Scheduling logic on a programmable device implemented using a high-level language

• US 7,409,670 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Wayne, Todd, Pritchard, J. Orion
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore; Stacy A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSSOSHEK, YELENA
• Application Number:
  US10/993,572
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 716 3- 6, 716/11, 716/16, 716/18, 716/21, 713/322, 713/323, 712/34, 712/43, 710/22, 710/104, 707/200, 703/13, 703/14, 703/16, 703/17, 703/19, 703/22
• US Class Current: 716/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/327 Logic synthesis; Behaviour synthesis, e.g. mapping logic, HDL to netlist, high-level language to RTL or netlist

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing a programmable device including a processor core, a hardware accelerator, and secondary components such as memory. A portion of a program written in a high-level language is automatically selected for hardware acceleration. Dedicated ports are generated to allow the hardware accelerator to handle pointer referencing and dereferencing. A hardware accelerator is generated to perform pipelined processing of instructions. The number of stages implemented for pipelined processing is at least partially dependent on the latency associated with accessing secondary components.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a programmable device, the method comprising:

receiving high-level language code, the high-level language code configured to run on a conventional central processing unit;

generating hardware acceleration logic for performing the high-level language code on a programmable device, wherein the hardware acceleration logic is configured to perform pipelined execution of instructions using a plurality of execution stages, the hardware acceleration logic having access to an allocated region of memory, the hardware acceleration logic further having associated read and write ports for handling pointer referencing and dereferencing to addresses outside of the allocate region of memory;

coupling the hardware acceleration logic to memory to allow the hardware acceleration logic to access memory, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration logic is associated with the expected latency of memory access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration logic is associated with the maximum latency of memory access.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration logic is equal to the maximum latency in clock cycles associated with memory access.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic includes generating HDL.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic includes generating a hardware acceleration component for implementation on the programmable device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein memory is coupled to the hardware acceleration component through a buffer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the size of the memory is associated with the expected latency of memory access and the number of stages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic comprises identifying pointer read and write access in the high-level language code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic includes generating a hardware acceleration component for implementation on the programmable device.

10. The method of claim 9, providing the hardware acceleration logic with a write port for a pointer write access identified in the high-level language code.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the write port includes a write address line having an address corresponding to the address of the pointer.

12. The method of claim 1, providing the hardware acceleration logic with a read port for a pointer read access identified in the high-level language code.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the read port includes a read address line having an address corresponding to the address of the pointer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the hardware acceleration component is coupled to a simultaneous multiple primary component fabric.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is a general purpose processor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the central processing unit supports a general purpose instruction set.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the high-level language program is prepared in ANSI C.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the profiling data is provided by a profiling and feedback tool to allow selection of high-level language code.

19. A programmable device, comprising:

a hardware acceleration component on a programmable device operable to implement high-level language code configured to run on a conventional central processing unit;

wherein the hardware acceleration component is configured to perform pipelined execution of instructions using a plurality of execution stages, the hardware acceleration logic having access to an allocated region of memory, the hardware acceleration logic further having associated read and write ports for handling pointer referencing and dereferencing to addresses outside of the allocate region of memory;

memory coupled to the hardware acceleration component, wherein the number of execution stages is associated with the expected latency of memory access.

20. The programmable device of claim 19, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration component is associated with the maximum latency of memory access.

21. The programmable device of claim 19, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration component is equal to the maximum latency in clock cycles associated with memory access.

22. The programmable device of claim 19, wherein the hardware acceleration component is generated using HDL.

23. The programmable device of claim 22, wherein memory is coupled to the hardware acceleration component through a buffer.

24. The programmable device of claim 23, wherein the size of the memory is associated with the expected latency of memory access and the number of stages.

25. The programmable device of claim 19, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic comprises identifying pointer read and write access in the high-level language code.

26. A system for implementing a programmable device, the system comprising:

means for receiving high-level language code, the high-level language code configured to run on a conventional central processing unit;

means for generating hardware acceleration logic for performing the high-level language code on a programmable device, wherein the hardware acceleration logic is configured to perform pipelined execution of instructions using a plurality of execution stages, the hardware acceleration logic having access to an allocated region of memory, the hardware acceleration logic further having associated read and write ports for handling pointer referencing and dereferencing to addresses outside of the allocate region of memory;

means for coupling the hardware acceleration logic to a secondary component to allow the hardware acceleration logic to access the secondary component, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration logic is associated with the expected latency of secondary component access.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration logic is associated with the maximum latency of the secondary component access.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the number of stages included in the hardware acceleration logic is equal to the maximum latency in clock cycles associated with secondary component access.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic includes generating HDL.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein generating hardware acceleration logic includes generating a hardware acceleration component for implementation on the programmable device.