Computer Science 294-59: The Technology and Business of FPGAs

Fall 2010

Prof. John Wawrzynek

Dr. John Lazzaro

Monday and Wednesday, 2:30-4:00PM, 320 Soda

Welcome to the Fall 2010 CS294-59 web page. More details to follow.


Detailed course info.
News for CS294-59. This page is where all the announcements are posted.
Online Resources for Class Discussions for CS294-59.
Project Ideas & Resources for CS294-50.

Course Calendar with Reading

Subject to Change.

Week Date Topic Reading
1 Mon Aug 30 Course Introduction: What are Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Brief history. Efficiency versus Processors and ASICs. History of FPGA startup companies. Course outline and requirements. Lecture slides.  
Wed Sep 1 Basics of FPGA Technology: Overview of reconfigurable fabric architectures (logic blocks, state, interconnection options), hard blocks, memory blocks, input/output blocks, basic tradeoffs in granularity, efficiency versus alternative platforms.  
2 Mon Sep 6 Labor Day  
Wed Sep 8 Discussion of Kuon Article, Part 1. Review all of "FPGA Architecture: Survey and Challenges"
3 Mon Sep 13 Discussion of Kuon Article, Part 2.  
Wed Sep 15 Discussion of Kuon Article, Part 3.  
4 Mon Sep 20 History of Xilinx Devices. Google Docs Spreadsheet. Xilinx Family History.
Wed Sep 22 History of Xilinx Devices.  
5 Mon Sep 27 History of Altera Devices.  
Wed Sep 29 History of Altera Devices. Altera Part History.
6 Mon Oct 4 FPGA Patents: Tips on how to read a patent, and how to read one in 60 seconds. Links to Early Xilinx Patents.
Links Altera, Actel, and Lattice Patents.
Wed Oct 6 Applications Overview and Comparisons to other Platforms (I):  
7 Mon Oct 11 Asynhronous Logic and Achronix. Achronix and asynchronous FPGA information.
Wed Oct 13 Guest Speaker: Rajit Manohar, Founder and Chief Scientist, Achronix  
8 Mon Oct 18 Guest Speaker: Chris Phillips, Serial FPGA Entrepreneur: Crosspoint Solutions, Chameleon, Lepard Logic, ElementCXI  
Wed Oct 20 CAD for FPGAs:  
9 Mon Oct 25 Guest Speaker: Steve Trimberger, Xilinx Fellow  
Wed Oct 27 Discuss Trimberger talk.  
10 Mon Nov 1 Other Interesting Startups (dead or alive). Startup Information.
Wed Nov 3 Other Interesting Startups (dead or alive).  
11 Mon Nov 8 Guest Speaker: Carl Ebeling, Former CTO Abound/M2000, Professor Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington  
Wed Nov 10 Guest Speaker: Vaughn Betz, Senior Director of Software Engineering, Altera Corporation  
12 Mon Nov 15 The "competition": -- structure ASICs, ASIC conversions: Structured ASIC Information.
Wed Nov 17 Guest Speaker: Jonathan Greene, Actel Fellow  
13 Mon Nov 22 Alternative Technologies and Future FPGAs: Alternative FPGA links.
Wed Nov 24 Survey of research on and with FPGAs.  
14 Mon Nov 29 Survey of research on and with FPGAs.  
Wed Dec 1 Project Presentations  
Fri Dec 3 Final Project Report Due (12 noon)