EP4CE15M9I7N - 15K Logic FPGA, 165 I/O | Altera
MPN: EP4CE15M9I7N β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $41.2614 | $41.26 |
| 10 | $39.25 | $392.50 |
| 100 | $36.8 | $3,680.00 |
| 500 | $34.15 | $17,075.00 |
| 1,000 | $31.9 | $31,900.00 |
EP4CE15M9I7N Overview
An FPGA is a semiconductor device containing configurable logic blocks, programmable interconnects, memory blocks, and I/O cells. Engineers configure these resources to implement digital functions, interfaces, control logic, or parallel processing without requiring a custom ASIC. Within the product hierarchy, EP4CE15M9I7N is a Cyclone IV E FPGA, a field-programmable gate array, a programmable logic device, and ultimately an integrated circuit. This flexibility allows hardware behavior to be updated through configuration data while using standard digital design and verification flows.
The headline resource figures are 15,408 logic elements, 516,096 bits of embedded memory, and 165 user I/O. The part is offered in a 256-ball TFBGA package, described by distributor data as 256-TFBGA and by other listings as 256-MBGA. The provided manufacturer and distributor material does not expose every speed-grade, power, temperature, or pinout detail, so unverified specifications are marked as data-needed rather than inferred.
Technically, the Cyclone IV E architecture supports configurable logic and memory resources for implementing datapaths, state machines, protocol bridges, and control systems. The 60 nm process and 1.2 V supply listing indicate the semiconductor technology and nominal operating point available in the supplied data. Configuration, clocking, signal integrity, decoupling, and bank-specific I/O planning remain important implementation tasks, but detailed electrical limits and timing characteristics require the manufacturer documentation.
Typical applications include industrial automation controllers, communications-interface equipment, test and measurement systems, embedded vision front ends, motor-control platforms, and custom data-acquisition hardware. The 165 I/O count can accommodate multiple parallel buses, sensor interfaces, or control signals, while the programmable logic enables protocol adaptation and system-level logic consolidation. The 256-ball package requires careful ball assignment, controlled-impedance routing, and suitable PCB manufacturing capability.
When designing with EP4CE15M9I7N, verify the complete manufacturer pinout, I/O-bank restrictions, configuration interface, power sequencing, and supported operating conditions before schematic release. Because only selected device facts are present in the verified results, engineers should consult the official Altera product page and device documentation for timing, electrical characteristics, and package-level design rules.
This page combines verified distributor and manufacturer data, quantity-based reference pricing, application guidance, and comparison context. The available cross-reference results do not establish five verified pin-compatible drop-in alternatives, so alternatives are limited to evidence-supported candidates and the validation note clearly identifies the limitation.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE15M9I7N β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP4CE15M9I7N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE15F17C8
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE15F17C8N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE15M9I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Type | Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) |
| Series | Cyclone IV E |
| Logic Elements | 15,408 |
| Embedded Memory | 516,096 bits |
| User I/O | 165 |
| Package | 256-TFBGA |
| Package Description | 256-ball TFBGA |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Operating Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Configuration | FPGA programmable logic |
| Manufacturer | Altera |
| Lifecycle Status | Active |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CE15M9I7N 256-ball tfbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CE15M9I7N (256-ball tfbga package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP4CE15M9I7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CE15M9I7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Controller, Communications Protocol Bridge, Test and Measurement Instrument, Motor-Control Platform, Embedded Data-Acquisition System, Custom Control and Interface Consolidation.
Industrial Automation Controller
EP4CE15M9I7N fits industrial automation controllers that require configurable digital logic and many external connections. The device provides 15,408 logic elements, 516,096 bits of embedded memory, and 165 user I/O, allowing a design to combine control state machines, timing logic, sensor interfaces, and communication functions in one programmable platform. Its 1.2 V operating-supply listing and 60 nm process technology support integration into a modern control board. In use, the FPGA can sit between sensors, actuators, and a processor to perform deterministic protocol handling, signal conditioning, or parallel data routing. The 256-ball TFBGA package requires careful escape routing, and the complete I/O-bank and environmental limits must be verified from the official documentation before release.
Recommended
Communications Protocol Bridge
EP4CE15M9I7N is a practical fit for communications equipment that must bridge or adapt multiple digital protocols. Its 15,408 logic elements can implement serializers, deserializers, framing logic, FIFOs, state machines, and control functions, while 516,096 bits of embedded memory can support buffering and packet structures. The 165 user I/O provide flexibility for multiple buses or control and status channels. In a typical bridge, the FPGA receives data on one interface, performs parsing or transformation, and transmits synchronized data on another. The programmable architecture can reduce the need for several fixed-function devices. Exact supported I/O standards, timing limits, and signal-integrity requirements are not present in the supplied data and must be checked before implementation.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrument
EP4CE15M9I7N can support test and measurement systems that need deterministic acquisition, trigger processing, and real-time data manipulation. The 15,408 logic elements are sufficient for many instrument functions such as event qualification, counting, timing generation, digital filtering, and interface control. The 165 user I/O allow acquisition channels, control signals, and communication ports to share one programmable device. In a measurement platform, the FPGA can capture parallel data, identify trigger conditions, and present formatted results to a host controller. The 60 nm process and 1.2 V operating-supply listing make it a compact logic option. Before selection, verify timing specifications, I/O standards, clocking resources, and environmental limits from official Altera documentation.
Recommended
Motor-Control Platform
EP4CE15M9I7N is suitable for motor-control electronics where programmable timing, feedback processing, and multiple control signals are required. The FPGAβs 15,408 logic elements can implement pulse generation, encoder processing, commutation logic, fault handling, and communication interfaces, while 165 user I/O support encoders, sensors, power-stage control, and supervisory signals. The device can be placed between a motion controller and the power electronics to provide deterministic signal generation and protection sequencing. Its 256-ball TFBGA package helps keep the logic concentrated in a high-pin-count surface-mount assembly. The supplied data does not confirm operating temperature, I/O electrical limits, or timing, so those details should be validated before the FPGA is selected for a safety-related or harsh-environment control design.
Recommended
Embedded Data-Acquisition System
EP4CE15M9I7N can provide configurable front-end processing in an embedded data-acquisition system. The 165 user I/O can collect parallel sensor, converter, or control signals, while the 15,408 logic elements can perform channel multiplexing, decimation, filtering, triggering, and data packing. Its 516,096 bits of embedded memory can support buffers and intermediate data structures. In a typical design, the FPGA receives synchronized samples, applies deterministic processing, and transfers organized data to a processor or host interface. The 60 nm process and 1.2 V operating-supply listing provide the primary technology and supply information available in the verified results. Detailed analog-interface compatibility is external to the FPGA and should be evaluated separately using converter and signal-conditioning specifications.
Recommended
Custom Control and Interface Consolidation
EP4CE15M9I7N is well suited to custom systems that previously used separate glue logic, counters, protocol controllers, and parallel interface devices. Its 15,408 logic elements provide the programmable capacity to consolidate control functions, while 165 user I/O can reduce the need for additional interface expansion. The FPGA can decode host commands, generate timing sequences, manage status registers, and perform data transformation in a single device. This can simplify board-level architecture and make hardware behavior reconfigurable through FPGA programming. The 256-ball TFBGA package provides a high-terminal-count footprint, but it also demands disciplined ball assignment and signal routing. Verify configuration support, power sequencing, I/O-bank rules, and timing from the official manufacturer materials before design commitment.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE15M9I7N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE15F17C8 | EP4CE15F17C8N |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 256-TFBGA | 256-MBGA | 256-MBGA |
| Logic Elements | 15,408 | 15,408 | 15,408 |
| Pin-to-Pin Drop-In Validation | Reference device | Not confirmed by verified data | Not confirmed by verified data |
Key Differentiators
- Verified combination of 15,408 logic elements and 165 user I/O (vs EP4CE15F17C8)
- Verified embedded-memory resource of 516,096 bits (vs EP4CE15F17C8N)
- Explicit 60 nm process-technology listing (vs EP4CE15F17C8)
Design Notes
Use a 1.2 V core supply as the starting point from the verified listing, but do not treat that value as a complete power specification. The supplied data does not provide current consumption, tolerance, auxiliary-rail requirements, ramp rate, or sequencing limits. Select the regulator and decoupling network only after checking the official EP4CE15M9I7N documentation. Place bulk and local high-frequency capacitors close to the relevant power pins, keep the power-return path continuous, and verify the final rail behavior with an oscilloscope under representative FPGA activity.
The 256-ball TFBGA package requires a fine-pitch PCB footprint and carefully planned escape routing. Confirm the official ball map before assigning signals, because distributor descriptions identify the package but do not establish individual ball functions. Use the manufacturer land pattern and recommended via structure, maintain consistent reference-plane continuity, and avoid routing high-speed signals through unnecessary via transitions. Check solder-mask and assembly rules with the PCB fabricator, particularly for the 9 mm package form identified in one verified result.
Plan clocks, configuration signals, and high-speed I/O as transmission-line paths rather than ordinary short traces. EP4CE15M9I7N has 165 user I/O, so the board can become routing-dense even when the logic design is compact. Confirm supported I/O standards, bank voltage restrictions, termination guidance, and timing constraints from the official data. Keep clock-distribution paths short, provide local return paths, avoid stubs where possible, and validate the design with post-layout timing and signal-integrity analysis.
Do not infer a drop-in FPGA solely from matching logic-element count or a similar 256-ball package description. FPGA replacement also depends on ball assignment, I/O-bank compatibility, voltage and current requirements, configuration mode, timing, speed grade, environmental rating, and development-tool support. The available comparison points identify related 15,408-logic-element devices, but they do not prove full pin-to-pin equivalence. Treat an unverified FPGA as a board redesign or engineering-validation candidate, not an automatic substitute.
Compliance Information
The verified source material identifies RoHS compliance for EP4CE15M9I7N but does not provide separate REACH, lead-free, halogen-free, conflict-minerals, or AEC-Q100 declarations.
