Application-specific integrated circuit equivalents of programmable logic and associated methods

US8291355B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Altera Corporation · US

Inventors

• Kar Keng Chua · Bukit Mertajam, MY
• Sammy Cheung · Pleasanton, US
• Hee Kong Phoon · Bagan Serai, MY
• Kim Pin Tan · Bukit Mertajam, MY
• Wei Lian Goay · Bukit Mertajam, MY

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 14, 2010
• Grant date: Oct 16, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 14, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03K19/1737
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Providing ASIC equivalents of FPGAs is facilitated and made more efficient and economical by using an ASIC architecture including a plurality of so-called hybrid logic elements (“HLEs”), each of which can provide a portion of the full functionality of an FPGA logic element (“LE”). The functionality of each FPGA LE implementing a user's logic design can be mapped to one or more HLEs without re-synthesis of the user's logic. Only as many HLEs as are necessary are used to perform the functions of each LE. The one-for-one equivalence between each LE and either (1) one HLE or (2) a group of HLEs facilitates mapping (without re-synthesis) in either direction between FPGA and ASIC designs.