95results about "Radiation hardening" patented technology

A device is disclosed in one embodiment that has multiple identical sets of programmable functional elements, programmable routing resources, and majority voters that correct errors. The voters accept a mode input for a redundancy mode and a split mode. In the redundancy mode, the programmable functional elements are identical and are programmed identically so the voters produce an output corresponding to the majority of inputs that agree. In a split mode, each voter selects a particular programmable functional element output as the output of the voter. Therefore, in the split mode, the programmable functional elements can perform different functions, operate independently, and / or be connected together to process different parts of the same problem.

A device is disclosed in one embodiment that has multiple identical sets of programmable functional elements, programmable routing resources, and majority voters that correct errors. The voters accept a mode input for a redundancy mode and a split mode. In the redundancy mode, the programmable functional elements are identical and are programmed identically so the voters produce an output corresponding to the majority of inputs that agree. In a split mode, each voter selects a particular programmable functional element output as the output of the voter. Therefore, in the split mode, the programmable functional elements can perform different functions, operate independently, and / or be connected together to process different parts of the same problem.

This invention comprises a layout method to effectively protect logic circuits against soft errors (non-destructive errors) and circuit cells, with layout, which are protected against soft errors. In particular, the method protects against cases where multiple nodes in circuit are affected by a single event. These events lead to multiple errors in the circuit, and while several methods exist to deal with single node errors, multiple node errors are very hard to deal with using any currently existing protection methods. The method is particularly useful for CMOS based logic circuits in modern technologies (.ltoreq.90 nm), where the occurrence of multiple node pulses becomes high (due to the high integration level). It uses a unique layout configuration, which makes the circuits protected against single event generated soft-errors.

A digital circuit with adaptive resistance to single event upset. A novel transient filter is placed within the feedback loop of each latch in the digital circuit to reject pulses having a width less than T, where T is the longest anticipated duration of transients. The transient filter includes a first logic element having a controllable inertial delay and a second logic element coupled to an output of the first logic element. A first controller provides a control voltage VcR to each first logic element to control a rise time of the first logic element to be equal to T. A second controller provides a control voltage VcF to each first logic element to control a fall time of the first logic element to be equal to T.

An integrated system mitigates the effects of a single event upset (SEU) on a reprogrammable field programmable gate array (RFPGA). The system includes (i) a RFPGA having an internal configuration memory, and (ii) a memory for storing a configuration associated with the RFPGA. Logic circuitry programmed into the RFPGA and coupled to the memory reloads a portion of the configuration from the memory into the RFPGA's internal configuration memory at predetermined times. Additional SEU mitigation can be provided by logic circuitry on the RFPGA that monitors and maintains synchronized operation of the RFPGA's digital clock managers.

A latch circuit includes a feedback circuit having inverter circuits and at least two input terminals and an input circuit for inputting input signals or signals having the same phase as the input signals to the input terminals of the feedback circuit in synchronization with a clock signal. In the feedback circuit section, only when the input signals or the signals having the same phase as the input signals are input to the at least two input terminals at the same time, positive feedback using a predetermined number of amplification stages is applied to the input terminals.

A circuit structure (200) for suppressing single event transients (SETs) or glitches in digital electronic circuits is provided. The circuit structure includes a first input (100) which receives an output of a digital electronic circuit (A), a second input (100′) which receives a redundant or duplicated output of the digital electronic circuit (A′), and two sub-circuits (102, 106) that each receive the inputs and have one output. One of the sub-circuits is insensitive to a change in the value of one of its inputs when the inputs are in a first logic state and the other sub-circuit is insensitive to a change in the value of one of the inputs when the inputs are in a second, inverted logic state. The sub-circuit outputs are input into a two-input multiplexer (202) which has its output (204) connected to its selection port (SEL), and the sub-circuits are arranged so that the sub-circuit which is insensitive to a change in the value of one of its inputs is selected whenever the output of the multiplexer changes. The multiplexer output (204) is provided as a final output in which SETs and glitches have been suppressed.

In-place resynthesis for static memory (SRAM) based Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) toward reducing sensitivity to single event upsets (SEUs). Resynthesis and remapping are described which have a low overheard and improve FPGA designs without the need of rerouting LUTs of the FPGA. These methods include in-place reconfiguration (IPR), in-place X-filling (IPF), and in-place inversion (IPV), which reconfigure LUT functions only, and can be applied to any FPGA architecture. In addition, for FPGAs with a decomposable LUT architecture (e.g., dual-output LUTs) an in-place decomposition (IPD) method is described for remapping a LUT function into multiple smaller functions leveraging the unused outputs of the LUT, and making use of built-in hard macros in programmable-logic blocks (PLBs) such as carry chain or adder. Methods are applied in-place to mapped circuits before or after routing without affecting placement, routing, and design closure.