RAPID PROTOTYPING MODULE

COMPLEX DIGITAL SYSTEMS ARE PROTOTYPED USING LARGE ARRAYS OF PWB/RACK MOUNTED FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAYS (FPGAS), A LENGTHY AND COSTLY TASK. A 3-D IC STACK CONTAINING 32 TO 128 FPGAS ON A ACTIVE SUBSTRATE WOULD OCCUPY APPROXIMATELY ONE CUBIC CENTIMETER AND PROVIDE ALL THE LOGIC, INTERCONNECT, AND I/O NECESSARY TO PROTOTYPE A COMPLEX COMPUTATIONAL SYSTEM. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE ICS TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE ACTIE SUBSTRATE, SIGNIFICANT, SPEED, AND RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS OVER CONVENTIONAL PROTOTYPING BOARDS WILL BE POSSIBLE. EXISTING FPGA PROGRAMMING TOOLS CAN EASILY BE EXTENDED TO PROVIDE QUICK TURN AROUND DESIGN/PROGRAMMING OF THIS SYSTEM. USING THIS CONCEPT, PROTOTYPING TIME COULD BE REDUCED FROM WEEKS/MONTHS TO MINUTES/HOURS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN: REDESIGN/RE-PROTOTYPING SITUATIONS WHERE THE DESIGN MUST BE RAPIDLY MODIFIED, HARDWARE BASED SIMULATION ACCELERATORS, SHARED RESOURCE SITUATIONS WHERE ONE PROTOTYPE SYSTEM MUST (COULD) BE SHARED AMONG SEVERAL PROGRAMS, AND LOW QUANTITY CUSTOM SYSTEMS WHERE THE "PROTOTYPE" COULD BECOME THE "PRODUCT". THE RAPID PROTOTYPING MODULE (RPM) WILL PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES IN DEVELOPMENT COST AND TIME-TO-MARKET FOR THOSE COMPANIES HAVING ACCESS TO THIS TECHNOLOGY.