Processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, for processing numeric and logic operations and including function and interconnection control units

• US 8,156,312 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scientia Sol Mentis AG (PACT XPP Schweiz AG)
• Original Assignee: Maren Krass, Thomas Richter
• Inventors: Vorbach, Martin, Münch, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): ELLIS, RICHARD L
• Application Number:
  US11/820,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 712 10- 22, 713/324, 713/323, 713/322, 713/321, 713/320, 713300-310, 713/330
• US Class Current: 712/15
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/088 giving rise to electric discharges for heating purposes H05B7/00; for the production of ozone C01B13/11, H01T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0849 Corona pulse discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/11 by electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/22 Constructional details of the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/24 Composition of the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/32 Constructional details of the dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3237 by disabling clock generation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• 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 9/3001 Arithmetic instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30101 Special purpose registers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30134 Register stacks; shift registers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3885 using a plurality of independent parallel functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3897 with adaptable data path
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 422/907 Corona or glow discharge means

Abstract

An expanded arithmetic and logic unit (EALU) with special extra functions is integrated into a configurable unit for performing data processing operations. The EALU is configured by a function register, which greatly reduces the volume of data required for configuration. The cell can be cascaded freely over a bus system, the EALU being decoupled from the bus system over input and output registers. The output registers are connected to the input of the EALU to permit serial operations. A bus control unit is responsible for the connection to the bus, which it connects according to the bus register. The unit is designed so that distribution of data to multiple receivers (broadcasting) is possible. A synchronization circuit controls the data exchange between multiple cells over the bus system. The EALU, the synchronization circuit, the bus control unit, and registers are designed so that a cell can be reconfigured on site independently of the cells surrounding it. A power-saving mode which shuts down the cell can be configured through the function register; clock rate dividers which reduce the working frequency can also be set.

Claims

1. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data; and

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells, each of the configurable data processing cells including;

at least three physical hardware registers

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on at least one operand, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits wide;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cells; and

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell;

wherein;

at least two of the at least three physical hardware registers are operand registers in which at least two operands are storable, and at least one other of the at least three physical hardware registers is a result register for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel;

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells; and

the arithmetic-logic unit is adapted for, in a single clock cycle;

obtaining the at least two operands from the at least two operand registers;

performing a function on the obtained at least two operands; and

storing a result of the function in the at least one result register.

2. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein the function performed by the arithmetic logic unit is defined independently of the processing data.

3. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein the interconnection unit is adapted to interconnect the data processing cell independently of the processing data.

4. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configurable cell units are adapted to operate as a digital signal processor.

5. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configurable cell units are adapted to operate as a systolic processor.

6. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of configurable cell units is part of a programmable logic array.

7. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of configurable data processing cells further includes a state machine adapted to control the configurable data processing cell.

8. The processor chip of claim 7, wherein the state machine has a configurable design.

9. The processor chip of claim 8, wherein the state machine is adapted for bit-wise configuration.

10. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein the interconnection unit includes registers.

11. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein each of the configurable cell data processing cells further includes a bus unit connecting the cell with at least one of the plurality of data buses, the bus unit adapted to enable transmitting data from the cell to the at least one of the plurality of data buses and to enable receiving of data from the at least one of the plurality of data buses by the configurable cell.

12. The processor chip of claim 11, wherein the bus unit is adapted to decouple the configurable cell from the bus.

13. The processor chip of claim 11, wherein the interconnection unit is adapted to decouple the configurable cell from the bus.

14. The processor chip of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage power supply;

wherein each of at least some of the configurable data processing cells further includes a control circuit, the control circuit adapted to allow the configurable data processing cell to isolate at least some internal units of the configurable data processing cell from the voltage power supply for power saving.

15. The processor chip of claim 14, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

16. The processor chip of claim 1, further comprising:

a system clock network;

wherein some of the configurable data processing cells have an associated clock control circuit adapted for supplying the configurable data processing cell with a clock source, the clock control circuit being adapted for having a clock frequency reconfigurably set at runtime.

17. The processor chip of claim 16, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

18. The processor chip of claim 1, further comprising:

a system clock network providing a global clock signal;

wherein some of the configurable data processing cells have an associated clock control circuit adapted to supply the configurable data processing cells with a plurality of clock signals, and to switch off some of the clock signals for power saving.

19. The processor chip of claim 18, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

20. The processor chip of claim 18, wherein the switching off is performed by setting of a clock line of the data processing cell to a constant value.

21. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

22. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein, for each of the data processing cells, the arithmetic-logic unit of the data processing cell is adapted for performance of the mathematical and logical functions using the obtained two operands.

23. The processor chip of claim 1, wherein each of the data processing cells further includes:

a multiplexer arranged for selecting between obtaining an operand from one of the at least two operand registers and obtaining, as an operand, the result stored in the at least one result register, the arithmetic-logic unit of the data processing cell arranged for obtaining from the multiplexer the operand obtained by the multiplexer for performance of at least one of the mathematical and logical functions.

37. The processor chip of any one of claims 1, 34, 35, and 36, wherein each of at least some of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection and includes a power circuit adapted to allow the configurable data processing cell to isolate at least some internal units of the configurable data processing cell from the voltage power supply for power saving.

38. The processor chip of claim 37, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

39. The processor chip of claim 37, wherein at least one of the data processing cells includes at least 3 operand registers.

40. The processor chip of claim 39, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

41. The processor chip of claim 37, wherein each of the data processing cells is reconfigurable at runtime without disturbing any other data processing cells and without disturbing any data streams communicated between any transmitters and receivers of any data processing cells not being reconfigured.

42. The processor chip of claim 41, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

43. The processor chip of claim 37, wherein each of the data processing cells is adapted for transmitting a result of the arithmetic logic unit to other data processing cells through a register.

44. The processor chip of claim 43, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

45. The processor chip of claim 37, wherein each of the data processing cells is adapted for being individually isolated from the power supply.

46. The processor chip of claim 45, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

47. The processor chip of any one of claims 1, 34, 35, and 36, further comprising:

a clock control circuit coupled to the configurable data processing cells and adapted to provide the configurable data processing cell clock supply signals, the clock control circuit being adapted for having a clock frequency reconfigurably set at runtime;

wherein each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at runtime in its function and interconnection.

48. The processor chip of claim 47, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

49. The processor chip of claim 47, wherein at least one of the data processing cells includes at least 3 operand registers.

50. The processor chip of claim 47, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

51. The processor chip of claim 47, wherein each of the data processing cells is reconfigurable at runtime without disturbing any other data processing cells and without disturbing any data streams communicated between any transmitters and receivers of any data processing cells not being reconfigured.

52. The processor chip of claim 51, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

53. The processor chip of claim 47, wherein each of the data processing cells is adapted for transmitting a result of the arithmetic logic unit to other data processing cells through a register.

54. The processor chip of claim 53, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

55. The processor chip of any one of claims 1, 34, 35, and 36, further comprising:

a clock control circuit coupled to the configurable data processing cells and adapted to supply the configurable data processing cells with at least one clock signal, and to switch off the at least one clock signal for power saving, the clock control circuit being adapted for the switching off to be reconfigurably set at runtime;

wherein each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at runtime in its function and interconnection.

56. The processor chip of claim 55, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

57. The processor chip of claim 55, wherein at least one of the data processing cells includes at least 3 operand registers.

58. The processor chip of claim 57, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

59. The processor chip of claim 55, wherein each of the data processing cells is reconfigurable at runtime without disturbing any other data processing cells and without disturbing any data streams communicated between any transmitters and receivers of any data processing cells not being reconfigured.

60. The processor chip of claim 59, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

61. The processor chip of claim 55, wherein each of the data processing cells is adapted for transmitting a result of the arithmetic logic unit to other data processing cells through a register.

62. The processor chip of claim 61, wherein the processor chip is a Field Programmable Gate Array.

24. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data; and

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells;

wherein;

each of the configurable data processing cells includes;

at least two operand registers dedicated for storing operands, at least two operands being storable in the at least two operand registers;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on at least one operand, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits wide;

at least one result register dedicated for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cells;

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell; and

an arrangement for outputting a ready signal indicating readiness of the data processing cell to output a result to a second data processing cell, the ready signal being maintained until receipt of an acknowledgement signal from the second cell;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel;

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells; and

the arithmetic-logic unit is adapted for, in a single clock cycle;

obtaining the at least two operands from the at least two operand registers;

performing a function on the obtained at least two operands; and

storing a result of the function in the at least one result register.

25. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data; and

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells;

wherein;

each of the configurable data processing cells includes;

at least two operand registers dedicated for storing operands, at least two operands being storable in the at least two operand registers;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on at least one operand, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits bits wide;

at least one result register dedicated for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cells;

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell;

a unit that generates a clock enable signal responsive to at least one of a data ready signal and a data acknowledgement signal; and

an AND gate that links a system clock and the enable signal, a signal of the system clock being applied to components of the data processing cell by the AND gate responsive to application of the enable signal to the AND gate;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel;

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells; and

the arithmetic-logic unit is adapted for, in a single clock cycle;

obtaining the at least two operands from the at least two operand registers;

performing a function on the obtained at least two operands; and

storing a result of the function in the at least one result register.

26. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data; and

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells, each of the configurable data processing cells being configurable at run time in its function and interconnection and including;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on the data;

at least two operand registers dedicated for storing operands, at least two operands being storable in the at least two operand registers;

at least one result register dedicated for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit of the data processing cell; and

a multiplexer arranged for selecting between (a) obtaining and providing to the arithmetic-logic unit for performance of at least one of the mathematical and logical functions an operand from one of the at least two operand registers and (b) obtaining and providing to the arithmetic-logic unit, as an operand for performance of at least one of the mathematical and logical functions, the result stored in the at least one result register;

wherein;

the arithmetic-logic unit is adapted for, in a single clock cycle;

obtaining the at least two operands from the at least one operand register and the multiplexer;

performing a function on the obtained at least two operands; and

storing a result of the function in the at least one result register; and

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells.

27. The processor chip of claim 26, wherein each of the data processing cells further includes:

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cell units.

28. The processor chip of claim 26, wherein each of the data processing cells further includes an interface that supports reconfiguration of the cell without affecting other cells in at least one of their configuration and operation.

29. The processor chip of claim 26, wherein at least one of the data processing cells includes at least 3 operand registers.

30. The processor chip of claim 26, wherein each of the data processing cells is reconfigurable at runtime without disturbing any other data processing cells and without disturbing any data streams communicated between any transmitters and receivers of any data processing cells not being reconfigured.

31. The processor chip of claim 26, wherein each of the data processing cells is adapted for transmitting a result of the arithmetic logic unit to other data processing cells through a register.

32. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data;

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells, each of the configurable data processing cells being configurable at run time in its function and interconnection and including;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on the data;

at least two operand registers dedicated for storing operands, at least two operands being storable in the at least two operand registers;

at least one result register dedicated for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit of the data processing cell;

a multiplexer arranged for obtaining an operand from one of the at least two operand registers and for obtaining, as an operand, the result stored in the at least one result register, the arithmetic-logic unit of the data processing cell arranged for obtaining an operand for performance of at least one of the mathematical and logical functions from the multiplexer; and

an interface that supports reconfiguration of the cell at runtime, in its function and interconnection, on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting other cells in at least one of their configuration and operation;

a reconfiguration control unit; and

at least one stateback unit adapted to transmit a processing status of at least some of the configurable data processing cells to the reconfiguration control unit;

wherein the arithmetic-logic unit is adapted for, in a single clock cycle;

obtaining the at least two operands from the at least one operand register and the multiplexer;

performing a function on the obtained at least two operands; and

storing a result of the function in the at least one result register.

33. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a reconfiguration control unit;

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data;

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells; and

at least one stateback unit adapted to transmit a processing status of at least some of the configurable data processing cells to the reconfiguration control unit;

wherein;

each of the configurable data processing cells includes;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on the data, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits wide;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable data processing cells; and

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel; and

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells.

34. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data; and

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells, each of the configurable data processing cells including;

at least three physical hardware registers

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on at least one operand, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits wide;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cells; and

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell;

wherein;

at least two of the at least three physical hardware registers are operand registers in which at least two operands are storable, and at least one other of the at least three physical hardware registers is a result register in which a result of the arithmetic-logic unit is storable;

all of the at least two operand registers and the at least one result register are simultaneously accessible;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel; and

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells.

35. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data; and

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells, each of the configurable data processing cells including;

at least two operand registers dedicated for storing operands, at least two operands being storable in the at least two operand registers;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on at least one operand, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits wide;

at least one result register physically separate from the at least two operand registers and dedicated for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit, the at least two operand registers being arranged such that they are inoperable as the result register of the cell for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit of the cell;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cells; and

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell;

wherein;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel; and

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells.

36. A processor chip for reconfigurable data processing, comprising:

a plurality of data buses adapted to transmit data;

a multiplexer;

a plurality of configurable cell units interconnected by the plurality of data buses and adapted to process the data transmitted by the plurality of data buses, at least some of the configurable cell units being configurable data processing cells, each of the configurable data processing cells including;

at least two operand registers dedicated for storing operands, at least two operands being storable in the at least two operand registers;

an arithmetic-logic unit configured to perform mathematical and logical functions on the at least one operand, the arithmetic-logic unit being at least capable of processing a multiplication, and at least one result of the arithmetic-logic unit being at least 5-bits wide;

a result register dedicated for storing a result of the arithmetic-logic unit of the configurable data processing cell, the multiplexer arranged for choosing between (a) obtaining and providing to the arithmetic-logic unit of the configurable data processing cell an operand from one of the at least two operand registers of the configurable data processing cell or otherwise (b) obtaining and providing as an operand to the arithmetic-logic unit of the configurable data processing cell the result stored in the result register of the configurable data processing cell;

an interconnection unit adapted to interconnect the configurable data processing cell with other configurable cells; and

an interface that receives a configuration data word that defines at least one of the function and the interconnection of the cell;

wherein;

the configuration data word includes a plurality of bits being transmittable simultaneously in parallel; and

each of the configurable data processing cells is configurable at run time in its function and interconnection on an individual basis independent of, without disturbing, and without affecting in their configuration and operation, others of the data processing cells.