Patents by Inventor William C. Plants

William C. Plants has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110234258
    Abstract: An enhanced performance field programmable gate array integrated circuit comprises a field programmable gate array and other functional circuitry such as a mask-programmable gate array in the same integrated circuit. A circuit interface provides communication between the field programmable gate array, the mask-programmable gate array and the integrated circuit I/O.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Samuel W. Beal, Sinan Kaptonoglu, Jung-Cheun Lien, William Shu, King W. Chan, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7977970
    Abstract: An enhanced performance field programmable gate array integrated circuit comprises a field programmable gate array and other functional circuitry such as a mask-programmable gate array in the same integrated circuit. A circuit interface provides communication between the field programmable gate array, the mask-programmable gate array and the integrated circuit I/O.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel W. Beal, Sinan Kaptanoglu, Jung-Cheun Lien, William Shu, King W. Chan, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7956404
    Abstract: A two-transistor non-volatile memory cell is formed in a semiconductor body. A memory-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body. A switch-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body and is electrically isolated from the memory transistor well. A memory transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the memory-transistor well. A switch transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the switch-transistor well region. A floating gate is insulated from and self aligned with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and switch transistor. A control gate is disposed above and aligned to the floating gate and with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and the switch transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Vidyadhara Bellippady, William C. Plants, Zhigang Wang
  • Patent number: 7941685
    Abstract: A DLL provides a deskew mode for aligning a reference clock that passes through a clock distribution tree to a feedback by adding additional delay to the feedback clock to align the feedback clock with reference clock at one cycle later. A 0 ns clock-to-out mode is provided by adding additional delay to account for an input buffer into a feedback path. The feedback clock can be doubled by a clock doubler with 50% duty cycle adjustment disposed in the feedback path. Flexible timing is aligning the reference clock to the feedback clock is obtained with additional delay elements disposed in the feedback and reference clock paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Plants, Nikhil Mazumder, Arunangshu Kundu, James Joseph, Wayne W. Wong
  • Patent number: 7937601
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises a programmable logic block, a non-volatile memory block, an analog sub-system, an analog input/output circuit block, and a digital input/output circuit block. A programmable interconnect architecture includes programmable elements and interconnect conductors. Ones of the programmable elements are coupled to the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, the digital input/output circuit block, and to the interconnect conductors, such that inputs and outputs of the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, and the digital input/output circuit block can be programmably coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Bakker, Khaled El-Ayat, Theodore Speers, Limin Zhu, Brian Schubert, Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Kurt Kilkind, Thomas Barraza, Venkatesh Narayanan, John McCollum, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7924051
    Abstract: A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a microcontroller-based control system in a programmable logic integrated circuit device. The computer program product comprises first instructions for initializing the device, second instructions for reading programming data from a data source external to the programmable logic integrated circuit device, third instructions for transferring the programming data into control elements internal to the device. Provision is made for fourth instructions for saving a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the device into a non-volatile memory block and for fifth instructions for restoring a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the device from a non-volatile memory block. The device comprises a microcontroller block and a programmable logic block with programming circuitry, and has a sub-bus which couples the microcontroller block to the programming circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Bakker, Joel Landry, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7915665
    Abstract: A two-transistor non-volatile memory cell is formed in a semiconductor body. A memory-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body. A switch-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body and is electrically isolated from the memory transistor well. A memory transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the memory-transistor well. A switch transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the switch-transistor well region. A floating gate is insulated from and self aligned with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and switch transistor. A control gate is disposed above and aligned to the floating gate and with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and the switch transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Vidyadhara Bellippady, William C. Plants, Zhigang Wang
  • Patent number: 7885122
    Abstract: A flash-based programmable integrated circuit includes programmable circuitry, a flash memory array coupled to the programmable circuitry for configuring it, flash programming circuitry for programming the flash memory array, and an on-chip intelligence, such as a microcontroller or state machine, coupled to the programming circuitry to program the flash memory from off-chip data supplied via an I/O pad, or to refresh the data stored in the flash memory to prevent it from degrading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Joel Landry, William C. Plants, Randall Sexton
  • Patent number: 7886130
    Abstract: A system-on-a-chip integrated circuit has a field programmable gate array core having logic clusters, static random access memory modules, and routing resources, a field programmable gate array virtual component interface translator having inputs and outputs, wherein the inputs are connected to the field programmable gate array core, a microcontroller, a microcontroller virtual component interface translator having input and outputs, wherein the inputs are connected to the microcontroller, a system bus connected to the outputs of the field programmable gate array virtual component interface translator and also to the outputs of said microcontroller virtual component interface translator, and direct connections between the microcontroller and the routing resources of the field programmable gate array core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Arunangshu Kundu, Arnold Goldfein, William C. Plants, David Hightower
  • Patent number: 7872497
    Abstract: A fast, flexible carry scheme for use in clustered field programmable gate array architectures is described. Each cluster has a cluster carry input node, a cluster carry output node, a cluster carry output circuit having an output coupled to the cluster carry output node, a first input coupled to the cluster carry input node, and a second input and a plurality of logic modules each comprising a logic function generator circuit coupled to a carry circuit. The logic modules are coupled in a series carry arrangement between the cluster carry input node and the second input of the cluster carry output circuit such that the least significant bit of an arithmetic logic circuit can be programmably placed in any of the logic modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Plants
  • Publication number: 20100244894
    Abstract: An enhanced performance field programmable gate array integrated circuit comprises a field programmable gate array and other functional circuitry such as a mask-programmable gate array in the same integrated circuit. A circuit interface provides communication between the field programmable gate array, the mask-programmable gate array and the integrated circuit I/O.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Samuel W. Beal, Sinan Kaptanoglu, Jung-Cheun Lien, William Shu, King W. Chan, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7755386
    Abstract: An enhanced performance field programmable gate array integrated circuit comprises a field programmable gate array and other functional circuitry such as a mask-programmable gate array in the same integrated circuit. A circuit interface provides communication between the field programmable gate array, the mask-programmable gate array and the integrated circuit I/O.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel W. Beal, Sinan Kaptonoglu, Jung-Cheun Lien, William Shu, King W. Chan, William C. Plants
  • Publication number: 20100156459
    Abstract: A delay line compensated for process, voltage, and temperature variations, includes a delay locked loop (DLL) configured to delay a digital signal by the clock period of the digital signal, the DLL including a DLL delay line arranged as a plurality of cascaded sub-delay lines each sub-delay line providing one of a plurality of delay quanta in response to a digital control signal. A fractionating circuit is configured to generate a digital delay line control signal that is a fraction of the digital control signal. A digital delay line is arranged as a plurality of cascaded sub-delay lines each sub-delay line providing one of a plurality of delay quanta in response to the digital delay line control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: William C. Plants, Suhail Zain, Joel Landry, Gregory W. Bakker, Tomek P. Jasionowski
  • Publication number: 20100134142
    Abstract: A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a microcontroller-based control system in a programmable logic integrated circuit device. The computer program product comprises first instructions for initializing the device, second instructions for reading programming data from a data source external to the programmable logic integrated circuit device, third instructions for transferring the programming data into control elements internal to the device. Provision is made for fourth instructions for saving a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the device into a non-volatile memory block and for fifth instructions for restoring a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the device from a non-volatile memory block. The device comprises a microcontroller block and a programmable logic block with programming circuitry, and has a sub-bus which couples the microcontroller block to the programming circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Gregory Bakker, Joel Landry, William C. Plants
  • Publication number: 20100100864
    Abstract: A fast, flexible carry scheme for use in clustered field programmable gate array architectures is described. Each cluster has a cluster carry input node, a cluster carry output node, a cluster carry output circuit having an output coupled to the cluster carry output node, a first input coupled to the cluster carry input node, and a second input and a plurality of logic modules each comprising a logic function generator circuit coupled to a carry circuit. The logic modules are coupled in a series carry arrangement between the cluster carry input node and the second input of the cluster carry output circuit such that the least significant bit of an arithmetic logic circuit can be programmably placed in any of the logic modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7701246
    Abstract: A delay line compensated for process, voltage, and temperature variations, includes a delay locked loop (DLL) configured to delay a digital signal by the clock period of the digital signal, the DLL including a DLL delay line arranged as a plurality of cascaded sub-delay lines each sub-delay line providing one of a plurality of delay quanta in response to a digital control signal. A fractionating circuit is configured to generate a digital delay line control signal that is a fraction of the digital control signal. A digital delay line is arranged as a plurality of cascaded sub-delay lines each sub-delay line providing one of a plurality of delay quanta in response to the digital delay line control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Plants, Suhail Zain, Joel Landry, Gregory W. Bakker, Tomek Jasionowski
  • Patent number: 7683660
    Abstract: A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a microcontroller-based control system in a programmable logic integrated circuit device is disclosed. The computer program product comprises first instructions for initializing the device, second instructions for reading programming data from a data source external to the programmable logic integrated circuit device, third instructions for transferring the programming data into control elements internal to the programmable logic integrated circuit device. Provision is made for fourth instructions for saving at least a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the programmable logic integrated circuit device into a non-volatile memory block and for fifth instructions for restoring at least a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the programmable logic integrated circuit device from a non-volatile memory block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Bakker, Joel Landry, William C. Plants
  • Patent number: 7672153
    Abstract: A method for providing a deglitching circuit for a radiation tolerant static random access memory (SRAM) comprising: providing a configuration memory having a plurality of configuration bits; coupling read and write circuitry to the configuration memory for configuring the plurality of configuration bits; coupling a radiation hard latch to a programmable element, the radiation hard latch controlling the programmable element; and providing an interface that couples at least one of the plurality of configuration bits to the radiation hard latch when the write circuitry writes to the at least one of the plurality of configuration bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Plants
  • Publication number: 20100038697
    Abstract: A two-transistor non-volatile memory cell is formed in a semiconductor body. A memory-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body. A switch-transistor well is disposed within the semiconductor body and is electrically isolated from the memory transistor well. A memory transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the memory-transistor well. A switch transistor including spaced-apart source and drain regions is formed within the switch-transistor well region. A floating gate is insulated from and self aligned with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and switch transistor. A control gate is disposed above and aligned to the floating gate and with the source and drain regions of the memory transistor and the switch transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Vidyadhara Bellippady, William C. Plants, Zhigang Wang
  • Patent number: 7663400
    Abstract: A fast, flexible carry scheme for use in clustered field programmable gate array architectures is described. Each cluster has a cluster carry input node, a cluster carry output node, a cluster carry output circuit having an output coupled to the cluster carry output node, a first input coupled to the cluster carry input node, and a second input and a plurality of logic modules each comprising a logic function generator circuit coupled to a carry circuit. The logic modules are coupled in a series carry arrangement between the cluster carry input node and the second input of the cluster carry output circuit such that the least significant bit of an arithmetic logic circuit can be programmably placed in any of the logic modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Plants