Programmable Logic Devices: PAL, GAL, CPLD

This lecture introduces the concepts of Programmable Array Logic (PAL), Generic Array Logic (GAL), and Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD). PALs are the first programmable logic devices, while GALs improve upon PALs by using E2-switches. CPLDs, a more complex version, use macro-cells and routing arrays. The lecture covers the evolution from CPLDs to Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), highlighting the use of Look Up Tables (LUTs) and routing arrays. It explains the architecture, place and route process, and the importance of input-output blocks (IOBs). The lecture concludes with the advantages of FPGAs over CPLDs, such as scalability and the ability to implement complex algorithms in parallel.