Which term is like a microcontroller but its structure is not fully set at the time of manufacture?

Which term is like a microcontroller but its structure is not fully set at the time of manufacture?

• A. FPGA
• B. SoC
• C. Microcontrollers
• D. BACnet

Answer: (B)

The main concept tested is how programmable hardware differs from fixed hardware. An FPGA, or field-programmable gate array, is a device built from an array of programmable logic blocks and interconnections that are configured after manufacture. This means you don’t commit to a single hardware layout at the factory; you load a configuration (bitstream) that defines how the logic blocks are connected and what functions they perform. Because of that, you can implement custom digital circuits or even a soft-core CPU inside the FPGA, effectively making it behave like a microcontroller or other processor, after you’ve programmed it. In contrast, a microcontroller has a fixed hardware structure: a built-in CPU, memory, and peripherals designed into the chip, with only software-level behavior changes available. A system-on-a-chip is similar in being a fixed integration of components on one chip, not reconfigurable at the hardware level after manufacture. BACnet is simply a communication protocol standard, not a hardware category. So, the term that fits the description is FPGA.

The main concept tested is how programmable hardware differs from fixed hardware. An FPGA, or field-programmable gate array, is a device built from an array of programmable logic blocks and interconnections that are configured after manufacture. This means you don’t commit to a single hardware layout at the factory; you load a configuration (bitstream) that defines how the logic blocks are connected and what functions they perform. Because of that, you can implement custom digital circuits or even a soft-core CPU inside the FPGA, effectively making it behave like a microcontroller or other processor, after you’ve programmed it. In contrast, a microcontroller has a fixed hardware structure: a built-in CPU, memory, and peripherals designed into the chip, with only software-level behavior changes available. A system-on-a-chip is similar in being a fixed integration of components on one chip, not reconfigurable at the hardware level after manufacture. BACnet is simply a communication protocol standard, not a hardware category. So, the term that fits the description is FPGA.