Patent · US Expired

Field programmable gate array

US5208491A · kind A · utility

427Cited by
12References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 7, 1992
Grant dateMay 4, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 7, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/17728
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprising routing and logic blocks (RLBs) and segmented routing channels is disclosed. Each RLB is configurable to perform both logic functions and routing functions. A plurality of forwardly propagating RLBs (FPRLBs) and a plurality of backwardly propagating RLBs (BPRLBs) intermesh with one another to form a two-dimensional checkerboard array. Each column of the RLB array comprises a plurality of FPRLBs and BPRLBs in alternating sequence. Similarly, each row of the RLB array comprises a plurality of FPRLBs and BPRLBs in alternating sequence. The FPRLBs forwardly propagate signals and the BPRLBs backwardly propagate signals. Each FPRLB may receive a plurality of input signals from a plurality of FPRLBs in the preceding leftward column. Moreover, each FPRLB may output a plurality of output signals to a plurality of FPRLBs in the next rightward column. Similarly, each BPRLB may receive a plurality of input signals from a plurality of BPRLBs in the preceding rightward column and transmit a plurality of output signals to a plurality of BPRLBs in the next leftward column. A plurality of vertical segmented routing channels are disposed between the …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.