A Novel Switched-Capacitor Based Field-Programmable Analog Array Architecture

A novel field-programmable analog array (FPAA) architecture based on switched-capacitor techniques is proposed. Each configurable analog block (CAB) in the proposed architecture is an opamp with feedback switches which are controlled by configuration bits. Interconnection networks are used to connect programmable capacitor arrays (PCAs) and the CABs. The routing switches in the interconnection networks not only function as interconnection elements but also switches for the charge transfer required in switched-capacitor circuits. This scheme minimizes the number of connecting switches between CABs and PCAs, thereby, it reduces the settling time of the resultant SC circuits and thus achieving high speed operation. The architecture is highly flexible and provides for the implementation of various A/D and D/A converters when the FPAA is connected with external digital circuits or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).