The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 1991
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1989
Bruce A Doyle, Flower Mound, TX (US);
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
Abstract
A latch is provided in association with each non-volatile memory element used to store configuration information on a programmable logic device. In normal use, configuration information is written to the non-volatile memory elements in the usual manner. However, during testing volatile memory elements in the usual manner. However, during testing configuration information is written only to the latches associated with the non-volatile elements. The latches place the data stored therein onto the same architecture bit line used by the non-volatile memory elements, allowing chip configuration testing to be performed without actually writing to the non-volatile memory elements. The latches can be written to at a much faster speed than the non-volatile memory elements can be programmed, greatly decreasing the time needed for full testing of the programmable logic device.