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:
Jan. 16, 1996
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1994
Mark G Harward, Dallas, TX (US);
David D Wilmoth, Allen, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
The described embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for rapidly programming field programmable devices. A dummy antifuse is provided on the field programmable device for testing prior to actual programming. The current drawn by the device is measured by the programming apparatus until an adequate soaking current is measured while programming the test antifuse. The programming apparatus then records the time required this current level and selects that time as the programming period T.sub.p. This programming time T.sub.p is then used to program the entire device. T.sub.p is now the minimum time required given the process variations of this particular device to adequately program the antifuses which must be blown.