Apparatus and method for in-system programming of integrated circuits containing programmable elements

• US 6,408,432 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Southgate, Timothy J., Herrmann, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/552,575
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 717/139, 717/140, 717/124, 714/37-39, 714/719, 714/724-727, 714/733, 716/16, 716/17, 326/38, 326/39
• US Class Current: 717/139
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for in-system programming of programmable devices includes a device configuration program with adaptive programming source code instructions that characterize device configuration instructions and data. The adaptive source code instructions may include conditional branches, subroutines, variables, configurable arrays, integer operators, and Boolean operators. These features allow for more compact and efficient device configuration instructions and data. An interpreter converts the device configuration program into formatted device configuration instructions and data. The formatted device configuration instructions and data are preferably compatible with IEEE 1149.1 JTAG-BST specifications. The formatted device configuration instructions and data are used to program a programmable device in the manner specified by the adaptive programming source code instructions.

Claims

1. A method for in-system programming of a programmable logic device, comprising:

characterizing how to configure a programmable logic device using advanced programming language source code, said characterizing step including the step of defining control instructions with said advanced programming language source code to implement logic functions in said programmable logic device;

interpreting said advanced programming language source code with an interpreter that converts said advanced programming language source code into machine instruction and data for said programmable logic device; and

operating said programmable logic device in accordance with said machine instructions and data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said characterizing step includes defining advanced programming language source code that supports conditional branches, subroutines, variables, configurable arrays, integer operators and Boolean operators.

3. An apparatus for in-system programming of a logic device, comprising:

a computer readable memory;

an integrated circuit programming software;

an advanced programming language source code;

an interpreter;

a controller;

where said integrated circuit programming software resides in said computer readable memory and generates interpreter code based on instructions read from said advanced programming language source code, said interpreter code being interpreted by said interpreter into control instructions and data that said controller uses to program said programmable logic device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said programmable logic device is an integrated circuit with programmable elements to implement logic functions.