High-performance digital signal processing (DSP) applications increasingly need higher precision in a range greater than 18 bits. We are seeing this demand in a variety of applications, including:
- Radar systems that need to support higher resolution and multi-antenna architectures
- Wireless basestation channel cards for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) processing
- Medical and test applications for very high-precision filtering and fast Fourier transforms (FFTs)
To meet demands for higher precision signal processing, we have developed the industry's first variable-precision DSP block. This integrated block, part of the Stratix® V, Arria® V, and Cyclone® V FPGA architectures, allows each block to be configured at compile time in an 18-bit mode or in a high-precision mode. The variable-precision DSP block is optimized by family to meet the stringent DSP requirements that each Altera® FPGA family is targeting. For example, the Stratix V DSP block is optimized for the very high end of DSP precision found in applications in the military, high-performance computing, and medical end markets. The Arria V and Cyclone V FPGAs share the same DSP block and are optimized for lower cost applications that still need high-precision DSP, such as those in the wireless, industrial, and broadcast end markets.
