An SRAM-programmable field-configurable memory

This paper describes the design and implementation of an SRAM-Programmable Field-Configurable Memory (FCM), which has the flexibility to form over two hundred different memory configurations, each with up to four individual memories. The prototype Field-Configurable Memory has four 1 Kb memory blocks, each of which can be configured into four different aspect ratios. It requires just 40 configuration bits and is only 38% larger and 46% slower than the ASIC memory upon which it is based. User memories implemented on this chip require from 16 to 23 times less area than if they were implemented on a Xilinx 4000 series memory architecture. Although this is a standalone FCM implementation, the design can be embedded as part of an FPGA.