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FPGAs: What Are They ??

FPGAs: What Are They ?? . Large and fast integrated circuits: Programmable : acronym from Field Programmable Gate Array Large : 10 5 + logic gates Fast : 0.5+ GHz clock technology Can be modified or configured almost at any point by the user. Configurable VS Programmable .

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FPGAs: What Are They ??

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  1. Summer Semester 2007

  2. FPGAs: What Are They ?? • Large and fast integrated circuits: • Programmable: acronym from Field Programmable Gate Array • Large: 105+ logic gates • Fast: 0.5+ GHz clock technology • Can be modified or configured almost at any point by the user

  3. Configurable VS Programmable • Programmable computing paradigm: • General purpose processor • Instruction set (limited set of operations): instructions fetched, decoded and executed • Low cost per application • Short delivery time • Configurable computing paradigm: • Still a processor (logic structures) • Still a limited set of operations(logic functions) But at a much lower level!! • Configurations string directly used to configure the hardware • Longer design and delivery time • Not general purpose -> higher cost

  4. Configurable VS Programmable (2) • Program-> design (algorithm) within the programmable computing paradigm • Configuration(configuration string) -> design/description of a configurable processor within the configurable computing paradigm • Configuration strings: • Static – does not change during execution Objectives: improving performance, optimizing resource utilization • Dynamic – canchange during execution Objectives: adaptation to changing (dynamic) specifications, eliminate human design

  5. Static Configurable Systems:The SPYDER Architecture • Reconfigurable processor development system • anagram from REconfigurable Processor Development SYstem • Static reconfiguration • Performance improving • Reconfigurable coprocessor that self adapts to a given application in a transparent manner • Application written in a high-level language (rather than an assembly program) • Compiler generates best-adapted hardware description

  6. Static Configurable Systems:The SPYDER Architecture (2) • Fixed control unit, equivalent to a microprogrammed control unit • a sequencer • a very large memory • Microprogram does notinterpret a given assembly • It is the programto be executed • 8 MHz clock speed due to technology and economics

  7. Static Configurable Systems:The SPYDER Architecture (3) • Meant as a SPARC coprocessor • VME bus interface • Sequencer: Xilinx 4003 • Program Units: Xilinx 4008

  8. Static Configurable Systems:The SPYDER Architecture (4) • Performance: • 608x608 matrix of cells • xlife on MicroSPARC2 (85 MHz): future state for 6.5 millions cells/second • SPYDER (8 MHz):future state for 115 millions cells/second • Skeletonization • MicroSPARC2 (85 MHz): 34.7 seconds • SPYDER (8 MHz):1.17 seconds • Edge detection • SPARC Station 5 (85 MHz): 1400 ms • SPYDER (6.25 MHz):25 ms

  9. Static Configurable Systems:The RENCO Architecture • Reconfigurable processor development system • Acronym from REconfigurable Network COmputer • Static reconfiguration • Performance improving • Standard network coupled with reconfigurable surface • User can download from the network the hardware configuration for the application to be executed

  10. Static Configurable Systems:The RENCO Architecture (2) • Motorola MC68EN360 processor • Reconfigurable area – cluster of Altera FPGAs • Boot EPROM, Flash RAM, DRAM

  11. Static Configurable Systems:The RENCO Architecture (3) • Two pieces of software required • Network computer:RTEMS1 (Real-Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems), a preemptive multitasking operating system • Reconfigurable FPGA cluster:synthesizer, monitor for resources access and configuration loading, debugger, user interface, etc. • Validation through design prototyping

  12. Dynamic Configurable Systems:The FireFly Machine • Reconfigurable platform • Dynamic reconfiguration • Adaptation to changing/incomplete specifications • Evolvable hardware architecture • Genetic algorithms describing a population of fireflies, implemented in hardware • Based on the cellular automata model (also seen in Game of Life) made of 56 cells • System must evolve toward a global synchronization solution

  13. Dynamic Configurable Systems:The FireFly Machine (2)

  14. Dynamic Configurable Systems:The FireFly Machine (3) • Initialization phase: • the (eight) rule bits loaded with random values • carried out once per evolutionary run • Execution phase: • rule bits remain unchanged • several random configurations run by the system to calculate a fitness value • Evolutionary phase: • cell's genome (represented by its rule table) mayevolvevia the application of genetic operators • done in a completely local manner: only the genomes of the neighboring cells may be consulted

  15. Dynamic Configurable Systems:The FireFly Machine (4) • Performance gains: • Cellular programming algorithm generates 60 initial configurations/second when run on a high performance workstation • FireFly 1 MHz: 13000 configurations/second • FireFly 6 MHz: 6x13000 configurations/second • Synchronization task: not a real world application, used as a benchmark problem for the evolware demonstrator

  16. Dynamic Configurable Systems:The BioWatch • Reconfigurable platform • Dynamic reconfiguration • Handle changing/incomplete specifications • Application: a digital watch capable of hierarchical self-repair • Part of the Embryonics project: • One dimensional artificial organism • 4 cells, each containing full genetic program • Each cell a binary decision machine

  17. Dynamic Configurable Systems:The BioWatch (2) • Performance – not speed related: • Self-repair: partial reconstruction of a faulty organism • Faulty cells may be replaced by spare cells • Based on coordinate mechanism • Self-replication: total reconstruction of an organism • Depending on availability of spare cells only

  18. Conclusions • Two kinds of reconfiguration– static and dynamic • Static reconfiguration mainly aimed towardsimproving performance • Dynamic reconfiguration aimed at achieving new degrees ofself-repairandself-replication • Adaptive systems, evolutionary systems, …

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