Abstract: The dual inductor structure can include a first inductor including a first plurality of coils. Each coil of the first plurality of coils can be disposed within a different one of a plurality of conductive layers. The coils of the first plurality of coils can be vertically stacked and concentric to a vertical axis. The dual inductor structure further can include a second inductor including a second plurality of coils. Each of the second plurality of coils can be disposed within a different one of the plurality of conductive layers. The coils of the second plurality of coils can be vertically stacked and concentric to the vertical axis. Within each conductive layer, a coil of the second plurality of coils can be disposed within an inner perimeter of a coil of the first plurality of coils.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a secure cryptographic circuit arrangement is provided. The secure cryptographic circuit includes a cryptographic processing block, a spreading sequence generator, and a delay control circuit. The cryptographic processing block has a plurality of signal paths. One or more of the plurality of signal paths includes respective adjustable delay circuits. The spreading sequence generator is configured to output a sequence of pseudo-random numbers. The delay control circuit has an input coupled to an output of the spreading sequence number generator and one or more outputs coupled to respective delay adjustment inputs of the adjustable delay circuits. The delay control circuit is configured to adjust the adjustable delay circuits based on the pseudo-random numbers.

Abstract: A varactor circuit and voltage-controlled oscillation are described. The varactor circuit includes a first varactor, a second varactor, a third varactor, and a fourth varactor. A first source-drain node of the first varactor and a second source-drain node of the second varactor are coupled to a first input node. A first gate node for the first varactor is coupled to a first output node. A second gate node for the second varactor is coupled to a second output node. A third gate node for the third varactor and a fourth gate node for the fourth varactor are coupled to a second input node. A third source-drain node of the third varactor is coupled to the first output node. A fourth source-drain node of the fourth varactor is coupled to the second output node. In other embodiments, varactor circuits block and re-center VCO output CML.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device is disclosed that includes a dual stress liner NMOS device having a tensile stress layer that overlies a NMOS gate film stack, a dual stress liner PMOS device having a compressive stress layer that overlies a PMOS gate film stack, a reduced-stress dual stress liner NMOS device having a stress reduction layer that extends between the tensile stress layer and the NMOS gate film stack, and a reduced-stress dual stress liner PMOS device having a stress reduction layer that extends between the compressive stress layer and the PMOS gate film stack. In embodiments of the invention additional reduced-stress dual stress liner NMOS devices and reduced-stress PMOS devices are formed by altering the thickness and/or the material properties of the stress reduction layer.

Abstract: A method is provided to incorporate information currently known about an integrated circuit's design, including peripheral components that share the same printed circuit board (PCB) with the integrated circuit, to automate a clock signal instantiation and routing solution to realize a comprehensive design. The information derived from a hardware design synthesis tool includes the existence of PCB resources, such as fixed-frequency oscillators, that may co-exist with a particular integrated circuit, such as a programmable logic device (PLD). Other derived information includes details concerning clock modules and cores that may exist within the PLD in accordance with the PLD's design specification.

Abstract: Operation of an internal voltage supply level (Vgg) of an IC is characterized over operating temperature or at a selected temperature to determine a temperature-equivalent internal voltage level. The internal voltage supply of the IC is set to the temperature-equivalent level, and the IC is tested at room temperature to screen for low-temperature defects or high-temperature defects.

Abstract: From source code specification of each of a plurality of threads, those variables of a data structure referenced by the thread are determined. For each thread, a respective adaptation of the source code specification of the data structure is generated. Each adaptation includes only variables of the data structure that are referenced in the respective thread. The source code specifications of the threads are compiled into respective object code segments using the respective adaptations of the data structures. Each object code segment requires memory space for the data structure for only those variables included in the respective adaptation. The source code specification of the data structure describes a network packet, and the respective object code segments are configured to operate on the respective portions of the network packet stored in separate memories while executing on respective processors.

Abstract: A circuit has a programmable mode control section, and a receiver section with first and second input terminals and an output terminal. The method and apparatus involve setting the mode control section to one of first and second states in response to user input, and operating the receiver section in first and second operational mode when the mode control section respectively has the first and second states, wherein in the first operational mode the receiver section provides higher performance and consumes more power than in the second operational mode.

Abstract: A circuit detects symbols communicated between multiple transmitting antennas and multiple receiving antennas (MIMO). Distance blocks are coupled in a sequence according to an ordering of the transmitting antennas. The respective distance block associated with each transmitting antenna determines a distance value for each pairing of one or more candidates and a symbol in a constellation. A respective selector block is coupled between each successive pair of distance blocks in the sequence. The respective selector block selects the one or more candidates for the successive distance block as a limited number of the pairings having smaller ones of the distance values. A limit block coupled to the selector blocks provides the limited number to each selector block. An identifier block selects the pairing having a smaller one of the distance values from the last distance block in the sequence.

Abstract: A method for detecting reverse engineering of a configuration bitstream for an integrated circuit is described. A user design is obtained. It is determined if the user design is a degenerate design. If the user design is a degenerate design, it is determined if a trip point for bitstream generation has been tripped. If the trip point for the bitstream generation has not been tripped, deterrence information is updated and the bitstream generation is allowed to take place. If the trip point for the bitstream generation has been tripped, at least one reverse engineering countermeasure is initiated.

Abstract: Various approaches for improving clock speed for a circuit design. In one embodiment, a graph having nodes and edges that represent the circuit design is generated. The nodes represent flip-flops of the design, the edges represent couplings of data inputs and outputs of the flip-flops, and the edges have associated delay values for respective durations of signal delays of the couplings. A smallest period is determined for which subtracting each delay value from the smallest period and associating the difference with the associated edge does not create a negative cycle in the graph. A path in the graph is selected, the path including selected flip-flops and connecting edges. The circuit design is modified by replacing the selected flip-flops with latches, and the smallest period is output.

Abstract: An interface to a dynamically configurable arithmetic unit can include data alignment modules, where each data alignment module receives input variables being associated with one or more arithmetic expressions. The interface can include multiplexers coupled to the data alignment modules, wherein a data alignment module has outputs coupled to a first multiplexer. The first multiplexer can have a selection line and an output coupled to an input port of the dynamically configurable arithmetic unit. The interface can include a second multiplexer having input instructions and the selection line, where each instruction is associated with one of the arithmetic expressions and has an operation to be performed by the dynamically configurable arithmetic unit. The second multiplexer is configurable to provide selected ones of the input instructions to the dynamically configurable arithmetic unit through an output of the second multiplexer responsive to the selection line.

Abstract: Approaches for secure configuration of a programmable logic integrated circuit (IC). In one approach, a method includes programming configuration memory of the programmable logic IC with a first configuration bitstream. At least a portion of a second configuration bitstream is encrypted using values stored in a portion of the configuration memory as a key. The second configuration bitstream is input to the programmable logic IC, and the encrypted portion of the second configuration bitstream is decrypted using the values stored in the portion of the configuration memory. The configuration memory is then programmed with each decrypted portion of the second bitstream.

Abstract: A method is provided for communicating a data value and pilot tone within the same communication sub-carrier of a communication channel. A first reference phase corresponding to a first data value is selected. A pilot tone having the first reference phase is generated. The generated pilot tone is transmitted. The transmitted pilot tone is received. A phase of the received pilot tone is determined. A second data value is determined from the phase of the received pilot tone. The second data value is stored in an electronic storage medium.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for mapping flip-flop logic onto shift register logic is described. In one example, a method of processing flip-flop logic in a circuit design for implementation in an integrated circuit is provided. A chain of flip-flops in the circuit design is identified. The chain of flip-flops includes first and second control signals. A shift register is instantiated in a logical description of the circuit design for the chain of flip-flops. A shift register is instantiated in the logical description for the chain of flip-flops. First and second control chains of flip-flops are instantiated in the logical description for the first and second control signals, respectively. A multiplexer is instantiated in the logical description and is configured to select among an output of the shift register, an asserted logic state, and a de-asserted logic state based on outputs of the first and second control chains.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for implementing a circuit model in an integrated circuit are described. In some examples, the circuit model includes a communication channel between actors. Data portions of at least one data object passed between the actors over the communication channel are identified. An implementation is generated for the circuit model in which data portions are assigned to either local queue storage of the communication channel or centralized shared storage of the communication channel based on levels of access thereof by the actors.

Abstract: Network on Chip (NoC) Devices, especially Heterogeneous Multiprocessor Network on Chip Devices are described, that optionally contain Reconfigurable Hardware Tiles, as well as Methods and Operating Systems (OS) for Control thereof. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention the Operating Systems handle either (a) run-time traffic management methods or (b) task migration methods, or a combination of these methods. The Operating Systems may be partly distributed but with a centralized master. The traffic management methods and apparatus of the invention use a statistical QoS approach. A system is described having an at least dual Network on Chip as well as methods of operating the same. The system has at least an on-chip communications network, comprising a first on-chip data traffic network (data NoC) and a second on-chip control traffic network (control NoC), having a control network interface component (control NIC) and a data network interface component (data NIC).

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of circuit design can include receiving clock frequency constraints defining relationships between clock frequencies of a plurality of clock domains of a circuit design specified within a high-level modeling system (305) and receiving a cost function that is dependent upon the clock frequencies of the plurality of clock domains (310). A feasibility result can be determined according to the clock frequency constraints and the cost function (315). The feasibility result can indicate whether a clock frequency assignment exists that specifies a clock frequency for each of the plurality of clock domains that does not violate any clock frequency constraint. The feasibility result can be output (315).

Abstract: An embodiment of a method for operation of an input/output block is disclosed. For this embodiment of the method, a first attribute is set for a first disable signal for an input driver. A first tri-state condition is removed from an output driver. In response to the removing of the first tri-state condition, the input driver is placed in a second tri-state condition.

Abstract: A receiver has a first input port and a second input port both coupled to a differential amplifier through first and second input capacitors. A bias circuit coupled to the core side of the first input capacitor and to the core side of the second input capacitor is configured to provide a selected voltage to at least one of the first input and the second input of the differential amplifier. In one embodiment, a common mode bias circuit provides a common mode voltage to both inputs of a differential amplifier. In a particular embodiment, a run length detector monitors the output of the differential amplifier and provides a run length feedback signal or an average bit density feedback signal to the set the selected voltage between periods of data reception.