Erasable programmable logic devices (EPLD) are rapidly replacing conventional logic circuits in state-of-the-art, high performance digital systems. This new concept in logic design can replace up to 50 or more standard digital integrated circuits in a single device. The immediate result is a very substantial reduction in equipment size.

Most of the compact computer and communications equipment has been realized utilizing EPLD technology. The Altera 10K20 EPLD is representative of the new Flex family of electronically programmable devices. Each device contains over 20,000 usable logic gates and flip-flops as well as over 12,000 bits of embedded RAM memory.

In many applications, an EPLD can replace a microcontroller and perform the required system functions 100 to 1,000 times faster. Due to the ease of programming these devices, many modifications to the digital system can be implemented by simply downloading the updated file from a personal computer to the EPLD, without removing it from the target printed circuit board. The EB-136 training system introduces the student to the hardware and software aspects of state-of-the-art EPLD technology. The student learns how to use professional software development tools to enter the digital design as schematic drawings or as high-level language text files by using Altera's proprietary MAX+PLUS II development software. As the student performs the experiments provided in this course, he will become familiar with the compiling, design simulation, device programming and final operational testing procedures using the same tools that are used by professionals in industry today.

Practical experiments use the EB-136 target board to illustrate how the MAX+PLUS II development software can be used to program an EPLD to implement various logic functions, counters and decoders. The basic concepts of programming in a high-level design language are illustrated using Altera's AHDL language. The training system can also be used as a student development system to design and test student design projects in many application areas such as industrial automation, process control and data communications.

DESCRIPTION

The EB-136 printed circuit board is pre-wired to minimize set-up time and comprises: -

EB-136 can be used with any EB-2000 base unit and power supply or it can be operated from the user's 12 VDC supply. The EB-136 generates the regulated 5 VDC.

EXPERIMENTS

Students should be already familiar with digital logic fundamentals to fully understand the experiments.

MAX+PLUS II SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

After installing Altera's MAX+PLUS II development software from the supplied CD a unique code is generated and displayed on each PC. In order to complete the installation, the customer must contact the Altera University Program Site via the Internet to submit this code and identify the customer's site to obtain a unique password to be inserted once in order to operate the MAX+PLUS II software. Altera usually replies within a few hours during their normal working day.

COURSEWARE

The accompanying courseware for each experiment runs in the MS-WINDOWS environment and verifies all student responses to questions. The student courseware and the experiment manual, which contains the detailed procedure for all 16 experiments, are written by pedagogical experts in to support every stage of the learning process.

NOTE: ITE is authorized to supply Altera's MAX+PLUS II development software free of charge to customers who purchase the EB-136 training system. The customer may use this software only for training purposes