Programmable Chips Target Automotive Telematic Products

Developed specifically for use in automotive telematic products, such as GPS navigation systems, DVD players, and in-car digital imaging systems, the IQ series of programmable chips are functional over an extended operating temperature range (-40°C to 125°C) and can be upgraded even after the vehicle has left the dealership - e.g., new functions can be added to the vehicle’s infotainment system simply by reconfiguring the system via a phone link. The reprogrammable ICs also permit new features to be integrated into entertainment and navigational systems at any point in the design cycle. The products include a range of CPLDs and FPGAs, devices that are said to deliver DSP parallel processing speeds in excess of 300 MHz. The initial product offering consists of sub-sets of 3.3V XC9500XL CPLDs and 3.3V Spartan-XL FPGAs, with the first IQ CPLD (XC9536XL) priced at under $1.40 each/25,000 and the first IQ FPGA (XCS05XL) costing under $4.50. The new chips are available in lead-free packages. And the company also supports complete design solutions with silicon, design software, an IP library, System Solution Boards (SSBs), and technical support. XILINX INC., San Jose, CA. (408) 559-7778.