US5859543A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Programming architecture for a programmable integrated circuit employing antifuses
Assignee: QuickLogic Corp
•
Filing: 1997-09-17
•
Granted: 1999-01-12
•
Expires: 2017-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A programmable integrated circuit such as a field programmable gate array (see FIG. 3) has a few long routing wire segments for transmitting signals long distances across the integrated circuit. These long routing wire segments can be coupled together with programmed antifuses. A high-drive output driver may be used to drive signals a long distance through such coupled together long routing wire segments giving rise to large switching currents across the programmed antifuses that couple the long wire segments together. In some types of antifuses, programmed antifuse reliability is dependent upon maintaining the programming current used to program the antifuse a certain factor greater than the peak switching current flowing through the antifuse during normal operation. The antifuses in these long wire segments therefore should be programmed with proportionately larger programming currents. To increase the programming currents with which these antifuses are programmed, programming current is supplied onto each of the long routing segments from two different programming conductors via two different programming transistors.
Inventors
- 👤 Paige A. Kolze
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:09
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/02; H03K19/173; H03K19/177; H03K19/17748; H03K19/17764; H03K17/00; H03K17/22; H03K17/223; H03K19/17736; H03K19/1778; H03K19/17796
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A programmable integrated circuit, comprising: a plurality of logic modules aligned in a row extending in a first dimension, a distance A existing between two adjacent ones of the logic modules; a first programming conductor extending in a second dimension from a first programming driver, the second dimension being perpendicular to the first dimension; a second programming conductor extending in the second dimension from a second programming driver; a first wire segment extending a distance more than two times as long as distance A in the first dimension to a connection node; a first programming transistor having a first electrode coupled to the connection node and having a second electrode coupled to the first programming conductor; a second programming transistor having a first electrode coupled to the connection node and having a second electrode coupled to the second programming conductor; a programming control conductor being coupled to a gate electrode of the first programming transistor and to a gate electrode of the second programming transistor; a plurality of second wire segments extending parallel to one another in the second dimension, each of the second wire segments crossing the first wire segment; and a plurality of antifuses, one of the antifuses being disposed at each location where a second wire segment crosses the first wire segment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
A programmable integrated circuit, comprising: a plurality of logic modules aligned in a row extending in a first dimension, a distance A existing between two adjacent ones of the logic modules; a first programming conductor extending in a second dimension from a first programming driver, the second dimension being perpendicular to the first dimension; a second programming conductor extending in the second dimension from a second programming driver; a first wire segment extending a distance more than two times as long as distance A in the first dimension to a connection node; a first programming transistor having a first electrode coupled to the connection node and having a second electrode coupled to the first programming conductor; a second programming transistor having a first electrode coupled to the connection node and having a second electrode coupled to the second programming conductor; a programming control conductor being coupled to a gate electrode of the first programming transistor and to a gate electrode of the second programming transistor; a plurality of second wire segments extending parallel to one another in the second dimension, each of the second wire segments crossing the first wire segment; and a plurality of antifuses, one of the antifuses being disposed at each location where a second wire segment crosses the first wire segment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The programmable integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the programming control conductor has a first portion which extends in the second dimension and couples to the gates of the first and second programming transistors, and wherein the programming control conductor also has a second portion which extends in the first dimension a distance greater than two times distance A.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
163 words
The programmable integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a third wire segment extending a distance more than two times as long as distance A in the first dimension to a second connection node, the third wire segment being substantially collinear with respect to the first wire segment; an interconnect antifuse which if programmed couples the first wire segment to the third wire segment, a third programming conductor extending in the second dimension from a third programming driver; a fourth programming conductor extending in the second dimension from a fourth programming driver; a third programming transistor having a first electrode coupled to the second connection node and having a second electrode coupled to the third programming conductor; and a fourth programming transistor having a first electrode coupled to the second connection node and having a second electrode coupled to the fourth programming conductor, the third programming transistor having a gate electrode that is coupled to a gate electrode of the fourth programming transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The programmable integrated circuit of claim 3, the first and second programming drivers being disposed one side of the first and third wire segments and the third and fourth programming drivers being disposed on another side opposite the one side.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4439804A
Cited
US5132563A
Cited
US5053909A
Cited
US5208530A
Cited
US4758745A
Cited
US4857774A
Cited
US4910417A
Cited
US5083083A
Cited
US5479113A
Cited
US4758745B1
Cited
US5502315A
Cited
US5055718A
Cited
US5194759A
Cited
US5367207A
Cited
US5528600A
Cited
US5614818A
Cited
US5220213A
Cited
US5416367A
Cited
US5196724A
Cited
US5557136A
Cited
US5302546A
Cited
US5341030A
Cited
US5544070A
Cited
US5243226A
Cited
US5397939A
Cited
US5347519A
Cited
US5336986A
Cited
US5391942A
Cited
US5327024A
Cited
US5304871A
Cited
US5498979A
Cited
US5525909A
Cited
US5594361A
Cited
US5477167A
Cited
US5424655A
Cited
US5654649A
Cited
US5526312A
Cited
US5469396A
Cited
US5572476A
Cited
US5537056A
Cited
US5495181A
Cited
US5534793A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-11 | 2002-07-13 | 2003-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-11 | 2006-07-13 | 2007-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-11 | 2010-07-13 | 2011-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |