Patent ID: 7363545

Claim:
A method for programming a programmable logic device using a system including a computer and programming apparatus connected by a standard download cable, wherein the method comprises: forming a first transmission file including a series of programming instructions and configuration data; transmitting the first transmission file from the computer to the programming apparatus over the standard download cable, whereby the programming apparatus is controlled by the first transmission file to transmit the configuration data into the programmable logic device in response to the programming instructions; inputting a command and accompanying configuration data from the programming apparatus into the PLD in response to interpretation of each programming instruction by the programming apparatus; after inputting each command and before commencing the inputting of another command, verifying by the programming apparatus that the command has been input to the PLD; wherein the inputting and verifying the input of each command are performed without communicating from the programming apparatus back to the computer; forming a second transmission file including data shifted out of the programmable logic device in response to the programming instructions; and transmitting the second transmission file from the programming apparatus to the computer over the standard download cable when the transmission of first transmission file is completed.