Abstract: A method of annotating timing information for a circuit design for performing timing analysis can include determining minimum and maximum clock path delays for registers of a circuit design and computing a difference between the maximum clock path delay and the minimum clock path delay for a destination register of the circuit design. The method further can include adjusting a register timing parameter for the destination register according to the difference and performing a timing verification on the destination register using the adjusted register timing parameter.

Abstract: A storage transistor is programmed as a non-volatile memory element by biasing the source and drain while a programming voltage is applied to the gate. The substrate is held at a different potential than the source/drain to insure that the greatest difference in voltage during the programming step occurs between the channel region and the gate, rather than the gate and the source/drain. The programming voltage heats the channel region to form a non-volatile low-resistance connection between the source and drain, which is read to determine the programmed state.

Abstract: A method for channel bonding begins when a master transceiver receives a channel bonding sequence. The process continues with the master transceiver generating a channel bonding request and transmitting it and channel bonding configuration information to the slave transceiver. The process continues with each slave receiving the channel bonding sequence, the channel bonding request and the channel bonding configuration information. The process continues as each slave processes the channel bonding request and the channel bonding sequence in accordance with the channel bonding configuration information to determine individual slave channel bonding start information. The process continues as the master processes the channel bonding sequence in accordance with the channel bonding configuration information and the channel bonding request to determine master channel bonding start information.

Abstract: Testing of a system-on-a-chip having a programmable section and a plurality of high-speed interfaces begins by configuring the programmable section to support a 1st level testing of the plurality of high-speed interfaces. The testing continues by testing one of the plurality of high-speed interfaces at the 1st level of testing via the programmable section. The testing continues by evaluating the tested performance characteristics in accordance with the prescribed performance characteristics of the standard to determine whether the one of the plurality of high-speed interfaces conforms with the standard requirements. When the one of the plurality of high-speed interfaces conforms with the standard requirements, the plurality of high-speed interfaces are configured for a 2nd level testing, where the 1st level testing is more stringent than the 2nd level testing. The testing continues by testing, at the 2nd level, remaining ones of the plurality of high-speed interfaces.

Abstract: The various embodiments of the present invention relate to circuit verification. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of enabling timing verification of a circuit design comprises steps of generating a timing model of a processor core for a static timing analysis tool; coupling timing data related to the processor core to the static timing analysis tool; extracting resistance and capacitance data for interconnect circuits of the circuit design; coupling the resistance and capacitance data for the interconnect circuits to the static timing analysis tool; and verifying the performance of the circuit design using the static timing analysis tool. According to another embodiment of the invention, a system for enabling timing verification of a circuit design is described.

Abstract: A floor planner tool for integrated circuit design which provides tools and displays for a designer to create a floor plan to define desired placement of circuits defined in a logical netlist by creating a physical hierarchy comprised of nested pblocks. Each pblock is a data structure which contains data which defines which circuits from the logical netlist are assigned to it. Each pblock stands alone and can be input to a place and route tool without the rest of the physical hierarchy. Each pblock data structure contains pointers to the circuits on the netlist assigned to that plbock, identifies other pblocks nested within it and contains a list of pins for the instances within the pblock. Net data structures in the physical hierarchy define which nets are connected to which pins.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that may reduce the dynamic power dissipation of a configurable IC device such as an FPGA by reducing the peak-to-peak voltage swing of signals transmitted over the device's interconnect signal lines without including additional level shifter circuits. For some embodiments, existing multiplexing circuit architectures provided within logic resources of various logic blocks of the configurable IC device may be used as level shifter circuits to increase the voltage swing of signals received into the blocks from the interconnect signal lines, and modified multiplexing circuit architectures provided within the logic resources may be used to reduce the voltage swing of signals output from the logic blocks onto the interconnect signal lines.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for configuring a programmable logic device to operate at a plurality of clock frequencies comprising configurable programmable self-timed delay circuits and associated configuration software. The configurable IC clock frequencies increase device performance and manufacturing yield.

Abstract: A clock distribution network having: a backbone clock signal line configured to provide a differential clock signal; multiple branches coupled to the backbone clock signal line for distributing the differential clock signal to multiple programmable function elements; a first leaf node coupled to a first branch, where the first leaf node is configured to provide the differential clock signal to a first programmable function element; and a second leaf node coupled to a second branch, where the second leaf node is configured to provide a single ended clock signal derived from the differential clock signal to a second programmable function element.

Abstract: A method for determining an allowable simultaneous switching output level on a bank-by-bank basis is described. An inductance scaling factor is determined for a first bank. A noise limit scaling factor is determined for the first bank. A bounce voltage scaling factor is determined for the first bank. The inductance scaling factor, the noise limit scaling factor, and the bounce voltage scaling factor are multiplied with one another to provide the simultaneous switching output level for the first bank.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for interpolation of signals from a delay line is described. An input signal is obtained from which progressively delayed input signals are generated from the input signal. Two of the progressively delayed input signals are accessed and interpolated to provide a phase-adjusted signal.

Abstract: Methods and structures utilizing multiple configuration bitstreams to program integrated circuits (ICs) such as programmable logic devices (PLDs), thereby enabling the utilization of partially defective ICs. A user design is implemented two or more times, preferably utilizing different programmable resources as much as possible in each configuration bitstream. The resulting configuration bitstreams are stored in a memory device such as a programmable read-only memory (PROM). Under the control of a configuration control circuit or device, the various bitstreams are sequentially loaded into a partially defective IC and tested using an automated testing procedure. When a bitstream is found that enables the design to function correctly in the programmed IC, i.e., that avoids the defective programmable resources in the IC, the automated testing procedure terminates, and the programmed IC begins to function according to the user design as determined by the last programmed bitstream.

Abstract: A method for noise suppression for a system implementation of an integrated circuit design is described. First clock operating parameters for logic blocks of the integrated circuit design are obtained. Second clock operating parameters for input/output banks of the integrated circuit design are obtained. At least one switching frequency associated with at least one power supply source is obtained. First and second capacitor values for the at least one power supply source are determined responsive to the first clock operating parameters, the second clock operating parameters, and the at least one switching frequency. The first capacitor values are associated with a first frequency range of operation and the second capacitor values are associated with a second frequency range of operation which is higher than the first frequency range of operation. Third capacitor values for suppression of anti-resonances are determined.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for generating a block diagram of an electronic circuit design. In one embodiment, each instance of a multi-master bus, a bus master of a multi-master bus, a bus slave of a multi-master bus, a memory, a co-processor and an input/output port is are identified. Instances of input/output ports are placed about a perimeter of a first area of the diagram. Each instance of a multi-master bus is placed in a bus area within the first area and each bus master is placed in a master area. The bus slaves of a bus are collected in a group, and the group is placed as a single block in a slave area within the first area. The group of bus slave slaves is aligned with a bus master. A diagrammatic representation is output consistent with the placement representations.

Abstract: A built in self test (BIST) circuit is provided for a programmable logic device (PLD) constructed from fixed or hard core logic that includes circuitry to write recurring patterns of bits in the configuration memory in a frame by frame manner and read the cell state to enable the validation of every configuration bit at power up. The BIST circuitry can further be used to program the recurring patterns into the configuration memory, and then read frames of the configuration memory to detect the occurrence of single event upsets (SEU) that corrupt data in the configuration memory. The recurring patterns programmed do not require time consuming functional configuration of the PLD, and can be done in a production environment after power up without knowledge of how the PLD will later be configured. No soft logic is needed to form the BIST circuit, enabling 100% test coverage of the programmable configuration memory cells.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a plurality of circuits on a programmable logic device, the circuit comprising a first circuit implemented on a first portion of the programmable logic device; a second circuit implemented on a second portion of the programmable logic device; and a control circuit coupled to the first circuit and the second circuit, the control circuit providing isolation between the first circuit and the second circuit. While the first circuit and the second circuit may comprise redundant circuits implementing a common function, the circuits may also comprise circuits which must be isolated, such as an encryption circuit and a decryption circuit implementing a cryptographic function. A method for implementing a plurality of circuits on a programmable logic device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide various mechanisms to improve yield of an integrated circuit (IC) employing serial input/output (I/O) communication devices. A single error correction model provides one spare transceiver per group of primary transceivers, whereby reconfiguration of the IC isolates the defective transceiver and configures the replacement transceiver for operation in its place. A multiple error correction model is also provided, whereby multiple replacement transceivers may be configured to replace multiple defective transceivers. The replacement mechanism may occur during various phases of the IC, such as during wafer testing, final testing, or post-deployment testing.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed. The method and system provide the ability to identify a configuration bit as an essential configuration bit. The identifying that is performed uses a configuration bit definition.

Abstract: A programmable logic device (PLD) includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a programmable interface coupled to the CPU, wherein the programmable interface includes a core designated by a user. The programmable interface core allows devices, both on and off-chip, to communicate with the CPU. In one embodiment, the programmable interface core includes a crosspoint switch for coupling a plurality of devices and the CPU. Re-programmability of the PLD provides significant flexibility in providing features that can be parameterized based on the user's needs and/or associated design. Specifically, these parameterized features can be implemented in programmable resources on the PLD, thereby allowing these features to be modified at any time. Moreover, only those resources actually needed for the programmable interface core need be implemented, thereby allowing the user to optimize use of the remainder of the PLD.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating a test program for an integrated circuit having an embedded processor. One embodiment has a system which includes an embedded microprocessor; a plurality of assembly language instructions stored in a memory, where the assembly language instructions substantially exercise a critical path or a path closest to the critical path in the embedded microprocessor; and programmable test circuitry having a programmable clock circuit for providing a multiplied clock signal to the embedded microprocessor in order to execute the assembly language instructions.