Methods and Apparatus for Storing Expanded Width Instructions in a VLIW Memory for Deferred Execution
Granted: September 15, 2011
Application Number:
20110225396
Techniques are described for decoupling fetching of an instruction stored in a main program memory from earliest execution of the instruction. An indirect execution method and program instructions to support such execution are addressed. In addition, an improved indirect deferred execution processor (DXP) VLIW architecture is described which supports a scalable array of memory centric processor elements that do not require local load and store units.
DISCRETE FOURIER TRANSFORM IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE
Granted: September 8, 2011
Application Number:
20110219052
Circuitry performing Discrete Fourier Transforms. The circuitry can be provided in a fixed logic device, or can be configured into a programmable integrated circuit device such as a programmable logic device. The circuitry includes a floating-point addition stage for adding mantissas of input values of the Discrete Fourier Transform operation, and a fixed-point stage for multiplying outputs of the floating-point addition stage by twiddle factors. The fixed-point stage includes memory for…
System Core for Transferring Data Between an External Device and Memory
Granted: September 8, 2011
Application Number:
20110219210
Details of a highly cost effective and efficient implementation of a manifold array (ManArray) architecture and instruction syntax for use therewith are described herein. Various aspects of this approach include the regularity of the syntax, the relative ease with which the instruction set can be represented in database form, the ready ability with which tools can be created, the ready generation of self-checking codes and parameterized test cases. Parameterizations can be fairly easily…
HETEROGENEOUS TRANSCEIVER ARCHITECTURE FOR WIDE RANGE PROGRAMMABILITY OF PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICES
Granted: September 1, 2011
Application Number:
20110211621
High-speed serial data transceiver circuitry on a programmable logic device (“PLD”) includes some channels that are able to operate at data rates up to a first, relatively low maximum data rate, and other channels that are able to operate at data rates up to a second, relatively high maximum data rate. The relatively low-speed channels are served by relatively low-speed phase locked loop (“PLL”) circuitry, and have other circuit components that are typically needed for handling…
Methods and Apparatus for Address Translation Functions
Granted: September 1, 2011
Application Number:
20110213937
Techniques are described for efficient reordering of data and performing data exchanges within a register tile or memory, or in general, any device storing data that is accessible through a set of addressable locations. In one technique, an address translator is placed in the path of all or a selected set of address busses to a storage device to provide a programmable and selectable means of translating the storage device addresses. An effect of this translation is that the data stored…
Methods and Apparatus for Dynamic Instruction Controlled Reconfigurable Register File
Granted: September 1, 2011
Application Number:
20110213952
A scalable reconfigurable register file (SRRF) containing multiple register files, read and write multiplexer complexes, and a control unit operating in response to instructions is described. Multiple address configurations of the register files are supported by each instruction and different configurations are operable simultaneously during a single instruction execution. For example, with separate files of the size 32×32 supported configurations of 128×32 bit s, 64×64 bit s and…
Electronic Package with Fluid Flow Barriers
Granted: August 25, 2011
Application Number:
20110204476
The present invention is directed to a method and electronic computer package that is formed by placing an integrated circuit, having a plurality of bonding pads with solder bumps deposited thereon, in contact with the substrate so that one of the plurality of solder bumps is in superimposition with respect to one of the contacts and one of the plurality of bonding pads, with a volume being defined between region of the substrate in superimposition with the integrated circuit. A portion…
Techniques For Measuring Voltages in a Circuit
Granted: August 25, 2011
Application Number:
20110204924
A circuit includes a comparator, a resistor divider, a control circuit, a multiplexer, and a programmable gain amplifier. The comparator is operable to measure an internal voltage of the circuit based on a selected reference voltage. The resistor divider is operable to generate reference voltages. The control circuit is operable to generate a select signal based on an output signal of the comparator. The multiplexer is operable to select one of the reference voltages from the resistor…
DIGITAL ADAPTATION CIRCUITRY AND METHODS FOR PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICES
Granted: August 4, 2011
Application Number:
20110188564
Equalization of an incoming data signal can be controlled by sampling that signal at times when data values in that signal should be stable (“data samples”) and when that signal should be in transition between successive data values that are different (“transition samples”). A transition sample that has been taken between two successive differently valued data samples is compared to a reference value (which can be one of those two data samples). The result of this comparison can…
METHOD FOR INCORPORATING PATTERN DEPENDENT EFFECTS IN CIRCUIT SIMULATIONS
Granted: July 14, 2011
Application Number:
20110172983
Methods, software, and apparatus for providing a netlist for simulation that includes one or more parameters that are determined by one or more pattern dependent effects. One particular embodiment of the present invention receives a layout of a circuit including one or more MOSFET transistors. For one or more of the MOSFET transistors, spacing between transistors is measured using the received layout and a pattern dependent parameter is determined. This parameter modifies the length of…
LARGE MULTIPLIER FOR PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE
Granted: June 30, 2011
Application Number:
20110161389
A plurality of specialized processing blocks in a programmable logic device, including multipliers and circuitry for adding results of those multipliers, can be configured as a larger multiplier by adding to the specialized processing blocks selectable circuitry for shifting multiplier results before adding. In one embodiment, this allows all but the final addition to take place in specialized processing blocks, with the final addition occurring in programmable logic. In another…
Methods and Apparatus for Providing Data Transfer Control
Granted: June 23, 2011
Application Number:
20110153890
A variety of advantageous mechanisms for improved data transfer control within a data processing system are described. A DMA controller is described which is implemented as a multiprocessing transfer engine supporting multiple transfer controllers which may work independently or in cooperation to carry out data transfers, with each transfer controller acting as an autonomous processor, fetching and dispatching DMA instructions to multiple execution units. In particular, mechanisms for…
Methods and Apparatus for Attaching Application Specific Functions Within an Array Processor
Granted: June 23, 2011
Application Number:
20110153998
A multi-node video signal processor (VSPN) is describes that tightly couples multiple multi-cycle state machines (hardware assist units) to each processor and each memory in each node of an N node scalable array processor. VSPN memory hardware assist instructions are used to initiate multi-cycle state machine functions, to pass parameters to the multi-cycle state machines, to fetch operands from a node's memory, and to control the transfer of results from the multi-cycle state machines.
ERROR DETECTION ON PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC RESOURCES
Granted: June 9, 2011
Application Number:
20110138240
Error detection circuitry is provided on a programmable logic resource. Programmable logic resource configuration data is loaded into a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) module where a checksum calculation may be performed. In one embodiment, the checksum may be compared to an expected value, which is a precomputed checksum on data prior to being programmed into or while data is being programmed into a programmable logic resource. In another embodiment, the expected value may be included in…
PREVENTING INFORMATION LEAKAGE BETWEEN COMPONENTS ON A PROGRAMMABLE CHIP IN THE PRESENCE OF FAULTS
Granted: June 9, 2011
Application Number:
20110138223
Mechanisms are provided to prevent information leakage between components implemented on a programmable chip such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). An automated routing algorithm is effective at enforcing security restrictions with minimal input form the user while providing efficient utilization of the device. Compatible sets of signals are identified and locked, and reservations of routing resources are generated. Remaining signals are rerouted until all signal constraints are…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATED GENERATION OF ABBREVIATED INSTRUCTION SET AND CONFIGURABLE PROCESSOR ARCHITECTURE
Granted: April 7, 2011
Application Number:
20110083001
A systematic approach to architecture and design of the instruction fetch mechanisms and instruction set architectures in embedded processors is described. This systematic approach allows a relaxing of certain restrictions normally imposed by a fixed-size instruction set architecture (ISA) on design and development of an embedded system. The approach also guarantees highly efficient usage of the available instruction storage which is only bounded by the actual information contents of an…
Techniques for Providing Reduced Duty Cycle Distortion
Granted: March 31, 2011
Application Number:
20110074477
A feedback loop circuit includes a phase detector and delay circuits. The phase detector generates an output signal based on a delayed periodic signal. The delay circuits are coupled in a delay chain that delays the delayed periodic signal. Each of the delay circuits comprises variable delay blocks and fixed delay blocks that are coupled to form at least two delay paths for an input signal through the delay circuit to generate a delayed output signal. Delays of the variable delay blocks…
Methods and Apparatus for Scalable Array Processor Interrupt Detection and Response
Granted: March 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110072250
Hardware and software techniques for interrupt detection and response in a scalable pipelined array processor environment are described. Utilizing these techniques, a sequential program execution model with interrupts can be maintained in a highly parallel scalable pipelined array processing containing multiple processing elements and distributed memories and register files. When an interrupt occurs, interface signals are provided to all PEs to support independent interrupt operations in…
Methods and Apparatus for Adapting Pipeline Stage Latency Based on Instruction Type
Granted: December 16, 2010
Application Number:
20100318775
Processor pipeline controlling techniques are described which take advantage of the variation in critical path lengths of different instructions to achieve increased performance. By examining a processor's instruction set and execution unit implementation's critical timing paths, instructions are classified into speed classes. Based on these speed classes, one pipeline is presented where hold signals are used to dynamically control the pipeline based on the instruction class in…
BIDIRECTIONAL WAVELENGTH CROSS CONNECT ARCHITECTURES USING WAVELENGTH ROUTING ELEMENTS
Granted: October 14, 2010
Application Number:
20100260501
Bidirectional wavelength cross connects include a plurality of ports, each configured to receive an input optical signals, each input optical signal having a plurality of spectral bands. At least one of the plurality of ports is disposed to simultaneously transmit an output optical signal having at least one of the spectral bands. A plurality of wavelength routing elements are configured to selectively route input optical signal spectral bands to output optical signals.
