Programming architecture for a programmable integrated circuit employing test antifuses and test transistors

Abstract

A programmable integrated circuit (see FIG. 5) has a plurality of linearly extending wire segments with antifuses disposed between each wire segment and a plurality of linearly extending programming conductors that are perpendicular to the wire segments. A plurality of programming transistors are disposed between a corresponding respective one of the wire segments and a corresponding respective one of the programming conductors. A programming control conductor extending from a programming control driver is coupled to the gate electrode of each of the programming transistors as well as the gate electrode of a test transistor. A test antifuse is coupled in series with the test transistor. When the programming control conductor can drive the test transistor with an adequately high voltage to program the test antifuse, it is assumed that the programming control conductor can drive the programming transistor with an adequately high voltage to program the antifuses. The test transistor may be disposed on the programming control conductor at the opposite end from the programming control driver.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.