Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080222465 | Checkpointing user design states in a configurable IC - Some embodiments provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits and several user design state (UDS) circuits. The UDS circuits store user-design state values. The configurable IC also includes a debug network communicatively coupled to the UDS circuits. The debug network is for retrieving the user-design state values of several UDS circuits at various stoppages of the operation of the IC without retrieving configuration data that is used to configure the configurable circuits of the IC. The retrieved user-design state values at each stoppage are used as the checkpointed state of the IC while debugging the IC. In some embodiments, the debug network allows the checkpointing of only certain portions of the configurable IC. | 09-11-2008 |
20080224730 | CONFIGURATION NETWORK FOR A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that includes several configurable circuits grouped in several tiles. The configurable IC also includes a configuration network for loading configuration data into the IC, where the configuration data is for configuring several of the configurable circuit. In some embodiments, the configuration network includes several registers at several boundaries between the tiles, where the registers allow multiple configuration data sets to be routed to multiple tiles concurrently. The configuration network in some embodiments includes several address counters at several tiles, where each address counter allows one address to be loaded for a tile and then to be successively incremented based on increment instructions sent over the configuration network. At least, two different addresses specified by an address counter of a particular tile identify two different resources within the particular tile. | 09-18-2008 |
20080231314 | Configurable IC Having A Routing Fabric With Storage Elements - Some embodiments provide a configurable IC that includes a configurable routing fabric with storage elements. In some embodiments, the routing fabric provides a communication pathway that routes signals to and from source and destination components. The routing fabric of some embodiments provides the ability to selectively store the signals passing through the routing fabric within the storage elements of the routing fabric. In this manner, a source or destination component continually performs operations (e.g., computational or routing) irrespective of whether a previous signal from or to such a component is stored within the routing fabric. The source and destination components include configurable logic circuits, configurable interconnect circuits, and various other circuits that receive or distribute signals throughout the configurable IC. | 09-25-2008 |
20080258761 | RUNTIME LOADING OF CONFIGURATION DATA IN A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. In some of these embodiments, the configuration network is a pipelined network. Also, the IC of some embodiments includes a configuration controller for retrieving configuration data from outside of the IC, formulating configuration data sets, and routing the configuration data sets to the second set of configurable circuits over the configuration network. | 10-23-2008 |
20080272801 | RUNTIME LOADING OF CONFIGURATION DATA IN A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. In some of these embodiments, the configuration network is a pipelined network. Also, the IC of some embodiments includes a configuration controller for retrieving configuration data from outside of the IC, formulating configuration data sets, and routing the configuration data sets to the second set of configurable circuits over the configuration network. | 11-06-2008 |
20080272802 | Random access of user design states in a configurable IC - Some embodiments of the invention is a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that includes (1) several configurable logic circuits, (2) a first routing network for connecting the configurable logic circuits, (3) several user design state (UDS) circuits, and (4) a second network communicatively coupled to the UDS circuits. In least one period during the operation of the IC, the second network receives addresses for a several UDS circuits in a random access manner. In some embodiments, the second network is a debug network for reading randomly state values stored by the addressed UDS circuits during the user-design operation of the IC. | 11-06-2008 |
20090002016 | RETRIEVING DATA FROM A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC). The IC has configurable logic circuits for performing logical operations, configurable routing circuits for routing signals between the configurable logic circuits, and a network for monitoring data. In some embodiments a method uses at least a subset of the configurable logic circuits and a first subset of the configurable routing circuits to implement a user design circuit on the configurable IC. The method uses a second subset of the configurable routing circuits to pass signals to the network. | 01-01-2009 |
20090002024 | TRANSPORT NETWORK FOR A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) with an arrangement of circuit elements, a trace buffer, a transport network separate from the arrangement of circuit elements. The transport network transports data from the arrangement of circuit elements to the trace buffer. | 01-01-2009 |
20090002045 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH DELAY SELECTING INPUT SELECTION CIRCUITRY - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (IC) with a delay select input selection circuit. The delay select input selection circuit comprises a first input selection circuit, a first storage element, a second storage element, and a first input line branching into multiple input lines. The multiple input lines include at least a second, third, and fourth input line. The second input line is communicably connected to a first input of the first input selection circuit. The third input line enters the first storage element. The fourth input line enters the second storage element. An output from the first storage element is communicably connected to a second input of the first input selection circuit. An output from the second storage element is communicably connected to a third input of the first input selection circuit. | 01-01-2009 |
20090079468 | Debug Network for a Configurable IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that includes several configurable circuits grouped in several tiles. The configurable IC also includes a configuration network for loading configuration data into the IC, where the configuration data is for configuring several of the configurable circuit. In some embodiments, the configuration network includes several registers at several boundaries between the tiles, where the registers allow multiple configuration data sets to be routed to multiple tiles concurrently. The configuration network in some embodiments includes several address counters at several tiles, where each address counter allows one address to be loaded for a tile and then to be successively incremented based on increment instructions sent over the configuration network. At least, two different addresses specified by an address counter of a particular tile identify two different resources within the particular tile. | 03-26-2009 |
20090146686 | Configuration Context Switcher with a Latch - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 06-11-2009 |
20090146689 | Configuration Context Switcher with a Clocked Storage Element - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 06-11-2009 |
20090167345 | Reading configuration data from internal storage node of configuration storage circuit - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 07-02-2009 |
20100007376 | STORAGE ELEMENTS FOR A CONFIGURABLE IC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING DATA STORED IN THE STORAGE ELEMENTS - Some embodiments provide a circuit for accessing stored data in a configurable IC that includes several configurable circuits. The IC also includes several storage circuits. Each storage circuit has (1) several storage elements for storing data for the configurable circuits, and (2) output circuitry for outputting data stored in the storage elements. The output circuitry includes a first set of interconnects for receiving at least a first repeating periodic signal and for periodically outputting data from at least two storage elements to the configurable circuits. | 01-14-2010 |
20100066407 | Operational Time Extension - Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable integrated circuit (“IC”). This IC has several reconfigurable circuits, each having several configurations for several configuration cycles. The reconfigurable circuits include several time-extending reconfigurable circuits. During the operation of the IC, each particular time-extending reconfigurable circuit maintains at least one of its configurations over at least two contiguous cycles, in order to allow a signal to propagate through a signal path, which contains the particular time-extending circuit, within a desired amount of time. Some embodiments provide a method of designing a reconfigurable IC that has several reconfigurable circuits, each having several configurations and operating in several reconfiguration cycles. The method identifies a signal path through the IC that does not meet a timing constraint. The signal path includes several circuits, one of which is a particular reconfigurable circuit. The method then maintains a configuration of the particular reconfigurable circuit constant over at least two contiguous reconfiguration cycles in order to reduce signal delay through the signal path and thereby satisfy the timing constraint. | 03-18-2010 |
20100156456 | Integrated Circuit with Delay Selecting Input Selection Circuitry - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (IC) with a delay select input selection circuit. The delay select input selection circuit comprises a first input selection circuit, a first storage element, a second storage element, and a first input line branching into multiple input lines. The multiple input lines include at least a second, third, and fourth input line. The second input line is communicably connected to a first input of the first input selection circuit. The third input line enters the first storage element. The fourth input line enters the second storage element. An output from the first storage element is communicably connected to a second input of the first input selection circuit. An output from the second storage element is communicably connected to a third input of the first input selection circuit. | 06-24-2010 |
20100194429 | RECONFIGURABLE IC THAT HAS SECTIONS RUNNING AT DIFFERENT RECONFIGURATION RATES - Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable IC that includes several sections. Each section includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs a set of operations. Each section stores multiple configuration data sets for each configurable circuit. Each configuration data set for a particular configurable circuit specifies the operation that the particular configurable circuit has to perform from the circuit's set of operations, where the configurable circuits of at least two different sections change configuration data sets at two different reconfiguration rates. | 08-05-2010 |
20100213977 | USERS REGISTERS IMPLEMENTED WITH ROUTING CIRCUITS IN A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). The configurable IC includes a set of configurable logic circuits for configurably performing a set of functions. The configurable IC also includes a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals to and from the configurable circuits. During several operational cycles of the configurable IC, a set of data registers are defined by the configurable routing circuits. These data registers may be used wherever a flip-flop can be used. | 08-26-2010 |
20100241800 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A VIRTUAL MEMORY ARCHITECTURE NARROWER AND DEEPER THAN A PHYSICAL MEMORY ARCHITECTURE - Some embodiments provide a method of presenting virtual memory as narrower and deeper than a physical memory. The method receives a memory address location including a set of real memory address bits and a set of virtual memory position bits. The method retrieves an original memory word from a physical memory using the real memory address bits. The method shifts the original memory word by an amount determined by the virtual memory position bits by using a barrel shifter, creating a shifted memory word. The method reads a part of the shifted memory word. | 09-23-2010 |
20100289520 | Debug Network for a Configurable IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that includes several configurable circuits grouped in several tiles. The configurable IC also includes a configuration network for loading configuration data into the IC, where the configuration data is for configuring several of the configurable circuit. In some embodiments, the configuration network includes several registers at several boundaries between the tiles, where the registers allow multiple configuration data sets to be routed to multiple tiles concurrently. The configuration network in some embodiments includes several address counters at several tiles, where each address counter allows one address to be loaded for a tile and then to be successively incremented based on increment instructions sent over the configuration network. At least, two different addresses specified by an address counter of a particular tile identify two different resources within the particular tile. | 11-18-2010 |
20100295574 | Runtime Loading of Configuration Data in a Configurable IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. In some of these embodiments, the configuration network is a pipelined network. Also, the IC of some embodiments includes a configuration controller for retrieving configuration data from outside of the IC, formulating configuration data sets, and routing the configuration data sets to the second set of configurable circuits over the configuration network. | 11-25-2010 |
20110018582 | CONFIGURATION CONTEXT SWITCHER WITH A CLOCKED STORAGE ELEMENT - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for retiming the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 01-27-2011 |
20110029830 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (IC) WITH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY NETWORKS AND DEVICE CONTAINING SUCH AN IC - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (“IC”) with a primary circuit structure. The primary circuit structure is for performing multiple operations that implement a user design. The primary circuit structure includes multiple circuits. The IC also includes a secondary monitoring structure for monitoring multiple operations. The secondary monitoring structure includes a network communicatively coupled to multiple circuits of the primary circuit structure. The secondary monitoring circuit structure is for analyzing the monitored operations and reporting on the analysis to a circuit outside of the IC. | 02-03-2011 |
20110031998 | CONFIGURABLE IC'S WITH LARGE CARRY CHAINS - Some embodiments provide a configurable IC that includes several configurable logic circuits, where the logic circuits include several sets of associated configurable logic circuits. For each several sets of associated configurable logic circuits, the reconfigurable IC also includes a carry circuit for performing up to N carry operations sequentially, wherein N is greater than two. | 02-10-2011 |
20110060896 | Accessing Multiple User States Concurrently in a Configurable IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configuration/debug network for configuring and debugging a configurable integrated circuit (IC). The configurable IC in some embodiments includes configurable resources (e.g., configurable logic resources, routing resources, memory resources, etc.) that can be grouped in conceptual configurable tiles that are arranged in several rows and columns. Some embodiments allow tiles to be individually addressed, globally addressed (i.e., all addressed together), or addressed based on their tile types. The configurable IC includes numerous user-design state elements (“UDS elements”) in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the configuration/debug network has a streaming mode that can direct various circuits in one or more configurable tiles to stream out their data during the operation of the configurable IC. Accordingly, in the embodiments where the configuration/debug network connects to some or all of the UDS elements, the configurable/debug network can be used in a streaming mode to stream out data from the UDS elements of the tiles, in order to identify any errors in the operation of the IC. In other words, the streaming of the data from the UDS elements can be used to debug the operation of the configurable IC. In some embodiments, the configuration/debug network has a broadcasting mode that can direct various resources (e.g., memories, storage elements, etc.) in one or more configurable tiles to store the same data. For instance, the broadcasting mode can be used to initialize the memory blocks in the configurable memory tiles. | 03-10-2011 |
20110089970 | CONFIGURATION CONTEXT SWITCHER - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 04-21-2011 |
20110115523 | STORAGE ELEMENTS FOR A CONFIGURABLE IC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING DATA STORED IN THE STORAGE ELEMENTS - Some embodiments provide a circuit for accessing stored data in a configurable IC that includes several configurable circuits. The IC also includes several storage circuits. Each storage circuit has (1) several storage elements for storing data for the configurable circuits, and (2) output circuitry for outputting data stored in the storage elements. The output circuitry includes a first set of interconnects for receiving at least a first repeating periodic signal and for periodically outputting data from at least two storage elements to the configurable circuits. | 05-19-2011 |
20110181317 | OPERATIONAL TIME EXTENSION - Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable integrated circuit (“IC”). This IC has several reconfigurable circuits, each having several configurations for several configuration cycles. The reconfigurable circuits include several time-extending reconfigurable circuits. During the operation of the IC, each particular time-extending reconfigurable circuit maintains at least one of its configurations over at least two contiguous cycles, in order to allow a signal to propagate through a signal path, which contains the particular time-extending circuit, within a desired amount of time. Some embodiments provide a method of designing a reconfigurable IC that has several reconfigurable circuits, each having several configurations and operating in several reconfiguration cycles. The method identifies a signal path through the IC that does not meet a timing constraint. The signal path includes several circuits, one of which is a particular reconfigurable circuit. The method then maintains a configuration of the particular reconfigurable circuit constant over at least two contiguous reconfiguration cycles in order to reduce signal delay through the signal path and thereby satisfy the timing constraint. | 07-28-2011 |
20110199117 | TRIGGER CIRCUITS AND EVENT COUNTERS FOR AN IC - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (‘IC’). The IC includes multiple configurable circuits that configurably perform operations of a user design based on configuration data. The IC also includes a configurable trigger circuit that receives a set of configuration data that specifies an operational event. The configurable trigger circuit also determines whether the operational event has occurred during implementation of the user design of the IC. Additionally, the operational trigger event outputs a trigger signal upon determining that the operational trigger event has occurred. | 08-18-2011 |
20110202586 | CONFIGURABLE IC'S WITH DUAL CARRY CHAINS - Some embodiments provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes several configurable tiles arranged in a tile arrangement. Each configurable tile has a set of configurable logic circuits and a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals between configurable logic circuits. In some embodiments, at least a first logic circuit of a first tile has at least one direct connection with a second circuit of a second tile that does not neighbor the first tile and that is not aligned horizontally or vertically with the first tile in the tile arrangement. Also, in some embodiments, each particular tile further has a set of configurable input-select circuits for receiving inputs and configurably supplying a sub-set of the received inputs to the configurable logic circuits in the particular tile. At least a first input select circuit of a first tile has at least one direct connection with a second circuit of a second tile that does not neighbor the first tile and that is not aligned horizontally or vertically with the first tile in the tile arrangement, where the direction connection is for supplying a signal to the first input select circuit. In some embodiments, several logic circuits of the first tile have at least one direct connection with at least one circuit of another tile that does not neighbor the first tile and that is not aligned horizontally or vertically with the first tile in the tile arrangement. In some embodiments, several input select circuits of the first tile have at least one direct connection with at least one circuit of another tile that does not neighbor the first tile and that is not aligned horizontally or vertically with the first tile in the tile arrangement. | 08-18-2011 |
20110206176 | TRIGGER CIRCUITS AND EVENT COUNTERS FOR AN IC - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (“IC”). The IC includes multiple configurable circuits that configurably perform operations of a user design based on configuration data. The IC also includes a configurable trigger circuit that receives a set of configuration data that specifies an operational event. The configurable trigger circuit also determines whether the operational event has occurred during implementation of the user design of the IC. Additionally, the operational trigger event outputs a trigger signal upon determining that the operational trigger event has occurred. | 08-25-2011 |
20110221471 | CONTROLLABLE STORAGE ELEMENTS FOR AN IC - An integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes a configurable routing fabric with controllable storage elements is described. The routing fabric provides a communication pathway that routes signals to and from source and destination components. The routing fabric may provide the ability to selectively store the signals passing through the routing fabric within the storage elements of the routing fabric. In this manner, a source or destination component may continually perform operations (e.g., computational or routing) irrespective of whether a previous signal from or to such a component is stored within the routing fabric. The source and destination components include configurable logic circuits, configurable interconnect circuits, and various other circuits that receive or distribute signals throughout the IC. | 09-15-2011 |
20110241728 | CONTROLLABLE STORAGE ELEMENTS FOR AN IC - An integrated circuit (‘IC’) that includes a configurable routing fabric with controllable storage elements is described. The routing fabric provides a communication pathway that routes signals to and from source and destination components. The routing fabric may provide the ability to selectively store the signals passing through the routing fabric within the storage elements of the routing fabric. In this manner, a source or destination component may continually perform operations (e.g., computational or routing) irrespective of whether a previous signal from or to such a component is stored within the routing fabric. The source and destination components include configurable logic circuits, configurable interconnect circuits, and various other circuits that receive or a distribute signals throughout the IC. | 10-06-2011 |
20110254586 | CONFIGURATION CONTEXT SWITCHER WITH A LATCH - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 10-20-2011 |
20110267103 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SAVING POWER IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (‘IC’) that includes at least first and second circuits operating at a first voltage. The IC includes, between the first and second circuits, a direct connection comprising a third circuit for transmitting a signal from the first circuit to the second circuit at a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage. At least one of the first and second circuits is a configurable circuit for configurably performing operations. | 11-03-2011 |
20120098567 | RUNTIME LOADING OF CONFIGURATION DATA IN A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. In some of these embodiments, the configuration network is a pipelined network. | 04-26-2012 |
20120098568 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING AN OPERATION WITH A PLURALITY OF SUB-OPERATIONS IN A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments provide a method of performing a mathematical operation on a set of operands. The mathematical operation includes several sub-operations. The method examines several bits of at least one operand at a time and depending on the value of these bits, reconfigures a single logic circuit to perform one of the sub-operations to generate a partial result of the mathematical operation. In some embodiments, the logic circuit is reconfigured by receiving a first set of configuration data that cause the logic circuit to reconfigure to perform a first sub-operation operation and a second set of configuration data that cause the logic circuit to reconfigure to perform a second sub-operation. In some embodiments, the logic circuit receives different inputs based on the value of the bits being examined. In some embodiments, the mathematical operation is multiplication and the sub-operations are addition and subtraction. | 04-26-2012 |
20120139580 | USER REGISTERS IMPLEMENTED WITH ROUTING CIRCUITS IN A CONFIGURABLE IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). The configurable IC includes a set of configurable logic circuits for configurably performing a set of functions. The configurable IC also includes a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals to and from the configurable circuits. During several operational cycles of the configurable IC, a set of data registers are defined by the configurable routing circuits. These data registers may be used wherever a flip-flop can be used. | 06-07-2012 |
20120187979 | CONFIGURATION CONTEXT SWITCHER WITH A CLOCKED STORAGE ELEMENT - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 07-26-2012 |
20120262201 | STORAGE ELEMENTS FOR A CONFIGURABLE IC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING DATA STORED IN THE STORAGE ELEMENTS - Some embodiments provide a circuit for accessing stored data in a configurable IC that includes several configurable circuits. The IC also includes several storage circuits. Each storage circuit has ( | 10-18-2012 |
20130038347 | CONFIGURABLE IC'S WITH LARGE CARRY CHAINS - Some embodiments provide a configurable IC that includes several configurable logic circuits, where the logic circuits include several sets of associated configurable logic circuits. For each several sets of associated configurable logic circuits, the reconfigurable IC also includes a carry circuit for performing up to N carry operations sequentially, wherein N is greater than two. | 02-14-2013 |
20130147514 | CONFIGURATION CONTEXT SWITCHER - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 06-13-2013 |
20130156146 | Trigger Circuits and Event Counters for an IC - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (“IC”). The IC includes multiple configurable circuits that configurably perform operations of a user design based on configuration data. The IC also includes a configurable trigger circuit that receives a set of configuration data that specifies an operational event. The configurable trigger circuit also determines whether the operational event has occurred during implementation of the user design of the IC. Additionally, the operational trigger event outputs a trigger signal upon determining that the operational trigger event has occurred. | 06-20-2013 |
20130162291 | Configuration Context Switcher with a Latch - Some embodiments provide an IC with configuration context switchers. The IC includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs one of several operations at any given time, based on the configuration data set that it receives at that time. The IC includes several storage circuits for storing several configuration data sets for each of the configurable circuits. The IC also includes a context switching interconnect circuit for switchably connecting the configurable circuit to different sets of storage circuits to receive different sets of configuration data sets. The context switcher includes one or more stages for re-timing the data coming from the configuration storage elements. The stages can include interconnect circuitry or storage circuitry. Some embodiments build one of the stages in the configuration data storage elements. Some embodiments encode the configuration data bits and hence utilize a decoder in the context switcher to decode the encoded configuration data. | 06-27-2013 |
20140210513 | Controllable Storage Elements for an IC - An integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes a configurable routing fabric with controllable storage elements is described. The routing fabric provides a communication pathway that routes signals to and from source and destination components. The routing fabric may provide the ability to selectively store the signals passing through the routing fabric within the storage elements of the routing fabric. In this manner, a source or destination component may continually perform operations (e.g., computational or routing) irrespective of whether a previous signal from or to such a component is stored within the routing fabric. The source and destination components include configurable logic circuits, configurable interconnect circuits, and various other circuits that receive or distribute signals throughout the IC. | 07-31-2014 |
20140240001 | Operational Time Extension - Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable integrated circuit (“IC”). This IC has several reconfigurable circuits, each having several configurations for several configuration cycles. The reconfigurable circuits include several time-extending reconfigurable circuits. During the operation of the IC, each particular time-extending reconfigurable circuit maintains at least one of its configurations over at least two contiguous cycles, in order to allow a signal to propagate through a signal path, which contains the particular time-extending circuit, within a desired amount of time. Some embodiments provide a method of designing a reconfigurable IC that has several reconfigurable circuits, each having several configurations and operating in several reconfiguration cycles. The method identifies a signal path through the IC that does not meet a timing constraint. The signal path includes several circuits, one of which is a particular reconfigurable circuit. The method then maintains a configuration of the particular reconfigurable circuit constant over at least two contiguous reconfiguration cycles in order to reduce signal delay through the signal path and thereby satisfy the timing constraint. | 08-28-2014 |
20140320165 | Runtime Loading of Configuration Data In A Configurable IC - Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. In some of these embodiments, the configuration network is a pipelined network. Also, the IC of some embodiments includes a configuration controller for retrieving configuration data from outside of the IC, formulating configuration data sets, and routing the configuration data sets to the second set of configurable circuits over the configuration network. | 10-30-2014 |
20140337660 | Trigger Circuits and Event Counters for an IC - Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (“IC”). The IC includes multiple configurable circuits that configurably perform operations of a user design based on configuration data. The IC also includes a configurable trigger circuit that receives a set of configuration data that specifies an operational event. The configurable trigger circuit also determines whether the operational event has occurred during implementation of the user design of the IC. Additionally, the operational trigger event outputs a trigger signal upon determining that the operational trigger event has occurred. | 11-13-2014 |
20150054546 | Storage Elements For A Configurable IC And Method And Apparatus For Accessing Data Stored In The Storage Elements - Some embodiments provide a circuit for accessing stored data in a configurable IC that includes several configurable circuits. The IC also includes several storage circuits. Each storage circuit has (1) several storage elements for storing data for the configurable circuits, and (2) output circuitry for outputting data stored in the storage elements. The output circuitry includes a first set of interconnects for receiving at least a first repeating periodic signal and for periodically outputting data from at least two storage elements to the configurable circuits. | 02-26-2015 |