Logic cell emulation for ASIC in-circuit emulators

Following a discussion of several approaches to logic cell emulation in ASIC in-circuit emulators (ICE) programmable logic components (PLCs) are selected as the recommended approach to the problem. User-programmable logic components allow ASIC ICE units to maintain flexibility through reprogrammability. Since they are reusable, PLCs inherently become cost-effective. Over the past five years PLC densities have grown four-fold, further reducing costs. Utilizing these programmable logic devices for logic cell emulation allows ASIC ICE units to provide full-chip emulation capability for use in many ASIC applications