# US 8,788,756 B2 · Circuit for and method of enabling the transfer of data by an integrated circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,756 B2 - Document ID: US8788756B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/305,687 - Filed: 2011-11-28 - Published: 2013-05-30 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-28 - Assignees: Xilinx, Inc. - Applicants: Sanjay A. Kulkarni - Inventors: Sanjay A. Kulkarni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788756B2 ## CPC - G06F 13/42: Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation - G06F 13/4291: {using a clocked protocol} - G11C 7/10: Input/output [I/O] data interface arrangements, e.g. I/O data control circuits, I/O data buffers - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract A circuit for enabling the transfer of data by an integrated circuit device is described. The circuit comprises a non-volatile memory array coupled to receive a clock signal and having a plurality of memory elements storing data; and a control circuit coupled to the non-volatile memory array, the control circuit enabling uni-directional transfer of data on a plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in a first mode and bi-directional transfer of data in a second mode; wherein the control circuit controls the transfer of data on the plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in the first mode on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal. A method of enabling the transfer of data by an integrated circuit device is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit for enabling the transfer of data by an integrated circuit device, the circuit comprising: a non-volatile memory array coupled to receive a clock signal and having a plurality of memory elements storing data; a buffer coupled to the non-volatile memory array; and a control circuit coupled to the non-volatile memory array, the control circuit enabling uni-directional transfer of data on a plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in a first, high data rate transfer mode and bi-directional transfer of data on the plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in a second mode, and enabling dual edge operation of the buffer coupled to the non-volatile memory array during the high data rate transfer of data with the non-volatile memory array; wherein the control circuit controls the transfer of data on the plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in the first mode on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a status register storing an indication of the transfer of data in one of the first mode and the second mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The circuit of claim 2 wherein the indication of the transfer of data in one of the first mode and the second mode is generated by the control circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1 wherein a first signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data from the control circuit to the non-volatile memory array and a second signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data from the non-volatile memory array to the control circuit in the second mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1 wherein a first signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data from the non-volatile memory array to the control circuit and a second signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data from the non-volatile memory array to the control circuit in the first mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a buffer which may be configured to transfer data on both the rising and falling edges in the first mode and to transfer data on one of the rising or falling edges of the clock signal in the second mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a first buffer enabling the transfer of data from the non-volatile memory array to the configuration memory elements on a first signal line of the plurality of signal lines in a standard mode, and a second buffer enabling the transfer of data from the non-volatile memory array to the configuration memory elements on the first signal line and a second signal line of the plurality of signal lines in a high data rate mode. ### Claim 8 A circuit for enabling the transfer of data by an integrated circuit device, the circuit comprising: a non-volatile memory array coupled to receive a clock signal and having a plurality of memory elements storing data; a control circuit coupled to the non-volatile memory array, the control circuit enabling uni-directional transfer of data on a plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in a first mode and bi-directional transfer of data on the plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the control circuit in a second mode; a first buffer coupled to the non-volatile memory array, the first buffer receiving data transferred in the first mode; and a second buffer coupled to the non-volatile memory array, the second buffer receiving data transferred in the second mode; wherein the control circuit controls the transfer of data in the second mode on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The circuit of claim 8 further comprising a status register storing an indication of a transfer of data on one of the rising or falling edges of the clock signal or both of the rising and falling edges of the clock signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The circuit of claim 8 further comprising a status register storing a memory busy indication bit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The circuit of claim 8 wherein a first signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data to the non-volatile memory array and a second signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data from the non-volatile memory array in the second mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The circuit of claim 11 wherein the first signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data to the non-volatile memory array and the second signal line of the plurality of signal lines is adapted to transmit data to the non-volatile memory array in the first mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The circuit of claim 8 further comprising a third data line and a fourth data line, wherein data is transferred to the non-volatile memory array on each of the first through fourth data lines in a third mode. ### Claim 14 A method of enabling the transfer of data by an integrated circuit device, the method comprising: enabling the bi-directional communication of data between a non-volatile memory array and a circuit of the integrated circuit using a plurality of signal lines; receiving a command to transfer data at a high data rate with the non-volatile memory array; receiving a clock signal for transferring the data with the non-volatile memory array; enabling dual edge operation of a buffer coupled to the non-volatile memory array during the high data rate transfer of data with the non-volatile memory array; and transferring the data on the plurality of signal lines between the non-volatile memory array and the circuit using both a rising edge and a falling edge of the clock signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising setting a status register indicating that data is being transmitted at the high data rate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a chip select signal to transfer a page of data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising storing a busy indication in a status register until the page of data is transferred between a buffer and the non-volatile memory array. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising waiting for the busy indication to be reset if the chip select signal remains asserted. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising adjusting the clock speed when transferring the data with the non-volatile memory array during the high data rate transfer of data with the non-volatile memory array.