EDN's first annual programmable-logic directory By Brian Dipert, Technical Editor
EDN's first annual PAL, PLD, and FPGA directory highlights the architectures available for your next design. Here's help in sorting through the multitude of devices and the overabundance of marketing hype.
Design Features
Selecting charge-pump dc/dc converters Obalit Khorshid, Semtech Corp
As the trend toward size reduction continues in portable equipment, including cellular phones and PDA power supplies, smaller and more efficient dc/dc-conversion devices are becoming critical. The charge-pump approach offers design simplicity and small size.
New debug strategies combine on-chip and off-chip tools Bob Garrett and Martin S Won, Altera Corp
The integration of complex cores on a single die and the integration of a chip on a pc board create new challenges for design verification.
VMSK/2: high bps, low BW, (allegedly) no snake oil By Dan Strassberg, Senior Technical Editor
Despite claims that Claude Shannon proved it impossible half a century ago, VMSK/2 works and doesn't violate information theory, say proponents. When properly implemented and used under the right conditions, the digital modulation scheme reportedly delivers 90 bps/Hz-over the air.
Tech Trends
Securing the wireless World Wide Web By Nicholas Cravotta, Technical Editor
Wireless isn't just talk anymore. Now that we want to transact with each other, all the rules are changing.
