Programmable microcontroller architecture (mixed analog/digital)

• US 6,724,220 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Snyder, Warren, Mar, Monte
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/924,734
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 326/37, 326/38, 326/39, 326/41, 326/47
• US Class Current: 326/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/08 Clock generators with changeable or programmable clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/06 Programming arrangements, e.g. plugboard for interconnecting functional units of the computer; Digital programming hybrid computers G06J
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/364 the amplifier comprising field effect transistors H03B5/366 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/08 using semiconductor devices H03K19/173 takes precedence; wherein the semiconductor devices are only diode rectifiers H03K19/12
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/173 using elementary logic circuits as components
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1733 Controllable logic circuits H03K19/177 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/177 arranged in matrix form
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17736 Structural details of routing resources
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17748 Structural details of configuration resources
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/012 Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/014 Modifications of generator to ensure starting of oscillations
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/02315 Stabilisation of output, e.g. using crystal

Abstract

A microcontroller with a mixed analog/digital architecture including multiple digital programmable blocks and multiple analog programmable blocks in a communication array having a programmable interconnect structure. The single chip design is implemented by integration of programmable digital and analog circuit blocks that are able to communicate with each other. Robust analog and digital blocks that are flash memory programmable can be utilized to realize complex design applications that otherwise would require multiple chips and/or separate applications. The programmable chip architecture includes a novel array having programmable digital blocks that can communicate with programmable analog blocks using a programmable interconnect structure. The programmable analog array contains a complement of Continuous Time (CT) blocks and a complement of Switched Capacitor (SC) blocks that can communicate together. The analog blocks consist of multi-function circuits programmable for one or more different analog functions, and fixed function circuits programmable for a fixed function with variable parameters. The digital blocks include standard multi-function circuits and enhanced circuits having functions not included in the standard digital circuits. The programmable array is programmed by flash memory and programming allows dynamic reconfiguration. That is, “on-the-fly” reconfiguration of the programmable blocks is allowed. The programmable analog array with both Continuous Time analog blocks and Switched Capacitor analog blocks are offered on a single chip along with programmable digital blocks. The programmable interconnect structure provides for communication of input/output data between all analog and digital blocks.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks configured to provide at least one of a plurality of analog functions;

a plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks configured to provide at least one of a plurality of digital functions;

a routing matrix configured to couple a subset of said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks to a first subset of said plurality of programmable circuit blocks, at least a first one of said programmable analog circuit blocks being coupled to at least a first one of said programmable digital circuit blocks;

a programmable interconnect structure comprising said routing matrix and a bus independent of said routing matrix coupling said routing matrix to said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks and said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks, and;

said bus coupling analog input/output data and digital input/output data for said plurality of analog circuit blocks and said plurality of digital circuit blocks whereby said coupling is controlled by at least one system clock.

2. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of digital functions includes logical operations.

3. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of digital functions includes computational operations.

4. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein said programmable interconnect structure and said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks and said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks are constructed on a semiconductor chip.

5. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein said programmable analog circuit blocks may include at least one continuous time analog circuit and at least one switched capacitor analog circuit.

6. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein said programmable digital circuit blocks may include at least one standard digital multi-function circuit having a first set of digital functions and at least one enhanced digital multi-function circuit having at least one function differing from said first set of digital functions.

7. A circuit according to claim 5 wherein said programmable analog circuit blocks may contain at least one multi-function circuit programmable for at least one of said plurality of analog functions and at least one fixed function circuit programmable for said fixed function with at least one of a number of different parameters.

22. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein flash memory used to program said programmable interconnect structure and said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks and said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks allows for dynamic circuit reconfiguration.

8. A microcontroller comprising:

a programmable interconnect structure coupling a routing matrix to a plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks and a plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks by means of a bus independent of said routing matrix;

a least a first one of said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks configurable to provide at least one of a plurality of analog functions;

at least a first one of said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks configurable to provide at least one of a plurality of digital circuit functions, and;

said bus coupling analog input/output data and digital input/output data for said plurality of analog circuit blocks and said plurality of digital circuit blocks whereby said coupling is controlled by at least one system clock.

9. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of digital functions includes logical operations.

10. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of digital functions includes computational operations.

11. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein said programmable interconnect structure and said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks and said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks are constructed on a semiconductor chip.

12. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein said programmable analog circuit blocks may include at least one continuous time analog circuit and at least one switched capacitor analog circuit.

13. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein said programmable digital circuit blocks may include at least one standard digital multi-function circuit having a first set of digital functions and at least one enhanced digital multi-function circuit having at least one function differing from said first set of digital functions.

14. A circuit according to claim 12 wherein said programmable analog circuit blocks may contain at least one multi-function circuit programmable for at least one of said plurality of analog functions and at least one fixed function circuit programmable for said fixed function with at least one of a number of different parameters.

23. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein flash memory used to program said programmable interconnect structure and said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks and said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks allows for dynamic circuit reconfiguration.

15. A method of providing a dynamically programmable analog/digital communication interface circuit, comprising:

providing a plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks configurable to at least one of a plurality of analog functions,

providing a plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks configurable to at least one of a plurality of digital functions,

providing a routing matrix which will couple analog data and digital data between said programmable analog circuit blocks and said programmable digital circuit blocks,

providing a bus independent of said routing matrix which will;

couple analog input/output data to said plurality of programmable analog circuit blocks, and

couple digital input/output data to said plurality of programmable digital circuit blocks,

whereby said coupling of said analog input/output data and said digital input/output data are controlled by at least one system clock, and

whereby said dynamically programmable analog/digital communication interface circuit is constructed on one semiconductor chip.

16. A circuit according to claim 15 wherein said programmable analog circuit blocks may include at least one continuous time analog circuit and at least one switched capacitor analog circuit.

17. A circuit according to claim 15 wherein said programmable digital circuit blocks may include at least one standard digital multi-function circuit having a first set of digital functions and at least one enhanced digital multi-function circuit having at least one function differing from said first set of digital functions.

18. A circuit according to claim 16 wherein said programmable analog circuit blocks may contain at least one multi-function circuit programmable for at least one of said plurality of analog functions and at least one fixed function circuit programmable for said fixed function with at least one of a number of different parameters.

19. A circuit according to claim 16 wherein said dynamic programming of said communication interface circuit is accomplished by means of flash memory.

20. A circuit according to claim 16 wherein said plurality of digital functions includes logical operations.

21. A circuit according to claim 16 wherein said plurality of digital functions includes computational operations.