Patents Assigned to Actel Corporation
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Patent number: 7616025Abstract: A programmable logic integrated circuit device adapted to enter a low-power mode is described. The integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, a first low-power mode control circuit programmed into a portion of the programmable logic block, a second low-power mode control circuit, and a low-power enable input coupled to the first low-power mode control circuit and the second low-power mode control circuit. This arrangement allows the programmable logic integrated circuit device to transition into and out of low-power mode in response to a single signal from system control logic, so that the system control logic can be designed without detailed understanding of the inner workings of the programmable logic integrated circuit device or its programmed design.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Kenneth Irving, Vishal Aggrawal, Prasad Karuganti
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Patent number: 7613943Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises a programmable logic block, a non-volatile memory block, an analog sub-system, an analog input/output circuit block, and a digital input/output circuit block. A programmable interconnect architecture includes programmable elements and interconnect conductors. Ones of the programmable elements are coupled to the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, the digital input/output circuit block, and to the interconnect conductors, such that inputs and outputs of the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, and the digital input/output circuit block can be programmably coupled to one another.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Greg Bakker, Khaled El-Ayat, Theodore Speers, Limin Zhu, Brian Schubert, Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Kurt Kolkind, Thomas Barraza, Venkatesh Narayanan, John McCollum, William C. Plants
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Patent number: 7603578Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and voltage-measuring and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with voltage-measuring, current-measuring and control circuitry performs voltage measurement and control functions and can be used to control and monitor external power supplies connected to external loads.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2009Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Gregory Bakker
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Patent number: 7593268Abstract: A method for erasing a non-volatile memory cell interconnect switch in an FPGA comprised providing an FPGA having a core containing a plurality of non-volatile-memory-cell interconnect switches, each switch formed in a switch well region and coupled to a source/drain of an n-channel transistor formed in a grounded well region separate from the switch well region. A non-volatile memory cell interconnect switch is selected for erasing. The switch well region is disconnected from ground. A VCC potential is applied to the switch well region and to the drain of the n-channel transistor to which it is coupled and an erase potential is applied to the gate of the selected non-volatile memory cell interconnect switch.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Volker Hecht, John McCollum, Robert M. Salter, III
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Patent number: 7590000Abstract: A non-volatile programmable memory cell suitable for use in a programmable logic array includes a non-volatile MOS transistor of a first conductivity type in series with a volatile MOS transistor of a second conductivity type. The non-volatile MOS transistor may be a floating gate transistor, such as a flash transistor, or may be another type of non-volatile transistor such as a floating charge-trapping SONOS, MONOS transistor, or a nano-crystal transistor. A volatile MOS transistor, an inverter, or a buffer may be driven by coupling its gate or input to the common connection between the non-volatile MOS transistor and the volatile MOS transistor.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2007Date of Patent: September 15, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: John McCollum, Hung-Sheng Chen, Frank Hawley
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Publication number: 20090212343Abstract: A two-transistor non-volatile memory cell is formed in a semiconductor body. A memory-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body. A switch-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body and is electrically isolated from the memory transistor well. A memory transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the memory-transistor well. A switch transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the switch-transistor well region. A floating gate is insulated from and self aligned with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and switch transistor. A control gate is disposed above and aligned to the floating gate and with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and the switch transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2009Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Vidyadhara Bellippady, William C. Plants, Zhigang Wang
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Patent number: 7581117Abstract: Secure delivery of configuration data of an intellectual property (IP) core includes the steps of loading configuration data for the IP core into IP core space by an IP core provider, masking portions of the IP core space not loaded with configuration data in the loading configuration data step with the value 0 or 1 by the IP core provider, encrypting data in the IP core space by the IP core provider, loading configuration data for system design other than for the IP core into a remainder space and any unused portions of the IP core space by a system designer, masking portions of the IP core space loaded in the loading configuration data step with the value 0 or 1 used by the IP core provider in the masking portions of the IP core space not loaded step, and encrypting data in a configuration space by the system designer.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2005Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Kenneth Irving, Jonathan Greene
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Patent number: 7579868Abstract: A turning structure for routing channels in a field programmable gate array, comprising a first plurality of routing channels having a first direction and a second plurality of routing channels having a second direction. The first plurality of routing channels intersects the second plurality of routing channels to form a plurality of matrices of intersecting interconnect conductors in the routing channels. A first number of reprogrammable elements is disposed at intersections in at least one of the plurality of matrices, a second number of reprogrammable elements disposed at intersections in at least one of the plurality of matrices. The second number of reprogrammable elements is greater than the first number of reprogrammable elements, and a third number of reprogrammable elements disposed at intersections in at least one of the plurality of matrices. The third number of reprogrammable elements is greater than the second number of reprogrammable elements.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2007Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: Sinan Kaptanoglu
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Patent number: 7579895Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises at least one of a crystal oscillator circuit, an RC oscillator circuit, and an external oscillator input. A clock conditioning circuit is selectively coupleable to one of the programmable logic block, the crystal oscillator circuit, the RC oscillator circuit, and the external oscillator input. A real-time clock is selectively coupleable to one of the programmable logic block, the crystal oscillator circuit, the RC oscillator circuit, and the external oscillator input. A programmable logic block is coupled to the clock conditioning circuit and the real-time clock.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Shin-Nan Sun, Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker
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Patent number: 7579869Abstract: A repeatable non-uniform segmented routing architecture in a field programmable gate array comprising: a repeatable block of routing tracks, the routing tracks grouped into sets of routing tracks, each set having a first routing track in a first track position, a second routing track in a last track position, a programmable element, and a direct address device for programming the programmable element; wherein at least one of the routing tracks is segmented into non-uniform lengths by the programmable element and the second routing track crosses-over to the first track position in a region adjacent to an edge of the repeatable block; and wherein a first plurality of the routing track sets proceed in a horizontal direction and a second plurality of the routing track sets proceed in a vertical direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2008Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Arunangshu Kundu, Eric Sather, William C. Plants
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Patent number: 7573093Abstract: A two-transistor non-volatile memory cell is formed in a semiconductor body. A memory-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body. A switch-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body and is electrically isolated from the memory transistor well. A memory transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the memory-transistor well. A switch transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the switch-transistor well region. A floating gate is insulated from and self aligned with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and switch transistor. A control gate is disposed above and aligned to the floating gate and with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and the switch transistor.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Vidyadhara Bellippady, William C. Plants, Zhigang Wang
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Patent number: 7573746Abstract: A method for storing data on nodes in memory cells of a non-volatile memory cell array including steps of setting non-volatile devices of the non-volatile memory cell array to a desired state, biasing pull-up devices and non-volatile devices in a first set of rows of the non-volatile memory cell array to an off state, loading data onto column lines of the non-volatile memory cell array and biasing non-volatile devices in a second set of rows in the memory cells of the non-volatile memory cell array to store data from the column lines on the nodes in the memory cells of the non-volatile memory cell array.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Jonathan Greene, Robert M. Salter, III
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Patent number: 7560954Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and temperature sensing and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with temperature measuring and control circuitry performs temperature measurement and control functions and can be used to create an on-chip temperature log.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2008Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Limin Zhu, Gregory Bakker
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Patent number: 7560952Abstract: An integrated circuit device has a state-saving feature and includes a programmable logic block, I/O pads, a dedicated register, at least one volatile memory block, a non-volatile memory block, a condition-sensing circuit for detecting at least one condition, A control circuit such as a state machine controls the saving of states of various volatile memories and registers to the non-volatile memory and also controls the initialization of the volatile registers and memories using the saved state data.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2008Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker
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Patent number: 7557611Abstract: An FPGA architecture has top, middle and low levels. The top level of the architecture is an array of the B16×16 tiles arranged in a rectangular array and enclosed by I/O blocks on the periphery. On each of the four sides of the B16×16 tile, and also associated with each of the I/O blocks is a freeway routing channel. A B16×16 tile in the middle level of hierarchy is a sixteen by sixteen array of B1 blocks. The routing resources in the middle level of hierarchy is are expressway routing channels M1, M2, and M3 including groups of interconnect conductors. At the lowest level of the semi-hierarchical FPGA architecture, there are block connect (BC) routing channels, local mesh (LM) routing channels, and direct connect (DC) interconnect conductors. Each BC routing channel is coupled to an expressway tab to provide access for each B1 block to the expressway routing channels M1, M2, and M3, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2008Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: Sinan Kaptanoglu
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Patent number: 7557612Abstract: An FPGA architecture has top, middle and low levels. The top level is an array of B16×16 tiles enclosed by I/O blocks. The routing resources in the middle level are expressway routing channels including interconnect conductors. At the lowest level, there are block connect routing channels, local mesh routing channels, and direct connect interconnect conductors to connect the logic elements to further routing resources. Each B1 block includes four clusters of devices. Each of the clusters includes first and second LUT3s, a LUT2, and a DFF. Each of the LUT3s have three inputs and one output. Each of the LUT2s have two inputs and one output. Each DFF has a data input and a data output. In each of the clusters the outputs of the LUT3s are multiplexed to the input of DFF, and symmetrized with the output of the DFF to form two outputs of each of the clusters.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: Sinan Kaptanoglu
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Patent number: 7558112Abstract: First and second complimentary static random-access-memory cell bit lines are coupled to first and second bit nodes through first and second access transistors controlled by a word line. A first inverter has an input coupled to the first bit node and an output coupled to the second bit node. A second inverter has an input coupled to the second bit node and an output coupled to the first bit node through a first transistor switch. A transistor switch is coupled between the output of a non-volatile memory cell and the first bit node. A control circuit coupled to the gate of the transistor switch. Either the drive level of the non-volatile memory cell is selected to overpower the output of the second inverter or the second inverter is decoupled from the first bit node while the output of the non-volatile memory cell is coupled to the first bit node.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: William C. Plants
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Patent number: 7558967Abstract: A system for encrypting and decrypting data in a data stream for programming a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The system allows for an enable bit to be set for a gap in the data stream and the data is then encrypted from the beginning of the gap. A gap being bits in said data stream that correspond to unprogrammed addresses of a memory in the field programmable gate array. The data is then decrypted by the FPGA when the bit stream is received and an enable bit is detected in a gap of the data stream.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2001Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: Wayne Wong
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Patent number: 7554860Abstract: An assembly buffer and bitline driver circuit has two inverters cross-coupled to form an assembly buffer. A high-voltage latch is formed from cross-coupled high-voltage inverters. A first low-voltage n-channel MOS transistors is coupled to the high-voltage latch to selectively ground the output of the first high-voltage inverter and a second low-voltage n-channel MOS transistors is coupled to the high-voltage latch to selectively ground the output of the other high-voltage inverter. The gate of the first low-voltage n-channel MOS transistor is coupled to one output of one of the inverters forming the assembly buffer latch and the gate of the second low-voltage n-channel MOS transistor is coupled to the output of the other one of the inverters forming the assembly buffer latch. A pre-load circuit is used to prevent data in an unselected circuit from being disturbed.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2007Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: Poongyeub Lee, Ming-Chi Liu
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Publication number: 20090159954Abstract: A two-transistor non-volatile memory cell is formed in a semiconductor body. A memory-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body. A switch-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body and is electrically isolated from the memory transistor well. A memory transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the memory-transistor well. A switch transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the switch-transistor well region. A floating gate is insulated from and self aligned with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and switch transistor. A control gate is disposed above and aligned to the floating gate and with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and the switch transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2009Publication date: June 25, 2009Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Vidyadhara Bellippady, Zhigang Wang