Patent protects cell arrays

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Dec 16, 2004

eASIC Corp has been granted an eleventh patent for its breakthrough technology.

eASIC Corp has been granted an additional patent for its breakthrough technology.

The patent entitled "Customisable and programmable cell array", issued on 16th November 2004 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, is a continuation of a previous patent (6,756,811) granted to eASIC in the area of chip customisation.

This patent protects the company's unique configurable logic technology, which uses electrical programmable cells connected with lithography-defined custom interconnections.

The patent also protects the use of a coarse-grain array fabric, where each cell comprises of flip-flops with some fine grain functions such as inverters or multiplexers used as logic gates.

eASIC's patent portfolio protects the company's configurable logic and structured ASIC products from competing technologies attempting to use similar techniques to address today's deep submicron design issues.

However, eASIC is the only company that has successfully integrated in one fabric FPGA-like logic programmability (SRAM-LUT) combined with segmented standard metal routing, customised by a single via-layer.

This unique technology allows eASIC to offer fast-turn structured ASIC products without NRE (nonrecurring engineering) cost, by using efficiently existing maskless customisation technique of direct-write e-beam.

"eASIC has been investing in developing a strong patent portfolio, seeking to grow its business through innovative technology and strategic alliances, focusing on critical market needs", said Zvi Or-Bach, eASIC founder and CEO.

"Our Structured eASIC offers affordable design and fabrication costs, enabling our customers to easily implement their innovative applications in silicon".

"eASIC's strategy is to secure a broad patent portfolio while joining forces with industry leaders to codevelop and market a complete solution, based on our breakthrough technology".

"This business approach is aimed at making the Structure eASIC available to customers through multiple sources, reducing risk and allowing diversified offerings by leveraging the partners' core advantages".