US 12,461,672 B2
Method and system for enhancing programmability of a field programmable gate array
Jinghui Zhu, San Jose, CA (US); and Diwakar Chopperla, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to GOWIN SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION, Guangzhou (CN)
Filed by GOWIN Semiconductor Corporation, GuangZhou (CN)
Filed on May 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/203,059.
Application 18/203,059 is a continuation of application No. 16/938,771, filed on Jul. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,662,923, issued on May 30, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2023/0297259 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 3/06 (2006.01); G06F 9/4401 (2018.01)
CPC G06F 3/0632 (2013.01) [G06F 3/0604 (2013.01); G06F 3/0679 (2013.01); G06F 9/4403 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A semiconductor device able to process information, comprising:
a programmable logic device (“PLD”) containing configurable logic blocks (“LBs”) and a configuration memory for storing configuration data utilized to program LBs for performing logic functions;
a storage coupled to the PLD and configured to store a plurality sets of configuration data for providing at least one set of configuration data to the configuration memory, wherein one of the plurality of sets of configuration data is a backup default page (“BDP”) containing default configuration data (“DCD”), capable of resetting the PLD to manufacturing settings, provided by manufacture of PLD for rebooting the PLD when the PLD fails to reboot, wherein the DCD is hidden from general public view so that content of the DCD cannot be accidentally overwritten by a user;
a dual-mode port (“DMP”) of PLD coupled to the storage and configured to be switched from a logic operation mode for transmitting data to a configuration mode for transmitting the one set of configuration data from the storage to the configuration memory; and
a DMP switch situated inside of the PLD and configured to schedule when to switch the DMP between the logic operation mode and the configuration mode to ascertain operation of the DMP even after discovery of defective current configuration data.