Microcontroller having a block of logic configurable to perform a selected logic function and to produce output signals coupled to corresponding I/O pads according to a predefined hardware interface

• US 6,188,241 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayat, Faheem, Tobias, David F., Wakeland, Carl K., Gauthier, Lloyd W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, David
• Application Number:
  US09/311,448
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 326/41, 326/47, 326/39, 326/38, 326/101, 395/733, 395/284, 395/800.01
• US Class Current: 326/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture

Abstract

A microcontroller is presented having a block of logic configurable to perform a selected logic function and to produce output signals coupled to corresponding I/O pads according to a predefined hardware interface. The microcontroller includes a central processing unit (CPU), a first set of I/O pads, and a configurable logic block (CLB) all formed upon a single monolithic semiconductor substrate. The CPU is configured to execute instructions, preferably x86 instructions. The CPU produces CPU output signals during instruction execution. The CLB is coupled between the CPU output signals and the first set of I/O pads, and is configurable to perform a logic function selected from a predefined set of logic functions. Each member of the set of logic functions has an associated hardware interface including a signal table which defines a correspondence between CLB input/output signals and members of the first set of I/O pads. The microcontroller also preferably includes a test/program core coupled to a second set of I/O pads and to the CLB. The test/program core produces programming signals in response to signals received via the second set of I/O pads. The programming signals cause the CLB to perform the selected logic function. When programmed, the CLB produces CLB output signals in response to the CPU output signals. Each of the CLB output signals is coupled to one or more of the members of the first set of I/O pads according to the hardware interface of the selected logic function.

Claims

1. A microcontroller formed upon a single monolithic semiconductor substrate, comprising:

a CPU configured to execute instructions and to produce a plurality of CPU output signals during instruction execution;

a plurality of I/O pads

a configurable logic block (CLB) coupled to receive the plurality of CPU output signals and coupled to the plurality of I/O pads, wherein the CLB is configurable to;

(i) produce a plurality of CLB output signals in response to the plurality of CPU output signals in accordance with a programmable configuration of said CLB, and (ii) direct the CLB output signals to respective said I/O pads in accordance with a predefined hardware interface attributed to the programmable configuration; and

programming hardware coupled to the CLB for programming the CLB such that the programmable configuration of the CLB is achieved.

2. The microcontroller as recited in claim 1, wherein the specific said programmable configuration is a logic function selected from a predefined set of logic functions, and wherein each member of the set of logic functions has a corresponding predefined hardware interface.

3. The microcontroller as recited in claim 2, wherein the programming hardware comprises a test/program core configured to produce programming signals which program the CLB such that the programmable configuration of the CLB is achieved.

4. The microcontroller as recited in claim 1, wherein said predefined hardware interface comprises a signal table which defines a correspondence between each of said plurality of CLB output signals and each of said plurality of I/O pads.

5. The microcontroller as recited in claim 1, wherein the CLB is a contiguous block of configurable logic coupled between the plurality of CPU output signals and the plurality of I/O pads.

6. The microcontroller as recited in claim 5, wherein the CLB includes a plurality of programmable switching elements.

7. The microcontroller as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of programmable switching elements comprises electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) elements.

8. The microcontroller as recited in claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to execute instructions arising from an x86 instruction set.

9. A microcontroller formed upon a single monolithic semiconductor substrate, comprising:

an internal bus having a plurality of signal lines for conveying signals;

a CPU configured to execute instructions and to produce a plurality of CPU output signals during instruction execution;

a first plurality of I/O pads;

a configurable logic block (CLB) coupled between the internal bus and the first plurality of I/O pads, wherein the CLB is configurable to perform a logic function selected from a predefined set of logic functions, and wherein each member of the predefined set of logic functions has a corresponding hardware interface;

a second plurality of I/O pads; and

a test/program core coupled to the second plurality of I/O pads and to the CLB, wherein the test/program core is configured to produce programming signals in response to signals received via the second plurality of I/O pads;

wherein the CLB is configured to perform a selected logic function by the programming signals, and wherein the configured CLB produces a plurality of CLB output signals in response to the plurality of CPU output signals such that each of the plurality of CLB output signals is coupled to one or more of the first plurality of I/O pads according to the hardware interface of the selected logic function.

10. The microcontroller as recited in claim 9, wherein the CPU is configured to execute instructions arising from an x86 instruction set.

11. The microcontroller as recited in claim 9, wherein the CLB is a contiguous block of configurable logic coupled between the internal bus and the first plurality of I/O pads.

12. The microcontroller as recited in claim 11, wherein the CLB includes a plurality of programmable switching elements.

13. The microcontroller as recited in claim 12, wherein the plurality of programmable switching elements comprises electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) elements.

14. The microcontroller as recited in claim 9, wherein the hardware interface of each of the predefined set of logic functions comprises a signal table which defines a correspondence between the CLB output signals and the first plurality of I/O pads.

15. The microcontroller as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a third plurality of I/O pads; and

a memory controller coupled to the internal bus and to the third plurality of I/O pads, wherein the memory controller is configured to control the saving of data within and the retrieving of data from one or more memory devices coupled to the third plurality of I/O pads.

16. The microcontroller as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a third plurality of I/O pads; and

an expansion bus interface coupled to the internal bus and to the third plurality of I/O pads, wherein the expansion bus interface is configured to control an expansion bus coupled to the third plurality of I/O pads.

17. A microcontroller formed upon a single monolithic semiconductor substrate, comprising:

an internal bus having a plurality of signal lines for conveying signals;

a CPU coupled to the internal bus and configured to execute instructions, wherein the CPU produces a plurality of CPU output signals during instruction execution;

a first plurality of I/O pads;

a configurable logic block (CLB) coupled between the internal bus and the first plurality of I/O pads, wherein the CLB is configurable to perform a logic function selected from a predefined set of logic functions, and wherein each member of the predefined set of logic functions has a corresponding hardware interface;

a second plurality of I/O pads;

a test/program core coupled to the second plurality of I/O pads and to the CLB, wherein the test/program core is configured to produce programming signals in response to signals received via the second plurality of I/O pads;

a third plurality of I/O pads;

a memory controller coupled to the internal bus and to the third plurality of I/O pads, wherein the memory controller is configured to control the saving of data within and the retrieving of data from one or more memory devices coupled to the third plurality of I/O pads;

a fourth plurality of I/O pads; and

an expansion bus interface coupled to the internal bus and to the fourth plurality of I/O pads, wherein the expansion bus interface is configured to control an expansion bus coupled to the fourth plurality of I/O pads;

wherein the CLB is configured to perform a selected logic function by the programming signals, and wherein the configured CLB produces a plurality of CLB output signals in response to the plurality of CPU output signals such that each of the plurality of CLB output signals is coupled to one or more of the first plurality of I/O pads according to the hardware interface of the selected logic function.

18. The microcontroller as recited in claim 17, wherein the hardware interface of each of the predefined set of logic functions comprises a signal table which defines a correspondence between the CLB output signals and the first plurality of I/O pads.

19. The microcontroller as recited in claim 17, wherein the CPU is configured to execute instructions arising from an x86 instruction set.

20. The microcontroller as recited in claim 17, wherein the CLB is a contiguous block of configurable logic coupled between the internal bus and the first plurality of I/O pads.

21. A microcontroller, comprising:

a CPU configured to execute instructions and to produce a plurality of CPU output signals during instruction execution;

a plurality of I/O pads;

a configurable logic block (CLB) coupled to receive the plurality of CPU output signals and coupled to the first plurality of I/O pads, wherein the CLB is configurable to perform a logic function selected from a predefined set of logic functions, and wherein each member of the predefined set of logic functions has a corresponding hardware interface; and

programming hardware coupled to the CLB for configuring the CLB to perform the selected logic function.

22. The microcontroller as recited in claim 21, wherein the configured CLB produces a plurality of CLB output signals in response to the plurality of CPU output signals such that each of the plurality of CLB output signals is coupled to one or more of the first plurality of I/O pads according to the hardware interface of the selected logic function.

23. The microcontroller as recited in claim 21, wherein the CPU is configured to execute instructions arising from an x86 instruction set.

24. The microcontroller as recited in claim 21, wherein the programming hardware comprises a test/program core configured to produce programming signals which configure the CLB to perform the selected logic function.

25. A microcontroller, comprising:

a CPU configured to execute instructions and to produce a plurality of CPU output signals during instruction execution;

a first plurality of I/O pads;

a configurable logic block (CLB) coupled to receive the plurality of CPU output signals and coupled to the first plurality of I/O pads, wherein the CLB is configurable to perform a logic function selected from a predefined set of logic functions, and wherein each member of the predefined set of logic functions has a corresponding hardware interface;

a second plurality of I/O pads; and

programming hardware coupled to the second plurality of I/O pads and to the CLB, wherein the programming hardware is configured to produce programming signals in response to signals received via the second plurality of I/O pads, and wherein the programming signals configure the CLB to perform the selected logic function.

26. The microcontroller as recited in claim 25, wherein the configured CLB produces a plurality of CLB output signals in response to the plurality of CPU output signals such that each of the plurality of CLB output signals is coupled to one or more of the first plurality of I/O pads according to the hardware interface of the selected logic function.

27. The microcontroller as recited in claim 25, wherein the CPU is configured to execute instructions arising from an x86 instruction set.

28. The microcontroller as recited in claim 25, wherein the programming hardware comprises a test/program core.