Apparatus, method, system and executable module for configuration and operation of adaptive integrated circuitry having fixed, application specific computational elements

• US 20060031660A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: QST Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Master, Paul L., Watson, John, Smith, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,320,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 712/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/80 comprising an array of processing units with common control, e.g. single instruction multiple data processors G06F15/82 takes precedence ; for correlation function computation G06F17/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/57 Arithmetic logic units [ALU], i.e. arrangements or devices for performing two or more of the operations covered by groups G06F7/483 – G06F7/556 or for performing logical operations G06F7/49, G06F7/491 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The present invention concerns configuration of a new category of integrated circuitry for adaptive computing. The various embodiments provide an executable information module for an adaptive computing engine (ACE) integrated circuit and may include configuration information, operand data, and may also include routing and power control information. The ACE IC comprises a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network. The plurality of heterogeneous computational elements include corresponding computational elements having fixed and differing architectures, such as fixed architectures for different functions such as memory, addition, multiplication, complex multiplication, subtraction, configuration, reconfiguration, control, input, output, and field programmability. In response to configuration information, the interconnection network is operative to configure the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a plurality of different functional modes.

Claims

1. A system for configuring and operating an adaptive circuit, the system comprising:

a first routable and executable information module, the first module having first configuration information and having a first routing sequence for routing;

a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements, the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements designated by the first routing sequence of the first executable information module, a first computational element of the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements comprising a first fixed architecture and a second computational element of the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements comprising a second fixed architecture, the first fixed architecture being different than the second fixed architecture; and

an interconnection network coupled to the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements, the interconnection network adapted to selectively provide the module to the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements, the interconnection network further adapted to configure the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a first functional mode of a plurality of functional modes in response to the first configuration information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second routable and executable information module, the second module having second configuration information and having the first routing sequence for routing; and

wherein the interconnection network is adapted to reconfigure the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a second functional mode of the plurality of functional modes in response to the second configuration information, the first functional mode being different than the second functional mode.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements and to the interconnection network, the memory adapted to store the first configuration information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first configuration information is stored as a configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first routable and executable information module is stored in a machine-readable medium.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first routable and executable information module comprises at least one discrete information data packet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first routable and executable information module comprises a stream of information data bits.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements and to the interconnection network, the controller adapted to combine the first routing sequence for routing and the first routable and executable information module to form the first routable and executable information module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to coordinating the configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for the first functional mode with operand data.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller comprises a second plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to the interconnection network, the second plurality of heterogeneous computational elements configured for a controller operating mode.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first configuration information is a reference to a previously stored configuration sequence.

12. A routable and executable information module for operating an adaptive system, the routable and executable information module stored in a machine-readable medium, the adaptive system including a plurality of computational elements having a corresponding plurality of fixed and differing architectures, the adaptive system further including an interconnect network responsive to configure the plurality of computational elements for a plurality of operating modes, the module comprising:

a plurality of information sequences;

wherein a first information sequence of the plurality of information sequences is a first configuration sequence to direct a first configuration of the plurality of computational elements; and

wherein a second information sequence of the plurality of information sequences is routing information for selective routing of the first information sequence to the plurality of computational elements.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein a third information sequence of the plurality of information sequences is first operand data for the plurality of computational elements.

14. The module of claim 12, wherein the first information sequence is a configuration specification.

15. The module of claim 12, wherein the first information sequence is a reference to a stored configuration specification.

16. The module of claim 12, wherein the first information sequence and the second information sequence have a discrete packet form or a continuous stream form.

17. The module of claim 12, further comprising:

a fourth information sequence of the plurality of information sequences, the fourth information sequence adapted to provide power control for a selected computational element.

18. The module of claim 12, further comprising:

a fifth information sequence of the plurality of information sequences, the fifth information sequence adapted to provide instantiation duration control for a configuration of computational elements.

19. A method for adaptive configuration and operation, the method comprising:

using a first routing sequence of a first routable and executable information module, selectively routing the first routable and executable information module to a first plurality of heterogeneous computational elements comprising a first architecture;

in response to first configuration information of the first routable and executable information module, configuring the first plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a first functional mode of a plurality of functional modes;

using a second routing sequence of a second routable and executable information module, selectively routing the second routable and executable information module to a second plurality of heterogeneous computational elements comprising a second architecture, wherein the second architecture is different than the first architecture; and

in response to second configuration information of the second routable and executable information module, configuring the second plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a second functional mode of the plurality of functional modes.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

operating the first plurality of heterogeneous computational elements in the first functional mode while configuring the second plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for the second functional mode.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing the first configuration information module in a machine-readable medium.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

coordinating the configurations of the first and second pluralities of heterogeneous computational elements with operand data.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first configuration information is a reference to a previously stored configuration sequence.

24. An adaptive integrated circuit, comprising:

a memory adapted to store routable configuration information and operand data;

a plurality of fixed and differing computational elements; and

an interconnection network coupled to the plurality of fixed and differing computational elements, the interconnection network adapted to selectively route the configuration information and operand data to the plurality of fixed and differing computational elements, the interconnection network further adapted to configure the plurality of fixed and differing computational elements for at least one functional mode of a plurality of functional modes in response to the configuration information.

25. The adaptive integrated circuit of claim 24, wherein the configuration information provides an operating mode for use of the operand data.

26. The adaptive integrated circuit of claim 24, wherein the plurality of functional modes comprises at least two of the following functional modes:

linear algorithmic operations, non-linear algorithmic operations, finite state machine operations, controller operations, memory operations, or bit-level manipulations.

27. The adaptive integrated circuit of claim 24, wherein the configuration information is a reference to a previously stored configuration sequence.

28. The adaptive integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the configuration sequence is stored as a configuration of the plurality of fixed and differing computational elements.

29. The adaptive integrated circuit of claim 24, wherein the routing sequence is in a data packet with the configuration information for the selective routing of the configuration information.

30. An adaptive integrated circuit, comprising:

a plurality of executable information modules, each executable information module of the plurality of executable information modules comprising corresponding operand data and corresponding routing sequences;

a plurality of matrices, each matrix of the plurality of matrices having a different configurable architecture and adapted to be configured in response to configuration information; and

an interconnection network coupled to the plurality of matrices, the interconnection network adapted to use the corresponding routing sequences to selectively route the plurality of executable information modules among the plurality of matrices, the interconnection network further adapted to configure a first matrix of the plurality of matrices in response to first configuration information for a first operating mode and to provide corresponding operand data to the first matrix for the first operating mode, and further adapted to configure a second matrix of the plurality of matrices in response to second configuration information for a second operating mode and to provide corresponding operand data to second matrix for the second operating mode.

31. The adaptive integrated circuit of claim 30, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the plurality of matrices, the controller capable of providing the plurality of executable information modules to the interconnection network.

32. An adaptive integrated circuit, comprising:

a processor adapted to form a first routable and executable information module, the first module comprising a first routing sequence and first operand data; and

to form a second routable and executable information module, the second module comprising a second routing sequence and second operand data;

a first plurality of fixed and differing computational elements comprising a first circuit architecture;

a second plurality of fixed and differing computational elements, the second plurality of fixed and differing computational elements comprising a second circuit architecture different than the first circuit architecture; and

an interconnection network coupled to the processor and to the first and second pluralities of fixed and differing computational elements, the interconnection network adapted to use the first routing sequence to selectively provide the first module to the first plurality of fixed and differing computational elements, the interconnection network further adapted to configure the first plurality of fixed and differing computational elements in response to first configuration information, the interconnection network further adapted to use the second routing sequence to selectively provide the second module to the second plurality of fixed and differing computational elements, the interconnection network further adapted to configure the second plurality of fixed and differing computational elements in response to second configuration information.