Customizable ASIC with substantially non-customizable portion that supplies pixel data to a mask-programmable portion in multiple color space formats

#This application relates to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for use in electronic consumer devices, and more particularly to an ASIC that has a mask-programmable gate array portion and that is suitable for use in high volume production of electronic consumer devices.

#The manufacture of electronic consumer devices is generally a very cost sensitive endeavor. Even a small reduction in manufacturing cost can result in a large savings when millions of units are manufactured. Where consumers have the option of purchasing competing electronic consumer devices with similar functionalities, price competition can be extreme. In such situations, having an ability to reduce manufacturing cost in relation to the manufacturing cost of the competition is especially desirable. Most of the reduced manufacturing cost can be passed on to the consumer, thereby resulting in increased sales and therefore also profits for the manufacturer. Alternatively, the bulk of the savings in manufacturing cost can be retained as increased profits for the manufacturer.

#Consider one specific example in which the type of electronic consumer device is a television. Even though there are many different styles and models of televisions, many televisions have very similar electronic components within them. Each individual television manufacturer generally wants to incorporate his own special enhancement features into his televisions to differentiate his televisions from the televisions of the competition, but most of the functionality of the different televisions on the market is often identical. Due to economies of scale, the integrated circuits that make up the electronics of the televisions can generally be manufactured for a smaller unit cost when they are manufactured in larger volumes. It is therefore sometimes desirable for the televisions of different manufacturers to be made from a common set of electronics parts such that the electronics parts can be made in higher volumes and so that the per unit cost of the electronics parts can be reduced.

#FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a method and novel integrated circuit in accordance with one embodiment.

#FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a system being developed in accordance with the method and integrated circuit of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a more detailed block diagram of the integrated circuit of FIG. 2. The substantially non-customizable hardware portion occupies substantially more integrated circuit area than the mask-programmable gate array portion occupies. In one specific embodiment of the integrated circuit illustrated in FIG. 3, the substantially non-customizable hardware portion occupies approximately forty square millimeters of integrated circuit area whereas the mask-programmable gate array portion occupies approximately three square millimeters.

#FIG. 1 is a simplified high level diagram in accordance with one embodiment. An electronic consumer device system 1 is being developed by a first manufacturer of electronic consumer devices. System 1 includes a mask-customizable application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 2. Integrated circuit 2 performs a significant data processing function in system 1 that is also performed in other electronic consumer device systems made by other manufacturers. In one example in which the electronic consumer device is a television, the common function may include a deinterlacer function, a noise reduction function, a scaler function, a gamma correction function, a digital-to-analog converter function, and an on-screen display function. The common function is performed by a substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3. Substantially non-customizable portion 3 receives inputs from the system and generates outputs to the system. In one example, substantially non-customizable portion 3 is realized using standard cell fabrication technology.

#Integrated circuit 2 further includes a factory mask-programmable gate array portion 4. Mask-programmable gate array portion 4, rather than being implemented in standard cells, is laid out as full custom circuitry. The mask-programmable gate array portion 4 is capable of receiving input signals from the substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3, of performing a desired function using those input signals, and of generating output signals. The output signals are supplied back to the substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3. In the illustration, arrow tail 5 represents the sources of the input signals that serve as the input signals to the mask-programmable gate array portion 4. In the illustration, arrow head 6 represents destinations at which the output signals generated by the mask-programmable gate array portion 4 are supplied back to the substantially non-customizable hardware portion. Although the sources and destinations are each illustrated as points, in actuality the sources involve signals taken from many places in the substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3 and the destinations involve signals being injected into many different places in the substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3.

#In addition to substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3 and mask-programmable gate array portion 4, integrated circuit 2 further includes interface circuitry. In the illustration, the interface circuitry is the remainder of the circuitry of integrated circuit 2 that is not the substantially non-customizable hardware portion 3 or the mask-programmable gate array portion 4.