Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Vantis Corporation

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation

Monolithic Memories, Inc.

Sensor Science

Bradley A Sharpe-Geisler

Om P Agrawal

Herman M Chang

Bai Yen Nguyen

Giap H Tran

Jack Tim Wong

Nicholas A Schmitz

Fabiano Fontana

Jonathan Lin

Bryon I Moyer

Radu M Barsan

Xuan D Pham

Richard T Cote

Brenda Nguyen

John David Porter

Yu Huang

Jeffery Mark Marshall

Benjamin Howard Ashmore, Jr

Chwei-Po Chew

Apurva Patel

John D Tobey

David Harrop

Valli R Sharpe-Geisler

Maryam Shahbazi

Loren L Mclaury

Mathew Fisk

Various techniques are provided for selectively operating a memory block in full power or half power modes. In one example, a system comprises a memory block configured to be selectively operated in a full power mode or a half power mode. The memory block comprises an input/output port. The memory block further comprises a first sub-block configured to be powered on during the full power mode and during the half power mode. The memory block further comprises a second sub-block configured to be powered on during the full power mode and powered off during the half power mode. The memory block further comprises routing hardware configured to pass data between the input/output port and the first and second sub-blocks. Additional systems and methods are also provided.

Selectively powered embedded memory systems and methods

Systems and methods for providing adaptive power on reset (POR) signals for use with programmable logic devices (PLDs) and/or other semiconductor devices are disclosed. An example adaptive POR signal generator includes a logic device configured to detect a first supply voltage ramp traversal across a first threshold ramp voltage, detect a second supply voltage ramp traversal across a second threshold ramp voltage, and generate a POR signal based, at least in part, on a nominal operating voltage associated with the power supply and/or the supply voltage and/or on a ramp time associated with the first and second supply voltage ramp traversals. The second threshold ramp voltage is higher than the first threshold ramp voltage and the first and second threshold ramp voltages are lower than the nominal operating voltage.

Adaptive power-on-reset generator systems and methods for programmable logic devices

Methods and circuitry for low-speed bus time stamping and triggering are presented in this disclosure. A master device and slave devices can be interfaced via a communication link that comprises a data line and a clock line. The master device generates and controls a clock signal on the clock line, and sends a synchronization command over the data line to the slave devices. In response to the synchronization command, the master device receives timestamp information of an event detected at each slave device. The master device tracks transitions and frequencies of the clock signal, and determines a time of the event based on the timestamp information, the tracked transitions and the frequencies. The master device can further send to each slave device delay setting information for generating a trigger signal at that slave device based on transitions of the clock signal, the synchronization command and the delay setting information.

Low-speed bus triggering methods and circuitry

Methods and circuitry for relatively low-speed bus time stamping and triggering for use in acoustic object and gesture detection and recognition are presented in this disclosure. A master device and slave devices can be interfaced via a communication link that includes a data line and a clock line. The master device generates and controls a clock signal on the clock line and sends a synchronization command over the data line to the slave devices. The master device receives timestamp and/or other information corresponding to events detected at each slave device, such as a detected acoustic wave reflected from an object. The master device tracks transitions and frequencies of the clock signal, and determines a time of the event based on the timestamp information, the tracked transitions and the frequencies. The master device can use the event times to derive positions and gestures associated with detected objects.

Acoustic gesture recognition systems and methods

Low-speed bus time stamp methods and circuitry

Various techniques are provided to efficiently implement user designs incorporating clock and/or data recovery circuitry and/or a deserializer in programmable logic devices (PLDs). In one example, a method includes receiving a serial data stream, measuring time periods between signal transitions in a serial data stream using at least one Grey code oscillator, and generating a recovered data signal corresponding to the serial data stream by, at least in part, comparing the measured time periods to one or more calibration time periods. In another example, a system includes a Grey code oscillator configured to increment a Grey code count between signal transitions in a serial data stream, and a Grey code converter configured to convert the Grey code count approximately at the signal transitions to a plurality of binary counts each corresponding to a time period between one or more signal transitions in the serial data stream.

Clock recovery and data recovery for programmable logic devices

A field-programmable gate array device (FPGA) having plural rows and columns of logic function units (VGB's) further includes a plurality of embedded memory blocks, where each memory block is embedded in a corresponding row of logic function units. Each embedded memory block has a registered address port for capturing received address signals in response to further-received, address-validating clock signals. Interconnect resources are provided for conveying the address-validating clock signals to address-changing circuitry so that a next address can be generated safely in conjunction with the capturing by the registered address port of a previous address signal.

FPGA integrated circuit having embedded sram memory blocks with registered address and data input sections

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGA's) may be structured in accordance with the disclosure to have a register-intensive architecture that provides, for each of plural function-spawning LookUp Tables (e.g. a 4-input, base LUT's) within a logic block, a plurality of in-block accessible registers. A register-feeding multiplexer means may be provided for allowing each of the plural registers to equivalently capture and store a result signal output by the corresponding, base LUT of the plural registers. Registerable, primary and secondary feedthroughs may be provided for each base LUT so that locally-acquired input signals of the LUT may be fed-through to the corresponding, in-block registers for register-recovery purposes without fully consuming (wasting) the lookup resources of the associated, base LUT. A multi-stage, input switch matrix (ISM) may be further provided for acquiring and routing input signals from adjacent, block-interconnect lines (AIL's) and/or block-intra-connect lines (e.g., FB's) to the base LUT's and/or their respective, registerable feedthroughs. Techniques are disclosed for utilizing the many in-block registers and/or the registerable feedthroughs and/or the multi-stage ISM's for efficiently implementing various circuit designs by appropriately configuring such register-intensive FPGA's.

FPGA with register-intensive architecture

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGA's) may be structured in accordance with the disclosure to have a hierarchical general interconnect architecture in which: (1) reliance on single-length general interconnect lines is avoided; (2) the next greater length of general interconnect line is at least double-reach length (triple span); and (3) yet greater lengths of general interconnect line (e.g., Deca-Reach Length, or 11-span) can feed signals into logic blocks indirectly through switching resources of the shorter length, general interconnect line rather than feeding such signals directly into the logic blocks through their own respective switching resources. Additionally, the yet greater lengths of general interconnect line (e.g., Deca-Reach Length) have a fewer number of signal tap points on them than the number of logic blocks spanned by such longer ones of the general interconnect lines. Navigation limiting rules may be established to reduce the number of drive buffers needed for driving signals onto the longer ones of the general interconnect lines. In one embodiment, there are no drive buffers for middle tap points of the longer ones of the general interconnect lines.

Hierarchical general interconnect architecture for high density FPGA'S

A field programmable gate array (FPGA) has plural columns of run-time memory provided in each of one or more partitions. Each column of run-time memory has a plurality of configurable memory blocks (CMB's). Each CMB is programmably configurable at least into a shallow-and-widest mode where data words have a maximum bit width and into a deep-and-narrowest mode where data words have a minimum bit width. Each CMB spans plural interconnect buses and the bits of its widest data words are distributed among the spanned interconnect buses. When a deep-and-narrow mode is invoked, CMB's of alternate columns operate in complementary fashion so that bits of narrowed words from one CMB move through a first subset of the interconnect buses while bits of narrowed words from a second CMB, in an alternate column, move through a second subset of the interconnect buses, where the second subset is mutually exclusive of the first subset of the interconnect buses. On the other hand, when the shallow-and-widest mode is invoked, the bits of the wide words of CMB's in alternate columns shared interconnect buses on an overlapping basis. In one embodiment, the shared interconnect buses are tri-statable. Programmable joiners are provided for joining or disjoining the tri-statable interconnect buses of adjacent partitions.

Field programmable gate array having embedded memory with configurable depth and width

An input/output buffer is provided which can be used to make an integrated circuit selectively compatible with one of a number of interface types, such as PCI, GTL, PECL, ECL and SSTI. The input buffer portion includes a first pair of CMOS transistors for driving the output (OUT) between the VSS and VDD rails similar to CMOS logic. Switching circuitry includes transistors which drive gates of the CMOS transistors to set the output (OUT) with a current level and a voltage level depending on a desired output drive current and voltage.

Input buffer with CMOS driver gate current control enabling selectable PCL, GTL, or PECL compatibility

An input/output buffer is provided with an output buffer portion which can be used to make an integrated circuit selectively compatible with one of a number of interface types, such as PCI, GTL, PECL, ECL and SSTI. An output buffer portion has an input for receiving an output signal node (D) where components on the integrated circuit provide an output signal for connecting to external circuits at an output pad (PAD). The input buffer includes switching circuitry driving the gates of multiple CMOS buffer transistors to provide sufficient current for rapid switching, and limit current after switching to prepare for a subsequent output transition. The switching circuitry includes components to prevent damage to low voltage transistors used in the output buffer should the output pad (PAD) voltage exceed VDD, or should charge buildup occur on the common well of PMOS transistors used in the output buffer exceed VDD.

Output buffer with overvoltage protection

An electrostatic discharge ESD protection circuit is provided which can selectively be set to operate with a buffer which is programmably controlled to be compatible with different types of circuitry, such as PCI, GTL, or PECL circuits. The ESD circuit includes a lateral NPN BJT transistor which provides a path to ground during ESD without experiencing the gate oxide damage of a typical MOS type device. Additional BJTs are included in Darlington-pair configuration to connect the pad to the lateral BJT during an ESD event and not experience oxide damage. An additional BJT is included along with a series of diode connected transistors to selectively clamp the pad voltage. The pad voltage is clamped to a desired value by controlling fuses connecting the series of diode connected transistors.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

A programmable optimized-distribution logic allocator enhances the speed, silicon utilization, logic efficiency, logic utilization, and scalability of very high-density CPLDs including the logic allocator. The programmable optimized-distribution logic allocator provides an optimized number of product terms to each I/O pin of the CPLDS and the same uniform number of product terms as feedback. However, no product terms are permanently connected to either a particular macrocell or a particular I/O pin. The programmable optimized-distribution logic allocator includes a multiplicity of router elements where each router element steers a sum of a selected number of sum-of-product terms from a PAL structure, i.e, a selected number of logic product-term clusters, to a programmably selected logic macrocell. Specifically, the programmable optimized-distribution logic allocator has a plurality of input lines, a plurality of output lines and a plurality of programmable router elements. Each programmable router element has an input terminal connected an input line in the plurality of input lines and an output terminal connected to an output line in the plurality of output lines.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Bradley A Sharpe-Geisler