Altera Corporation

Duane H Chinnow, Jr

Randy C Steele

A field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprising a number of configurable function blocks, each separately configurable by the user of the FPGA as either high performance programmable logic or a block of SRAM is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, each configurable function block includes a volatile logic array comprised of an array of 'AND' gates and an array of 'OR' gates with programmable connections. The programmable connections in the volatile logic array comprise SRAM cells. These SRAM cells are then capable of serving the user of the FPGA in two modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, logic mode, the SRAM cells provide for the programmable connections which direct the logic operations in the volatile logic array. In a second mode of operation, memory mode, the SRAM cells function as a block of SRAM which can then be written to, and read from, using standard SRAM access signals.

Field programmable gate array with high speed SRAM based configurable

A field programmable gate array (FPGA) includes a number of configurable function blocks, each separately configurable by the user of the FPGA as either high performance programmable logic or a block of SRAM. In accordance with the present invention, each configurable function block includes a volatile logic array comprised of an array of 'AND' gates and an array of 'OR' gates with programmable connections. The programmable connections in the volatile logic array comprise SRAM cells. These SRAM cells are then capable of serving the user of the FPGA in two modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, logic mode, the SRAM cells provide for the programmable connections which direct the logic operations in the volatile logic array. In a second mode of operation, memory mode, the SRAM cells function as a block of SRAM which can then be written to, and read from, using standard SRAM access signals.

Growing community of inventors

Folsom, CA, United States of America

Duane H Chinnow, Jr