Run-time reconfiguration method for programmable units

• US 6,021,490 A
• Filed: 10/08/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scientia Sol Mentis AG (PACT XPP Schweiz AG)
• Original Assignee: Pact GmbH
• Inventors: Vorbach, Martin, Munch, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/946,998
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 713/100, 708/230-236, 326/37-40, 710/131
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/24 Loading of the microprogram

Abstract

A method of run-time reconfiguration of a programmable unit is provided, the programmable unit including a plurality of reconfigurable function cells in a multidimensional arrangement. An event is detected. The source of the detected event is determined, and an address of an entry in a jump table is calculated as a function of the source of the event, the entry storing a memory address of a configuration for a reconfigurable function cell. The entry is retrieved and a state of a corresponding reconfigurable cell is determined. If the reconfigurable cell is in a reconfiguration state, the reconfigurable cell is reconfigured as a function of the configuration data. If the reconfigurable cell is not in a reconfiguration state, the configuration data is stored in a FIFO.

Claims

1. A method of run-time reconfiguration of a programmable unit, the programmable unit including a plurality of reconfigurable function cells in a multidimensional arrangement, comprising the steps of:

detecting an event;

determining a source of the event;

determining an address of an entry in a jump table as a function of the source of the event, the entry storing a memory address of a first configuration data, the first configuration data being associated with a selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

retrieving the first configuration data from a configuration memory as a function of the memory address;

determining a state of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

if the state of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is a reconfiguration state, reconfiguring the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells as a function of the first configuration data;

if the state of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is not the reconfiguration state, storing the first configuration data and a respective identification of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells in a FIFO memory; and

processing configuration data stored in the FIFO memory in first-in first-out order.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing step includes the steps of:

reading a first entry in the FIFO memory, the first entry including a first respective configuration data and a first respective identification of one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

determining a state of the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

if the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is in a reconfiguration state, reconfiguring the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells as a function of the first respective configuration data; and

if the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells in not in a reconfiguration state, processing a next entry in the FIFO memory.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in the configuration memory at least one configuration data, the at least one configuration data corresponding to a complete configuration of at least one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in a configuration start register a pointer to a start configuration for configurating the programmable unit to a valid configuration.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in the configuration memory at least one configuration data, the at least one configuration data corresponding to a partial configuration of at least one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in a start configuration register a pointer to a start configuration;

configuring at least one of the plurality of reconfigurable units as a function of the start configuration.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in a FIFO start register a pointer to a start address of the FIFO memory.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in a FIFO end register a pointer to an end address of the FIFO memory.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in a FIFO free entry register a pointer to a first free entry in the FIFO memory.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in a program counter register a pointer to a next entry in the configuration memory to be processed.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing in an address register an address of one of the plurality of programmable function cells that triggered the event.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reconfiguring step includes the steps of:

storing in a data register the first configuration data; and

transmitting the first configuration data to the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells.

13. A system for reconfiguring a programmable unit, the programmable unit including a plurality of reconfigurable function cells in a multidimensional arrangement, comprising:

a primary logic unit in communication with at least one of the plurality of reconfiguration function cells, the primary logic unit detecting an event and detecting a state of the at least one of the plurality of reconfiguration function cells;

a first memory storing a first configuration data, the first configuration data being associated with a selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

a jump table coupled to the primary logic unit having a plurality of entries, at least one of the plurality of entries storing a memory address of the first configuration data, wherein when the primary logic unit detects the event, the primary logic unit retrieves the memory address and retrieves the stored first configuration data as a function of the memory address; and

a FIFO memory coupled to the primary logic unit for storing the first configuration data if the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is not in a reconfiguration state.

14. A method of run-time reconfiguration of a programmable unit, the programmable unit including a plurality of reconfigurable function cells in a multidimensional arrangement, comprising the steps of:

a) detecting an event;

b) determining a source of the event;

c) determining an address of an entry in a jump table as a function of the source of the event, the entry storing a memory address of a configuration data, the configuration data being associated with a selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

d) retrieving the configuration data from a configuration memory as a function of the memory address;

e) determining a state of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

f) if the state of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is a reconfiguration state, reconfiguring the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells as a function of the configuration data;

g) if the state of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is not the reconfiguration state, storing the configuration data and a respective identification of the selected one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells in a FIFO memory;

h) retrieving a next configuration data from the configuration memory;

i) repeating steps e-h until an end of the configuration data is reached;

j) if the end of the configuration data, performing one of i) processing a next event, and ii) processing the configuration data stored in the FIFO memory in first-in first-out order.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the processing step of step j includes the steps of:

reading an entry in the FIFO memory, the entry including a respective configuration data and a respective identification of one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

determining a state of the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells;

if the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells is in a reconfiguration state, i) reconfiguring the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells as a function of the respective configuration data, and ii) removing the entry from the FIFO memory;

if the one of the plurality of reconfigurable function cells in not in a reconfiguration state, processing a next entry in the FIFO memory;

if an end of the FIFO memory is reached, processing the FIFO memory from a beginning of the FIFO memory.