Lattice Semiconductor Corporation

Tou Nou Thao

San-Ta Kow

Ann Wu

A method of recovering from a soft error within configuration data stored in a configured programmable logic device. The method includes repeatedly processing the configuration data stored within configuration memory of the device using an error-detection algorithm to generate a checksum. The generated checksum is compared with a previously generated checksum to detect if a soft error exists in the configuration data. If a soft error is detected, the programmable logic device initiates a reconfiguration of the configuration memory. The configuration memory is then reconfigured with the configuration data while preventing the programmable logic device from responding to the reconfiguration as though the reconfiguration was an initial configuration of the device. An embodiment of a programmable logic device designed for practicing the method is also disclosed.

Auto recovery from volatile soft error upsets (SEUs)

In one embodiment, a programmable logic device for recovery from soft error upsets (SEUs) includes: a configuration memory operable to store configuration data; a configuration engine operable to configure the configuration memory; an error detection circuit operable to determine if the stored configuration data in the configuration memory has an error; and a configuration reset circuit operable to trigger the configuration engine to reconfigure the configuration memory if the error detection circuit detects the error.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Tou Nou Thao