Electronic digital logic circuitry – Multifunctional or programmable – Having details of setting or programming of interconnections...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-11
2001-02-27
Tokar, Michael (Department: 2819)
Electronic digital logic circuitry
Multifunctional or programmable
Having details of setting or programming of interconnections...
C326S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06194912
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to integrated circuit devices as well as to methods for personalizing and programming such devices and resulting integrated circuit devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of personalizable integrated circuits and programmable integrated circuits are known in the art. Personalizable integrated circuits include gate arrays, such as laser programmable gate arrays, commonly known as LPGA devices, which are described, inter alia in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,924,287; 4,960,729; 4,933,738; 5,111,273; 5,260,597; 5,329,152; 5,565,758; 5,619,062; 5,679,967; 5,684,412; 5,751,165; 5,818,728. Devices of this type are personalized by etching or laser ablation of metal portions thereof.
There are also known field programmable gate arrays, commonly known as FPGA devices, programmable logic devices, commonly known as PLD devices as well as complex programmable logic devices, commonly known as CPLD devices. Devices of these type are programmable by application of electrical signals thereto.
It has been appreciated in the prior art that due to the relatively high silicon real estate requirements FPGA devices, they are not suitable for many high volume applications. It has therefore been proposed to design functional equivalents to specific programmed FPGA circuits. Such functional equivalents have been implemented in certain cases using conventional gate arrays. The following U.S. Patents show such implementations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,068,063; 5,526,278 & 5,550,839.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an improved integrated circuit which, contrary to the teachings of the prior art, is both personalizable and programmable.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a personalizable and programmable integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least two electrical conductive paths interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells, at least a portion of which can be removed for personalization of the integrated circuit device.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a personalizable and programmable integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least one personalizable electrical conductive path interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells, the conductive path defining a short circuit between outputs of the at least first and second programmable logic cells.
There is further provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a selectably configurable and field programmable integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second field programmable logic cells; and
at least two electrical conductive paths interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells, at least a portion of which can be removed for selectable configuration of the integrated circuit devices.
Preferably, the at least first and second programmable logic cells are programmable by the application of an electrical signal thereto.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, functions of the at least first and second programmable logic cells are programmable by the application of an electrical signal thereto and logic functions of the at least first and second programmable logic cells are programmable by the application of an electrical signal thereto.
Preferably at least one of the at least two conductive paths defines a short circuit between outputs of the at least first and second programmable logic cells.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a selectably configurable and programmable integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least two selectably configurable electrical conductive paths interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells, at least one of which defines a short circuit between outputs of the at least first and second programmable logic cells.
Preferably, the at least first and second programmable logic cells are programmable by the application of an electrical signal thereto.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, functions, preferably comprising logic functions, of the at least first and second programmable logic cells are programmable by the application of an electrical signal thereto.
Preferably, programming of the first and second programmable logic cells may take place following selectable configuration of the device.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a selectably configurable and programmable integrated circuit device wherein programming of the first and second programmable logic cells may take place following selectable configuration of the device.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first and second programmable logic cells may be reprogrammed.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for personalization and programming of an integrated circuit device including:
providing an inoperative integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least one electrical conductive path interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells;
removing at least a portion of the electrical conductive path for personalization of the integrated circuit devices.
Preferably, the method also includes the step of programming at least one of the at least first and second programmable logic cells by applying an electrical signal thereto.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of programming includes programming functions, preferably including logic functions, of the at least first and second programmable logic cells by the application of an electrical signal thereto.
Preferably, the step of removing includes eliminating a short circuit between outputs of the at least first and second programmable logic cells by etching at least one conductive layer.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for personalization and programming of an integrated circuit device including:
providing an inoperative integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least two electrical conductive paths interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells;
removing at least a portion of the at least two electrical conductive paths for eliminating a short circuit between outputs of the at least first and second programmable logic cells.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for selectable configuration and programming of an integrated circuit device including:
providing an inoperative integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least two electrical conductive paths interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells;
removing at least a portion of the at least two electrical conductive paths for selectable configuration of the integrated circuit device.
There is further provided a method for selectable configuration and programming of an integrated circuit device including:
providing an inoperative integrated circuit device including:
at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
at least two electrical conductive paths interconnecting the at least first and second programmable logic cells; and
removing at least a portion of the at least two electrical conductive paths for eliminating a short circuit between outputs of the at least first and second programmable logic cells.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a per
eASIC Corporation
Frank Robert J.
Gluck Jeffrey W.
Le Don Phu
Tokar Michael
LandOfFree
Integrated circuit device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Integrated circuit device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Integrated circuit device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2570122