Field-programmability: Difference between revisions

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{{Referencesonesource|date=September 2022}}<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Netgear mr814v2 upgrade screen.png|thumb|right|The [[Netgear]] MR814 [[wi-fi|wireless]] [[home gateway]] can be '''field-programmed''' from a web interface; its firmware consists of [[eCos]] operating system images stored in NAND flash.]] -->

An [[Electronics|electronic]] device or [[embedded system]] is said to be '''field-programmable''' or '''in-place programmable''' if its [[firmware]] (stored in [[non-volatile memory]], such as [[Read-only memory|ROM]]) can be modified "in the field", without disassembling the device or returning it to its manufacturer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Josh |date=2024-06-03 |title=Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) vs. microcontrollers: What’sWhat's the difference? |url=https://www.ibm.com/blog/fpga-vs-microcontroller/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=IBM Blog |language=en-US}}</ref>

This is often an extremely desirable feature, as it can reduce the cost and turnaround time for replacement of [[computer bug|buggy]] or obsolete firmware. For example, a [[digital camera]] vendor could distribute firmware supporting a new image [[file format]] by instructing consumers to [[download]] a new firmware [[ROM image|image]] to the camera via a [[USB]] cable.

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*[[Field-programmable analog array]] (FPAA) - like FPGA but with [[Analog signal|analog signals]]

** [[Field-programmable RF|Field-programmable radio frequency]] devices

==References==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==