Adaptive programming method for antifuse technology

A method of programming an antifuse programmable logic device having logic elements, interconnect wiring segments, and antifuses which programmably connect wiring segments to each other and to said logic elements, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a logic design in machine readable form, said logic design comprising design elements and connections between selected ones of said design elements;
• selecting one of said logic elements to implement each of said design elements;
• for each of said connections, selecting active wiring segments and active antifuses in said antifuse programmable logic device to implement said connection and thereby to form a conductive route for said connection;
• leaving spare wiring segments and spare antifuses not to be used initially for any of said connections;
• programming each of said active antifuses;
• for each of said active antifuses which failed to become conductive upon said programming, selecting an alternative route to complete that connection of which said failed antifuse is a part, using selected ones of said spare wiring segments and said spare antifuses,
• programming said selected spare antifuses, thereby to form said alternative route for said connection.

A method of programming an antifuse programmable logic device having logic elements, interconnect wiring segments, and antifuses which programmably connect wiring segments to each other and to said logic elements, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a logic design in machine readable form, said logic design comprising design elements and connections between selected ones of said design elements;
• selecting one of said logic elements to implement each of said design elements;
• for each of said connections, selecting active wiring segments and active antifuses in said antifuse programmable logic device to implement said connection and thereby to form a conductive route for said connection;
• programming said active antifuses in turn;
• if an antifuse fails to become conductive upon programming, for at least that connection of which said failed antifuse is a part, calculating an alternative route to complete that connection.