Wireless programmable logic devices

• US 7,480,491 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Elayda, Bernardo A. III, Erickson, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US11/053,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 435/418, 435/419, 435/420, 435/66.1, 435/412.1, 435/414.1, 435/422.1, 455/90.1, 455/90.3, 455418-420, 375/219, 375/316, 375/320
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]

Abstract

A wireless programmable logic device contains a wireless component and a programmable logic component. A remote wireless host can be used to program the programmable logic device. Some product designs require multiple programmable logic devices. When wireless programmable logic devices are used in the design, all of them can receive data and commands from the host. As a result, the wireless host can control the order of configuration and the start time of these logic devices. There is no need to build glue logic for this purpose. Consequently, the efficiency in product design is improved. If there are problems in programming a programmable logic device, the host can log the failed operation in its memory. This information could be used to improve production flow.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit communicating digital data with a remote host, said integrated circuit comprising:

a wireless transceiver for receiving said digital data comprising a configuration bitstream from said remote host;

a base band unit connected to said wireless transceiver to perform data processing operations on said digital data; and

a programmable logic component and a programmable interconnect structure element connected to said base band unit, configuration bitstream being used to configure internal configuration memory cells for said programmable logic component and said programmable interconnect structure element, said configuration bitstream determining the functionality of said integrated circuit, wherein;

said integrated circuit is a FPGA and said digital data is configuration bitstream data; and

wherein said integrated circuit is not connected to a programmable read only via a wired connection.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising an amplifier coupled to said wireless transceiver.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein said wireless transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver, said integrated circuit further comprising an antenna coupled to said amplifier.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein wireless transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver, and said wireless transceiver and said base band unit conform to Bluetooth protocol.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said base band unit and said wireless transceiver further transmit a reply to said remote host.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said programmable logic component can only be configured by said digital data.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said programmable logic component is initially configured by said digital data.

8. A method for wireless communication between a remote host and a programmable logic device, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a target programmable logic device, a query transmitted by said host;

receiving, by said target programmable logic device, a set of digital data comprising a configuration bitstream transmitted by said host, said configuration bitstream determining the functionality of said target programmable device; and

initially configuring internal configuration memory cells for a configurable logic block of said target programmable device using at least a portion of said configuration bitstream. wherein said target programmable logic device is connected to a slave programmable logic device, said method further comprising a step of delivering at least a portion of said digital data to said slave programmable logic device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of replying said query by said target programmable logic device.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said host, a signal from said target programmable device indicating a status of said configuring step; and

logging said status by said host.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said wireless communication follows Bluetooth protocol.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of sending, by said programmable logic device to said host, a request for reconfiguration.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said programmable logic device is a FPGA and said digital data is configuration bitstream data.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of replying said query by said target programmable logic device.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said host, a signal from said target programmable logic device indicating a status of said configuring step; and

logging said status by said host.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein said wireless communication follows Bluetooth protocol.

17. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of sending, by said programmable logic device to said host, a request for reconfiguration.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein said programmable logic device is a FPGA and said digital data is configuration bitstream data.

19. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of receiving, by said target programmable logic device, a command to initiate operation after said configuring step.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising a step of replying said query by said target programmable logic device.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said host, a signal from said target programmable logic device indicating a status of said configuring step; and

logging said status by said host.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said wireless communication follows Bluetooth protocol.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising a step of sending, by said programmable logic device to said host, a request for reconfiguration.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said programmable logic device is a FPGA.