US 5,508,636 AGranted

Electronic system organised as an array of cells

AssigneeCSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SA

InventorsDaniel Mange, Pierre Marchal, Christian Piguet, Eduardo Sanchez

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Abstract

The invention concerns a programmable integrated electronic system including an array of identical cells (53). Each cell includes functional components (530) capable, when they are correctly connected, of executing a given function, and programmable connecting means (a to h) for on the one hand connecting the functional components to each other and on the other hand connecting the cell to its neighbours. The present invention is characterised in that the system includes means of storing a first data item which defines the function of each of the cells in the array and in that each cell has means for extracting, from this first data item and its location the network, the programming word for its own function. In addition, means are provided for effecting the test of correct functioning of each cell and for reconfiguring the array where there are defective cells.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Integrated electronic system including an integrated circuit device comprising:

an array of identical cells, each cell comprising a plurality of functional components and first connecting means for connecting said functional components so that said cell is suitable for fulfilling a given function, and second connecting means for connecting each cell to its neighbours;
storage means for storing a first data item representing the functions of all the cells constituting said array;
extraction means for extracting, from said first data item stored, second data items, each of said second data items representing the function of a single one of said cells in the array, wherein the extraction means extracts said second data items for a particular cell by combining said first data item with a code representing a logical address of the particular cell;
and
programming means for programming, in each cell, said first and said second connecting means using said second data items, thus defining the function of each cell in the array.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.