Semiconductor devices that integrate FPGA fabric, hardened CPU subsystems, and other hardened IP—SoC FPGAs—have reached a tipping point that will lead to their broad proliferation in the next decade, therefore offering many options for system designers. These SoC FPGAs complement the decade-long availability of soft-core CPUs and other soft IP for building systems on FPGAs. This white paper describes the emergence of system on a chip (SoC) FPGAs, the drivers behind that emergence, and strategic considerations for executive management and system designers when choosing these devices. 

Author:  Chris Balough, Sr. Director, Software, Embedded, and DSP marketing, Altera Corporation

Chris Balough joined Altera in 2003 as Director of Software and Tools Marketing.  Prior to joining Altera, Balough was co-founder of Triscend Corporation where he spent five years in a variety of positions, including director of international sales and VP of marketing.  Previously, Balough held various sales and marketing positions at Xilinx and Texas Instruments.  He holds a BSEE from Ohio State and an MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.