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Patent US6184710B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6184710B1
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Programmable logic array devices with enhanced interconnectivity between adjacent logic regions
Assignee: Altera Corp
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Filing: 1997-08-27
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Granted: 2001-02-06
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Expires: 2017-08-27
Abstract
Abstract A programmable logic device has plural regions of programmable logic and a general-purpose interconnection network for conveying signals to, from, and between the regions. In addition to the general-purpose interconnection network, more direct interconnections are provided from outputs of each region to inputs of one or more other adjacent or nearby regions. At least some of these direct interconnections are preferably multiplexed with more conventional inputs to the other regions so that the input resources required for each region do not become excessive. The invention is particularly useful for devices which perform basic logic using sum-of-products (“Pterm”) logic. However, the invention is also useful in other types of devices such as those which perform basic logic using look-up tables.
Inventors
- 👤 David W. Mendel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:48
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/02; H03K19/173; H03K19/177; H03K19/17736; H03K19/17724; H03K19/17728
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A programmable logic device comprising: a plurality of regions of programmable logic, each of said regions comprising a plurality of logic elements, each logic element having a plurality of input leads and at least one output lead and being programmable to perform various logic functions on region input signals applied to the input leads in order to produce region output signals applied to the output leads; a general interconnection network configured to convey signals to, from, and between the regions; a plurality of direct connection conductors associated with each of the regions and configured to convey region output signals from the associated region to another region adjacent to the associated region without using the general interconnection network; a plurality of programmable logic connectors associated with each of the regions and configured to select either signals from the general interconnection network or signals from the direct connection conductors leading to that region as region input signals of that region; and a plurality of local input conductors associated with each region for conveying region input signals from the programmable logic connectors associated with that region to the input leads of the logic elements associated with that region, wherein each local input conductor extends along all the logic elements associated with that region and is programmably connectable to the input leads of the logic elements in that region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A programmable logic device comprising: a plurality of regions of programmable logic, each of said regions comprising a plurality of logic elements, each logic element having a plurality of input leads and at least one output lead and being programmable to perform various logic functions on region input signals applied to the input leads in order to produce region output signals applied to the output leads; a general interconnection network configured to convey signals to, from, and between the regions; a plurality of direct connection conductors associated with each of the regions and configured to convey region output signals from the associated region to another region adjacent to the associated region without using the general interconnection network; a plurality of programmable logic connectors associated with each of the regions and configured to select either signals from the general interconnection network or signals from the direct connection conductors leading to that region as region input signals of that region; and a plurality of local input conductors associated with each region for conveying region input signals from the programmable logic connectors associated with that region to the input leads of the logic elements associated with that region, wherein each local input conductor extends along all the logic elements associated with that region and is programmably connectable to the input leads of the logic elements in that region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein each of said regions is configured to perform product term logic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein each of said regions is configured to perform look-up table logic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The device defined in claim 2 wherein each of said regions comprises: a programmable AND array comprising said plurality of local input conductors associated with that region and configured to produce a plurality of product term output signals, and wherein said region input signals are inputs to the programmable AND array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device defined in claim 4 wherein each of said regions further comprises: a plurality of OR circuits, each of which is configured to logically combine an associated subplurality of the product term output signals of that region to produce a sum-of-products output signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
The device defined in claim 5 wherein each of said regions further comprises: a plurality of registers, each of which is associated with a respective one of the OR circuits of that region, each of said registers being configured to register the sum-of-products output signal of the associated OR circuit; and a plurality of programmable logic connector circuits, each of which is associated with a respective one of the registers, each of the programmable logic connector circuits being configured to select either the sum-of-products output signal applied to the associated register or the sum-of-products output signal registered by the associated register as a region output signal of that region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein at least some of the programmable logic connectors associated with each of the regions receive multiple direct connection conductors leading to that region and are configured to select the region input signal from any received direct connection conductor as well as from the general interconnection conductor network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein the direct connection conductors associated with each of the regions are configured to convey region output signals from the associated region to plural other regions adjacent to the associated region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The device defined in claim 8 wherein at least some of the programmable logic connectors associated with each of the regions receive direct connection conductors leading from multiple other regions and are configured to select the region input signal from any received direct connection conductor as well as from the general interconnection conductor network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein at least some of the direct connection conductors associated with each of the regions are each configured to convey a region output signal from the associated region to plural ones of the programmable logic connectors associated with said another region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
The device defined in claim 1 further comprising: programmable logic connector circuits associated with each of the regions, each of said programmable logic connector circuits being configured to select from an associated plurality of region output signals of that region a region output signal that is applied to an associated one of the direct connection conductors associated with that region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein the direct connection conductors associated with each of the regions are configured to convey only a subset of the region output signals of the associated region to said another region, and wherein the device further comprises: additional direct connection conductors associated with each of the regions and configured to convey region output signals not in said subset of the associated region from the associated region to region input leads of another region adjacent to the associated region without using the general interconnection network.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device defined in claim 12 wherein each of said regions is configured to perform product term logic and wherein the region output signals which the additional direct connection conductors are configured to convey include expander product term output signals of the associated region.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein said another region is immediately adjacent the associated region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device defined in claim 1 wherein said another region is spaced from the associated region by a third region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device defined in claim 1 further comprising: a programmable logic connector array associated with each of said regions and configured to selectively apply signals from the general interconnection network to the programmable logic connectors associated with that region.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device defined in claim 1 further comprising: programmable logic connector circuits associated with at least some of the output leads for selectively applying regions output signals on said at least some of said output leads to the general inte 6 rconnection network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A digital processing system comprising: processing circuitry; memory circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry; and a device as defined in claim 1 coupled to the processing circuitry and the memory circuitry.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A printed circuit board on which is mounted a device as defined in claim 1 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The printed circuit board defined in claim 19 further comprising: memory circuitry mounted on the printed circuit board and coupled to said device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The printed circuit board defined in claim 19 further comprising: processing circuitry mounted on the printed circuit board and coupled to said device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-06 | 2004-08-07 | 2005-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-06 | 2008-08-07 | 2009-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-06 | 2012-08-07 | 2013-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |