Laser programmable integrated circuit

Claim 2

A laser programmable integrated circuit comprising: (a) an array of logic modules; (b) a grid-like array of laser breakable conductors in connection with the logic modules comprising: (i) a first set of conductors; and (ii) a second set of conductors which cross the first set of conductors; wherein the first and second sets of conductors are electrically isolated; and (c) a set of laser activated links which connect adjacent conductors that cross when irradiated by a laser beam.

Claim 3

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein each logic module is a functional unit, and produces an expected output when a vector input is applied to the module.

Claim 4

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein each logic module is capable of realizing any combinatorial function of two inputs.

Claim 5

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 the logic modules further comprising: (a) a first two input AND gate; (b) a second two input AND gate wherein one input is the output of a two input NOR gate, the NOR gate having one input which is also an input for the first AND gate; (c) a two input NOR gate wherein the inputs are the outputs of the two AND gates; (d) an inverter connected to output of the NOR gate and which produces an output for the module, FN; (e) an inverter connected to the output of the other inverter and which produces an output for the module, F; (f) an enabling means attached to both inverters.

Claim 6

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the logic modules have continuous lines connecting the leads of one side of the module to the leads on the opposite side of the module.

Claim 7

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the grid-like array of laser breakable conductors connects logic modules to other logic modules, inputs, outputs, and chip testing registers.

Claim 8

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 6 wherein the logic modules are aligned in parallel rows and columns.

Claim 9

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 7 wherein prior to laser programming, the first and second sets of conductors are unconnected.

Claim 10

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the laser activated links further comprise two back-to-back diodes formed by doped regions in a substrate separated by a gap of a few microns.

Claim 11

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the sets of conductors may be severed at given cut points and laser activated links may be connected through irradiation by a laser beam to program the logic modules.

Claim 12

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 10 wherein the laser activated links are located in such a way that there is a link corresponding to each cross-point of the first and second sets of conductors and the cut points are located in every other conductor segment between the cross-points of the first and second sets of conductors.

Claim 13

A laser programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 further comprising chip testing registers to test whether the unprogrammed array and conductors were properly fabricated.

Claim 14

A laser programmable integrated circuit comprising: (a) an array of logic modules comprising: (1) first two input AND gate; (2) a second two input AND gate wherein one input is output of a two input NOR gate, the NOR gate having one input which is also an input for the first AND gate; (3) a two input NOR gate wherein the inputs are the outputs of the two AND gates; (4) an inverter connected to output of the NOR gate and which produces an output for the module, FN; (5) an inverter connect of the other inverter and which produces an output for the module, F; wherein the logic modules are aligned in parallel rows and columns; the logic modules have continuous lines connecting the leads of one side of the module to the leads on the opposite side of the module; (b) a grid-like array of sets of laser breakable conductors which connect the logic modules to other logic modules, inputs and outputs comprising: (1) a first set of conductors; and (2) a second set of conductors which cross the first set of conductors; wherein the first and second sets of conductors are electrically isolated and all the sets of conductors are unconnected prior to laser programming; (c) a set of laser diffuseable links which connect adjacent conductors that cross when irradiated by a laser beam; and comprise two diodes formed by doped regions in a substrate separated by a gap of a few microns; wherein to program the logic modules, the conductors may be severed at given outpoints arranged between every other conductor segment between the cross-points of the first and second sets of conductors, and the laser diffuseable links are located in such a way that there is a link corresponding to each cross-point of the first and second set of conductors and may be connected through irradiation by a laser beam; (d) a set of testing registers for testing whether the unprogrammed modules and conductors have been properly fabricated.

Claim 15

A laser programmable integrated circuit comprising: (a) an array of logic modules comprising: (1) first two input AND gate; (2) a second two input AND gate wherein one input is output of a two input NOR gate, the NOR gate having one input which is also an input for the first AND gate; (3) a two input NOR gate wherein the inputs are the outputs of the two AND gates; (4) an inverter connected to output of the NOR gate and which produces an output for the module, FN; (5) an inverter connect of the other inverter and which produces an output for the module, F; wherein the logic modules are aligned in parallel rows and columns; the logic modules have continuous lines connecting the leads of one side of the module to the leads on the opposite side of the module; (b) a grid-like array of sets of laser breakable conductors which connect the logic modules to other logic modules, inputs and outputs comprising: (1) a first set of conductors; and (2) a second set of conductors which cross the first set of conductors; wherein the first and second sets of conductors are electrically isolated and all the sets of conductors are unconnected prior to laser programming; (c) a set of laser diffuseable links which connect adjacent conductors that cross when irradiated by a laser beam; and comprise two diodes formed by doped regions in a substrate separated by a gap of a few microns; wherein to program the logic modules, the conductors may be severed at given outpoints arranged between every other conductor segment between the cross-points of the first and second sets of conductors, and the laser diffuseable links are located in such a way that there is a link corresponding to each cross-point of the first and second set of conductors and may be connected through irradiation by a laser beam; (d) a set of testing registers for testing whether the unprogrammed modules and conductors have been properly fabricated.

Claim 16

A programmable integrated circuit comprising: (a) an array of logic modules; (b) a first set of continuous input and output conductors interconnecting groups of logic modules, the conductors being breakable to leave programmable interconnections between logic modules; and (c) means for selecting individual logic modules for testing of the array through the input and output conductors.

Claim 17

A programmable integrated circuit comprising: (a) an array of logic modules; (b) a first set of continuous input and output conductors interconnecting groups of logic modules, the conductors being breakable to leave programmable interconnections between logic modules; and (c) means for selecting individual logic modules for testing of the array through the input and output conductors.

Claim 18

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 14 further comprising a second set of continuous conductors crossing the first set of conductors and programmable links for interconnecting cross-points of the first and second sets of conductors.

Claim 19

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 15 wherein the links comprise laser diffuseable semiconductor links.

Claim 20

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 15 wherein the logic modules are in an array of rows and columns and the first set of conductors includes subsets of conductors, each subset comprising the inputs and outputs for each logic module of a column of logic modules, and the means for selecting a logic module comprises means for enabling a row of logic modules while disabling all other rows.

Claim 21

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 17 further comprising means for permanently enabling or disabling a row of logic modules by programmably connecting enable conductors to the row.

Claim 22

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 18 further comprising means for enabling or disabling an individual logic module by programmably breaking and linking enable conductors to the logic module.

Claim 23

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 17 further comprising means for enabling or disabling an individual logic module by programmably breaking and linking enable conductors to the logic module.

Claim 24

A programmed integrated circuit comprising laser diffuseable links and means for applying a back voltage to the non-diffused links.

Claim 25

A programmed integrated circuit comprising laser diffuseable links and means for applying a back voltage to the non-diffused links.

Claim 26

A programmable integrated circuit comprising laser diffuseable links and a set of logic modules arranged in parallel rows and columns, there being continuous lines from leads on one side of the module to the leads on the other side of the module.

Claim 27

A programmable integrated circuit comprising laser diffuseable links and a set of logic modules arranged in parallel rows and columns, there being continuous lines from leads on one side of the module to the leads on the other side of the module.

Claim 28

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 22 further comprising enable lines connected to rows of logic modules capable of enabling or disabling the entire row.

Claim 29

A programmable integrated circuit as recited in claim 23 wherein each logic module may be disabled individually.