Patent ID: 7187200
Filing Date: 2007-03-06
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising circuitry having programmable functions and programmable interconnects, the IC further comprising: a plurality of homogeneous columns and wherein each of the homogeneous columns starts at one side of the IC and ends at an opposite side of the IC, and wherein a first column of the plurality of homogeneous columns comprises a first set of substantially identical circuit elements of a first circuit type substantially filling the first column; a heterogeneous column having configuration logic and a clock management circuit element; wherein a second column of the plurality of homogeneous columns comprises a second set of substantially identical circuit elements of a second circuit type substantially filling the second column, a third column of the plurality of homogeneous columns comprises a third set of substantially identical circuit elements of a third circuit type substantially filling the third column, the first, second, and third circuit types are different from one another, at least one of the first, second, and third circuit types is an Input/Output Block (IOB) type, and each circuit element of an IOB type provides a circuit interface to circuitry external to the integrated circuit, and a column of IOB type circuit elements is between two columns that are not columns having IOB type circuit elements.