Unit installation
Glossary
Altera Corporation 307
Glossary
Glossary
The EAB is fed by row interconnect paths 
and a dedicated input bus. 
embedded cell (EC) A memory element 
that exists in the embedded array of a 
FLEX 10K device, and which can 
implement memory (RAM or ROM) or 
combinatorial logic. An Embedded Array 
Block (EAB) consists of a group of 8 
embedded cells that can implement a 
memory block of 256 × 8, 512 × 4, 1,024 × 2, 
or 2,048 × 1 bits. Each embedded cell within 
an EAB implements up to 256 bits of 
memory. Depending on the depth of the 
memory, up to 8 of the embedded cells in 
an EAB have outputs. For memory blocks 
of 256 × 8, 512 × 4, 1,024 × 2, or 2,048 × 1 bits, 
an EAB has 8, 4, 2, or 1 outputs, 
respectively. 
Embedded cells have ÒnumbersÓ of the 
format EC<number>_<row letter>, where 
<number> ranges from 1 to 8 and <row 
letter> consists of the row letter of the EAB. 
EPLD Erasable Programmable Logic 
Device, i.e., an Altera device that is a 
member of the Classic, MAX 5000, 
MAX 7000, or MAX 9000 device families.
EPROM Erasable Programmable Read-
Only Memory. A form of reprogrammable 
semiconductor memory in which the 
contents (program) can be erased by 
subjecting the device to ultraviolet light of 
the proper wavelength. 
evaluated function An mathematical 
function that evaluates an arithmetic 
expression and returns a value based on 
one or more arguments. The AHDL Define 
Statement can be used to create evaluated 
functions. The following example shows 
the definition of the evaluated function 
MAX:
DEFINE MAX(a,b) = (a > b) ? a : b;
expander product term A single product 
term with an inverted output that feeds 
back into the Logic Array Block (LAB) of a 
MAX 5000, MAX 7000, or MAX 9000 
device.
An uncommitted expander product term 
that can be shared with other logic cells in 
the same LAB is called a shareable 
expander; a product term that has been 
shared in this manner is called a shared 
expander. 
In MAX 7000 and MAX 9000 devices only, 
an expander product term that is 
ÒborrowedÓ from an adjacent logic cell in 
the same LAB is called a parallel expander. 
extension see filename extension.
F
family-specific mega- or macrofunction An 
Altera-provided mega- or macrofunction 
that contains logic optimized for the 
architecture of a specific device family.
The functionality of a family-specific mega- 
or macrofunction is always the same, 
regardless of the device family for which it 
is designed. However, the actual 
primitives and nodes used within the 
mega- or macrofunction file can vary from 
family to family to take advantage of 
different device architectures, thus 
providing higher performance and/or 
more efficient implementation. 
81_GSBOOK.fm5 Page 307 Tuesday, October 14, 1997 4:04 PM










