Microcontroller-Based PLD Control for State Save and Restore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing programmable logic integrated circuit devices (PLDs) have limited flexibility in their control circuits, which can lead to issues during manufacturing changes, debugging, and the inability to perform tasks outside their designed capabilities, restricting their functionality and making them prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an on-chip microcontroller circuit block that includes a CPU, SRAM, NVM, boot ROM, control registers, and a CPU bus to replace traditional control logic, allowing for programmable control functions and additional user-defined operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional control logic is used in PLDs, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the flexibility and adaptability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a microcontroller unit (MCU) that can execute various control algorithms and adapt to different operational requirements, making the control system universally applicable to multiple functions and scenarios within the power management integrated circuit, thereby resolving the contradiction between flexibility and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control logic transitions from static traditional logic circuits to dynamic software-programmable microcontroller-based control, allowing the system to adapt its behavior through firmware updates and different operating modes, achieving higher flexibility while managing complexity through modular software design.
2Ease of repair
If traditional control logic is used in PLDs, then the device is easier to manufacture, but debugging and manufacturing changes are more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The microcontroller includes built-in debugging interfaces and self-test capabilities that allow manufacturers to pre-program diagnostic routines and enable remote debugging functions, making debugging easier without significantly complicating the manufacturing process through systematic design approaches.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional control logic is used in PLDs, then the device complexity is lower, but additional user-defined operations are not available
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into modular components including the microcontroller unit, peripheral interfaces, and control registers, allowing users to define and implement specific operations by configuring individual modules and their interactions, thereby enabling user-defined operations while managing overall system complexity through modularity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a microcontroller-based control system in a programmable logic integrated circuit device. The computer program product comprises first instructions for initializing the device, second instructions for reading programming data from a data source external to the programmable logic integrated circuit device, third instructions for transferring the programming data into control elements internal to the device. Provision is made for fourth instructions for saving a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the device into a non-volatile memory block and for fifth instructions for restoring a part of the internal logic state of the user logic programmed into the device from a non-volatile memory block. The device comprises a microcontroller block and a programmable logic block with programming circuitry, and has a sub-bus which couples the microcontroller block to the programming circuitry.