Method of self-synchronization of configurable elements of a programmable unit

• US 6,968,452 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scientia Sol Mentis AG (PACT XPP Schweiz AG)
• Original Assignee: Pact XPP Technologies, AG
• Inventors: Vorbach, Martin, Münch, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US10/373,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/100, 713/400, 713/401, 713/500, 713/600
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture

Abstract

A method of synchronizing and reconfiguring configurable elements in a programmable unit is provided. A unit has a two- or multi-dimensional, programmable cell architecture (e.g., DFP, DPGA, etc.), and any configurable element can have access to a configuration register and a status register of the other configurable elements via an interconnection architecture and can thus have an active influence on their function and operation. By making synchronization the responsibility of each element, more synchronization tasks can be performed at the same time because independent elements no longer interfere with each other in accessing a central synchronization instance.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing and reconfiguring configurable elements in units having a multi-dimensional programmable cell architecture, comprising:

generating by at least one of the configurable elements at least one synchronization signal within a data stream during processing by the configurable elements;

transmitting via a data bus the at least one synchronization signal to a first at least one other of the configurable elements for synchronization;

generating at least one configuration string from the data stream based on commands; and

transmitting via the data bus the at least one configuration string together with an address of a register to be addressed to at least one of (a) the first at least one other configurable element and (b) a second at least one other configurable element,

wherein the configurable elements are at least one of configurable and reconfigurable without influence of an external primary logic unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the synchronization, a configurable element carries out a single operation in response to a trigger.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the synchronization, a configurable element carries out a plurality of synchronization operations in response to a trigger.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the synchronization, execution of an operation by a configurable element is stopped in response to a trigger.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the synchronization, a configurable element is enabled for reconfiguration by a trigger.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a configurable element displays its instantaneous status in a status register.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the address of the resister is coded in commands.