Reconfigurable computing system and method and apparatus employing same

• US 6,539,438 B1
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: QuickFlex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: QuickFlex, Inc.
• Inventors: Ledzius, Robert C., Flemmons, James L., Maturo, Lawrence R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Application Number:
  US09/232,292
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 710/36, 710/8, 710/16, 710/19, 709/301, 709/302, 713/2
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture

Abstract

A reconfigurable computing system and method of use are provided for interfacing a plurality of application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files. The system includes reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry operable for interfacing and implementing one or more hardware objects with one or more of the application programs. The system further includes memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry for system information storage, and communications interfaces for connecting the reconfigurable computing circuitry and the memory to the host computer. The flexibly configurable circuitry further comprises one or more FPGAs and one or more programmable logic devices (“PLDs”), SRAM and EEPROM memory, and all the necessary connectors and support circuitry. The reconfigurable computing system and method of the present invention can be implemented on either a PCMCIA platform, a PCI platform, or any other bus structure without changing the basic functionality and claimed functionality of the reconfigurable computing system. Additionally, the reconfigurable computing system and method of this invention are well suited to be implemented in a portable computing environment.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable computing system for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry operable for interfacing to and implementing the one or more hardware objects with at least one of the one or more application programs;

memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry for system information storage;

interfaces for communicatively connecting the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry to the host system; and

a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring the reconfigurable computing system;

wherein each of the one or more hardware objects has an information block associated with each of the one or more configuration files in which said each of the one or more hardware objects is defined.

2. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 1, wherein said information blocks are stored in a separate header file included with the configuration file and accessible to the reconfigurable computing software driver.

3. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 1, wherein said information block consists of the following hardware object parameters:

hardware object number;

hardware object name;

hardware object version;

hardware object address offset;

hardware object interface address area size;

interrupt number;

hardware object type; and

earliest compatible version number.

9. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

translating memory address offsets for each of the one or more hardware objects for at least one of the one or more application programs using the reconfigurable computing software driver; and

passing a handle to the at least one of the one or more application programs for interfacing with the one or more hardware objects to provide for relocatable hardware object addressing.

10. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing interrupts for the one or more hardware objects through a single host system hardware interrupt line with the reconfigurable computing software driver using an interrupt flag and enable registers.

11. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

assigning an application program interrupt event service routine to at least one of the one or more hardware objects the at least one of the one or more application programs is interfaced with; and

executing said interrupt event service routine using the reconfigurable software driver in the event an interrupt condition is detected at said at least one of the one or more hardware objects interfacing with said at least one or more application programs.

4. A reconfigurable computing method for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

initializing a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

communicatively connecting the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry;

storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry; and

interfacing the one or more hardware objects with at least one of the one or more application programs using the reconfigurable computing software driver;

further comprising the step of storing an information block for each of the one or more hardware objects in a header associated with each of the one or more configuration files in which the hardware object is defined for access by the reconfigurable computing software driver.

5. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 4, wherein said information blocks are stored in a separate header file included with the configuration file and accessible to the reconfigurable computing software driver.

6. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 4, further comprising the step of accessing the information stored in said information blocks for each of the one or more hardware objects with the reconfigurable computing software driver for interfacing the one or more hardware objects to at least one of the one or more application programs.

7. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 6, further comprising the step of the reconfigurable computing software driver identifying said each of the one or more hardware objects requested by the one or more application programs by name and version for interfacing said each of the one or more hardware objects with the one or more application programs.

8. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 7, further comprising accessing a hardware object header information table with the reconfigurable computing software driver to more quickly identify said each of the one or more hardware objects by name and version.

12. A reconfigurable computing method for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

initializing a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

communicatively connecting the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry;

storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry; and

interfacing the one or more hardware objects with at least one of the one or more application programs using the reconfigurable computing software driver;

wherein the reconfigurable computing circuitry further comprises at least one Field Programmable Gate Array (“

FPGA”

) providing reconfigurable logic for the one or more configuration files to define the one or more hardware objects;

and wherein said one or more configuration files further comprise a plurality of versions of each of the one or more configuration files, and wherein each configuration file in said plurality of versions provides the same or similar functionality and is targeted for configuring a different type of the at least one FPGA.

13. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 12, further comprising the step of determining the appropriate configuration file from said plurality of versions of each of the one or more configuration files for use with a given hardware object and circuitry configuration.

14. A reconfigurable computing method for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

initializing a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

communicatively connecting the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry;

storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry; and

interfacing the one or more hardware objects with at least one of the one or more application programs using the reconfigurable computing software driver;

further comprising the steps of storing a plurality of hardware object resource information in the reconfigurable computing circuitry and determining, using the reconfigurable computing software driver, if any of the one or more hardware objects meet the requirements requested by the one or more application programs.

15. The reconfigurable computing method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining using the reconfigurable computing software driver whether an available version of at least one of the one or more hardware objects is compatible with the hardware object version requested by one of the one or more application programs.

16. A reconfigurable computing system for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

instructions for interfacing the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

instructions for implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry; and

instructions for storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry;

further comprising instructions for storing an information block for each of the one or more hardware objects in a header associated with each of the one or more configuration files in which the hardware object is defined for access by the reconfigurable computing software driver.

17. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 16, wherein said information blocks are stored in a separate header file included with the configuration file and accessible to the reconfigurable computing software driver.

18. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 16, wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for accessing the information stored in said information block for each of the one or more hardware objects for interfacing the one or more hardware objects to at least one of the one or more application programs.

19. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 18, wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for identifying said each of the one or more hardware objects requested by the one or more application programs by name and version for interfacing said each of the one or more hardware objects with the one or more application programs.

20. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 19, wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for accessing a hardware object header information table to more quickly identify said each of the one or more hardware objects by name and version.

21. A reconfigurable computing system for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

instructions for interfacing the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

instructions for implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry; and

instructions for storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry;

wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises;

instructions for translating memory address offsets for each of the one or more hardware objects for at least one of the one or more application programs; and

instructions for passing a handle to the at least one of the one or more application programs for interfacing with the one or more hardware objects to provide for relocatable hardware object addressing.

22. A reconfigurable computing system for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

instructions for interfacing the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

instructions for implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry; and

instructions for storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry;

wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for establishing interrupts for the one or more hardware objects through a single host system hardware interrupt line using an interrupt flag and enable registers.

23. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 22, wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises:

instructions for assigning an application program interrupt event service routine to at least one of the one or more hardware objects that the at least one of the one or more application programs is interfaced with; and

instructions for executing said interrupt event service routine in the event an interrupt condition is detected at said at least one of the one or more hardware objects interfacing with said at least one or more application programs.

24. A reconfigurable computing system for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

instructions for interfacing the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

instructions for implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry; and

instructions for storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry;

wherein the reconfigurable computing circuitry further comprises at least one Field Programmable Gate Array (“

FPGA”

) providing reconfigurable logic for the one or more configuration files to define the one or more hardware objects;

and wherein said one or more configuration files further comprise a plurality of versions of each of the one or more configuration files, wherein each configuration file in said plurality of versions provides the same or similar functionality and is targeted for configuring a different type of the at least one FPGA.

25. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 24, wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for determining the appropriate configuration file from said plurality of versions of each of the one or more configuration files for use with a given hardware object and circuitry configuration.

26. A reconfigurable computing system for interfacing one or more application programs running on a host system to one or more hardware objects defined in one or more configuration files, comprising:

a reconfigurable computing software driver for managing, configuring and reconfiguring reconfigurable computing circuitry comprising flexibly configurable circuitry using the one or more configuration files;

instructions for interfacing the reconfigurable computing circuitry and memory circuitry associated with the reconfigurable computing circuitry to the host system using one or more interfaces;

instructions for implementing the one or more hardware objects in the reconfigurable computing circuitry; and

instructions for storing a plurality of system information in the memory circuitry;

further comprising instructions for storing a plurality of hardware object resource information in the reconfigurable computing circuitry, and wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for determining if any of the one or more hardware objects meet the requirements requested by the one or more application programs.

27. The reconfigurable computing system of claim 26, wherein the reconfigurable computing software driver further comprises instructions for determining whether an available version of at least one of the one or more hardware objects is compatible with the hardware object version requested by one of the one or more application programs.

28. A method of creating an interface between an application program and a programmable hardware device in a host system, comprising:

(a) executing the application program, the application program requesting a hardware object by function name by communicating data to a piece of software, the function name being independent of a particular physical hardware embodiment, the software being capable of accessing a database that includes configuration files;

(b) selecting one of the configuration files in the database based upon the data sent from the application program; and

(c) reconfiguring the programmable hardware device by using the selected configuration file to enable use of the hardware object requested by the application program;

wherein the requested hardware object is included in more than one of the configuration files, and wherein the software selects the configuration file according to what type of hardware is available on the host system.

29. A method of managing the allocation of reconfigurable computing resources in a host system, comprising:

(a) receiving a request from an application program for a hardware object by function name, the function name being independent of a particular physical hardware embodiment;

(b) searching a data storage unit that contains configuration files in response to the request, the configuration files each comprising data for programming a reconfigurable hardware device to perform a hardware function;

(c) selecting one of the configuration files according to the request from the application program; and

(d) reconfiguring the reconfigurable hardware device by using the selected configuration file;

wherein the configuration files comprise header information related to functional characteristics of the configuration files, and further comprising using at least a portion of the header information to match the requested function name with the selected configuration file.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the header information comprises at least two of the following hardware object parameters:

(a) hardware object number;

(b) hardware object name;

(c) hardware object author;

(d) hardware object version;

(e) earliest compatible version number;

(f) hardware object address offset;

(g) hardware object interface address area size;

(h) hardware object type; and

(i) interrupt number.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the header information comprises at least one hardware object parameter and at least one configuration file parameter.