PROGRAMMABLE DELAY LINE CIRCUIT WITH GLITCH AVOIDANCE

1 . A programmable delay line circuit comprising:

a first multiplexer having a first input coupled with an input line;

a second multiplexer having a first input, and a second input coupled with an output of the first multiplexer, and an output coupled with a second input of the first multiplexer;

a third multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the second multiplexer, a second input coupled with the input line, and an output coupled with an output line;

a first control gate coupled with the third multiplexer to control the third multiplexer; and

a second control gate coupled with the second multiplexer to control the second multiplexer;

wherein the first and second control gates selectively control the third and second multiplexer, responsive to a delay value encoded in Gray Code, to provide programmable delay to a signal provided to the input line, and the first multiplexer is controlled by a constant value.

2 . The programmable delay line circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first control gate and the second control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 0, and only the second control gate is responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 1.

3 . The programmable delay line circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a fourth multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the first multiplexer, a second input coupled with the output of the second multiplexer, and an output coupled with the second input of the second multiplexer;

a fifth multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the second multiplexer, a second input coupled with the output of the first multiplexer, and an output coupled with the second input of the first multiplexer and the first input of the third multiplexer;

the first control gate further coupled with the fourth multiplexer to control the fourth multiplexer; and

a third control gate coupled with the fifth multiplexer to control the fifth multiplexer;

wherein the first control gate controls the third and the fourth multiplexer, the second control gate controls the second multiplexer, and the third control gate controls the fifth multiplexer, responsive to a delay value, to provide programmable delay to the signal provided to the input line.

4 . The programmable delay line circuit of claim 3 wherein only the first and third control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 0, only the third and second control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 1, and only the second control gate is responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 2.

5 . A programmable delay line circuit comprising:

a first delay element having a first input coupled with an input line;

a second delay element having a first input, and a second input coupled with an output of the first delay element, and an output coupled with a second input of the first delay element;

an output multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the second delay element, a second input coupled with the input line, and an output coupled with an output line;

a first control gate coupled with the output multiplexer to control the output multiplexer; and

a second control gate coupled with the second delay element to control the second delay element;

wherein the first and second control gates selectively control the second delay element and the output multiplexer, responsive to a delay value encoded in Gray Code, to provide programmable delay to a signal provided to the input line, and the first delay element is controlled by a constant value.

6 . The programmable delay line circuit of claim 5 further comprising

a first additional delay element having a first input coupled with the output of the first delay element, a second input coupled with the output of the second delay element, and an output coupled with the second input of the second delay element;

a second additional delay element having a first input coupled with the output of the second delay element, a second input coupled with the output of the first delay element, and an output coupled with the second input of the first delay element and the first input of the output multiplexer;

the first control gate further coupled with the first additional delay element to control the first additional delay element; and

a third control gate coupled with the second additional delay element to control the second additional delay element;

wherein the first control gate controls the output multiplexer and the first additional delay element, the second control gate controls the second delay element, and the third control gate controls the second additional delay element, responsive to the delay value, to provide programmable delay to the signal provided to the input line.

7 . The programmable delay line circuit of claim 6 , wherein only the first and third control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 0, only the third and second control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 1, and only the second control gate is responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 2.

8 . A reconfigurable circuit comprising:

a plurality of reconfigurable function blocks;

a plurality of reconfigurable crossbar devices coupled with the plurality of reconfigurable function blocks;

a programmable delay circuit included with at least a selected one of the reconfigurable function blocks or reconfigurable crossbar devices, the programmable delay circuit comprising:

a first multiplexer having a first input coupled with an input line;

a second multiplexer having a first input, and a second input coupled with an output of the first multiplexer, and an output coupled with a second input of the first multiplexer;

a third multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the second multiplexer, a second input coupled with the input line, and an output coupled with an output line;

a first control gate coupled with the third multiplexer to control the third multiplexer; and

a second control gate coupled with the second multiplexer to control the second multiplexer;

wherein the first and second control gates selectively control the third and second multiplexer, responsive to a delay value encoded in Gray Code, to provide programmable delay to a signal provided to the input line, and the first multiplexer is controlled by a constant value.

9 . The reconfigurable circuit of claim 8 , wherein the first control gate and the second control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 0, and only the second control gate is responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 1.

10 . The reconfigurable circuit of claim 8 , where in the programmable delay line circuit further comprising:

a fourth multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the first multiplexer, a second input coupled with the output of the second multiplexer, and an output coupled with the second input of the second multiplexer;

a fifth multiplexer having a first input coupled with the output of the second multiplexer, a second input coupled with the output of the first multiplexer, and an output coupled with the second input of the first multiplexer and the first input of the third multiplexer;

the first control gate further coupled with the fourth multiplexer to control the fourth multiplexer; and

a third control gate coupled with the fifth multiplexer to control the fifth multiplexer;

wherein the first control gate controls the third and the fourth multiplexer, the second control gate controls the second multiplexer, and the third control gate controls the fifth multiplexer, responsive to a delay value, to provide programmable delay to the signal provided to the input line.

11 . The reconfigurable circuit of claim 10 , wherein only the first and third control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 0, only the third and second control gates are responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 1, and only the second control gate is responsive when the delay value represents decimal number 2.

12 . The reconfigurable circuit of claim 8 , further comprising a Gray Code counter coupled with the programmable delay line circuit, configured to generate the delay value encoded in Gray Code.