Field programmable gate arrays (FPGA's) may be structured in accordance with
the disclosure to have a hierarchical general interconnect architecture in which:
(1) reliance on single-length general interconnect lines is avoided; (2) the next
greater length of general interconnect line is at least double-reach length (triple
span); and (3) yet greater lengths of general interconnect line (e.g., Deca-Reach
Length, or 11-span) can feed signals into logic blocks indirectly through switching
resources of the shorter length, general interconnect line rather than feeding
such signals directly into the logic blocks through their own respective switching
resources. Additionally, the yet greater lengths of general interconnect line (e.g.,
Deca-Reach Length) have a fewer number of signal tap points on them than the number
of logic blocks spanned by such longer ones of the general interconnect lines.
Navigation limiting rules may be established to reduce the number of drive buffers
needed for driving signals onto the longer ones of the general interconnect lines.
In one embodiment, there are no drive buffers for middle tap points of the longer
ones of the general interconnect lines.