Caronte: A methodology for the implementation of partially dynamically self-reconfiguring systems on FPGA platforms

Abstract

This paper aims at introducing a complete methodology that allows to easily implement on an fpga a system specification by exploiting the capabilities of partial dynamic reconfiguration provided by the modern boards. In the resulting system, which includes a set of fixed components (such as a processor and a controller) as well as some reconfigurable area (which can be allotted to different tasks running concurrently and replaced independently of one another - thus possibly hiding reconfiguration times), reconfiguration is handled internally by the system, without the use of external hardware. In order to meet the software requirements of complex systems, the solution is provided with a porting of a real-time gnu/Linux os, μCLinux, which allows software processes to exploit a rich set of features, and with a Linux module that simplifies and enhances the handling of reconfiguration. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.