Techniques For Coarse Grained And Fine Grained Configurations Of Configurable Logic Circuits
AssigneeAltera Corporation
InventorsMichael Kinsner, Byron Sinclair, Gregory Nash
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit includes configurable logic circuit blocks that are configurable with a first configuration bitstream according to a coarse grained configuration. The coarse grained configuration implements an aggregate circuit structure of the configurable logic circuit blocks. The configurable logic circuit blocks are configurable with a second configuration bitstream according to a fine grained configuration. A total number of the first and the second configuration bits is fewer than a single fine grained configuration bitstream.
Claims20
An integrated circuit comprising:
- configurable logic circuit blocks that are configurable with a first configuration bitstream according to a coarse grained configuration, wherein the coarse grained configuration implements an aggregate circuit structure of the configurable logic circuit blocks, wherein the configurable logic circuit blocks are configurable with a second configuration bitstream according to a fine grained configuration, and wherein a total number of bits in the first and the second configuration bitstreams comprises fewer bits than a single fine grained configuration bitstream.
A method for reducing a configuration time of configurable logic circuits in an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
- providing coarse grained functionality for an aggregate configuration of the configurable logic circuits by configuring the configurable logic circuits based on first configuration bits;
- and
- providing fine grained functionality of the configurable logic circuits by configuring the configurable logic circuits based on second configuration bits, wherein a total number of the first and the second configuration bits is fewer than a single fine grained configuration bitstream.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by an integrated circuit, cause the integrated circuit to:
- configure configurable logic circuit blocks in the integrated circuit using first configuration bits to provide coarse grained functionality that implements an aggregate circuit structure for the configurable logic circuit blocks;
- access second configuration bits in response to receiving the first configuration bits;
- and
- configure the configurable logic circuit blocks using the second configuration bits to provide fine grained functionality for the configurable logic circuit blocks, wherein a total number of the first and the second configuration bits is fewer than a single fine grained configuration bitstream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.