Abstract
A distinguishing characteristic of field-programmable logic is the ability to route wires in the field, but previous authors have made compelling arguments for routing packets, not wires, between major system components. The present paper outlines the packet-switched network for interconnecting heterogeneous nodes in QuickSilver Technology’s Adaptive Computing Machine (ACM). Special attention is paid to two truly innovative aspects of the ACM architecture: (1) the Point-to-Point (PTP) protocol for transferring real-time, streaming data and (2) the node wrapper which makes all nodes appear homogeneous regardless of their internal structure or functionality. The wrapper also provides a single, uniform and consistent mechanism for task management, flow control and load balancing across all node types. With the PTP protocol and the node wrapper, nodes as diverse as digital signal processors, reduced-instruction-set processors, domain-specific processors, reconfigurable fabrics, on-chip and off-chip bulk memories and input/output ports can communicate seamlessly. Moreover, once a node (including wrapper) has been configured, or reconfigured, by a supervisory node, it is able to operate autonomously without the need for global control.
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Furtek, F., Hogenauer, E., Scheuermann, J. (2004). Interconnecting Heterogeneous Nodes in an Adaptive Computing Machine. In: Becker, J., Platzner, M., Vernalde, S. (eds) Field Programmable Logic and Application. FPL 2004. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3203. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30117-2_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30117-2_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-22989-6
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