From SPLD to larger architectures — adding an OR plane enables what device class? By augmenting a simple programmable logic device (SPLD) structure with an OR plane so that both AND and OR arrays are available, you create the foundation for which device type?

Introduction / Context:
SPLDs include device types like PALs and PLAs that implement sum-of-products logic. The key structural difference is whether the AND and OR arrays are programmable or fixed. Understanding this difference helps you map Boolean expressions efficiently to hardware.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We begin with a simple PLD structure.
• We add an OR plane to complement the AND plane.
• The question asks which device class this enables.

Concept / Approach:
A PAL typically has a programmable AND plane and a fixed OR plane; a PLA has both programmable AND and programmable OR planes. Therefore, when you explicitly add an OR plane as a programmable resource (not just fixed) to the basic structure, you are describing a PLA. A CPLD is essentially an array of multiple SPLD-like macrocells with routing; EEPROM is a memory technology, not a logic architecture class.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks show PAL: programmable AND, fixed OR; PLA: programmable AND and OR. CPLD aggregates many macrocells but is a different level of integration.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• PAL: would not require adding a programmable OR plane, since its OR plane is fixed.
• CPLD: higher-level structure built from multiple SPLD-like blocks.
• EEPROM: storage technology, not a logic architecture.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming PAL and PLA are interchangeable; the OR-plane programmability is the key differentiator.

Final Answer:
PLA