future-generation communication technologies.