Patent US 6,480,025

A programmable logic device has logic array blocks (“LABs”) and interconnection resources. For interconnecting signals to, from, and between the LABs, the global interconnection resources may include switch boxes, long lines, double lines, single lines, and half- and partially populated multiplexer regions. The LAB includes two levels of function blocks. In a preferred embodiment, there is one four-input second-level function block for every four-input first-level function blocks. At least one tri-state buffer is provided in each LAB. Each tri-state buffer may receive a data signal either from one or more function blocks in the associated LAB or from one or more interconnection conductors adjacent to the LAB. The tri-state buffer may buffer one of the received data signals and apply the resulting buffered signal to one or more of the interconnection conductors adjacent to the LAB.