Altera Corporation

Thow Pang Chong

Boon Jin Ang

Kar Keng Chua

Eng Huat Lee

Ie Chen Chia

Bee Yee Ng

Kim Pin Tan

Teik Wah Lim

Irfan Rahim

Tony K Ngai

Henry Y Lui

Rafael Czernek Camarota

Victor Maruri

Surinder Singh

Choong Kit Wong

Tat Mun Lui

Kok Yoong Foo

Yu Fong Tan

Kam Fai Suit

Teng Kuan Koay

Sze Huey Soo

A method for determining clock uncertainties is provided. The method includes identifying clock transfer types between registers from an integrated circuit design and identifying contributors to the clock uncertainties for each of the clock transfers. The jitter associated with each identified contributor is calculated for both set-up time and hold time. This calculated jitter is incorporated into a slack calculation to determine whether timing constraints are met for a circuit design.

Method and apparatus for determining clock uncertainties

Methods, computer program products, and systems are disclosed associated with calculating a routability metric for a second IC design using inputs from the compilation to a first IC design. The first and second IC designs are alternative implementation options for a user circuit design, such as FPGA and structured ASIC options. Information about user design demands on routing resources of one IC design are considered along with information about the projected supply of routing resources in another IC design, to produce a routing metric. The routing metric may be mapped to a degree of difficulty indicator, and either may be used to condition a compile of the user circuit to the second IC design or be used in other ways.

Predicting routability of integrated circuits

Circuits and a method for tuning an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. The IC includes multiple programmable fuses coupled to a control block. The programmable fuses used may be one-time programmable (OTP) fuses. The control block reads settings or data stored in the programmable fuses. A tuning circuit coupled to the control block receives the delay transmitted by the control block. The tuning circuit allows tuning of the IC without changes to the fabrication mask. The tuning circuit may include delay chains to provide additional delay to the IC when needed and the delay in the tuning circuit is configured based on the delay value stored in the programmable fuses and transmitted by the control block.

Frequency control clock tuning circuitry

A method of designing at IC is described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an option to select a mask layer set from a plurality of mask layer sets, the plurality of mask layer sets including a first mask layer set and a second mask layer set, where the second mask layer set is an alternative mask layer option to the first mask layer set. In one embodiment, the method further includes receiving a selection from a user choosing a mask layer set from the plurality of mask layer sets. In one embodiment, the receiving occurs after design of the IC and prior to fabrication of the IC. Also, in one embodiment, the plurality of mask layer sets are predetermined mask layer sets. In one embodiment, the first mask layer set is a standard threshold voltage (SVT) mask layer set and the second mask layer set is a high threshold voltage (HVT) mask layer set. In one embodiment, core devices of the SVT mask layer set are SVT devices and some periphery devices of the SVT mask layer set are HVT devices. In one embodiment, hybrid cell (H-cell) devices of the HVT mask layer set are HVT devices and some periphery devices of the HVT mask layer set are HVT devices.

Method of designing integrated circuits including providing an option to select a mask layer set

An integrated circuit device such as a structured ASIC includes a mask-programmable portion and a post-fabrication-programmable portion. The mask-programmable portion includes circuitry that is able to read information from the post-fabrication-programmable portion and use that information to affect operation of other componentry of the mask-programmable portion. Signal timing is an example of the kind of operation that may be affected by the above-mentioned information, which may allow post-fabrication timing tuning of the device.

Programmable control of mask-programmable integrated circuit devices

A circuit includes a receiver channel and a built-in self-test circuit. The receiver channel has a serializer and a deserializer. The built-in self-test circuit generates test signals that are transmitted in parallel to the serializer during a test of the receiver channel. The serializer converts the test signals into serial test signals. The deserializer converts the serial test signals into parallel test signals that are transmitted to the built-in self-test circuit.

Techniques for performing built-in self-test of receiver channel having a serializer

A delay circuit that includes a first delay cell oriented in a first orientation and a second delay cell oriented in a second orientation is described. In one embodiment, the first orientation is perpendicular to the second orientation. More specifically, in one embodiment, the first orientation is vertical and the second orientation is horizontal.

Delay circuit with delay cells in different orientations

A circuit includes a clock routing network. The clock routing network includes first and second clock paths. The first clock path routes a first clock signal to sub-circuits in the circuit. The first clock path has first buffers that buffer the first clock signal at the sub-circuits and first conductors in a first conductive layer of the circuit that transmit the first clock signal. The second clock path routes a second clock signal to the sub-circuits. The second clock path has second buffers that buffer the second clock signal at the sub-circuits, second conductors in the first conductive layer that transmit the second clock signal, and third conductors in a second conductive layer of the circuit. The second clock signal is routed through the third conductors at overlaps between the first clock path and the second clock path.

Techniques for reducing clock skew in clock routing networks

A method for transferring data across different clock domains is provided. The method initiates with detecting a transition of a first clock cycle. The method includes propagating a value associated with the transition of the first clock cycle according to a second clock cycle. The propagation of the value causes a delay of a signal configured to trigger transfer of the data to a logic region operating at the second clock cycle. An interfacing circuit and a programmable logic device are also provided.

Method for transferring data across different clock domains with selectable delay

Techniques for combining volatile and non-volatile programmable logic into one integrated circuit (IC) are provided. An IC is segregated into two portions. A first block of programmable logic is configured by bits stored in on-chip non-volatile memory. A second block of programmable logic is configured by bits stored in off-chip memory. The function of IO banks on the IC is multiplexed between the two logic blocks of the IC. The programmable logic in the first block can be configured and fully functional in a fraction of the time that the programmable logic in the second block can be configured. The programmable logic in the first block can configure fast enough and have enough independence to assist in the configuration of the second block. The non-volatile memory can also provide security features to a user design, such as encryption.

Techniques for combining volatile and non-volatile programmable logic on an integrated circuit

Signal transmission circuitry on an integrated circuit ameliorates the effects of possible inequality in rise and fall times of buffer circuits along the transmission circuitry by providing at least one of the buffer circuits as an inverting buffer circuit and at least one other of the buffer circuits as a non-inverting buffer circuit. The invention may be of particular interest for use in clock signal distribution networks on integrated circuits such as programmable logic devices.

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Sungai Ara, Malaysia

Thow Pang Chong