Reconfigurable FPGA for REAL

2013

Partial Reconfiguration is the ability to dynamically modify blocks of logic by downloading partial bit files while the remaining logic continues to operate without interruption. The concept is analogue to a processor context switch. System Flexibility: When a specific part of a design needs to be reconfigured it is sometimes necessary to preserve the existing communication link instead of resetting the full device. Size and Cost Reduction: Some function are time-mutual exclusive to each other. This means some functions never need to exists on the same time. Instead of implementing all functions in parallel and selecting the needed function using a multiplexer, PR can dynamically change the needed function. Power Reduction: In embedded systems where power efficiency is an issue. Some functions can be reconfigured with a blank bitstream to save power consumption. Also multiple versions of the same function can be made. A high-end implementation consuming a lot of power and a minimal ...

2010 IEEE International Symposium on Parallel & Distributed Processing, Workshops and Phd Forum (IPDPSW), 2010

To accelerate the execution of an application, repetitive logic and arithmetic computation tasks may be mapped to reconfigurable hardware, since dedicated hardware can deliver much higher speeds than those of a general-purpose processor. However, this is only feasible if the run-time reconfiguration of new tasks is fast enough, so as not to delay application execution. Currently, this is opposed by architectural constraints intrinsic to current Field-Programmable Logic Array (FPGA) architectures. Despite all new features exhibited by current FPGAs, architecturally they are still largely based on general-purpose architectures that are inadequate for the demands of reconfigurable computing. Large configuration file sizes and poor hardware and software support for partial and dynamic reconfiguration limits the acceleration that reconfigurable computing may bring to applications. The objective of this work is the identification of the architectural limitations exhibited by current FPGAs...

2007 International Conference on Field Programmable Logic and Applications, 2007

Modern FPGAs' parallel computing capability and their ability to be reconfigured make them an ideal platform to build accelerators for supercomputing systems. As a multicore processor, the recently announced Cell Broadband EngineTM1 offers tremendous computing power. In this paper, we introduce a prototype system that combines these two types of computing devices together in a reconfigurable blade and we describe its architecture, memory system and abundant interfaces.

2016

During recent years much research focused on making Partial Reconfiguration (PR) more widespread. The FASTER project aimed at realizing an integrated toolchain that assists the designer in the steps of the design flow that are necessary to port a given application onto an FPGA device. The novelty of the framework lies in the use of partial dynamic reconfiguration seen as a first class citizen throughout the entire design flow in order to exploit FPGA device potential. The STMicroelectronics SPEAr development platform combines an ARM pro-cessor alongside with a Virtex-5 FPGA daughter-board. While partial reconfigura-tion in the attached board was considered as feasible from the beginning, there was no full implementation of a hardware architecture using PR. This work describes our efforts to exploit PR on the SPEAr prototyping embedded platform. The pa-per discusses the implemented architecture, as well as the integration of Run-Time System Manager for scheduling (run-time reconfiogu...

IEEE Micro, 2014

This paper proposes a review on Partial reconfiguration using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). By downloading configuration bit files Partial Dynamic Reconfiguration (PDR) dynamically modifies the hardware portion of the device. Both FPGA and reconfigurable are used to speed up the performance of various applications. This makes the FPGA to be used in new dimension with an advantage of more flexibility. Literature surveys on various reconfigurable computing techniques were performed with the results and discussions. A more suitable method can be selected based on the applications. A main contribution of this review paper is that it summarizes the current research, key enabling techniques, applications, Research issues and challenges in Partial reconfiguration. All these application are described with its basic block and its implementation.

IEEE Micro, 2007

International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2012

Indian Journal of …, 2010

Few FPGAs support creation of partially reconfigurable systems when compared to traditional systems based on total reconfiguration. This allows dynamic change of the functionalities hosted on the device when needed and while the rest of the system continues its working. Runtime partial reconfiguration of FPGA is an attractive feature which offers countless benefits across multiple industries. Xilinx has supported partial reconfiguration for many generations of devices. This can be taken advantage of substituting inactive parts of hardware systems and to adapt the complete chip a different requirement of an application. This paper describes an innovative implementation for real time audio and video processing using run time internal partial reconfiguration. System is implemented on Virtex-4 FPGA. Internal reconfiguration is handled using internal configuration access port (ICAP) driven by soft processor core. The considerable savings in device resources, bit stream size and configuration time is observed and tabulated in this paper.