Wireless programmable logic devices

• US 6,873,842 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• 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, Erickson, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, CongVan
• Application Number:
  US09/823,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66.1, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/422.1, 455/424, 455/425
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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. A system comprising:

a remote host comprising a wireless circuit for communicating digital data; and

at least two programmable logic devices connected in a circuit, each of said at least two programmable logic devices comprising;

a wireless transceiver for receiving said digital data 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 connected to said base band unit using said digital data to configure said programmable logic component; and

wherein each of said at least two programmable logic devices does not have a wired connection to a read-only memory for use in initial configuration.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver of at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices is connected to an amplifier.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said host and said at least two programmable logic devices conform to Bluetooth protocol.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices are FPGAs and said digital data is configuration bitstream data.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices transmits a reply to said remote host.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said digital data is generated by an external source, and wherein said wireless circuit further comprises:

an interface for receiving said digital data from said external source;

a processor for processing said digital data; and

a transceiver for transmitting said digital data to said at least two programmable logic devices.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said wireless transceiver of at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices is connected to an amplifier.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices and said host conform to Bluetooth protocol.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices are FPGAs and said digital data is configuration bitstream data.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices transmits a reply to said remote host.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices have different start times, and wherein said host transmits start commands to said at least two programmable logic devices at different times.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices and said host conform to Bluetooth protocol.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices are FPGAs and said digital data is configuration bitstream data.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 11 wherein at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices transmits a reply to said remote host.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one slave programmable logic device, wherein at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices is a master device delivering said digital data to said at least one slave programmable logic device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices and said host conform to Bluetooth protocol.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least two programmable logic devices are FPGAs and said digital data is configuration bitstream data.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 15 wherein at least one of said at least two programmable logic devices transmits a reply to said remote host.