DSP acceleration using a reconfigurable FPGA

Programmable logic offers an alternative solution for the computationally-intensive functions found in digital signal processing (DSP). Programmable logic can provide increased DSP system performance at reduced system cost. Programmable logic combines the flexibility of a general purpose DSP plus the speed, density, and low cost of an ASIC implementation. In some applications, programmable logic replaces the DSP processor entirely. In others, programmable logic works in conjunction with the DSP processor, offloading the computationally-intensive function and freeing the processor for other functions. This paper describes an alternative to traditional, general-purpose DSP processors. Programmable logic can implement functions beyond the capabilities of today's DSP processors. Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs) potentially provide performance increases of an order of magnitude over traditional DSPs with the same flexibility.