Title
Signetics FPLF(field-programmable logic family) oral historyCatalog Number
102702200Type
DocumentDescription
Two of the original design and development team members---Napoleone Cavlan, applications engineer, and Ronald (Ron) Cline, design engineer---discuss how their team developed the first commercially successful Field Programmable Logic chip in 1975. Cavlan and Cline recount the many obstacles that they had to overcome to design the chip given the technology, packaging and development tools constraints in the mid-1970s. Their discussion provides a window into the typical semiconductor design process and related tradeoffs in that timeframe.Signetics' FPL Family evolved into a multi-generation product line over the next few years for the company, beating out competitors like Intersil for market leadership and becoming the first commercially successful programmable logic family. This oral history outlines the major milestones in the FPLF's evolution and describes the architectural decisions made by the team that enabled that success.
Date
2009-09-15Contributor
Cavlan, Napoleone, Interviewee |
Cline, Ronald, Interviewee |
Haines, Andrew, Interviewer |