Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of programmable elements, each having a first terminal connected to a first power supply potential, and a second terminal. Each of a plurality of first semiconductor switching elements has a first terminal respectively connected to the second terminal of a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable elements and has a second terminal. Each of a plurality of second semiconductor switching elements has a first terminal connected in common to selected ones of the second terminals of the plurality of first semiconductor switching elements and has a second terminal connected to a second power supply potential.

Abstract: An inventive programmable circuit stores a bit (i.e., a "1"or a "0") as the result of one of a pair of anti-fuses of the circuit connected in series between a supply voltage V.sub.cc and ground V.sub.ss being blown. If the anti-fuse connected to the supply voltage V.sub.cc is blown, the supply voltage V.sub.cc passes through the anti-fuse to a node between the series-connected anti-fuses. If, instead, the anti-fuse connected to ground V.sub.ss is blown, the node between the anti-fuses is connected to ground through the blown anti-fuse. The voltage on the node (i.e., V.sub.cc or V.sub.ss) may then be output from the programmable circuit as being representative of the bit stored in the circuit. Because only one of the anti-fuses is blown, no direct path exists between the supply voltage V.sub.cc and ground V.sub.ss, so the programmable circuit does not waste current as prior circuits are known to do.

Abstract: A voltage elevation circuit supplying additional voltage for gate switching having an elevated power supply connected to a first node of a capacitor using a transistor. The elevated power supply and booting circuit providing additional voltage for gate switching applications. One application is a MOSFET output driver application having a 3 Volt power supply. One configuration using a switch to charge a capacitor using a first voltage supply and then providing additional voltage by a boot device and by switching in an elevated power supply to maintain an elevated voltage at the node.

Abstract: A clock driver circuit is furnished in a centrally located macro cell layout region. The clock driver circuit has a plurality of predrivers and a plurality of main drivers. The input and output nodes of the predrivers are short-circuited by a first and a second common line, and the input and output nodes of the main drivers are short-circuited by the second and a third common line. A plurality of clock driver circuits are formed predetermined distances apart and arranged to intersect the clock driver circuit perpendicularly. Each of the clock driver circuits has a plurality of predrivers and a plurality of main drivers. The input and output nodes of the predrivers are short-circuited by a fourth and a fifth common line, and the input and output nodes of the main drivers are short-circuited by the fifth and a sixth common line. The third and the fourth common lines are interconnected.

Abstract: Very fast very large scale integrated (VLSI) chips can be built-up from "self-resetting" or "self-timed" macros. An input isolator circuit provides an effective input isolation/decoupling which allows the input pulse widths to vary over a wide range. This avoids, for a large chip having many macros, a significant problem in insuring that the output from one macro is compliant with the input requirements of a receiving macro. Mixed static and dynamic circuits are used. The circuit comprises three stages. The input first stage is a static NOR circuit providing a pulse-chopping function. This first stage chops any too wide input pulse to the desired pulse width. The middle stage is a self-resetting complementary metal oxide semiconductor (SRCMOS) dynamic NOR circuit to capture input which is reset too soon. The last stage is a half-latch circuit to keep the dynamic node at constant output voltage level.

Abstract: According to the invention, a structure is provided for driving a bus line that is both fast and small. Instead of a plurality of tristate buffers, one for each input signal, a plurality of multiplexers or gates is connected into a tree structure. The tristate enable line of the tristate buffer becomes the control line for enabling the tree structure to place its own input signal onto the bus instead of propagating the signal already on the bus. A buffer element then allows the resulting signal to be tapped from the bus. One embodiment of the invention includes lookahead logic similar to a lookahead carry chain. This allows large numbers of input lines to be connected to a bus line while retaining high speed. The symmetrical delay of a tree structure minimizes the greatest delay and thus increases predicted speed.

Abstract: Circuits and methods of suppressing noise on a signal line are disclosed. A noise suppression pull-down circuit is coupled to a signal line which couples the output element of a first logic element to the input terminal of a second logic element. When the first logic element drives a logic low onto the signal line, the noise suppression pull-down circuit is activated to provide a weak pull-down on the signal line. When the first logic element drives a logic high onto the signal line, the noise suppression pull-down circuit is deactivated to prevent interference with the first logic element.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided, which decrease the circuit scale of an enabling circuit used for enabling and disabling an internal circuit. The enabling circuit has a first switching element with first and second terminals, a second switching element with first and second terminals, and a third switching element with first and second terminals. One of the first, second, and third switching elements is turned on and the remaining two ones thereof are turned off according to a program. The first terminal of the first switching element is applied with an enabling signal. The first terminal of the second switching element is applied with a disabling signal. The first terminal of the third switching element is applied with a Don't Care signal. The second terminals of the first, second, and third switching elements are connected in common to a node. One of the enabling signal, the disabling signal, and the Don't Care signal is selectively outputted to the node according to the program.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a mask-programmed cell comprising an input, an output and a transistor. The transistor has a first terminal and a second terminal. The cell may be configured in a first of three possible states when (a) the cell input is coupled to the first terminal via a first of two mask-programmed interconnects, and (b) the second terminal is coupled to the output. The cell may be configured in a second of three possible states when (a) a complement of the cell input is coupled to the first terminal via a second of the two mask-programmed interconnects, and (b) the second terminal is coupled to the output. The cell may be configured in a third of the three possible states when either the second terminal or the output is coupled to a predetermined level signal.

Abstract: A computer includes a packaged integrated circuit having an information storage area containing information determined only after the integrated circuit is packaged and tested, and a control circuit that uses the information to configure the computer. A computer also may include a bus line connecting two GTL electronic components at a single termination point and a pull-up resistor connecting the termination point to a termination voltage supply.

Abstract: The invention offers a data transmission device comprising two lines A and B through which digital data flow whose logic levels are defined for each line A or B by potentials taken off positive supply terminals Va or Vb and negative supply terminals Gnda and Gndb of said line A or B, and an interface module 100 which forms the link between the lines A and B. The interface module 100 comprises two management devices, Ga and Gb, dedicated each to one transmission line A or B. The interface module 100 also comprises two devices called potential monitoring devices, Ca and Cb, each monitoring one transmission line A or B. Each monitoring device Ca or Cb has an input called control input INCA or INCB and comprises means for reproducing on the line it controls, A or B, a data defined by a signal received on said control input INCA or INCB. Each management device Ga or Gb comprises means for permitting it to be disabled by the other management device Gb or Ga.

Abstract: A method and system for defining, placing and routing kernels for a family of integrated circuits is provided. The integrated circuits are defined using repeatable row and column circuit types. Kernels are defined by the intersections of the row and column circuit types in the array. The kernels are placed and routed automatically for each member of the family of integrated circuit arrays, each member being generally characterized by a different size, i.e., a different number of repeatable row or column circuit types.

Abstract: The invention provides an FPGA interconnect structure preferably included in an array of identical tiles. A combination of single-length lines connecting to adjacent tiles and intermediate-length lines connecting to tiles several tiles away creates an interconnect hierarchy which allows any logic block to be connected to any other logic block, yet also allows for fast paths to both adjacent tiles and tiles some distance away. Longer interconnect lines may be included as a third level of hierarchy to permit interconnection of widely separated tiles. In a preferred embodiment, from a given tile an intermediate-length line connects to the tile three tiles away, then continues and connects to the tile six tiles away. In this embodiment, the intermediate-length line does not connect to the intervening tiles one, two, four, and five tiles away. According to a second aspect of the invention, high fanout signals can be distributed to any tile in the array.

Abstract: A configurable semi-conductor integrated circuit has an area thereof formed with a plurality of logic circuits at discrete sites or cells respectively defining a matrix array of cells. The matrix array of cells is subdivided at least into zones, each having a matrix array of cells, and further includes a porting arrangement for each zone; and a hierarchical routing resource structure including: (i) global connection paths having selectable connections with the porting arrangement of each zone and which extend continuously across more than one zone, (ii) medium connection paths extending from the porting arrangement and selectably connectable with at least some of the cells in a zone, and (iii) local direct connection paths having for each cell a restricted signal translation system between inputs and outputs of the cells and defining first and second sets of logic circuits.

Abstract: A pair of complementary signals are switched between a high state and a low state such that the complementary signals are switched within a time period less than two gate delays. An inverter biases other inverters so that these two inverters are maintained at their threshold levels. The maintenance at the threshold values enable these two inverters to be switched quickly.

Abstract: A programmable logic device (10) has a number of programmable logic elements (LEs) (12) which are grouped together in a plurality of logic array blocks (LABs) (14). A global interconnect structure (20, 24) is provided for interconnecting a LAB with other LABs. Adjacent or nearby LEs are connectable to one another via cascade connectors (72) between LEs. The cascade is enhanced by providing a selector (90) that allows a cascade line from one LE to selectively be coupled to an input of an adjacent or nearby LE through a cascade logic gate (94).

Abstract: A level restore circuit used in MOS logic circuit design provides a voltage swing from a valid low to a valid high logic level in response to an input signal ranging from a degraded voltage high signal to a logic low signal. An input stage receives the degraded logic signal and provides separate gate drive signals to an inverter. An inverter in the intermediate stage receives the separate drive signals and provides an inverted signal output at a valid logic level. The intermediate stage also includes a pull-up device to pull up one of the gate nodes of the inverter to a logic high level. An output stage can optionally be coupled to the inverter to isolate it from a load.

Abstract: A programmable logic device architecture including tristate structures. The programmable logic device architecture provides tristate structures which may be logically or programmably controlled, or both. Through these tristate structures, the logic elements may be coupled to the programmable interconnect, where they may be coupled with other logic elements of the programmable logic device. Using these tristate structures, the signal pathways of the architecture may be dynamically reconfigured.

Abstract: A clock network of a field programmable gate array has a first clock bus extending across the chip in a first dimension. A clock pad can be coupled to the first clock bus if the clock network is to be driven from the clock pad. An output of a selected logic cell can be coupled to the first clock bus if the clock network is to be driven from a logic cell. To increase speed of the clock network, the first clock bus is segmented (in one embodiment, collinearly extending segments can be selectively coupled together via selectively programmable antifuses) so that only a short piece of the first clock bus is used to couple either the pad or the logic cell to the clock network in high speed applications.

Abstract: The device comprises a first chain of scanning cells located at the stimulation input of each respective functional block of the integrated circuit and a second chain of scanning cells located at the assessment output of each respective functional block of the integrated circuit. Each cell comprises a master part, a slave part and switching circuit to alternately enable the master and slave parts under the control of respective master clock and slave clock signals coincident with opposite phases of a scanning clock signal having a substantially square wave. With each pair of chains of scanning cells there are associated clock generators to locally obtain the master and slave clocks from the scanning clock.