Concurrent programming apparatus with status detection capability

• US 20010054118A1
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William H. White
• Original Assignee: William H. White
• Inventors: White, William H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,480,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/04 Frequency selective two-port networks

Abstract

A computer controlled group of programmer sites are provided to burn in or enter operating code into various types of programmable electronic devices, such as programmable memories, programmable logic devices (or PLD'"'"'s), field programmable gate arrays (or FPGA'"'"'s), and the like. The programmer sites are connected to a central controller and operate under control of the central controller, typically personal computer. Each programmer site includes its own computer processor or CPU. Initially for a production run of a particular type of device, one of the programmer sites serves as a master site. At the master site, an optimized control sequence for the device is developed in conjunction with the central controller. Once this is achieved, the optimal sequence is broadcast to all programmer sites connected to the central controller. Thereafter, each programmer site, including the former master site, operates autonomously to program the devices independently of the status of the other sites, while the central computer scans each of the network sites in a timed sequence and provides monitoring and reporting functions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for programming a plurality of electronic devices, comprising:

a control computer,

a plurality of programming stations, each having its own computer connected into a network with said control computer;

one of said programming stations serving as a master station during initial set up for a programming run of a group of electronic devices;

said control computer and said programming station initially determining the programming sequence for the group of electronic devices;

said control computer thereafter broadcasting the determined programming sequence over said network to said plurality of programming stations.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

, further including:

each of said programming stations operating independently of the others to program devices after receipt of the broadcast programming sequence from said control computer.

3. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein one of said programming stations develops a malfunction during a programming run and further including:

the others of said plurality of programming stations continuing to operate independently of said malfunctioning one during the programming run.

4. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the electronic devices carry a transmittable code indicative of operating parameters specific to the device, and wherein each of said programming stations includes:

means for activating the device to send the transmittable code;

means for receiving the code when sent; and

means for adjusting the determined programming sequence according to the operating parameters indicated by the received code from the device.

5. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said programming stations include:

a receptor for receiving the electronic device;

status detection means for detecting the status of transfer of the code into the device;

indicator means for indicating the detected status of the transfer of code into the device.

6. The apparatus of

claim 5

, wherein said status detector includes means for detecting removal of a device from said receptor before transfer of code to the device is completed.

7. The apparatus of

claim 6

, wherein said indicator means includes:

means to indicate removal of the device from said receptor before code transfer is completed.

9. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said programming stations include:

a receptor for receiving the electronic device;

status detection means for detecting the status of transfer of the code into the device;

indicator means for indicating the detected status of the transfer of code into the device.

10. The apparatus of

claim 5

, wherein said status detector includes means for detecting removal of a device from said receptor before transfer of code to the device is completed.

11. The apparatus of

claim 6

, wherein said indicator means includes:

means to indicate removal of the device from said receptor before code transfer is completed.

8. A method of programming a plurality of electronic devices, comprising the steps of:

connecting a plurality of programming stations, each having its own computer, into a network with a control computer;

initially determining the programming sequence for a programming run of a group of electronic devices with the control computer and with one of said programming stations serving as a master station; and

thereafter broadcasting the determined programming sequence over said network to said plurality of programming stations.

means for adjusting the determined programming sequence according to the operating parameters indicated by the received code from the device.

13. The method of

claim 8

, further including the step of:

each of said programming stations operating independently of the others to program devices after receipt of the broadcast programming sequence from said control computer.

14. The method of

claim 8

, wherein one of said programming stations develops a malfunction during a programming run and further including the step of the others of said plurality of programming stations continuing to operate independently of the malfunctioning one during the programming run.

15. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the electronic devices carry a transmittable code indicative of operating parameters specific to the device, and wherein each of the programming stations further performs the steps of:

activating the device to send the transmittable code;

receiving the code when sent; and

adjusting the determined programming sequence according to the operating parameters indicated by the received code from the device.

16. The method of

claim 8

, further including a receptor for receiving the electronic device and further including the steps of;

detecting the status of transfer of the code into the device;

indicating the detected status of the transfer of code into the device.

18. The apparatus of

claim 13

, wherein said indicator means includes:

an indicator for indicating the station is ready to start transfer of code into a device;

an indicator for indicating that transfer of code into a device is in progress;

an indicator for indicating that the device has satisfactorily completed transfer of the code; and

an indicator for indicating that the device has failed to satisfactorily receive transfer of the code.

19. The apparatus of

claim 13

, wherein said status detector includes means for detecting removal of a device from said receptor before transfer of code to the device is completed.

20. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein said indicator means includes:

means to indicate removal of the device from said receptor before code transfer is completed.

23. The apparatus of

claim 18

, wherein one of said programming sites serves as a master site, the apparatus further including:

said central controller commanding said master controller to perform a sequence of programming steps;

said master controller performing said sequence of programming steps and retaining said sequence of programming steps;

said central controller receiving said retained sequence of programming steps and providing said programming steps to each of said plurality of programming sites.

24. The apparatus of

claim 19

, wherein said master site performs the functionality of said central controller.

25. The apparatus of

claim 19

, wherein each said controller includes memory for retaining said sequence of programming steps.

26. The apparatus of

claim 19

, wherein said plurality of programming sites include a shared memory for retaining said sequence of programming steps.

27. The apparatus of

claim 19

, wherein the electronic devices carry a transmittable code indicative of operating parameters specific to the device, and wherein each of said programmable sites includes:

means for activating the device to send the transmittable code; and

means for receiving the code when sent, and

wherein said controller adjusts parameters of said sequence of programming steps according to the operating parameters indicated by the received code from the device.

31. The apparatus of

claim 26

, wherein said failure indication blinks on and off until said device is removed.

32. The apparatus of

claim 26

, wherein said indicating status means includes:

an indicator for indicating the site is ready to program the device;

an indicator for indicating that programming is in progress;

an indicator for indicating that the device has been satisfactorily programmed; and

an indicator for indicating that the device has failed to satisfactorily program.

33. The apparatus of

claim 26

, wherein said status detector includes means for detecting removal of a device from said receptor before the device is programmed.

36. The method of

claim 31

, wherein said sequence of steps is assembled according to said data, said programming algorithm, and said programming parameters.

12. A method of programming a plurality of electronic devices, comprising the steps of:

connecting a plurality of programming stations, each having its own computer, into a network with a control computer;

initially determining the programming sequence for a programming run of a group of electronic devices with the control computer and with one of said programming stations serving as a master station; and

thereafter broadcasting the determined programming sequence over said network to said plurality of programming stations.

17. A programming station for inclusion into a network with a control computer to program code into an electronic device, comprising:

a receptor for receiving the device to be programmed;

a computer connectable into the network with the control computer to program the code into the device;

status detection means for detecting the status of transfer of the code into the device;

indicator means for indicating the detected status of the transfer of the code into the device.

22. The apparatus of

claim 17

, wherein each said programming site is uniquely identifiable, the apparatus further including:

a central controller coupled to said plurality of programmable sites, said central controller communicating programming information to each programmable site.

28. The apparatus of

claim 17

, wherein performance of each programming site is independent of the other.

29. The apparatus of

claim 17

, wherein if one of said programming sites develops a malfunction the remaining of said plurality of programming sites continue to operate independently of said malfunctioning one.

34. The apparatus of

claim 29

, wherein said indicator means includes:

means to indicate removal of the device from said receptor before the device is programmed.

21. An apparatus for programming a plurality of electronic devices, comprising:

a plurality of programming sites, each having its own controller for independently programming one of said plurality of electronic devices.

30. An apparatus for programming an electronic device, comprising:

a receptor for receiving the device to be programmed;

means for programming the device;

means for detecting status of the device; and

means for indicating status of the device,

wherein said means for indicating status provides an active indication while said device is being programmed,

wherein if said device is programmed correctly said means for indicating status provides a pass indication until said device is removed from said receptor, and

wherein if said device fails to program correctly said means for indicating status provides a failure indication until said device is removed from said receptor.

35. A method of programming a plurality of electronic devices, each placed into one of a plurality of programming sites, each programming site for connecting to a central controller, one of said programming sites serving as a master site, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data, a programming algorithm and programming parameters into said master site from said central controller,

inserting a device into said master site;

reading device information at the master site from said device;

modifying said programming parameters based on said device information;

receiving a sequence of commands from the central controller to program said device after said modifying step;

retaining a sequence of steps required to programming said device, said sequence of steps assembled according to said data, said programming algorithm, and said programming parameters;

receiving said sequence of steps into said central controller after successfully programming said device;

providing said sequence of steps to each of said plurality of programming sites after receiving said sequence of steps.