Abstract: A rank order filter and instantiation thereof in programmable logic is described. A maximum filter core frequency is determined for an input sampling frequency, a filter window height, and a number of input samples. The maximum filter core frequency is greater than the sampling frequency. The maximum filter core frequency may be insufficient for a word serial instantiation of the rank order filter in the programmable logic. The size of a fully parallel instantiation of the rank order filter may be excessive in programmable logic. Thus, a partially parallel filter core is instantiated for the rank order filter with overclocking.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a lock-loop circuit including an oscillator, a frequency detector, a charge pump, and a regulator. The regulator is coupled to provide a regulated signal to the oscillator to control frequency. The oscillator and the frequency detector are coupled to receive a reference clock signal. The reference clock signal is coupled to the oscillator to suppress noise in the oscillator by pulse injection. The frequency detector is coupled to receive an oscillator output from the oscillator.

Abstract: Integrated circuits are fabricated with mounted discrete capacitors. Bond pads and land pads are fabricated on a semiconductor wafer. Discrete capacitors are mounted on the semiconductor wafer with flexible adhesive. The flexible adhesive accommodates a difference in thermal expansion between the discrete capacitors and the semiconductor wafer. The land pads are electrically coupled to the electrodes of the discrete capacitors. The semiconductor wafer is separated into multiple semiconductor dice. The semiconductor dice are mounted in respective packages. The bond pads on each semiconductor die are electrically coupled to the interconnect terminals of the respective package.

Abstract: A method of regulating a supply voltage (Vgg) provided to a load circuit. The method can include generating at least one reference voltage (Vr1, Vr2, Vr3) having a negative voltage-temperature coefficient. The method further can include applying the reference voltage as a bias voltage (Vbias) to a current sink that is electrically coupled in parallel with a path of a leakage current (Ileak) drawn by the load circuit. A related voltage regulator can include a current sink that is electrically coupled in parallel with a path of a leakage current drawn by a load circuit, and a bias control circuit that generates at least one reference voltage having a negative voltage-temperature coefficient and applies the reference voltage as a bias voltage to a current sink.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a die can include correlating, using a processor, a static voltage profile of a die under test in wafer form with a plurality of test static voltage profiles. The plurality of test static voltage profiles can be associated with dynamic performance profiles. The method further can include predicting dynamic performance of the die under test according to the dynamic performance profile associated with a test static voltage profile that is correlated with the static voltage profile.

Abstract: Approaches for mitigating single event upsets (SEUs) in a circuit arrangement. In response to each bit error of a plurality of bit errors, an error address indicative of the bit error in a configuration memory cell in the circuit arrangement is translated into a non-volatile memory address. A partial bitstream at the non-volatile memory address is read from a non-volatile memory. Successive partial bitstreams read in response to successive ones of the bit errors are alternately transmitted to first and second internal configuration ports. A subset of configuration memory cells of the circuit arrangement, including the configuration memory cell referenced by the error address, is reconfigured with the partial bitstream.

Abstract: A circuit for enabling communication of cryptographic data in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The circuit comprises a first interface coupled to receive data having a first security level; a second interface coupled to receive data having a second security level; a cryptographic application; and a routing block coupled between the first and second interfaces and the cryptographic application, the routing block comprising configurable logic, wherein the routing block is configurable to selectively route the data having the first security level by way of the first interface and to route data having the second security level by way of the second interface. A method of enabling communication of cryptographic data in an integrated circuit is also disclosed.

Abstract: A communication circuit includes a communication port, a receiver an aligner, and a link recovery circuit. The communication port is configured to connect to a communication link and to disconnect from the communication link. The receiver is configured to generate, while the communication link is connected to the communication port, a serial sequence of received bits recovered from the communication link. The aligner is configured to decode a received sequence of blocks from the serial sequence of received bits. The blocks of the received sequence include data blocks and control blocks. The link recovery circuit is configured to reset the receiver in response to the blocks, in the received sequence after a first one of the control blocks and before a next one of the control blocks, numbering greater than a threshold number.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure can include a first interposer and a second interposer. The first interposer and the second interposer can be coplanar. The integrated circuit structure further can include at least a first die that is coupled to the first interposer and the second interposer.

Abstract: A stacked die assembly for an IC includes a first interposer; a second interposer; a first integrated circuit die, a second integrated circuit die, and a plurality of components. The first integrated circuit die is interconnected to the first interposer and the second interposer, and the second integrated circuit die is interconnected to the second interposer. The plurality of components interconnect the first integrated circuit die to the first interposer and the second interposer. The plurality of components that interconnect the first integrated circuit die to the first interposer and the second interposer are located outside an interconnect restricted area of the first interposer and the second interposer, and signals are routed between the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die via the first integrated circuit die avoiding the interconnect restricted area of the first interposer and the second interposer.

Abstract: Multiplier circuits that can optionally be configured as bit shifters. An exemplary multiplier includes a one-hot circuit, a multi-bit multiplexing circuit, and a multiply block. The one-hot circuit has a multi-bit input and a multi-bit output. The multiplexing circuit has first and second multi-bit inputs and a multi-bit output, with the first input of the multiplexing circuit being coupled to the output of the one-hot circuit. The multiply block has first and second multi-bit inputs and a multi-bit output, with the first input of the multiply block being coupled to the output of the multiplexing circuit. When selected by the multiplexer, the position of the single high bit in the one-hot circuit output determines the number of bits by which the multiplier output is shifted relative to the second multiplier input. When the one-hot circuit output is not selected as an input to the multiplier, the multiplier performs a multiply function.

Abstract: A method for determining a critical junction temperature for a user-design implemented in a field programmable gate array (programmable device), includes: obtaining a static power vs. temperature curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device; obtaining a system thermal curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device; and using the static power vs. temperature curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device and the system thermal curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device to determine the critical junction temperature.

Abstract: Integrated circuits and methods for reducing the Single Event Upset (SEU) susceptibility of a memory cell are disclosed. By using one or more Through Silicon Vias (TSVs) as capacitor(s) coupled to the Q and/or Qbar nodes of the memory cell, the critical charge (Qcrit) of the circuit is increased. In so doing, the memory cell has greater resistance to an SEU occurrence and reduced sensitivity to neutron and alpha or other charged particle events. The capacitor(s) can be coupled between the Q or Qbar node(s) and a silicon substrate, or between the Q and Qbar nodes, for example.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) comprises routing circuitry including a plurality of signal line segments in routing layers of the IC, and a plurality of micro-bump contacts coupled to the routing circuitry. The IC includes a plurality of test circuits coupled to respective subsets of the plurality of signal line segments. Each test circuit is configured to connect micro-bump contacts in the respective subset to form first and second sets of daisy chains. Each test circuit is configured to test the first and second sets of daisy chains for open circuits and test for short circuits between the first and second sets of daisy chains. Each test circuit is configured to determine the locations of detected open circuits and determine the locations of detected short circuits.

Abstract: A method for plesiochronous clock generation for parallel wireline transceivers, includes: inputting, into at least one decoder, at least one digital frequency mismatch number; decoding, with the at least one decoder, the at least one digital frequency mismatch number to obtain at least one digital frequency divider number that represents a transmit frequency associated with at least one signal; inputting the at least one digital frequency divider number into at least one fractional-N phase lock loop; and utilizing, by the at least one fractional-N phase lock loop, the at least one digital frequency divider number and an analog reference signal produced by a reference oscillator to produce a resultant signal at the transmit frequency; wherein the at least one decoder and the at least one fractional-N phase lock loop are contained on a single integrated circuit.

Abstract: A shielded inductor in an integrated circuit includes conductive loops disposed on a deep-well noise shield for isolating a noise coupling between the conductive loops and the substrate of the integrated circuit. The deep-well noise shield includes a first well disposed within a second well that is disposed within the substrate of the integrated circuit. The second well includes a peripheral well, a deep-well layer, and slot wells. The peripheral well surrounds a periphery of the first well. The peripheral well and the deep-well layer are coupled together to provide two p-n junctions that separate the first well and the substrate. The slot wells are distributed inside the periphery of the first well. Each slot well and the deep-well layer are coupled together. Each slot well has a width and a length that is at least three times the width.

Abstract: An embodiment of an apparatus is disclosed. For this embodiment of the apparatus, an interposer has first vias. First interconnects and second interconnects respectively are coupled on opposite surfaces of the interposer. A first portion of the first interconnects and a second portion of the first interconnects are spaced apart from one another defining an isolation region between them. A substrate has second vias. Third interconnects and the second interconnects are respectively coupled on opposite surfaces of the package substrate. A first portion of the first vias and a first portion of the second vias are both in the isolation region and are coupled to one another with a first portion of the second interconnects.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of channels, where each of the channels includes an asynchronous buffer, a latency determination block, a tap selection circuit, and a variable delay. A latency locator is configured to identify a longest latency from among the channels and is coupled to provide the longest latency to the tap selection circuit of each of the channels. For each of the channels: the latency determination block is coupled to the asynchronous buffer to determine a latency value for the asynchronous buffer; the tap selection circuit is coupled to receive the latency value and the longest latency; the tap selection circuit is coupled to the variable delay; and the tap selection circuit is configured to select a tap of taps of the variable delay responsive to the latency value and the longest latency.

Abstract: A circuit includes an amplifier including a differential input stage including a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The circuit further includes a differential input line coupled to the first input terminal and the second input terminal, and shielding at least partially encompassing the differential input line. The shielding is connected to a node of the differential input stage of the amplifier.

Abstract: A programmable integrated circuit device (IC) can include a configuration controller configured to assert a suspend request signal responsive to an input triggering suspend mode within the programmable IC and a memory controller block coupled to the configuration controller and a memory device. The memory controller block can be configured to place the memory device in self refresh mode in response to the suspend request signal and assert a suspend acknowledgement signal subsequent to placing the memory device in self refresh mode. The configuration controller can continue implementing suspend mode within the programmable IC in response to assertion of the suspend acknowledgement signal.