Eric Ernest Millham

An SRAM-based FPGA architecture

An SRAM-based FPGA architecture has been developed using a licensed AT6000 architecture base. The logic-cell architecture exploits an efficient, medium-grained, fixed library cell that implements most frequently used synthesis functions. An internal routing structure enables dense designs using a highly connected grid-based routing system and a dedicated I/O routing structure that supports the highest I/O counts available. Dynamic reconfiguration is retained with an underlying SRAM structure like the AT6000.

Growable FPGA Macro Generator

Because FPGA designs have routing delays that can be larger than logic-cell delays, it is important to generate optimum designs for different macros. This paper describes an FPGA macro generator for growable macro designs using the IBM FPGA architecture. The IBM Macro Generator (MacGen) automatically creates the optimum designs in terms of higher performance and fewer logic-cell counts. Its output includes physical design layout, CAE front-end models and, for schematic users, macro symbols. An automatic place-and-route tool will implement the macro as generated when it is encountered in a netlist. Currently, 17 different macro types can be generated using MacGen.