Complex-argument universal nonlinear cell for rapid prototyping wafer architecture

The development of generic cells to perform linear and nonlinear arithmetic is critical to successful WSI implementations of signal and image processing algorithms. Our WARP wafer architecture deploys generic cells, thereby offering the capability of mapping a wide variety of computational algorithms on to the same pool of resources. This paper presents a further advance in this direction. Specifically, it reports on the development of a complex-argument nonlinear universal cell. A 16 bit chip and its application to WSI signal processing algorithms are discussed. In particular, an antenna array processing algorithm is discussed which is amenable to mapping to the WARP wafer.