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US 6,487,514 B1Granted
System and method for computer controlled interaction with integrated circuits
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsHo Wai Wong-Lam, Mark Douglas Naley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for programmed interaction with integrated circuits (ICs) are disclosed in various embodiments. The system allows a hard-coded program that is suitable for a family of ICs having certain characteristics in common to be dynamically adapted for use with specific ICs within the family. To test a specific IC within a family, the register characteristics and one or more program operations that are particular to the specific are obtained. During execution, the hard-coded program is adapted to interact with the specific IC using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations of the specific IC.
Claims24
A computer-implemented method for programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- loading a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics and for a plurality of interface boards having common characteristics;
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtaining register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits;
- and
- adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations, wherein the program operations particular to the one of the integrated circuits and to one of the interface boards include operations on one or more registers of the integrated circuit and operations on one or more signals of the interface board.
1 more element
A computer-implemented method for programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- loading a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics and for a plurality of interface boards having common characteristics;
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtaining register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits;
- and
- adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations;
- responsive to a second selection signal, obtaining signal characteristics and one or more board interface program operations particular to one of the plurality of interface boards;
- and
- adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits via the one of the plurality of interface boards using the signal characteristics and the one or more board interface program operations;
- wherein the program operations are particular to the one of the integrated circuits, and the program operations particular to the one of the interface boards include operations on one or more registers of the integrated circuit and operations on one or more signals of the interface board.
5 more elements
A computer-implemented method for programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- loading a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics;
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtaining register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits;
- adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations, wherein a computer is coupled to the selected integrated circuit;
- creating a register map in memory of the computer based on the register characteristics;
- and
- storing the program operations in the memory of the computer, wherein the register map includes a total number of registers in the integrated circuit, names of registers, addresses of the registers, and respective total numbers of bits/register, and wherein the register map further includes permission codes respectively associated with bits of the registers.
3 more elements
A computer-implemented method for programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- loading a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics;
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtaining register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits;
- adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations, wherein a computer is coupled to the selected integrated circuit;
- creating a register map in memory of the computer based on the register characteristics;
- and
- storing the program operations in the memory of the computer, wherein the register map includes a total number of registers in the integrated circuit, names of registers, addresses of the registers, and respective total numbers of bits/register, and wherein the register map further includes translation codes that respectively map bit values in the registers to alternative forms of data.
3 more elements
A computer-implemented method for programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- loading a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics;
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtaining register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits;
- adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations, wherein a computer is coupled to the selected integrated circuit;
- creating a register map in memory of the computer based on the register characteristics;
- and
- storing the program operations in the memory of the computer, wherein the predetermined program sequence is suitable for an interface board, and wherein the selected interface board includes physical ports and the signal map includes mappings of signal names to the physical ports of the interface board.
3 more elements
A system for computer programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- means for loading a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics and for a plurality of interface boards having common characteristics;
- means responsive to a first selection signal, for obtaining register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits;
- and
- means for adapting the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations, wherein the program operations particular to the one of the integrated circuits and to one of the interface boards include operations on one or more registers of the integrated circuit and operations on one or more signals of the interface board.
1 more element
A system for computer programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- a programmable processor;
- a storage element having a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics and for a plurality of interface boards having common characteristics;
- a program adapted for execution by the processor to cause the processor to,
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtain register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits, a id
- adapt the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations;
- wherein the program operations particular to the one of the integrated circuits and to one of the interface boards include operations on one or more registers of the integrated circuit and operations on one or more signals of the interface board.
3 more elements
A system for computer programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- a programmable processor;
- a storage element having a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics and suitable for a plurality of interface boards having common characteristics;
- a program adapted for execution by the processor to cause the processor to,
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtain register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits,
- adapt the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations,
- responsive to a second selection signal, obtain signal characteristics and one or more board interface program operations particular to one of the plurality of interface boards, and
- adapt the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits via the one of the plurality of interface boards using the signal characteristics and the one or more board interface program operations;
- and
- a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the program is adapted to:
- create a signal map in the memory based on the characteristics of the interface board;
- and
- store the interface board program operations in the memory.
9 more elements
A system for computer programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- a programmable processor;
- a storage element having a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics;
- a program adapted for execution by the processor to cause the processor to,
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtain register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits, and
- adapt the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations;
- and
- a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the program is further adapted to create a register map in the memory based on the register characteristics, and to store the program operations in the memory, wherein the selected interface board includes physical ports and the signal map includes mappings of signal names to the physical ports of the interface board.
4 more elements
The system of claim 22, wherein the signal map further includes signal types respectively associated with the signals.
- 24.The system of claim 23, herein the signal types include analog and digital.
A system for computer programmed interaction with integrated circuits, comprising:
- a programmable processor;
- a storage element having a predetermined program sequence suitable for a plurality of integrated circuits having common characteristics and suitable for a plurality of interface boards having common characteristics;
- a program adapted for execution by the processor to cause the processor to,
- responsive to a first selection signal, obtain register characteristics and one or more program operations particular to one of the plurality of integrated circuits,
- adapt the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits using the register characteristics and the one or more program operations,
- responsive to a second selection signal obtain signal characteristics and one or more board interface program operations particular to one of the plurality of interface boards, and
- adapt the predetermined program sequence applied to the one of the plurality of integrated circuits via the one of the plurality of interface boards using the signal characteristics and the one or more board interface program operations, wherein the program operations are particular to the one of the integrated circuits, and the program operations particular to the one of the interface boards include operations on one or more registers of the integrated circuit and operations on one or more signals of the interface board.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.