Patents Assigned to Actel Corporation
  • Patent number: 7148505
    Abstract: A carrier for a semiconductor die has a substrate with a cavity formed in the substrate. The cavity has a bottom and sidewalls, and the sidewalls have a stepped tier. Electrically conductive contacts are disposed on an underside of the substrate. Electrically conductive tabs are disposed on the stepped tier, and electrically conductive external bond terminals are disposed on an edge of the substrate. Electrically conductive paths are formed in the substrate and electrically coupled between the electrically conductive tabs, the electrically conductive contacts, and the electrically conductive external bond terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Raymond Kuang
  • Patent number: 7146441
    Abstract: An SRAM bus architecture includes pass-through interconnect conductors. Each of the pass-through interconnect conductors is connected to routing channels of the general interconnect architecture of the FPGA through an element which includes a pass transistor connected in parallel with a tri-state buffer. The pass transistors and tri-state buffers are controlled by configuration SRAM bits. Some of the pass-through interconnect conductors are connected by programmable elements to the address, data and control signal lines of the SRAM blocks, while other pass through the SRAM blocks with out being further connected to the SRAM bussing architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7138824
    Abstract: An integrated multi-function analog circuit includes at least one MOSFET gate-drive circuit coupled to a first I/O pad. At least one voltage-sensing circuit is coupled to a second I/O pad. At least one current-sensing circuit is coupled to the second I/O pad and a third I/O pad. At least one temperature-sensing circuit is coupled to a fourth I/O pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Bakker, Rabindranath Balasubramanian
  • Publication number: 20060255832
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block. A digital input/output circuit block is coupled to the programmable logic block. A SRAM block is coupled to the programmable logic block. At least one non-volatile memory block is coupled to the programmable logic block. A JTAG port is coupled to the programmable logic block. An analog circuit block including an analog-to-digital converter may be coupled to the programmable logic block and an analog input/output circuit block may be coupled to the analog circuit block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Theodore Speers, Limin Zhu, Kurt Kolkind, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7137095
    Abstract: A freeway routing system that connects interface groups in said field programmable gate array. The freeway system has a first set of routing conductors configured to transfer signals to the input ports of at least one interface group in a first tile of the field programmable gate array and configured to transfer signals from the output ports of other tiles in the field programmable gate array. The first set of conductors include vertical conductors that form intersections horizontal conductors and programmable interconnect elements located at the intersections of the vertical conductors and horizontal conductors in a diagonal orientation to connect each of horizontal conductors to one of the vertical conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Tong Liu, Jung-Cheun Lien, Sheng Feng, Eddy C. Huang, Chung-Yuan Sun, Naihui Liao, Weidong Xiong
  • Patent number: 7132853
    Abstract: An inter-tile buffering system for a field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprising a plurality of FPGA tiles arranged in rows and columns. Each file comprises a plurality of functional and interface groups and a primary routing structure, which is coupled to the functional and interface groups and is configured to receive and route primary output signals within at least one FPGA tile, and provide primary input signals to the functional and interface groups. Each functional group is configured to receive input signals, perform logic operations, and generate output signals and is configured to transfer signals from the routing structure to outside of at least one FPGA file, and includes a plurality of input multiplexers configured to select signals received from outside at least one FPGA tile and provide signals to the routing structure inside at least one FPGA tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Sheng Feng, Tong Liu, Jung-Cheun Lien
  • Publication number: 20060244485
    Abstract: A field programmable gate array logic cell includes a logic circuit having three inputs and at least one output and a plurality of multiplexers having inputs and outputs. The logic circuit also includes a plurality of programmable elements coupled between the three inputs and at least one output of the logic circuit and the inputs and outputs of the plurality of multiplexers such that a plurality of sequential logic units and combinatorial units can be realized by programming selected ones of the programmable elements, the sequential logic units may include a flip-flop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan Reynolds, Andrew Reynolds, Volker Hecht
  • Patent number: 7129748
    Abstract: A non-volatile-memory-transistor based lookup table for an FPGA includes a n:1 multiplexer. A non-volatile memory transistor is coupled to each of the n inputs of the multiplexer. The multiplexer has x address inputs wherein 2x=n as is known in the art. The output of the multiplexer is coupled to VCC through a pullup transistor. The gate of the pullup transistor is coupled to the output of an address transition detector circuit that has inputs coupled to the address inputs of the multiplexer. A sense amplifier is coupled to the output of the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: John McCollum, Gregory Bakker, Jonathan Greene
  • Patent number: 7129746
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of inputs, a plurality of output pads, a programmable logic block, an analog circuit block, an analog-to-digital converter programmably coupleable to individual analog circuits in the analog circuit block, and an interconnect architecture programmably coupling selected ones of the plurality of inputs, the plurality of outputs, the programmable logic block, the analog circuit block, and the analog-to-digital converter. At least one of the inputs may be programmably configured as one of a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in the programmable logic block or as an analog input to an analog circuit in the analog circuit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7126856
    Abstract: A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) having an array of RAM memory cells comprising at least one row of RAM memory cells, each RAM cell of the at least one row of RAM memory cells coupled to a row driver line; a row decoder coupled to a first end of the row driver line of each at least one row of RAM memory cells. A monitoring memory cell is coupled to a row driver line. Each monitoring memory cell is also coupled to a memory writing line. An FPGA also has RAM memory cells that act as the programming mechanism. The FPGA further has erase circuitry for clearing the RAM memory cells for reprogramming of the FPGA. The FPGA is erased by providing at least one monitoring memory cell coupled to the erase circuitry. A memory clear phase is initiated on at least one monitoring memory cell. The monitoring memory cell then indicts the cell has been cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Sun, Eddy C. Huang
  • Patent number: 7126374
    Abstract: A routing architecture in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) having a plurality of logic clusters wherein each logic cluster has at least two sub-clusters. The logic clusters are arranged in rows and columns and each logic clusters has a plurality of receiver components, a plurality of transmitter components, at least one buffer module, at least one sequential logic component and at least one combinatorial logic component. A first-level routing architecture is programmably coupled to the logic clusters and a second-level routing architecture is programmably coupled to the logic clusters and to the first-level routing architecture through at least one of the transmitter components and at least one of the receiver components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Arunangshu Kundu, Venkatesh Narayanan, John McCollum, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7126842
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a device and a method for a deglitching circuit for a radiation tolerant static random access memory (SRAM) based field programmable gate array. The deglitching circuit for a radiation tolerant static random access memory (SRAM) based field programmable gate array comprises a configuration memory that has a plurality of configuration bits Read and write circuitry is provided to configure the plurality of configuration bits. A radiation hard latch is coupled to and controls a programmable element and an interface couples at least one of the plurality of configuration bits to the radiation hard latch when the write circuitry writes to the plurality of configuration bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7124347
    Abstract: A method for detecting an error in data stored in configuration SRAM and user assignable SRAM in a FPGA comprises providing serial data stream into the FPGA from an external source, loading data from the serial data stream into the configuration SRAM in response to address signals generated by row column counters, loading data from the serial data stream into the user assignable SRAM in response to address signals generated by row and column counters, loading a seed and signature from the serial data stream into a cyclic redundancy checking circuit, cycling data out of configuration SRAM and user assignable SRAM by the row and column counters, performing error checking on the data that has been cycled out of the configuration SRAM and out of the user assignable SRAM by the cyclic redundancy checking circuit, and generating an error signal when an error is detected by the error checking circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7119393
    Abstract: A floating-gate transistor for an integrated circuit is formed on a p-type substrate. An n-type region is disposed over the p-type substrate. A p-type region is disposed over the n-type region. Spaced apart n-type source and drain regions are disposed in the p-type region forming a channel therein. A floating gate is disposed above and insulated from the channel. A control gate is disposed above and insulated from the floating gate. An isolation trench disposed in the p-type region and surrounding the source and drain regions, the isolation trench extending down into the n-type region. The substrate, the n-type region and the p-type region each biased such that the p-type region is fully depleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: John McCollum
  • Patent number: 7119398
    Abstract: A power-up and power-down circuit for an integrated circuit includes a voltage regulator set for a first voltage. A first I/O pad is coupled internally to an input to the voltage regulator and to first internal circuits. The second voltage is externally coupled to the first I/O pad. A second I/O pad is coupled internally to an output of the voltage regulator configured to drive the base of an external transistor. A third I/O pad of the integrated circuit is coupled internally to a reference-voltage input of the voltage regulator. A fourth I/O pad is coupled to a feedback input of the voltage regulator. A fifth I/O pad of the integrated circuit is coupled internally to logic circuitry that controls power-up and power down of the integrated circuit from internal signals including internal signals from a real-time clock circuit disposed on the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7120079
    Abstract: A circuit for selectively interconnecting two nodes in an integrated circuit device includes a memory array having a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines. A refresh transistor has a source coupled to one of the plurality of bitlines, a control gate coupled to a dynamic random access memory wordline and a drain. A switching transistor has a gate coupled to the drain of the refresh transistor, a source coupled to a first one of the nodes and a drain coupled to a second one of the nodes. An address decoder for supplies periodic signals to the wordlines and the dynamic random access memory wordline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: John McCollum, Vidya Bellippady, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7119573
    Abstract: A low voltage signaling differential signaling driver comprising a first output line coupled to a delay circuit, a first multiplexer and a first output buffer. The first output line is also coupled to an inverter, a second multiplexer and a second output buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Y. Yu, Wei-Min Kuo
  • Patent number: 7116181
    Abstract: An integrated temperature-compensated RC oscillator circuit includes an inverter having an input and an output. An RC network is coupled between the inverter and a pair of comparators. A first comparator has an inverting input coupled to a first reference voltage, a non-inverting input coupled to the RC network, and an output. A second comparator has an inverting input coupled to the RC network, a non-inverting input coupled to a second reference voltage, and an output. A set-reset flip-flop has a set input coupled to the output of the first comparator, a reset input coupled to the output of the second comparator, and an output coupled to the input of the inverter. Differential amplifiers in the comparators each have a diode-connected p-channel MOS transistor controlling a mirrored p-channel MOS transistor whose channel width is less than that of the diode-connected p-channel current mirror transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7112993
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory configuration scheme is disclosed for volatile-memory-based programmable circuits in a programmable integrated circuit that includes an FPGA fabric, a plurality of first configurable circuit elements external to the FPGA fabric, and a plurality of second configurable circuit elements external to the FPGA fabric. A plurality of distributed configuration non-volatile memory cells is disposed in the FPGA, each one of the distributed configuration non-volatile memory cells coupled to a different one of the plurality of first configurable circuit elements. A non-volatile memory array stores configuration information for the second configurable circuit elements. A plurality of register cells is disposed with the second configurable circuit elements and is coupleable to the non-volatile memory array, each one of the register cells coupled to a different one of the plurality of second configurable circuit elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Theodore Speers
  • Patent number: 7111272
    Abstract: The present invention comprises apparatus and a method for simultaneously programming multiple antifuses in a multiple tile field programmable gate array (FPGA). The invention comprises an FPGA having a plurality of logic modules with programmable elements. The logic modules are partitioned into a plurality of individually programmable groups and an isolation device may be coupled between the individually programmable groups of logic modules such that each of the programmable elements in each of the plurality of individually programmable logic modules may be programmed concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-Nan Sun, Wayne W. Wong