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. 02, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 21, 2000
Frank C. Wirtz, II, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Lois D. Cartier, LaSelva Beach, CA (US);
Xilinx, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Programmable devices and methods of programming programmable devices are described. In one embodiment, a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) is programmed by a remote host programming unit that provides the configuration data over a data communications link into a first data-holding location on the device all at one time. The device is then locally programmed under the influence of a controller that causes the configuration data in the first data-holding location to be written or copied to a second data-holding location on the device. In one embodiment, the first data-holding location is a rapidly programmed temporary memory (e.g., RAM), while the second data-holding location is a non-volatile memory that takes much longer to program (e.g., EEPROM or flash memory) and actually controls the device functionality. This technique frees up the host programming unit and the data communications link to attend to other matters, such as providing configuration data to other programmable devices. Programming time reductions are achieved and economies are gained by releasing the host programming unit and the data communications link during the period of the programming cycle that takes the most time, i.e., the actual programming of the device.