Patents Assigned to Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
  • Patent number: 11960857
    Abstract: A four-input lookup table (“LUT4”) is modified to operate in a first mode as an ordinary LUT4 and in a second mode as a 1-bit adder providing a sum output and a carry output. A six-input lookup table (“LUT6”) is modified to operate in a first mode as an ordinary LUT6 with a single output and in a second mode as a 2-bit adder providing a sum output and a carry output. Both possible results for the two different possible carry inputs can be determined and selected between when the carry input is available, implementing a 2-bit carry-select adder when in the second mode and retaining the ability to operate as an ordinary LUT6 in the first mode. Using the novel LUT6 design in a circuit chip fabric allows a 2-bit adder slice to be built that efficiently makes use of the LUT6 without requiring additional logic blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher C. LaFrieda, Virantha N. Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 11853669
    Abstract: A logic block can be relocated without recompilation from a first area to a second area on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) if the pattern of fabric tiles in the second area is the same as the pattern of fabric tiles in the first area, and if the two areas have the same dimensions. The design system runs synthesis, placement, and routing on a partition of a design at a first location, exports that partition to a persistent on-disk database, imports one or multiple copies of the partition into a larger design, and moves one or more of the copies from the first area to a target area in the larger design. The compatibility of the second area may be identified based on fabric tile signatures of the first area and the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Riepe, Kamal Choundhary, Amit Singh, Shirish Jawale, Karl Koehler, Simon Longcroft, Scott Senst, Clark Hilbert, Kent Orthner
  • Patent number: 11734216
    Abstract: A tile of an FPGA provides memory, arithmetic functions, or both. Connections directly between multiple instances of the tile are available, allowing multiple tiles to be treated as larger memories or arithmetic circuits. By using these connections, referred to as cascade inputs and outputs, the input and output bandwidth of the arithmetic and memory circuits are increased, operand sizes are increased, or both. By using the cascade connections, multiple tiles can be used together as a single, larger tile. Thus, implementations that need memories of different sizes, arithmetic functions operating on different sized operands, or both, can use the same FPGA without additional programming or waste. Using cascade communications, more tiles are used when a large memory is needed and fewer tiles are used when a small memory is needed and the waste is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen, Michael Philip Fitton, Marcel Van der Goot
  • Patent number: 11714607
    Abstract: A four-input lookup table (“LUT4”) is modified to operate in a first mode as an ordinary LUT4 and in a second mode as a 1-bit adder providing a sum output and a carry output. A six-input lookup table (“LUT6”) is modified to operate in a first mode as an ordinary LUT6 with a single output and in a second mode as a 2-bit adder providing a sum output and a carry output. Both possible results for the two different possible carry inputs can be determined and selected between when the carry input is available, implementing a 2-bit carry-select adder when in the second mode and retaining the ability to operate as an ordinary LUT6 in the first mode. Using the novel LUT6 design in a circuit chip fabric allows a 2-bit adder slice to be built that efficiently makes use of the LUT6 without requiring additional logic blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher LaFrieda, Virantha Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 11689478
    Abstract: A receiving device uses an elastic buffer that is wider than the number of data elements transferred in each cycle. To compensate for frequency differences between the transmitter and the receiver, the transmitting device periodically sends a skip request with a default number of skip data elements. If the elastic buffer is filling, the receiving device ignores one or more of the skip data elements. If the elastic buffer is emptying, the receiving device adds one or more skip data elements to the skip request. To maintain the ordering of data despite the manipulation of the skip data elements, two rows of the wide elastic buffer are read at a time. This allows construction of a one-row result from any combination of the data elements of the two rows. The column pointers are adjusted appropriately, to ensure that they continue to point to the next data to be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Naresh Sharma, Mohan Vedam
  • Patent number: 11681324
    Abstract: Distribution of a reset signal across a system-on-chip (SoC) may be the highest latency signal in the circuit. As a result, the operating frequency of the device is reduced to ensure that the reset signal reaches all intellectual property (IP) blocks during a single clock cycle. A reset synchronizer receives the clock signal and the reset signal as inputs and generates a synchronous reset signal as an output. The synchronous reset signal has a fixed timing relationship with the clock signal. The clock signal may be paused when a reset signal is received. As a result, distribution of the synchronous reset signal may be performed without regard to the latency of the signal. After the synchronous reset signal has been received by all of the IP blocks, reset is deasserted and the clock signal is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Namit Varma, Sarma Jonnavithula, Mohan Krishna Vedam, Christopher C. LaFrieda, Virantha N. Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 11650792
    Abstract: A tile of an FPGA includes a multiple mode arithmetic circuit. The multiple mode arithmetic circuit is configured by control signals to operate in an integer mode, a floating-point mode, or both. In some example embodiments, multiple integer modes (e.g., unsigned, two's complement, and sign-magnitude) are selectable, multiple floating-point modes (e.g., 16-bit mantissa and 8-bit sign, 8-bit mantissa and 6-bit sign, and 6-bit mantissa and 6-bit sign) are supported, or any suitable combination thereof. The tile may also fuse a memory circuit with the arithmetic circuits. Connections directly between multiple instances of the tile are also available, allowing multiple tiles to be treated as larger memories or arithmetic circuits. By using these connections, referred to as cascade inputs and outputs, the input and output bandwidth of the arithmetic circuit is further increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen, Michael Philip Fitton, Marcel Van der Goot
  • Patent number: 11615051
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for processing Ethernet packets at a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). One programmable integrated circuit includes: an internal network on chip (iNOC) comprising rows and columns; clusters, coupled to the iNOC, comprising a network access point (NAP) and programmable logic; and an Ethernet controller coupled to the iNOC. When the controller operates in packet mode, each complete inbound Ethernet packet is sent from the controller to one of the NAPs via the iNOC, where two or more NAPs are configurable to receive the complete inbound Ethernet packets from the controller. The controller is configurable to operate in quad segment interface (QSI) mode where each complete inbound Ethernet packet is broken into segments, which are sent from the controller to different NAPs via the iNOC, where two or more NAPs are configurable to receive the complete inbound Ethernet packets from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kent Orthner, Travis Johnson, Quinn Jacobson, Sarma Jonnavithula
  • Patent number: 11397204
    Abstract: An S-parameter of a reference impedance is determined and converted to a desired mode of operation. Example modes of operation include a single-ended input output mode, a differential input output mode, and a common input output mode. The complex values of the impedance at each port as a function of frequency can be computed using the novel closed-form quadratic S-parameter equation which utilizes the concept of matched networks by setting the reflections and re-reflections to zero through S-parameter renormalization. Using the S-parameter renormalization, the insertion loss corresponding to zero reflections and re-reflections is calculated. Based on the determination of the matching impedance used to reduce the reflections and re-reflections to zero, a parameter of a circuit comprising the network may be modified to reduce noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hansel Desmond Dsilva, Amit Kumar
  • Patent number: 11341084
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for processing Ethernet packets at a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). One programmable integrated circuit includes: an internal network on chip (iNOC) comprising rows and columns, clusters, coupled to the iNOC, comprising a network access point (NAP) and programmable logic; and an Ethernet controller coupled to the iNOC. When the controller operates in packet mode, each complete inbound Ethernet packet is sent from the controller to one of the NAPs via the iNOC, where two or more NAPs are configurable to receive the complete inbound Ethernet packets from the controller. The controller is configurable to operate in quad segment interface (QSI) mode where each complete inbound Ethernet packet is broken into segments, which are sent from the controller to different NAPs via the iNOC, where two or more NAPs are configurable to receive the complete inbound Ethernet packets from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kent Orthner, Travis Johnson, Quinn Jacobson, Sarma Jonnavithula
  • Patent number: 11324119
    Abstract: Multiple designs for a multi-layer circuit may be simulated to determine impedance profiles of each design, allowing a circuit designer to select a design based on the impedance profiles. One feature that can be modified is the structure surrounding the barrels of a differential VIA on layers that are not connected to the differential VIA. Specifically, one antipad can be used that surrounds both barrels or two antipads can be used, with one antipad for each barrel. Additionally, the size of the antipad or antipads can be modified. These modifications affect the impedance of the differential VIA. Additionally, a conductive region may be placed that connects to the VIA barrel even though the circuit on the layer does not connect to the VIA. This unused pad, surrounded by a non-conductive region, also affects the impedance of the differential VIA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hansel Desmond Dsilva, Sasikala J, Abhishek Jain, Amit Kumar
  • Patent number: 11288220
    Abstract: A tile of an FPGA provides memory, arithmetic functions, or both. Connections directly between multiple instances of the tile are available, allowing multiple tiles to be treated as larger memories or arithmetic circuits. By using these connections, referred to as cascade inputs and outputs, the input and output bandwidth of the arithmetic and memory circuits are increased, operand sizes are increased, or both. By using the cascade connections, multiple tiles can be used together as a single, larger tile. Thus, implementations that need memories of different sizes, arithmetic functions operating on different sized operands, or both, can use the same FPGA without additional programming or waste. Using cascade communications, more tiles are used when a large memory is needed and fewer tiles are used when a small memory is needed and the waste is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen, Michael Philip Fitton, Marcel Van der Goot
  • Patent number: 11256476
    Abstract: A tile of an FPGA includes a multiple mode arithmetic circuit. The multiple mode arithmetic circuit is configured by control signals to operate in an integer mode, a floating-point mode, or both. In some example embodiments, multiple integer modes (e.g., unsigned, two's complement, and sign-magnitude) are selectable, multiple floating-point modes (e.g., 16-bit mantissa and 8-bit sign, 8-bit mantissa and 6-bit sign, and 6-bit mantissa and 6-bit sign) are supported, or any suitable combination thereof. The tile may also fuse a memory circuit with the arithmetic circuits. Connections directly between multiple instances of the tile are also available, allowing multiple tiles to be treated as larger memories or arithmetic circuits. By using these connections, referred to as cascade inputs and outputs, the input and output bandwidth of the arithmetic circuit is further increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen, Michael Philip Fitton, Marcel Van der Goot
  • Patent number: 10970248
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for processing Ethernet packets at a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). One programmable integrated circuit includes: an internal network on chip (iNOC) comprising rows and columns; clusters, coupled to the iNOC, comprising a network access point (NAP) and programmable logic; and an Ethernet controller coupled to the iNOC. When the controller operates in packet mode, each complete inbound Ethernet packet is sent from the controller to one of the NAPs via the iNOC, where two or more NAPs are configurable to receive the complete inbound Ethernet packets from the controller. The controller is configurable to operate in quad segment interface (QSI) mode where each complete inbound Ethernet packet is broken into segments, which are sent from the controller to different NAPs via the iNOC, where two or more NAPs are configurable to receive the complete inbound Ethernet packets from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kent Orthner, Travis Johnson, Quinn Jacobson, Sarma Jonnavithula
  • Patent number: 10963221
    Abstract: In some example embodiments a logical block comprising twelve inputs and two six-input lookup tables (LUTs) is provided, wherein four of the twelve inputs are provided as inputs to both of the six-input lookup tables. This configuration supports efficient field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation of multipliers. Each six-input LUT comprises two five-input lookup tables (LUT5s) that are used to form Booth encoding multiplier building blocks. The five inputs to each LUT5 are two bits from a multiplier and three Booth-encoded bits from a multiplicand. By assembling building blocks, multipliers of arbitrary size may be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen
  • Patent number: 10936525
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for distributing Ethernet packets at a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). One programmable integrated circuit includes: an iNOC comprising iNOC rows and iNOC columns; a set of clusters coupled to the iNOC, each cluster comprising a vertical network access point (NAP) for iNOC column communications, a horizontal NAP for iNOC row communications, a valid signal, and programmable logic, where the vertical NAP is connected to the horizontal NAP when the valid signal is activated; and an Ethernet controller coupled to the iNOC, the Ethernet controller configurable to send Ethernet-packet segments to the vertical NAPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kent Orthner, Travis Johnson, Quinn Jacobson, Sarma Jonnavithula
  • Patent number: 10831959
    Abstract: An advanced timing mode has a path that originates from a host application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and terminates at a register inside an embedded field programmable gate array (FPGA), bypassing interface cluster registers. The terminating register may be present at a boundary between the host ASIC and the embedded FPGA or deep inside the embedded FPGA. In a clock trunk input with internal divergence timing scenario, a clock output from a phase-locked loop (PLL) in the host ASIC is driven through a clock trunk into the embedded FPGA and, from there, diverges into interface cluster registers and the boundary adjacent to the host ASIC. A clock trunk input with external divergence timing scenario is similar to the internal divergence scenario except that a clock divergence occurs before the clock enters a clock trunk of the embedded FPGA. In a boundary clock input scenario, a PLL drives both the host ASIC and the embedded FPGA interface clusters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Namit Varma, Shirish Jawale
  • Patent number: 10790830
    Abstract: A tile of an FPGA fuses memory and arithmetic circuits. Connections directly between multiple instances of the tile are also available, allowing multiple tiles to be treated as larger memories or arithmetic circuits. By using these connections, referred to as cascade inputs and outputs, the input and output bandwidth of the arithmetic circuit is further increased. The arithmetic unit accesses inputs from a combination of: the switch fabric, the memory circuit, a second memory circuit of the tile, and a cascade input. In some example embodiments, the routing of the connections on the tile is based on post-fabrication configuration. In one configuration, all connections are used by the memory circuit, allowing for higher bandwidth in writing or reading the memory. In another configuration, all connections are used by the arithmetic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen, Michael Philip Fitton
  • Patent number: 10707875
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for routing packets on a network on chip (NOC) within a programmable integrated circuit. One programmable integrated circuit comprises a plurality of clusters disposed on a plurality of cluster rows and a plurality of cluster columns, an internal network on chip (iNOC) comprising iNOC rows and iNOC columns, an external network on chip (eNOC) connected to the iNOC rows and the iNOC columns, and a field programmable gate array Control Unit (FCU) for configuring programmable logic in the plurality of clusters based on a first configuration received by the FCU. The FCU is connected to the eNOC, where the FCU communicates with the plurality of clusters via the iNOC and the eNOC. The FCU is configured for receiving a second configuration from the programmable logic in the plurality of clusters for reconfiguring a component of the programmable integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kent Orthner, Travis Johnson, Sarma Jonnavithula
  • Patent number: 10656915
    Abstract: In some example embodiments a logical block comprising twelve inputs and two six-input lookup tables (LUTs) is provided, wherein four of the twelve inputs are provided as inputs to both of the six-input lookup tables. This configuration supports efficient field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation of multipliers. Each six-input LUT comprises two five-input lookup tables (LUT5s) that are used to form Booth encoding multiplier building blocks. The five inputs to each LUT5 are two bits from a multiplier and three Booth-encoded bits from a multiplicand. By assembling building blocks, multipliers of arbitrary size may be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Pugh, Raymond Nijssen