Significant Integrated Structure, Layout, Or Layout Interconnections Patents (Class 326/47)
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Patent number: 8138792Abstract: A gate drive circuit includes a shift register, a clock wiring and a start wiring. The shift register includes a plurality of stages arranged in a first direction on a base substrate to output a plurality of gate signals. The clock wiring is extended along the first direction. The clock wiring is electrically connected to a plurality of clock connecting wirings extended in a second direction crossing the first direction to deliver a clock signal to the stages. The start wiring includes the first wiring extended along the first direction and a second wiring connected to the first wiring and extended in the first direction to cross with the clock connecting wirings so as to deliver a vertical start signal to a first stage. Therefore, a structure of a signal wiring delivering a vertical start signal is changed, thereby protecting the gate drive circuit from static electricity.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jong-Woong Chang, Kweon-Sam Hong
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Patent number: 8136071Abstract: The invention relates to multi-planar logic components in a three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) apparatus configuration. A multi-planar integrated circuit connected by through silicon vias is configured to connect microprocessor, FPGA and memory components. The integrated circuit components may be on tiles of layers of the 3D IC.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Inventor: Neal Solomon
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Patent number: 8125248Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including: logic circuit elements disposed within a specific region in respective functional blocks of a logic circuit having a plurality of the functional blocks provided one for each functional unit; and a decoupling capacitor disposed in a region within each of the functional blocks at which no logic circuit element is disposed.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2010Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hidekazu Noguchi
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Patent number: 8115530Abstract: Configurable time-borrowing flip-flops may be based on configurable pulse generation circuitry and pulse latches. The circuitry may use a self-timed architecture that controls the width of clock pulses that are generated so that the pulse latches that are controlled by the clock pulses exhibit a reduced risk of race through conditions. Latch circuitry may be provided that is based on a pulse latch and an additional latch connected in series with the pulse latch. In situations in which there is a potential for race through conditions on an integrated circuit, the additional latch may be switched into use to convert the latch circuitry into an edge-triggered flip flop. Clock trees may be provide with configurable shorting structures that help to reduce clock skew. Low-contention clock drivers may drive signals onto the clock tree paths.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2010Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: David Lewis, David Cashman, Jeffrey Christopher Chromczak
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Patent number: 8115511Abstract: A configurable integrated circuit (IC) system comprising: a first die comprising input/output cells; and a configurable logic second die connected by a first plurality of through-silicon-vias (TSVs) to the first die.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2010Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: MonolithIC 3D Inc.Inventor: Zvi Or-Bach
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Patent number: 8106683Abstract: Circuits comprising asynchronous linear pipelines and one-phase pipelines, and methods of forming asynchronous linear pipeline circuits and converting them to one-phase pipeline circuits are provided. Additional circuits, systems and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2011Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Raymond Nijssen, Kamal Chaudhary, Rajit Manohar, Christopher LaFrieda, Clinton W. Kelly, Virantha Ekanayake
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Patent number: 8106682Abstract: In one embodiment, the integrated circuit has a L-level permutable switching network (L-PSN) comprising L levels of intermediate conductors. The integrated circuit can be used in electronic devices, such as switching networks, routers, and programmable logic circuits, etc.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2010Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Advantage Logic, Inc.Inventors: Peter M. Pani, Benjamin S. Ting
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Patent number: 8098082Abstract: Method and circuitry for implementing high speed multiple-data-rate interface architectures for programmable logic devices. The invention partitions I/O pins and their corresponding registers into independent multiple-data rate I/O modules each having at least one pin dedicated to the strobe signal DQS and others to DQ data signals. The modular architecture facilitates pin migration from one generation of PLDs to the next larger generation.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Philip Pan, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Yan Chong, Bonnie I. Wang
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Patent number: 8098080Abstract: An ePLX unit includes a logic unit having an SRAM and a MUX, and a switch unit having an SRAM and a TG for establishing wiring connection in the logic unit. When a composite module is set in the first mode, an Add/Flag control unit uses the SRAMs as a data field and a flag field, respectively, to autonomously control the read address of each of the data field and the flag field in accordance with a control flag stored in the flag field. Furthermore, when the composite module is set in the second mode, the Add/Flag control unit writes configuration information into each of the SRAMs to reconfigure a logic circuit. Consequently, the granularity of the circuit configuration can be rendered variable, which allows improvement in flexibility when configuring a function.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Kazutami Arimoto
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Patent number: 8099704Abstract: Methods and systems to improve performance in an Integrated Circuit (IC) are presented. The method includes performing a timing analysis for a circuit design of an IC. The modules in the circuit design use a standard voltage bias by default. In one embodiment, the timing analysis is performed by a circuit design tool. The method then identifies a critical path in the timing analysis, where a signal propagating through the critical path does not meet timing requirements for the circuit design. The method then selects a module of the IC in the critical path to apply a high speed voltage bias to the body of transistors in the module, resulting in a smaller propagation delay thorough the selected module than if the standard voltage bias were applied to the selected module, thus allowing the circuit design to meet the timing requirements.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Altera CorporationInventor: Srinivas Perisetty
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Patent number: 8098081Abstract: A method is implemented for generating a non-blocking routing network design from a crossbar switch-based network design. The non-blocking routing network design includes connections to logic blocks of a programmable integrated circuit. A programmed processor is used to determine, for each row of the crossbar switch-based network design, switches in the row that provide switching functions for logically equivalent external connections, the external connections being one of external inputs and external outputs. The identified switches are removed from the crossbar switched-based network design. Information about the identified switches and the logically equivalent external connections is then stored for access by a placement module associated with the programmable integrated circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventor: Stephen M. Trimberger
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Patent number: 8098079Abstract: Embodiments of a circuit for use with an inter-chip connection that has a variable complex impedance (which can be conductive, capacitive or both), a system that includes the circuit, and a communication technique are described. This inter-chip connection may be formed between a microspring or an anisotropic film and a metal connector on or proximate to a surface of a chip. Moreover, the circuit may mitigate signal distortion associated with the variable complex impedance. For example, the circuit may include an internal impedance that is electrically coupled in series with the metal connector, and that has an impedance which dominates the variable complex impedance over a range of operating frequencies. Separately or additionally, the circuit may be adapted to correct for the signal distortion.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2009Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Drost, Robert D. Hopkins, Alex Chow
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Patent number: 8089300Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). The configurable IC includes a set of configurable logic circuits for configurably performing a set of functions. The configurable IC also includes a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals to and from the configurable circuits. During several operational cycles of the configurable IC, a set of data registers are defined by the configurable routing circuits. These data registers may be used wherever a flip-flop can be used.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Tabula, Inc.Inventor: Jason Redgrave
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Patent number: 8072238Abstract: A high efficiency PLD architecture having logic elements that can be selectively combined to perform higher order logic functions than can be performed alone by a single logic element. The programmable logic device includes a logic block having a first logic element. The first logic element includes a first pair of sub-function generators and is capable of implementing logic functions of a first order. The logic block also includes a second logic element having a second pair of sub-function generators. A programmable sharing circuitry is also included in the logic block. The programmable sharing circuitry selectively couples the first pair of sub-function generators and the second pair of sub-function generators so that the first logic element is capable of performing logic functions of either (i) the first order, or (ii) a second order. The second order is higher than the first order.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2010Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Altera CorporationInventor: Michael D. Hutton
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Patent number: 8072237Abstract: Integrated circuits are provided with circuitry such as multiplexers that can be selectively configured to route different adjustable power supply voltages to different circuit blocks on the integrated circuits. The circuit blocks may contain memory elements that are powered by the power supply voltages and that provide corresponding static output control signals at magnitudes that are determined by the power supply voltages. The control signals from the memory elements may be applied to the gates of transistors in the circuit blocks. Logic on an integrated circuit may be powered at a given power supply voltage level. The memory elements may provide their output signals at overdrive voltage levels that are elevated with respect to the given power supply voltage level. Memory elements associated with circuit blocks that contain critical paths can be overdriven at voltages that are larger than memory elements associated with circuit blocks that contain noncritical paths.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Irfan Rahim, Andy L. Lee
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Patent number: 8072240Abstract: A metal configurable I/O structure for an integrated circuit is disclosed. The metal configurable I/O structure may be configured for one of any of a plurality of I/O specifications. Preferably a common voltage reference and a common current reference is generated for provision to a plurality of I/O structures.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Behnam Malekkhosravi, Daniel J. Woodard, David Ian West
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Patent number: 8067959Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 3, 2010Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: William C. Plants, Suhail Zain, Joel Landry, Gregory W. Bakker, Tomek P. Jasinoski
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Patent number: 8063659Abstract: An apparatus having a plurality of first circuits, second circuits, third circuits and fourth circuits is disclosed. The first circuits may be configured to generate a plurality of first signals in response to (i) a priority signal and (ii) a request signal. The second circuits may be configured to generate a plurality of second signals in response to the first signals. The third circuits may be configured to generate a plurality of enable signals in response to the second signals. The fourth circuits may be configured to generate collectively an output signal in response to (i) the enable signals and (ii) the request signal. A combination of the first circuits, the second circuits, the third circuits and the fourth circuits generally establishes a programmable priority encoder. The second signals may be generated independent of the enable signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Mikhail Grinchuk, Anatoli Bolotov, Sergei B. Gashkov, Lav D. Ivanovic
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Patent number: 8063660Abstract: A technique is applicable to a device having programmable circuitry that includes a first interface having a plurality of first address terminals, a second interface having a plurality of second address terminals, and a configurable interconnect structure coupled between the first and second interfaces. The technique includes configuring the interconnect structure during field programming to electrically couple each of the address terminals in a first subset of the first address terminals to respective address terminals in a second subset of the second address terminals according to a selected one of a plurality of different mapping functions.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Thomas H. Strader, Roger D. Flateau, Jr., Schuyler E. Shimanek, Wayne E. Wennekamp, Adam Elkins
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Patent number: 8063661Abstract: To include a plurality of circuit blocks each including a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements arranged in the X direction, a plurality of comparing circuits that are respectively allocated to the nonvolatile memory elements, and a determining circuit that is commonly allocated to the comparing circuits. The nonvolatile memory elements included in a predetermined circuit block among the circuit blocks are arranged in a first area. The comparing circuits and the determining circuit included in the predetermined circuit block are arranged side by side in the X direction in a second area that is located in the Y direction with respect to the first area. With this arrangement, because the circuit block becomes a shaped block, even when a plurality of circuit blocks are repeatedly arranged, it is possible to realize a further reduction of the chip area.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.Inventors: Takashi Ishihara, Minoru Yamagami, Hisayuki Nagamine
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Patent number: 8063657Abstract: A quantum processor may employ a heterogeneous qubit-coupling architecture to reduce the average number of intermediate coupling steps that separate any two qubits in the quantum processor, while limiting the overall susceptibility to noise of the qubits. The architecture may effectively realize a small-world network where the average qubit has a low connectivity (thereby allowing it to operate substantially quantum mechanically) but each qubit is within a relatively low number of intermediate coupling steps from any other qubit. To realize such, some of the qubits may have a relatively high connectivity, and may thus operate substantially classically.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: D-Wave Systems Inc.Inventor: Geordie Rose
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Patent number: 8058897Abstract: A method of configuring an integrated circuit (IC) can include receiving configuration data within a master die of the IC. The IC can include the master die and a slave die. A master segment and a slave segment of the configuration data can be determined. The slave segment of the configuration data can be distributed to the slave die of the IC.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Weiguang Lu, Eric E. Edwards, Paul-Hugo Lamarche, Steven P. Young, Brian C. Gaide, Joe Eddie Leyba, II
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Patent number: 8054098Abstract: Embodiments generally describe techniques for an integrated circuit having a physical unclonable function (PUF). Example integrated circuits may include an input circuit having an input network, a configurable delay circuit having one or more configurable delay chains, and an output circuit having one or more arbiters, serially coupled together. Each delay chain may include a number of serially coupled configurable switching-delay elements adapted to receive, configurably propagate, and output two delayed signals. Each delay chain may be configured using configuration signals responsively output by the input network in response to challenges provided to the input network. The output circuit may further include an output network to generate combined output signals based on the signals output by the arbiters. Each of the input and/or output networks may comprise combinatorial logic, sequential logic, or another PUF, which may be of the same design. Other embodiments may be disclosed and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2011Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLCInventors: Farinaz Koushanfar, Miodrag Potkonjak
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Patent number: 8049531Abstract: A system for general purpose input-output (IO), including a first pad; an IO buffer comprising the first pad; and an IO datapath logic block operatively connected to the IO buffer, where the IO datapath logic block and the IO buffer are associated with a general purpose IO block in a heterogeneous configurable integrated circuit (HCIC).Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Agate Logic, Inc.Inventors: Jason Golbus, Colin N. Murphy, Alexander D. Taylor
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Patent number: 8044682Abstract: An in-FPGA carry chain is provided that does not exhibit significant leakage current. In particular, parts of the carry chain can be switched on/off when desired. In this manner, carry chain parts can have their leakage currents substantially disabled when they are not in use, thus saving power. Additionally, there is provided a carry chain whose logic is separate from the other parts (e.g., LUTs) of the logic blocks that perform the remaining arithmetic functions, and whose inputs are the input data to be added, rather than data that is output in delayed fashion from the other parts (e.g., LUTs) of the logic blocks. Such a configuration reduces latency by allowing the carry chain to operate directly on the received input data without need to wait on results from the other parts (e.g., LUTs) of the logic blocks.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Siliconblue Technologies CorporationInventors: John Birkner, Andrew Ka Lab Chan
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Patent number: 8046727Abstract: The invention describes IP cores applied to 3D FPGAs, CPLDs and reprogrammable SoCs. IP cores are (a) used for continuously evolvable hardware using 3D logic circuits, (b) applied with optimization metaheuristic algorithms, (c) applied by matching combinatorial logic of netlists generated by Boolean algebra to combinatorial geometry of CPLD architecture by reaggregating IP core elements and (d) used to effect continuous recalibration of IP cores with evolvable hardware in indeterministic environments for co-evolutionary reprogrammability.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Inventor: Neal Solomon
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Patent number: 8040151Abstract: A programmable logic device (PLD) adapted to enter a low-power or sleep mode with programmable wakeup pins in a wakeup group of pins is disclosed. Wake on a single pin change, wake on vector, and wake on a single pin transition are supported. The approach is to select the actively participating pins, enable the desired operation, define the wakeup condition, enter sleep mode, monitor the external signals coupled to the active pins, and exit sleep mode when the wakeup condition is detected.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: Theodore Speers
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Patent number: 8041759Abstract: A specialized processing block for a programmable logic device incorporates a fundamental processing unit that performs a sum of two multiplications, adding the partial products of both multiplications without computing the individual multiplications. Such fundamental processing units consume less area than conventional separate multipliers and adders. The specialized processing block further has input and output stages, as well as a loopback function, to allow the block to be configured for various digital signal processing operations, including finite impulse response (FIR) filters and infinite impulse response (IIR) filters. By using the programmable connections, and in some cases the programmable resources of the programmable logic device, and by running portions of the specialized processing block at higher clock speeds than the remainder of the programmable logic device, more complex FIR and IIR filters can be implemented.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2006Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Martin Langhammer, Kwan Yee Martin Lee, Orang Azgomi, Keone Streicher, Robert L. Pelt
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Publication number: 20110241728Abstract: An integrated circuit (‘IC’) that includes a configurable routing fabric with controllable storage elements is described. The routing fabric provides a communication pathway that routes signals to and from source and destination components. The routing fabric may provide the ability to selectively store the signals passing through the routing fabric within the storage elements of the routing fabric. In this manner, a source or destination component may continually perform operations (e.g., computational or routing) irrespective of whether a previous signal from or to such a component is stored within the routing fabric. The source and destination components include configurable logic circuits, configurable interconnect circuits, and various other circuits that receive or a distribute signals throughout the IC.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2009Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventors: Jason Redgrave, Martin Voogel, Steven Teig
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Patent number: 8022724Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2009Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventor: Jesse H. Jenkins, IV
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Patent number: 8018849Abstract: The flow of data in an integrated circuit is controlled. The integrated circuit comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising a processor, a switch including switching circuitry to forward data over data paths from other tiles to the processor and to switches of other tiles, and a receive buffer to store data from the switch. At a first tile, a count is maintained of data that has been sent to a second tile without receiving an acknowledgement up to a credit limit. At the second tile, data that arrives from the first tile when the receive buffer is full is sent to a memory outside of the tile.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Tilera CorporationInventor: David Wentzlaff
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Patent number: 7999570Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit has an L-level permutable switching network (L-PSN) comprising L levels of intermediate conductors and (L+2) levels of conductors for L at least equal to one. An (i?1)-th level of conductors comprising Ii?1 number of conductors selectively couple to the i-th level of conductors comprising Ii number of conductors which comprise of D[i] sets of conductors in the L-PSN, where i is selected from [1:L+1], through ((Ii?1×D[i])+Ii×Q) number of switches where each conductor of the Ii?1 number of conductors selectively couples to at least (D[i]+Q) number of conductors of the Ii number of conductors, at least one conductor from each of the D[i] sets of conductors, for Q at least equal to one and D[i] greater than one. The integrated circuit can be used in various electronic devices.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Advantage Logic, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin S. Ting, Peter M. Pani
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Patent number: 7992118Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit of the invention includes: two first power supply lines placed in parallel in a same interconnect layer; a second power supply line placed between the two first power supply lines in the same interconnect layer; an actual operation flipflop connected to one of the two first power supply lines and the second power supply line and having a first clock terminal; and a dummy flipflop connected to the other first power supply line and the second power supply line and having a second clock terminal. The dummy flipflop includes: a contact connected to the other first power supply line or the second power supply line; and an interconnect for connecting the second clock terminal with the contact.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Takahiro Nagatani, Mitsuhiro Imaizumi
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Patent number: 7986163Abstract: A scalable non-blocking switching network (SN) having switches and intermediate (stages of) conductors that are used to connect a first plurality of conductors to other multiple sets of conductors in a generally unrestricted fashion within respective interconnect resources constraints. The SN can be applied in a wide range of applications, in tandem or hierarchically, to provide a large switch network used in network, routers, and programmable logic circuits. The SN is used to connect a first set of conductors, through the SN, to multiple sets of conductors in a given logic circuit hierarchy whereby the conductors in each of the multiple sets are equivalent or exchangeable, which in term, by construction, makes the first set of conductors equivalent when used in the next level of circuit hierarchy. The SN is scalable for large sized sets of conductors and can be used hierarchically to enable programmable interconnections among large sized circuits.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Advantage Logic, Inc.Inventors: Peter M. Pani, Benjamin S. Ting
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Patent number: 7987373Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enforcing terms of a licensing agreement between a plurality of parties involved in a particular hardware design through the use of hardware technologies. According to one embodiment, a hardware sub-design includes a license verification sub-design that is protected from user modification by encryption. In one embodiment, a license is generated based on a trusted host identifier within an external hardware device. In one embodiment, each trusted host identifier is unique, and no two integrated circuits share the same trusted host identifier. In another embodiment, the integrated circuit is a field programmable gate array or an application specific integrated circuit. In one embodiment, a license determines how long the hardware sub-design will operate when the hardware sub-design is implemented within an integrated circuit having a trusted host identifier.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2004Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth S. McElvain
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Patent number: 7982497Abstract: The logical functionality of a non-blocking multiplexer-based network is equivalent to a crossbar network with an ingress stage, a middle stage and an egress stage. Crossbar rows of the crossbar network include both outbound and inbound internal connections between other crossbar rows. The multiplexer-based network has corresponding rows and connections. The multiplexer-based network includes rows with an internal multiplexer for each respective outbound internal connection of a corresponding crossbar row. The internal multiplexer includes inputs for signals routable to the respective outbound internal connection. At least one global multiplexer provides a signal selected from a set of inputs that includes each input of the respective crossbar row.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2010Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventor: Stephen M. Trimberger
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Patent number: 7982496Abstract: A bus-based logic block for an integrated circuit includes a provision for placing an arbitrary constant onto a data bus in the logic block. An exemplary logic block has multi-bit first and second inputs and a multi-bit output. The logic block includes a multi-bit multiplexer circuit, a multi-bit programmable logic circuit, and a constant generator circuit. The multiplexer circuit has a multi-bit first input coupled to a multi-bit first input of the logic block, a multi-bit second input, and a multi-bit output. The programmable logic circuit has a multi-bit first input coupled to the output of the multiplexer circuit, and a multi-bit output. The constant generator circuit has a multi-bit output coupled to the second input of the multiplexer circuit. Each bit of the logic block may be commonly controlled with all other bits of the logic block.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventor: Steven P. Young
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Patent number: 7977974Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a digital power supply regulation circuit, an analog power supply regulation circuit, a control logic circuit, an analog circuit, and a power supply wiring region. A digital power supply line which supplies a digital power supply voltage and an analog power supply line which supplies an analog power supply voltage are provided in the power supply wiring region. The digital power supply regulation circuit, the analog circuit, and the analog power supply regulation circuit are disposed in a first direction with respect to the control logic circuit. The power supply wiring region is formed along a second direction in a region between the control logic circuit and the digital power supply regulation circuit, the analog circuit, and the analog power supply regulation circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2008Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kota Onishi, Takahiro Kamijo
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Patent number: 7977973Abstract: An electronic basic unit for a system on chip comprises a semiconductor substrate and an area on the semiconductor substrate. The area is bounded by a geometric basic shape and the electronic basic unit is formed on the semiconductor substrate and has the form of an integrated circuit. The electronic basic unit further comprises a functional circuit core which determines a function for the electronic basic unit and at least one connecting port at the edges of the geometric basic shape. The at least one connecting port is designed to be coupled to a further connecting port of a further electronic basic unit produced on the semiconductor substrate and being adjacent to the electronic basic unit. The electronic basic unit comprises also a programmable connecting-port controller for controlling data transfers between the electronic basic unit and the further electronic basic unit produced on the semiconductor substrate via the at least one connecting port.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2005Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Markus Steiner
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Patent number: 7973556Abstract: A method of operating an integrated circuit having a circuit block configurable by a configuration memory is disclosed. The method includes determining whether to operate the circuit block in a normal operation mode or a low power mode. The configuration memory is loaded with normal operation mode configuration data for the circuit block if the normal operation mode is determined. If the low power mode is determined, the configuration memory is loaded with low power mode configuration data for the circuit block.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2009Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Juan J. Noguera Serra, Tim Tuan
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Patent number: 7973554Abstract: A method of configuring application-specific functional blocks embedded in a user programmable fabric, the user programmable fabric comprising configuration data control means having an input and an output and the application-specific functional blocks comprising configuration memory means having an input and an output. The method comprises the steps of sending configuration data to configure the application-specific functional block to the configuration control means of the user programmable fabric, routing the output of the configuration data control means of the user programmable fabric to the input of the configuration memory means of the application-specific functional blocks, transferring the configuration data to the configuration memory means of the application-specific functional blocks and configuring, using the configuration data, the application-specific functional blocks.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Stuart Parry, Anthony Stansfield
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Patent number: 7969185Abstract: A logical circuit device comprises a plurality of logical blocks including reconfigurable logical configurations and a network including reconfigurable connections among the plurality of logical blocks, wherein at least one of the plurality of logical blocks comprises a basic logical operation element. The basic logical operation element receives a first data signal and a first validity indication signal that becomes an asserted state when the first data signal is valid, outputs a second data signal generated by a first logical operation based on the first data signal and a second validity indication signal that becomes an asserted state when the second data signal is valid, and sets the second data signal to the asserted state in response to the asserted state of the first validity indication signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2009Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventor: Toshio Ogawa
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Patent number: 7969193Abstract: This disclosure uses a differential sensing and TSV timing control scheme for 3D-IC, which includes a first chip layer of the stacked device having a detecting circuits and a relative high ability driver horizontally coupled to the detecting circuits. A sensing circuit is coupled to the detecting circuits by a horizontal line, a first differential signal driver is coupled to the sensing circuit, horizontally. The Nth chip layer of the stacked device includes a Nth relative high ability driver and a Nth differential signal driver formed on the Nth chip layer. The Nth relative high ability driver is vertically coupled to the first relative high ability driver through one relative low loading TSV and (N?2) TSVs to act as dummy loadings. The TSV and (N?2) TSVs penetrate the stacked device from Nth chip layer to first chip layer. The TSV shares same configuration with the (N?2) TSVs.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2010Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: National Tsing Hua UniversityInventors: Wei-Cheng Wu, Yen-Huei Chen, Meng-Fan Chang
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Patent number: 7969187Abstract: A hardware interface in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The hardware interface comprises data storage coupled to store and provide data; a data shifter coupled to the data storage to at least bit shift the data obtained from the data storage; and a control circuit coupled to the data storage and the data shifter for controlling a transfer of the data from the data storage and the data shifter. The control circuit comprises a state machine for controlling operation of the data storage and the data shifter; and the state machine is programmable responsive to code executable by a processor coupled to an auxiliary processing unit to adapt to the auxiliary processing unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2010Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Stephen A. Neuendorffer, Paul M. Hartke, Paul R. Schumacher
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Patent number: 7971172Abstract: Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable IC that implements a design that is designed at a particular design clock rate. The reconfigurable IC includes reconfigurable circuits for performing operations on a set of inputs in the particular design. The IC further includes routing circuits for routing signals to and from the logic circuits to allow the logic circuits to perform the operations. The reconfigurable IC implements the design by having reconfigurable circuits that reconfigure at a rate faster than the design clock rate. For at least one operation which is defined at the design clock rate, the reconfigurable IC replicates the operation set in at least two reconfiguration cycles to reduce consumption of routing circuits.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Tabula, Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Pugh, Andrew Caldwell
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Publication number: 20110148463Abstract: A novel non-volatile latch circuit and a semiconductor device using the non-volatile latch circuit are provided. The latch circuit has a loop structure in which an output of a first element is electrically connected to an input of a second element and an output of the second element is electrically connected to an input of the first element through a second transistor. A transistor using an oxide semiconductor as a semiconductor material of a channel formation region is used as a switching element, and a capacitor is provided to be electrically connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the transistor, whereby data of the latch circuit can be retained, and a non-volatile latch circuit can thus be formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyoshi Kato, Jun Koyama
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Patent number: 7965102Abstract: A columnar programmable device (PD) design converted to a columnar application specific integrated circuit-like (ASIC-like) design is described. A user design is instantiated in a PD having a columnar architecture associated with the columnar PD design. The columnar architecture has adjacent columns of circuitry, and one or more of the columns of circuitry as associated with instantiation of the user design in the PD are identified. At least a portion of one or more of the identified columns are swapped with application specific circuitry for implementing all or part of the user design for converting the columnar PD design to the columnar ASIC-like design.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2008Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Trevor J. Bauer, Steven P. Young
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Patent number: 7961004Abstract: A FPGA comprising, a direct interconnect structure for providing selective data routing without stressing the general-purpose routing resources and enabling high rate of data exchange within the FPGA. At least two IP cores are connected to each other through said direct interconnect structure for enabling simultaneous data interaction among the ports of said IP cores and for providing configurable bus width routing between said IP cores, and a plurality of logic blocks connected to said IP cores through said direct interconnect structure for enabling simultaneous data routing among said IP cores and said plurality of logic blocks.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2009Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Sicronic Remote KG, LLCInventors: Deboleena Minz, Kailash Digari
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Patent number: 7956671Abstract: In one embodiment of an e-fuse programming/re-programming circuit, the e-fuse has two short high atomic diffusion resistance conductor layers positioned on opposite sides and at a same end of a long low atomic diffusion resistance conductor layer. A voltage source is used to vary the polarity and, optionally, the magnitude of voltage applied to the terminals in order to control bi-directional flow of electrons within the long conductor layer and, thereby formation of opens and/or shorts at the long conductor layer-short conductor layer interfaces. The formation of such opens and/or shorts can be used to achieve different programming states. Other circuit structure embodiments incorporate e-fuses with additional conductor layers and additional terminals so as to allow for even more programming states. Also disclosed are embodiments of associated e-fuse programming and re-programming methods.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2009Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michel J. Abou-Khalil, Tom C. Lee, Junjun Li, Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., Christopher S. Putnam, Souvick Mitra
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Patent number: 7948265Abstract: Circuits for implementing logic replication in self-timed integrated circuits are provided. An exemplary circuit includes first and second copies of a replicated circuit, an input circuit, an output circuit, and a pipelined routing path. The first and second copies each have a self-timed input and a self-timed output. The input circuit provides a self-timed input signal alternately to the self-timed inputs of the first and second copies. The output circuit receives the self-timed output from the first copy and the self-timed output from the second copy, and outputs a selected one of the self-timed outputs based on a value of a self-timed select signal. The pipelined routing path routes the self-timed select signal from the input circuit to the output circuit. The number of pipeline stages in the pipelined routing path can be different from, e.g., less than, the number of stages in both the first and second copies.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Steven P. Young, Brian C. Gaide