Generation of hardware modules for run-time reconfigurable hybrid CPU/FPGA systems
M.L. Silva, João Canas Ferreira · IET Computers & Digital Techniques · 2007
A tool called BitLinker, that creates partially reconfigurable modules from the bitstreams of individual components is described. It is also capable of performing restricted component placement and interconnect routing between the assembled components. The resulting modules are used in applications that exploit partial dynamic reconfiguration. The tool is integrated in a design flow particularly aimed at dynamically reconfigurable platform field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The associated development design flow and a run-time support system that can be used to manage module activation and data communication are described. Evaluation results obtained with a Virtex-II Pro system are also reported.