Programmable chips: piecing together an analog solution

摘要

Configurable analog ICs have been available in various forms for years, seemingly making less of an impression on the market than their digital cousins, FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays). The current economic situation suddenly makes the concept of programmable analog standard products more attractive, however. The need to stay on the leading edge of design practice in a product area but without a lot of design cost and without the end-user demand that could justify taking any one design into production fits perfectly with the benefits of these devices. Their day may finally be at hand.