Patent classifications
G01R31/318516
Programmable Shift Register With Programmable Load Location
Programmable shift register with programmable load location (pSRL) for data storage and method thereof is disclosed. A loadable programmable Shift Register (pSR) according to present disclosure receives a programmable input LL that defines where data D is to be loaded from the Load Register when L (Load Control Signal)=1. The loadable Shift Register with programmable load location (pSRL) is configured to obtain L (Load Control Signal), S (Shift Control Signal), LL (Load Location Control Signal), and p (programmable shift value), and wherein the pSRL is adapted to perform loading and shifting of data D based at least on the L, S, LL, and p values.
Implementing robust readback capture in a programmable integrated circuit
In an example, a memory circuit in a programmable integrated circuit (IC) includes: a control port and a clock port; a configurable random access memory (RAM) having a control input and a clock input; input multiplexer logic coupled to the control input and the clock input; and a state machine coupled to the input multiplexer logic and configuration logic of the programmable IC, the state machine configured to: in response to being enabled by the configuration logic, control the input multiplexer logic to switch a connection of the control input from the control port to the state machine and, subsequently, switch a connection of the clock input from the clock port to a configuration clock source; and in response to being disabled by the configuration logic, control the input multiplexer logic to switch the connection of the clock input from the configuration clock source to the clock port and, subsequently, switch the connection of the control input from the state machine to the control port.
Reconfigurable semiconductor device
A reconfigurable device and an analog circuit are formed on a single chip so that the analog circuit can be controlled by the reconfigurable device. A reconfigurable semiconductor device (1) includes a plurality of logic sections (20) and an analog section (10). The plurality of logic sections (20) are connected to each other by an address line or a data line. The analog section (10) includes a plurality of input/output sections and an output amplifier. Each of the logic sections (20) includes a plurality of address lines, a plurality of data lines, a memory cell unit, and an address decoder that decodes an address signal and that outputs a decoded signal to the memory cell unit. The plurality of logic sections (20) and the analog section (10) are mounted in the same chip package.
Area-efficient performance monitors for adaptive voltage scaling
Techniques for adaptively scaling power supply voltage of a programmable integrated circuit. Compact speed-testing ring oscillators are inserted into a pre-constructed circuit model to test the speed of speed-critical aspects of the interconnect fabric of the programmable integrated circuit. The speed-testing ring oscillators are compact due to including only two elements configured from lookup table elements (LUTs) of the programmable integrated circuit. The speed-testing ring oscillators are connected to a power management unit which receives speed values output from the speed-testing ring oscillators and adjusts the power supply voltage to maintain the speed-testing ring oscillators operating at or above a prescribed speed. If all speed-testing ring oscillators are operating too fast, then power management unit reduces voltage to reduce the total power consumed by the programmable integrated circuit while still maintaining operation above a desired speed.
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND SCAN TEST METHOD
A semiconductor device includes a FIFO, a test data write circuit that sequentially writes a plurality of test data to the FIFO in synchronization with a first clock signal, and a test control circuit that, in parallel with writing of the plurality of test data to the FIFO by the test data write circuit, sequentially reads a plurality of test data stored in the FIFO in synchronization with a second clock signal that is not synchronous with the first clock signal and performs a scan test of a circuit to be tested.
On-die aging measurements for dynamic timing modeling
A method includes mapping an aging measurement circuit (AMC) into the core fabric of an FPGA and operating the AMC for a select time period. During the select period of time, the AMC counts transition of a signal propagating through the AMC. Timing information based on the counted transitions is stored in a timing model in a memory. The timing information represents an aging characteristic of the core fabric at a time that the AMC is operated. An EDA toolchain uses the timing information in the timing model to generate a timing guard-band for the configurable IC die. The AMC is removed from the core fabric and another circuit device is mapped and fitted into the core fabric using the generated timing guard-band models. The circuit device is operated in the configurable IC die based on the timing guard-band models.
Initializing and testing integrated circuits with selectable scan chains with exclusive-OR outputs
Embodiments of the invention provide a scan test system for an integrated circuit comprising multiple processing elements. The system comprises at least one scan input component and at least one scan clock component. Each scan input component is configured to provide a scan input to at least two processing elements. Each scan clock component is configured to provide a scan clock signal to at least two processing elements. The system further comprises at least one scan select component for selectively enabling a scan of at least one processing element. Each processing element is configured to scan in a scan input and scan out a scan output when said the processing element is scan-enabled. The system further comprises an exclusive-OR tree comprising multiple exclusive-OR logic gates. The said exclusive-OR tree generates a parity value representing a parity of all scan outputs scanned out from all scan-enabled processing elements.
SCAN CHAIN LATCH DESIGN THAT IMPROVES TESTABILITY OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
A scan chain latch circuit, a method of operating a latch circuit in a scan chain, and a computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure defining a scan chain latch circuit for instantiation on a semiconductor die are disclosed. In an embodiment, the scan chain latch circuit comprises a first latch for holding one data value, a second latch for holding another data value, and a multiplexor. The one data value is applied to a first data input of the multiplexor and the another data value is applied to a second data input of the multiplexor. An alternating clock signal is applied to a select input of the multiplexor to control the output of the multiplexor, wherein the output of the multiplexor toggles between the two data values held in the two latches at a defined frequency.
INITIALIZING AND TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS WITH SELECTABLE SCAN CHAINS WITH EXCLUSIVE-OR OUTPUTS
Embodiments of the invention provide a scan test system for an integrated circuit comprising multiple processing elements. The system comprises at least one scan input component and at least one scan clock component. Each scan input component is configured to provide a scan input to at least two processing elements. Each scan clock component is configured to provide a scan clock signal to at least two processing elements. The system further comprises at least one scan select component for selectively enabling a scan of at least one processing element. Each processing element is configured to scan in a scan input and scan out a scan output when said the processing element is scan-enabled. The system further comprises an exclusive-OR tree comprising multiple exclusive-OR logic gates. The said exclusive-OR tree generates a parity value representing a parity of all scan outputs scanned out from all scan-enabled processing elements.
Scan chain latch design that improves testability of integrated circuits
A scan chain latch circuit, a method of operating a latch circuit in a scan chain, and a computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure defining a scan chain latch circuit for instantiation on a semiconductor die are disclosed. In an embodiment, the scan chain latch circuit comprises a first latch for holding one data value, a second latch for holding another data value, and a multiplexor. The one data value is applied to a first data input of the multiplexor and the another data value is applied to a second data input of the multiplexor. An alternating clock signal is applied to a select input of the multiplexor to control the output of the multiplexor, wherein the output of the multiplexor toggles between the two data values held in the two latches at a defined frequency.