ASICs having more features than generally usable at one time and methods of use
AssigneeSheyu Group, LLC
InventorJames T. Koo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
More ASIC functionality is crammed into a chip (or chip set) than can probably or definitely be operative at one time when the chip is packaged and inserted into a broader circuit. The excessive ASIC functionality is chosen to cope with different market development probabilities in a host of different market spaces and a subset of the excessive ASIC functionality is programmably activated in each market space after manufacture. In one embodiment, a mega-ASIC with excessive ASIC functionality crammed into it, has a universal core as well as plurality of programmably selectable ASIC function blocks. The ASIC function blocks are programmably activatable and de-activatable so that a mass produced can quickly respond to shifting market demands.
Claims17
An apparatus, comprising:
- an integrated circuit substrate;
- a plurality of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) blocks disposed on the integrated circuit substrate, wherein the plurality of ASIC blocks includes:
- two or more ASIC front-end input/output function blocks configured to support respective, mutually-exclusive communication protocols, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate using a selected one of the communication protocols;
- and
- two or more ASIC back-end input/output function blocks configured to support the respective, mutually-exclusive communication protocols;
- and
- a logic unit disposed on the integrated circuit substrate, wherein the logic unit is programmable to:
- enable a particular one of the two or more ASIC front-end input/output function blocks and a particular one of the two or more ASIC back-end input/output function blocks, wherein the enabled ASIC front-end input/output function block and the enabled ASIC back-end input/output function block are configured to support the selected communication protocol;
- and
- disable remaining ones of the two or more ASIC front-end input/output function blocks and remaining ones of the two or more ASIC back-end input/output function blocks that are configured to support communication protocols that are distinct from the selected communication protocol.
A method, comprising:
- enabling, in response to configuration information, a first ASIC front-end input/output function block disposed on an integrated circuit substrate of a device, wherein the first ASIC front-end input/output function block is configured to support a first communication protocol, wherein said enabling a first ASIC front-end input/output function block is performed by the device, and wherein the first communication protocol is one of a plurality of mutually-exclusive communication protocols;
- enabling, in response to the configuration information, a first ASIC back-end input/output function block disposed on the integrated circuit substrate of the device, wherein the enabled first ASIC back-end input/output function block is configured to support the first communication protocol, and wherein said enabling a first ASIC back-end input/output function block is performed by the device;
- and
- disabling, by the device, one or more ASIC front-end input/output function blocks and one or more ASIC back-end input/output function blocks disposed on the integrated circuit substrate of the device, wherein the disabled one or more ASIC front-end input/output function blocks and the disabled one or more ASIC back-end input/output function blocks are configured to support one or more communication protocols that are distinct from the first communication protocol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.