Connection of spares between multiple programmable devices

Abstract

A method of coupling logic devices using spares. A first logic device is coupled to a second logic device using a first plurality of spares. The first logic device is coupled to a third logic device using a second plurality of spares. The second logic device is coupled programmatically to the third logic device by coupling programmatically one of the first plurality of spares to one of the second plurality of spares via the first logic device. The coupling of the first logic device to the second logic device and the coupling of the first logic device to the third logic device comprise coupling a total number of spares not exceeding M(N-1), wherein M is a minimum number of spares that must be coupleable between each potential pair of logic devices in a multiplicity of logic devices, and wherein N is a total number of logic devices in the multiplicity of logic devices.