Dynamic reconfiguration interrupt system and method

• US 7,287,112 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Pleis, Matthew A., Ogami, Kenneth Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US10/327,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 710/62, 710/8, 710/104
• US Class Current: 710/269
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture

Abstract

The present invention system and method enables dynamic reconfiguration of an electronic device with appropriate interrupts in a convenient and efficient manner. A plurality of internal peripherals, an interconnecting component and the external coupling ports are programmably configurable to perform a variety of functions with different interrupts. In response to interrupt request names that are utilized in multiple configurations, an interrupt dispatcher component directs operations to an appropriate interrupt handler for a particular configuration based upon both the configuration image and the interrupt service request indicator. The electronic device can be automatically reconfigured based upon the existence of a predetermined condition by activating different configuration images and associated interrupts are automatically included. Pending interrupt state indicators are resolved (e.g., deleted) during the reconfiguration.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a microprocessor for processing data;

a programmable functional component coupled to said microprocessor, wherein said programmable functional component includes a plurality of functional blocks programmable to provide a plurality of functions and configurations; and

a memory for storing data and instructions including interrupt handlers and instructions on dispatching operations to an appropriate interrupt handler for each one of said plurality of functions and configurations, said memory coupled to said microprocessor.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said programmable functional component includes:

a programmable interconnect for coupling components to a bus for communicating data;

an analog functional block configurable to perform analog functions, said analog block coupled to said programmable interconnect; and

a digital functional block configurable to perform digital functions, said digital block coupled to said programmable interconnect.

3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said memory includes an interrupt vector table that provides an association between interrupt request names and interrupt resolution indications corresponding to interrupt dispatcher components which provide a reference to an appropriate interrupt handler for a particular configuration.

4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein said interrupt request names are not unique and are used in multiple configurations.

5. The circuit of claim 3 wherein said interrupt dispatcher component analyzes the configuration of said circuit and forwards operation to the correct interrupt service routine for the particular configuration the circuit is configured in when the interrupt request is received.

6. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a programmably configurable external communication port for communicatively coupling with external devices.

7. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said memory stores a plurality of configuration images and interrupt service routine information associated with each of said plurality of configuration images, wherein said configuration images define the configuration and functionality of said circuit.

8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein said circuit is automatically reconfigured by activating different ones of said plurality of configuration images and associated interrupt service routine handlers based upon the existence of a predetermined condition or event.

9. The circuit of claim 7, wherein said configuration images comprise:

user module personalization data for defining the functionality and configuration of a component included in said circuit;

parameterization data for defining parameters for said component;

application program interface (API) information for defining an operation of said component;

interrupt service routine information for handling interrupts associated with said configuration image; and

user code for defining functionality of said component.