Embedded design enters a new age

What does IP stand for?
(1) Internet Protocol is a basic communication language or protocol widely used in the Internet or a private network. It is a data-oriented protocol used for communicating data across a packet-switched internetwork. (2) Intellectual Property. A product of the intellect that has commercial value, including copyrighted property (literary or artistic works) and ideational property (patents, appellations of origin, business methods and industrial processes).

What is FPGA?
Short for Field-Programmable Gate Array, a type of logic chip that can be programmed. An FPGA is similar to a PLD, but whereas PLDs are generally limited to hundreds of gates, FPGAs support thousands of gates. They are especially popular for prototyping integrated circuit designs. Once the design is set, hardwired chips are produced for faster performance.