Runtime loading of configuration data in a configurable IC
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a tile arrangement comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising a plurality of configurable circuits to configurably perform a set of operations based on a configuration data set; and
a configuration network to load configuration data sets into the tile arrangement to configure the configurable circuits, the configuration network comprising a plurality of storage elements to allow different configuration data sets to simultaneously traverse the tile arrangement for configuring sets of configurable circuits to perform first and second sets of operations,said simultaneous traversal of different configuration data sets through the configuration network allowing the configuration network to load configuration data for a first set of configurable circuits of a first tile for performing the first set of operations while the IC operates and while a second set of configurable circuits of a second tile perform the second set of operations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. In some embodiments, the configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. In some of these embodiments, the configuration network is a pipelined network. Also, the IC of some embodiments includes a configuration controller for retrieving configuration data from outside of the IC, formulating configuration data sets, and routing the configuration data sets to the second set of configurable circuits over the configuration network.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a tile arrangement comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising a plurality of configurable circuits to configurably perform a set of operations based on a configuration data set; and a configuration network to load configuration data sets into the tile arrangement to configure the configurable circuits, the configuration network comprising a plurality of storage elements to allow different configuration data sets to simultaneously traverse the tile arrangement for configuring sets of configurable circuits to perform first and second sets of operations, said simultaneous traversal of different configuration data sets through the configuration network allowing the configuration network to load configuration data for a first set of configurable circuits of a first tile for performing the first set of operations while the IC operates and while a second set of configurable circuits of a second tile perform the second set of operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating an integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of configurable circuits and a configuration network, the method comprising:
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configuring a set of configurable circuits to perform a first set of operations according to a first configuration data set; and while the set of configurable circuits is performing the first set of operations, loading second and third configuration data sets into the configuration network for configuring the set of configurable circuits to perform second and third sets of operations such that the second and third configuration data sets simultaneously traverse the configuration network in a pipelined fashion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic device comprising:
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a memory for storing configuration data sets; and an integrated circuit (IC) comprising; a tile arrangement comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising a plurality of configurable circuits to configurably perform a set of operations based on a configuration data set; and a configuration network to load configuration data sets from the memory into the tile arrangement to configure the configurable circuits, the configuration network comprising a plurality of storage elements to allow different configuration data sets to simultaneously traverse the tile arrangement for configuring sets of configurable circuits to perform first and second sets of operations, said simultaneous traversal of different configuration data sets through the configuration network allowing the configuration network to load configuration data for a first set of configurable circuits of a first tile for performing the first set of operations while the IC operates and while a second set of configurable circuits of a second tile performs the second set of operations. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification