Abstract: System and apparatus for data validation is described. An initialization controller includes an initialization state machine. The initialization state machine is configured to cause configuration data to be transferred from memory internal or external to the integrated circuit to other memory internal to the integrated circuit. The configuration data is stored in the integrated circuit, read back from storage in the integrated circuit, and compressed by the integrated circuit after being read back. The configuration data is compressed into a signature, which may be compared with an expected result for the signature.

Abstract: A device and a method for processing high data rate serial data includes circuitry for recovering a clock based on the high data rate input data stream. A transceiver includes a coarse loop of a phase-locked loop that selectively provides a clock having accuracy that is within a specified amount. In a sample mode of operation, only the coarse loop PLL is coupled to provide an error signal from which an oscillation signal and clock may be derived. In a second mode (lock) of operation, the transceiver may lock to the received serial data stream by coupling the fine loop PLL to provide an adjusted error signal. In a third mode of operation, (automatic) the transceiver initially performs coarse loop calibration by de-coupling the fine loop PLL and coupling the coarse loop PLL until a steady state has been reached.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for a system monitor embedded in a programmable logic device are described. The system monitor includes a dynamic reconfiguration port interface for configuring or reconfiguring the system monitor during operation thereof. The system monitor includes an analog-to-digital converter which is reconfigurable responsive to input via a dynamic reconfiguration port.

Abstract: A method for providing placement based configurations in programmable logic devices and programmable logic devices having configurable data files for logic blocks based on the location of the blocks therein are disclosed. Location information for at least one logic block in a programmable logic device is identified. A configuration data file for configuring the at least one logic block in the programmable logic device is generated based on the identified location of the at least one logic block.

Abstract: In an integrated circuit including an array of substantially similar tiles, a tile includes a logic block and one or more columns of routing multiplexers driving interconnect lines that can be used to programmably interconnect the logic blocks. Each routing multiplexer in a first column drives a vertically adjacent subset of the routing multiplexers in the first and/or a second column. Optionally, each routing multiplexer also drives a vertically adjacent subset of a column of input multiplexers of a logic block. In some embodiments, the adjacent groups of routing multiplexers and input multiplexers driven by each routing multiplexer are horizontally aligned within the tile. In some embodiments, every signal coupled to drive one of the routing multiplexers in a column drives a vertically adjacent subset of the routing multiplexers. In some embodiments, each interconnect line has exit points, and every exit point drives a vertically adjacent set of the routing multiplexers.

Abstract: Generation of a hardware interface specification for a software procedure. In one embodiment, an HDL description is generated for a first memory, at least one first state machine, a second memory, at least one second state machine, and an activation signal. The first memory stores input data corresponding to a plurality of data values consumed by the software procedure. The first state machine receives the input data and stores the input data in the first memory, and at least one of the at least one first state machines receives a plurality of the data values. The second memory stores output data corresponding to at least one data value produced by the software procedure. The second state machine reads the output data from the second memory and sends the output data.

Abstract: A method of a rule-based operation can include the steps of dividing a design rule into at least one of three components including an application criteria, a rule condition, and an action. The method can further include the steps of expressing the design rule as a datafile or source code and binding the three components together to form a rule object at runtime.

Abstract: Efficient implementations of arithmetic functions in programmable ICs include carry chain multiplexers driven by dual-output programmable function generators. A function generator having two output signals is programmed to generate both an exclusive OR (XOR) function of first and second input signals and a second function. In some embodiments, the second function is simply the second input signal to the XOR function. In other embodiments, the second function is a different function optionally independent of the first and second input signals. The XOR function output drives the select terminal of a carry multiplexer, which selects between a carry in signal and one of the second input signal and the second function output signal to provide the carry out output signal. The sum or multiplier output value is provided by an XOR gate driven by the XOR function output and by the carry in signal, and can be optionally registered.

Abstract: A voltage regulator and a method for voltage regulation are described. An adjustable driver is coupled to receive an input voltage, a gating voltage, and first control signaling. The adjustable driver includes driver transistors. The adjustable driver is configured to provide a drive current responsive to the gating voltage. The drive current is provided through one or more of the driver transistors at least a portion of which are selectively gated responsive to the first control signaling. A controller is coupled to receive the input voltage and the gating voltage. The controller is configured to provide the first control signaling responsive to the gating voltage. Control circuitry is configured to provide the gating voltage responsive to load current.

Abstract: Described are various methods and systems for preventing unauthorized access to decryption keys on programmable logic devices. In one example, a key memory can operate in a secure mode or a non-secure mode. The non-secure mode allows decryption keys to be read or written freely; the secure mode bars read and write access to the decryption keys. The key memory can support secure and non-secure modes on a key-by-key basis.

Abstract: Described are methods for implementing customer designs in programmable logic devices (PLDs). The defect tolerance of these methods makes them particularly useful with the adoption of “nanotechnology” and molecular-scale technology, or “molectronics.” Test methods identify alternative physical interconnect resources for each net required in the user design and, as need, reroute certain signal paths using the alternative resources. The test methods additionally limit testing to required resources so devices are not rejected as a result of testing performed on unused resources. The tests limit functional testing of used resources to those functions required in the user designs.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the protection of memory within an integrated circuit (IC) are provided for various phases of operation of the IC. Various portions of sensitive data may be contained within battery backed random access memory (RAM) (310), which may then be protected using either a passive, or an active, zeroization sequence depending upon the phase of operation of the IC. In an idle state, detection circuit (324) senses a drop in battery power (VBATT) to launch active destruction of RAM (310) memory using active zeroization circuits (312 and 314). In a configuration state, detection circuit (402) or (504) senses a drop in battery power (VBATT) to launch active destruction of RAM (310) memory using active zeroization circuits (312 and 314). In an operational state, various methods may be employed to detect and counteract the unauthorized access to RAM (310).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dynamic configuration of function block logic of an integrated circuit is described. The integrated circuit includes a reconfiguration port coupled to a controller. The controller is coupled to an array of memory cell. A portion of the array of memory cells is coupled for read/write communication with the controller, and another portion of the array of memory cells is not coupled for read/write communication with the controller. The portion of the array of memory cells is configurable at an operational frequency of the integrated circuit for dynamic reconfiguration of the function block logic of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: The performance of a serial data transceiver in a programmable logic device may be determined by applying a stress sequence of sequential data to a receiver of the transceiver, comparing the received data to reference data and determining the number of errors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that simplify and reduce the time required for detecting faults in a programmable device such as a programmable logic device (PLD) by utilizing fault coverage information corresponding to a plurality of test patterns for the PLD to reduce the set of potential faults. For one embodiment, each test pattern is designated as either passing or failing, the faults that are detectable by at least two failing test patterns and the faults that are not detectable by any passing test patterns are eliminated, and the remaining faults are diagnosed. For another embodiment, the faults detectable by each failing test pattern are diagnosed to generate corresponding fault sets, and the faults not common to the fault sets and not detectable by one or more of the failing test patterns are eliminated.

Abstract: A programmable logic block provides fast interconnect paths between carry multiplexer output terminals and the input terminals of function generators (e.g., lookup tables) in the same logic block. An integrated circuit includes an interconnect structure, a function generator, and a carry multiplexer having a select terminal programmably coupled to an output terminal of the function generator. An output signal from the carry multiplexer can traverse the interconnect structure to reach the input terminals of the function generator. However, a “fast connect” path is also provided that interconnects the carry multiplexer output with an input terminal of the function generator, without traversing the interconnect structure. In some embodiments, fast connect paths are also provided to input terminals of other function generators in the same logic block.

Abstract: A programmable logic block provides fast interconnect paths between memory element output terminals and the input terminals of carry multiplexers in the same logic block. An integrated circuit includes an interconnect structure, a function generator, a carry chain multiplexer coupled to an output terminal of the function generator, and a memory element programmably coupled to the output terminal of the function generator. An output signal from the memory element can traverse the interconnect structure to reach an input terminal of the carry multiplexer. However, a “fast connect” path is also provided that interconnects the memory element output with an input terminal of the carry multiplexer, without traversing the interconnect structure. In some embodiments, fast connect paths are also provided to the input terminals the function generator, and to the input terminals of other function generators and/or carry multiplexers in the same logic block.

Abstract: A programmable device having a processing core is configured to use a subset of configuration memory cells as read/write memory. The subset of memory cells is a don't care set that includes configuration memory cells that can be set or reset without modifying the function or behavior of the configured circuits of the programmable device.

Abstract: A programmable lookup table for an integrated circuit (IC) optionally provides two input signals and two output signals to an interconnect structure of the programmable IC when programmed to function as shift register logic. According to one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes an interconnect structure and a N-input lookup table (LUT) having input and output terminals coupled to the interconnect structure, where N is a integer. The LUT can be configured to function as a (2**(N?1))-bit shift register having a shift in input signal and one output signal coupled to the interconnect structure, or as a two (2**(N?2))-bit shift registers having two shift in input signals and two output signals coupled to the interconnect structure. In some embodiments, each bit of the shift register includes two memory cells of the LUT, a first memory cell functioning as a master latch and a second memory cell functioning as a slave latch.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit (“IC”), such as a field-programmable gate array (“FPGA”) or a complex programmable logic device (“CPLD”), has a global clock buffer coupled to a first regional clock buffer through a first global clock spine. A first flip-flop is close to a first end of a first regional clock spine, and is coupled to a circuit block, such as a configurable logic block. The circuit block is coupled to the global clock buffer through a first routing portion and a second routing portion couples the first flip-flop to the circuit block so as to form a first clock ring allowing measurement of a first clock ring delay. In further embodiments, additional clock rings are configured in the IC, allowing measurements of additional clock ring delays. In suitably symmetric devices, skew along the regional clock spine is calculated from the clock ring delays.