Abstract: A method of configuring application-specific functional blocks embedded in a user programmable fabric, the user programmable fabric comprising configuration data control means having an input and an output and the application-specific functional blocks comprising configuration memory means having an input and an output. The method comprises the steps of sending configuration data to configure the application-specific functional block to the configuration control means of the user programmable fabric, routing the output of the configuration data control means of the user programmable fabric to the input of the configuration memory means of the application-specific functional blocks, transferring the configuration data to the configuration memory means of the application-specific functional blocks and configuring, using the configuration data, the application-specific functional blocks.

Abstract: A cartesian amplifier system for pre-distorting a signal to be amplified to take account of non-linearities and other non-ideal characteristics of the amplifier itself. A signal to be amplified is divided into quadrature and in-phase signal components in a digital signal processor 1. The processor 1 also pre-distorts the resolved quadrature and in-phase components using various pre-distortion factors. These pre-distortion factors are derived on the basis of a feedback signal from a measurement of the output signal power from the amplifier and on the basis of the signal levels of the pre-distorted resolved components themselves. These pre-distortion factors are constantly updated, thus taking into account any shifts in the non-ideal characteristics of the amplifier.