Flexible configuration of multi-chip system using Actel FPGAa

Modern embedded systems may consist of many devices, which may have complex interconnections between them. Many of these devices may also need to be configured and programmed during development and production. The JTAG port and boundary scan techniques are the industry standard for that task, but are not supported by all devices. This paper presents the use of an FPGA as the means of interconnection between all devices and to provide a single configuration interface for the system. The flexible interconnections in the FPGA allow for faster development times and flexible and reconfigurable interconnections. The FPGA also provides a single, standard JTAG interface to the user during development and production. The FPGA acts as a bridge between the standard programming interface and proprietary programming protocols and interfaces, easing development and simplifying the programming task during production and on the field.