Xilinx, Inc.

Andy DeBaets

Matthew H Klein

Steven P Young

Trevor J Bauer

Tim Tuan

Ronald L Cline

Richard William Swanson

Daniel Y Chung

A method and circuit for device specific configuration of an operating voltage is provided. A circuit design is analyzed to determine a maximum gate-level delay for the circuit design. A minimum voltage value corresponding to the maximum gate-level delay is determined along with a default voltage value corresponding to a default gate-level delay. A voltage scaling factor corresponding to the minimum voltage and default voltage values is determined. The circuit design is synthesized such that the synthesized design includes the voltage scaling value. The synthesized design specifies setting an operating voltage to a value of a startup voltage value scaled by the voltage scaling value.

Device specific configuration of operating voltage

Circuits and methods for facilitating distribution of gated clocks in a programmable integrated circuit such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) are described. Dynamic power savings are achieved in a FPGA by providing gated clock driver circuitry at various places in a hierarchical clock distribution network. The gated clock circuitry provides a clock signal gated by an enable signal to clocked elements. Configurable logic blocks (CLBs) comprising the clocked elements and programmable interconnect tiles are disposed in the gate array. Clock signals are distributed to the CLBs via a clock distribution network. Clock enable signals are provided corresponding to some of the clock signals. Clock buffers or drivers are provided within the clock distribution network that drive gated clock signals to CLBs. By disabling certain clocked elements using one or more embodiments of the invention when portions of the FPGA are inactive, dynamic power consumption is reduced.

Clock distribution to facilitate gated clocks

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Andy DeBaets