Lattice Semiconductor Corporation

Harris Corporation

Lallice Semiconductor Corporation

David Lee Rutledge

Om P Agrawal

Howard H Tang

Fabiano Fontana

Henry Law

John E Turner

Roy D Darling

Wei Han

Loren McLaury

Ravindar Mohan Lall

Yoshita Yerramilli

Tom Gustafson

Kapil Shankar

Conrad Dante

Barbara J Fisher

David J Wicker, Jr

Michael J Brannigan

Milton M Hood, Jr

Rudolf Usselmann

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a flash memory array with at least first and second subarrays, or sectors, of memory cells. The subarrays have a set of shared bitlines and separate sets of word lines. A bitline driver circuit is coupled to the set of shared bitlines, a first row driver circuit is coupled to the set of word lines of the first subarray, and a second row driver circuit is coupled to the set of word lines of the second subarray. The first and second row driver circuits are operable to enable the memory cells of the first subarray to be erased independently of the memory cells of the second subarray. The two row driver circuits are further operable to enable the memory cells of the second subarray to be erased independently of the memory cells of the first subarray.

Flash memory array with independently erasable sectors

In one embodiment, a programmable logic device includes a plurality of logic blocks; a plurality of input/output blocks; volatile configuration memory adapted to store configuration data for configuration of the logic blocks and input/output blocks; embedded block RAM adapted to store user data; flash memory having at least a first partition and a second partition; and a data port adapted to provide external device access to the first partition of the non-volatile memory. The flash memory is adapted to store within the first partition user data from the data port and is further adapted to store within the second partition user data from the embedded block RAM.

Flexible memory architectures for programmable logic devices

Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide a flash memory array with independently erasable sectors. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes a multi-sector flash memory array comprising first and second subarrays of flash memory cells. First and second sets of word lines are connected with control gates of the flash memory cells of the first and second subarrays. A first set of row drivers connected with the first set of word lines are adapted to selectively tri-state or drive the first set of word lines with a first voltage. A second set of row drivers connected with the second set of word lines are adapted to selectively tri-state or drive the second set of word lines with the first voltage. A plurality of bitlines are connected with flash memory cells of the first and second subarrays.

In one embodiment, a programmable logic device (PLD) such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) includes a non-volatile memory adapted to store a first bit, a second bit, and a plurality of configuration data. A plurality of configuration memory cells within the PLD is adapted to receive configuration data transferred from the non-volatile memory. The PLD further includes control logic adapted to determine based on the logic states of the first and second bits stored in the non-volatile memory and prior to any transfer of the configuration data whether to transfer the configuration data from the non-volatile memory to the configuration memory cells.

Selective loading of configuration data into configuration memory cells

Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide improved non-volatile storage techniques for programmable logic devices. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a programmable logic device includes a plurality of logic blocks, a plurality of input/output blocks, and a volatile memory to store data within the programmable logic device, with configuration memory adapted to store first configuration data for configuration of the logic blocks, the input/output blocks, and the volatile memory of the programmable logic device. The programmable logic device further includes a non-volatile memory adapted to store data provided from the volatile memory.

Programmable logic devices with user non-volatile memory

Systems and methods provide non-volatile memory architectures for programmable logic devices. For example, a programmable logic device may include logic blocks, input/output blocks, and configuration memory to store configuration data for configuration of the logic blocks and the input/output blocks. A first non-volatile memory may store user information, besides configuration data, and a first port includes a dedicated serial peripheral interface to provide access to the first non-volatile memory.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide reconfiguration techniques for PLDs. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a programmable logic device includes logic blocks, input/output blocks, a volatile memory block, and configuration memory cells to store configuration data for configuration of the logic blocks, the input/output blocks, and the volatile memory block of the programmable logic device. The programmable logic device further includes circuit techniques for preventing loss of data stored in the volatile memory block due to a reconfiguration. Furthermore, for example, the programmable logic device may further prevent the loss of data stored in user registers or loss of input/output personality due to the reconfiguration.

Programmable logic devices with transparent field reconfiguration

A programmable logic device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes configurable logic blocks, embedded random access memory (RAM) blocks, and input/output blocks adapted to transfer information into or out of the programmable logic device. An interconnect architecture is adapted to route information among the configurable logic blocks, embedded RAM blocks, and input/output blocks within the programmable logic device. An interface block is provided that couples an embedded RAM block and an input/output block but not a logic block to the interconnect architecture.

Interface block architectures

Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide improved techniques for loading of configuration memory cells in integrated circuits, such as programmable logic devices. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a programmable logic device includes a non-volatile memory adapted to store a first bit, a second bit, and a plurality of configuration data; a plurality of configuration memory cells; and control logic adapted to determine based on values of the first and second bits whether to load the configuration data from the non-volatile memory into the configuration memory cells.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide an improved approach to the configuration of integrated circuits such as programmable logic devices (PLDs). For example, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a PLD includes volatile memory adapted to store configuration data to configure the PLD for its intended function. The PLD further includes non-volatile memory adapted to store configuration data which is transferable to the volatile memory to configure the PLD for its intended function. The PLD further includes a serial peripheral interface (SPI) port adapted to receive configuration data from an external device for transfer into one of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory.

Programmable logic device providing a serial peripheral interface

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a programmable logic device includes a memory adapted to store information in the programmable logic device, an input/output circuit adapted to transfer information into or out of the programmable logic device, and an interconnect architecture adapted to route information within the programmable logic device. An interface circuit is provided to couple the memory and the input/output circuit to the interconnect architecture.

A PLD is disclosed that uses vector routing between components. A vector routing path is coupled between the components and includes a group of wires for routing a group of bits as one vector so that all bits in the vector are switched at once and as a group by a single set of control signals. Vector switch boxes are used to switch entire vectors of a predetermined bit width and a fixed-bit order. The vector routing may be between components in a vector domain, within vector-based components, or between components in a PLD domain and a vector domain. The vector routing path may allow for time-division multiplexing. For example, different components may use the same vector routing path during different time slices. The vector routing path may be dynamically segmented. Dynamic segmentation allows different portions of the same vector routing path to be used simultaneously by different components. A component may be coupled to multiple vector routing paths through a multiplexer. Consequently, the multiplexer may be dynamically switched such that the component receives information from different component sources.

Vector routing in a programmable logic device

A macrocell is provided for use in logic circuits which is capable of being configured into any one of six different states so as to replicate an X-type output architecture, an L-type output architecture and a number of hybrid architectures which encompass features from one or both of these types.

Output logic macrocell

An in-system programmable logic device is disclosed which may be configured or reconfigured while installed in a user's system. The disclosed device employs non-volatile memory cells such as floating gate transistors as the programmable elements, and hence the device retains a particular programmed logic configuration virtually indefinitely during a powered-down state. The device is operable in a normal state and in several utility states for reconfiguring the device. The device state is controlled by an internal state machine which executes several state equations whose variables are the logic levels driving two dedicated pins and the present device state. One device pin receives serial input data which loads a shift register latch. The contents of the latch are employed to select a particular row of the cells to be programmed and the logic level to which the selected cells are to be programmed. The device normal inputs and outputs are isolated from the device during the utility states, so that the user's system does not affect the device operation during the utility states. A voltage multiplier circuit is included to generate the high voltage level necessary to program the floating gate transistors employed as the device memory cells from the device supply voltage, thereby further conserving on the required number of device pins. By programming a particular memory cell, the user may select the state of the device outputs during the utility states as either a present data latched condition or a tri-stated condition.

Growing community of inventors

Hillsboro, OR, United States of America

David Lee Rutledge