System and method for local generation of programming data in a programmable device

1. A method of programming a programmable logic device, the programmable logic device comprising a plurality of serially connected programmable logic regions, the method comprising:

receiving initial programming data for programming the plurality of serially connected programmable logic regions;

receiving transformation data related to the presence and location of at least one faulty serially connected programmable logic region;

generating bypass programming data which, in use, renders a serially connected programmable logic region logically invisible;

generating effective programming data by incorporating, using information found in the transformation data, the bypass programming data into the initial programming data;

programming the programmable logic device using the effective programming data such that the at least one faulty serially connected programmable logic region is programmed with the bypass programming data,

wherein generating the effective programming data comprises:

determining, using the transformation data, a specific point where the bypass programming data should be incorporated into the initial programming data, the specific point being related to the physical location of the faulty serially connected programmable logic region; and

inserting the bypass programming data into the initial programming data at the specific point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting the bypass programming data into the initial programming data further comprises:

halting the reception of the initial programming data until the bypass data has been inserted into the initial programming data; and

resuming the reception of the initial programming data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting the bypass programming data into the initial programming data further comprises:

storing incoming initial programming data into memory until the bypass data has been inserted into the initial programming data; and

reading the initial programming data which was stored in the memory.

4. An apparatus for programming a programmable logic device, the programmable logic device comprising a plurality of serially connected programmable logic regions, the apparatus comprising:

an initial programming data receiver which receives initial programming data for programming the plurality of serially connected programmable logic regions;

a transformation data receiver which receives transformation data related to the presence and location of at least one faulty serially connected programmable logic region;

a bypass programming data generator which generates bypass programming data which, in use, renders a serially connected programmable logic region logically invisible;

an effective programming data generator which generates effective programming data by incorporating, using information found in the transformation data, the bypass programming data into the initial programming data;

a programmer which programs the programmable logic device using the effective programming data such that the at least one faulty serially connected programmable logic region is programmed with the bypass programming data,

wherein the effective programming data generator comprises:

a determiner which determines, using the transformation data, a specific point where the bypass programming data should be incorporated into the initial programming data, the specific point being related to the physical location of the faulty serially connected programmable logic region; and

an inserter which inserts the bypass programming data into the initial programming data at the specific point.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the inserter comprises:

a halter which halts the reception of the initial programming data until the bypass data has been inserted into the initial programming data; and

a resumer which resumes resume the reception of the initial programming data.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the inserter comprises:

a storer which stores the incoming initial programming data into memory until the bypass data has been inserted into the initial programming data; and

a reader which reads the initial programming data which was stored in the memory.