Method and system for generating a programming bitstream including identification bits
AssigneeXilinx, Inc.
InventorsEric F. Dellinger, Roman Iwanczuk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for generating a programming bitstream for a programmable gate array. A programming bitstream for the programmable gate array is generated in response to an input design specification. The programming bitstream includes one or more unused segments, either interspersed through the bitstream or appended to the end of the bitstream, wherein an unused segment includes bits that are not used for programming the programmable gate array. One or more selected items of information are encoded to form binary representations of the items. The binary representations are inserted into one or more of the unused segments of the programming bitstream.
Claims20
A method for generating a programming bitstream for a programmable gate array comprising:
- generating a complete programming bitstream for the programmable gate array in response to an input design specification, the complete programming bitstream implementing on the programmable gate array a circuit that functions in accordance with the design specification and including a configuration control portion, configuration data, and one or more unused segments, wherein an unused segment includes bits that are not used for programming the programmable gate array;
- encoding one or more items of information to form binary representations of the items;
- and
- inserting the binary representations into one or more of the unused segments of the complete programming bitstream.
A method for generating a programming bitstream for a programmable gate array and ascertaining identification information from the programming bitstream, comprising:
- generating a complete programming bitstream for the programmable gate array in response to an input design specification, the complete programming bitstream implementing on the programmable gate array a circuit that functions in accordance with the design specification and including a configuration control portion, configuration data, and one or more unused segments, wherein an unused segment includes bits that are not used for programming the programmable gate array;
- encoding one or more items of information to form binary representations of the items;
- inserting the binary representations into one or more of the unused segments of the complete programming bitstream;
- reading from the unused segments the binary representations;
- decoding the binary representation into the one or more items of information.
A method for ascertaining identification information from a complete programming bitstream for a programmable gate array, the complete programming bitstream implementing on the programmable gate array a circuit that functions in accordance with a design specification and including a configuration control portion, configuration data, and one or more unused segments, wherein an unused segment includes bits that are not used for programming the programmable gate array and having encoded therein binary representations of one or more items of information, comprising:
- reading from at least one of the unused segments of the complete programming bitstream binary representations of one or more items of information;
- decoding the binary representations into the one or more items of information.
An apparatus for generating a programming bitstream for a programmable gate array, comprising:
- means for generating a complete programming bitstream for the programmable gate array in response to an input design specification, the complete programming bitstream implementing on the programmable gate array a circuit that functions in accordance with the design specification and including a configuration control portion, configuration data, and one or more unused segments, wherein an unused segment includes bits that are not used for programming the programmable gate array;
- means for encoding one or more selected items of information to form binary representations of the items;
- and
- means for inserting the binary representations into one or more of the unused segments of the complete programming bitstream.
A system for generating a programming bitstream for a programmable gate array, comprising:
- a bitstream generator configured and arranged to generate a complete programming bitstream responsive to an input design specification, the complete programming bitstream implementing on the programmable gate array a circuit that functions in accordance with the design specification and having a configuration control portion, configuration data, and one or more unused segments that are not used for programming the programmable gate array;
- an information encoder coupled to the bitstream generator and configured and arranged to encode one or more selected items of information into respective binary representations and insert the binary representations into one or more of the unused segments of the complete programming bitstream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.