Field programmable device

Abstract

A field programmable device is disclosed, including a plurality of logic blocks; a plurality of connections connecting the logic blocks; configuration circuitry for outputting configuration data for programming the field programmable device, the configuration circuitry providing at least one pair of outputs; and error detection circuitry for comparing the outputs to determine if there has been a configuration error.

1. A field programmable device comprising:
 a plurality of logic blocks;  
 a plurality of connections connecting said logic blocks wherein each row of logic blocks is connected by a pair of connections spanning the row of logic blocks;  
 configuration means for outputting configuration data for programming said field programmable device, said configuration means providing at least one pair of outputs coupled to each pair of connections; and  
 error detection means for comparing data on said pair of connections during configuration means outputting of the configuration data to determine if there has been a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       2. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein said pair of connections comprises a first connection that is input and output coupled to a switching matrix configuration latch and a second connection bypassing each configuration latch, and wherein said error detection means comprises means for comparing data on said first connection driven by configuration latch state to data on said second connection. 
     
     
       3. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 2 , wherein said comparing means comprises a logic XNOR gate. 
     
     
       4. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein said error detection means are arranged to determine the presence of an error if data on a pair of connections are determined to be the same. 
     
     
       5. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein said error detection means comprises at least one transistor arranged to provide a predetermined output when an error is determined. 
     
     
       6. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 5 , wherein said at least one transistor comprises a pull-up transistor. 
     
     
       7. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one pair of outputs comprise a signal and its inverse. 
     
     
       8. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein said error detection means is arranged to determine errors in a first part of said device and then to determine errors on a second part of said device. 
     
     
       9. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 8 , wherein said error detection means is arranged to determine errors in the first part when a clock signal to the device has a first state and to determine errors in the second part when the clock signal has a second state. 
     
     
       10. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 9 , wherein one of said first and second parts of said device comprises the outputs of said configuration means. 
     
     
       11. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 9 , wherein one of said first and second parts of said device comprises said plurality of connections. 
     
     
       12. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said logic blocks and said plurality of connections are configurable. 
     
     
       13. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 1 , wherein said error detection means is arranged to determine the location of an error. 
     
     
       14. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 13 , wherein said error detection means comprises means for providing an output for each row of said device. 
     
     
       15. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 14 , wherein said means for providing an output for each row comprise storage means. 
     
     
       16. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 15 , wherein said means for providing an output for each row compares said at least one pair of outputs. 
     
     
       17. A field programmable device comprising:
 a plurality of logic blocks;  
 at least one switching matrix for controlling connections between the logic blocks;  
 configuration circuitry coupled to the at least one switching matrix, for configuring the at least one switching matrix, said configuration circuitry providing at least one pair of outputs spanning each row of the plurality of logic blocks, at least a first output of the pair of outputs used in configuring a latch of the switching matrix along the row, and for connection to an output of the latch of the switching matrix; and  
 test circuitry coupled to compare the at least one pair of outputs of the configuration circuitry for testing the field programmable logic device during the time the switching matrix is being configured to control the connections between the logic blocks.  
 
     
     
       18. The field programmable logic device of  as recited in  claim 17 , wherein:
 the at least one switching matrix comprises at least one storage element having an output that controls whether two data lines in the at least one switching matrix are connected together;  
 the configuration circuitry comprises at least one configuration register element having at least one configuration output coupled to at least one input of the at least one switching matrix; and  
 the test circuitry compares the output of the at least one storage element and the at least one configuration output and generates a test output signal having a value indicative of a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       19. The field programmable logic device of  as recited in  claim 17 , wherein:
 the at least one switching matrix comprises a plurality of storage elements, each storage element having an output that controls whether two data lines in the at least one switching matrix are to be connected together;  
 the configuration circuitry comprises a plurality of configuration register elements, each configuration register element having a configuration output coupled to an input of the at least one switching matrix; and  
 the test circuitry compares the output of the storage elements and the configuration outputs and generates a test output signal having a value indicative of a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       20. The field programmable logic device of  as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the test circuitry comprises a plurality of exclusive OR/NOR logic gates, an output of each of the exclusive ORTSTOR logic gates capable of pulling the test output signal to a voltage representative of a predetermined logic level indicative of a configuration error. 
     
     
       21. The field programmable logic device of  as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the test circuitry further comprises a plurality of transistors, each transistor having a control terminal coupled to the output of a distinct exclusive OR/NOR logic gate and a conduction terminal coupled to the test output signal. 
     
     
       22. The field programmable logic device of  as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the test circuitry further comprises a plurality of storage components, each storage component having a data input coupled to an input of a distinct exclusive OR/NOR logic gate and a data output. 
     
     
       23. The field programmable logic device of  as recited in  claim 17 , wherein:
 the at least one switching matrix comprises at least one storage element having an output for controlling whether two data lines in the at least one switching matrix are connected together;  
 the configuration circuitry comprises at least one configuration output coupled to at least one input of the at least one switching matrix; and  
 the test circuitry compares the at least one configuration output with the output of the at least one storage element and generates a test output signal having a value indicative of a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       24. A field programmable device comprising:
 a first block comprising a plurality of logic blocks, and a plurality of connections connecting said blocks;  
 configuration means for outputting configuration data for programming said device, wherein said configuration means provides at least one pair of outputs, a first output of said one pair of outputs is output onto one of a first set of configuration data lines, and a second output of said one pair of outputs is output onto one of a second set of configuration data lines, said configuration data lines spanning said first block; and error detection means connected to an output of said one of said first set of configuration data lines, and to an output of said one of said second set of configuration data lines, said one of said first set and said one of said second set being from the same row, said error detection means arranged to compare said configuration data line outputs from the same row to determine if there has been a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       25. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein said first set of data configuration lines is input and output coupled to a switching matrix configuration latch and said second set of data configuration lines bypasses each configuration latch, and wherein said error detection means comprises means for comparing data on said first set of data configuration lines driven by configuration latch state to data on said second set of data configuration lines. 
     
     
       26. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 25 , wherein said comparing means comprises a logic XNOR gate. 
     
     
       27. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein said error detection means are arranged to determine the presence of an error if a pair of outputs are determined to be the same. 
     
     
       28. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein said error detection means comprises at least one transistor arranged to provide a predetermined output when an error is determined. 
     
     
       29. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 28 , wherein said at least one transistor comprises a pull-up transistor. 
     
     
       30. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein said at least one pair of outputs comprise a signal and its inverse. 
     
     
       31. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein said error detection means is arranged to determine errors in a first part of said device and then to determine errors on a second part of said device. 
     
     
       32. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 31 , wherein said error detection means is arranged to determine errors in the first part when a clock signal to the device has a first state and to determine errors in the second part when the clock signal has a second state. 
     
     
       33. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 32 , wherein one of said first and second parts of said device comprises the outputs of said configuration means. 
     
     
       34. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 32 , wherein one of said first and second parts of said device comprises said plurality of connections. 
     
     
       35. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein at least one of said logic blocks and said plurality of connection means are configurable. 
     
     
       36. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 24 , wherein said error detection means is arranged to determine the location of an error. 
     
     
       37. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 36 , wherein said error detection means comprises means for providing an output for each row of said device. 
     
     
       38. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 37 , wherein said means for providing an output for each row comprise storage means. 
     
     
       39. A  The device as claimed  recited in  claim 38 , wherein said means for providing an output for each row compares said at least one pair of outputs. 
     
     
       40. A field programmable device comprising:
 a plurality of logic blocks;  
 a plurality of connections connecting said blocks wherein each row of logic blocks is connected by a pair of connections spanning the row of logic blocks;  
 configuration circuitry for outputting configuration data for programming said device, said configuration circuitry providing at least one pair of outputs coupled to each pair of connections; and  
 error detection circuitry for comparing data on said pair of connections during configuration to determine if there has been a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       41. A field programmable device comprising:
 a first block comprising a plurality of logic blocks, and a plurality of connections connecting said blocks;  
 configuration circuitry for outputting configuration data for programming said device, wherein said configuration circuitry provides at least one pair of outputs, a first output of said one pair of outputs is output onto one of a first set of configuration data lines, and a second output of said one pair of outputs is output onto one of a second set of configuration data lines, said configuration data lines spanning said first block; and  
 error detection circuitry connected to an output of said one of said first set of configuration data lines, and to an output of said one of said second set of configuration data lines, said one of said first set and said one of said second set being from the same row, said error detection circuitry being arranged to compare said configuration data line outputs from the same row to determine if there has been a configuration error.  
 
     
     
       42. A method comprising:
   programming a field programmable device;        outputting, from configuration registers, configuration data used in the programming of the field programmable device; and        comparing said configuration data during said outputting of configuration data to determine if there has been a configuration error.      
     
     
       43. The method as recited in  claim 42 , wherein said configuration data comprises at least a first value and a second value.  
     
     
       44. The method as recited in  claim 43 , further comprising determining that there has been a configuration error if said first value is the same as said second value.  
     
     
       45. A method comprising:
   receiving both a first configuration data input and a second configuration data input for use in programming a field programmable device;        loading said first and second configuration data inputs into one or more configuration latches and into an error detection block; and        determining, via the error detection block, that an error has occurred if said first and second configuration data inputs are the same.      
     
     
       46. The method as recited in  claim 45 , wherein said loading said first and second configuration data inputs into one or more configuration latches and into an error detection block occur at least partially concurrently.  
     
     
       47. A field programmable device comprising:
   configuration means for outputting configuration data for use in programming said field programmable device, wherein said configuration means provides at least one pair of outputs; and        error detection means for comparing said at least one pair of outputs during said configuration means outputting of the configuration data to determine if there has been a configuration error.      
     
     
       48. The device as recited in  claim 47 , wherein said error detection means is configured to determine the presence of an error if data on a pair of connections are determined to be the same.  
     
     
       49. The device as recited in  claim 47 , wherein said error detection means comprises at least one transistor configured to provide a predetermined output when an error is determined.  
     
     
       50. The device as recited in  claim 49 , wherein said at least one transistor comprises a pull- up transistor.    
     
     
       51. The device as recited in  claim 47 , wherein said at least one pair of outputs comprise a signal and its inverse.  
     
     
       52. The device as recited in  claim 47 , wherein said error detection means is configured to determine errors in a first part of said device and then to determine errors on a second part of said device.  
     
     
       53. The device as recited in  claim 52 , wherein said error detection means is configured to determine errors in the first part of said device when a clock signal to said device has a first state and to determine errors in the second part of said device when said clock signal has a second state.  
     
     
       54. The device as recited in  claim 53 , wherein one of said first and second parts of said device comprises the outputs of said configuration means.  
     
     
       55. The device as recited in  claim 53 , wherein one of said first and second parts of said device comprises a plurality of connections coupled to said device.  
     
     
       56. The device as recited in  claim 47 , wherein said error detection means is configured to determine the location of an error.