Patent · US Expired

Dynamically-configurable digital processor using method for relocating logic array modules

US6173434A · kind A · utility

91Cited by
7References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 1997
Grant dateJan 9, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F30/34
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for relocating modules within a programmable logic array is disclosed and used to produce a dynamically-reconfigurable digital processor. The method consists of creating relocatable intermediate circuit modules that can be stored in a configuration library. These modules contain the computation engine and its control logic for executing a portion of an application. When a new module needs to be loaded, an unused portion of the programmable logic array of sufficient size is located, the module from the configuration library is relocated, and the final circuit module is placed in the programmable logic array, configuring it for executing the portion of the application.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.