System monitor in a programmable logic device

• US 7,230,445 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goetting, F. Erich, Quinn, Patrick J., Jennings, John K., Collins, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Anh Q.
• Application Number:
  US11/590,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 326/9, 326/14, 326/16, 326/38, 326/39
• US Class Current: 326/9
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3167 Testing of combined analog and digital circuits testing ADC's H03M1/1071
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318516 Test of programmable logic devices [PLDs]
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17732 Macroblocks

Abstract

Method and apparatus for a system monitor embedded in a programmable logic device are described. The system monitor includes a dynamic reconfiguration port interface for configuring or reconfiguring the system monitor during operation thereof. The system monitor includes an analog-to-digital converter which is reconfigurable responsive to input via a dynamic reconfiguration port.

Claims

1. A method for configuration of a system monitor, comprising:

resetting a system monitor after powering up a host programmable logic device;

waiting for the programmable logic device to initialize;

activating reference generation circuits and at least one temperature sensor; and

entering a temperature sensing mode of the system monitor, the temperature sensing mode being independent of configuration of configuration memory cells of the programmable logic device.

2. The method, according to claim 1, further comprising:

completing an initial configuration of the programmable logic device, the initial configuration of the programmable logic device including obtaining information, the information including configuration information for the system monitor; and

entering an operational mode of the system monitor responsive to completion of the initial configuration.

3. The method, according to claim 2, further comprising:

suspending operation of the programmable logic device; and

reconfiguring a portion of the system monitor from other configuration information obtained via a dynamic reconfiguration port.

4. The method, according to claim 3, wherein the portion of the system monitor is reconfigured with a configuration write for the temperature sensing mode.

5. The method, according to claim 4, wherein during the temperature sensing mode only temperature is monitored.

6. The method, according to claim 2, further comprising:

maintaining operation of the programmable logic device; and

reconfiguring a portion of the system monitor from other configuration information obtained via a dynamic reconfiguration port.

7. The method, according to claim 2, wherein the operational mode is a continuous sampling mode.

8. The method, according to claim 2, wherein the operational mode is an event driven sampling mode.

9. The method, according to claim 2, wherein the operational mode is a sequence mode.

10. The method, according to claim 9, further comprising obtaining samples on channels.

11. The method, according to claim 10, wherein averaging is active on at least one of the channels.

12. The method, according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of the channels is used to obtain samples for an averager to provide an averaged result.

13. The method, according to claim 12, wherein the averaged result comprises multiple passes through a sequence of the channels.

14. The method, according to claim 13, wherein the at least one of the channels is used to obtain a calibration offset value.

15. The method, according to claim 14, further comprising calibrating the system monitor using the calibration offset value.

16. The method, according to claim 15, wherein the system monitor comprises an analog-to-digital converter which is calibrated using the calibration offset value.

17. The method, according to claim 2, further comprising calibrating the system monitor with a calibration coefficient, the calibration coefficient being stored in a register of the system monitor.

18. The method, according to claim 17, wherein the calibrating of the system monitor is a single point temperature calibration.

19. A system for configuration of a system monitor, comprising:

means for resetting a system monitor after powering up a host programmable logic device;

means for waiting for the programmable logic device to initialize;

means for activating reference generation circuits and at least one temperature sensor; and

means for entering a temperature sensing mode of the system monitor, the temperature sensing mode being independent of configuration of configuration memory cells of the programmable logic device.

20. The method, according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for completing an initial configuration of the programmable logic device, the initial configuration of the programmable logic device including obtaining information, the information including configuration information for the system monitor; and

means for entering an operational mode of the system monitor responsive to completion of the initial configuration.