Flat Shell Accelerator Card Unified Circuit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional accelerator cards face resource constraints due to dynamic function exchange technology, which locks IC resources and reduces the availability of resources for user kernels, limiting the complexity and number of compute units that can be implemented.
Innovation Solution
A flat shell is used without dynamic function exchange, allowing the platform circuitry and user kernel to be combined in a single partition, making more IC resources available for implementation by eliminating dedicated regions and isolation circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dynamic function exchange technology is used to separate platform circuitry and user kernel into different partitions, then platform circuitry can be isolated and protected, but IC resources are locked and the number of compute units that can be implemented is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the platform circuitry and user kernel into a single unified partition, eliminating the need for isolation circuitry and dedicated regions. This combining approach allows all IC resources to be shared and allocated dynamically between platform functions and user compute units, maximizing resource utilization and enabling a greater number of compute units to be implemented.
2Reliability
If dedicated regions are allocated for platform circuitry, then platform functionality is ensured, but the number of compute units that can be implemented is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal partition where the same IC resources serve both platform circuitry and user kernel functions. The unified circuit design allows resources to be dynamically allocated and shared between platform operations and multiple user compute units, eliminating the waste of dedicated regions and enabling maximum utilization of available resources for implementing compute units.
3Reliability
If isolation circuitry is used to separate platform and user regions, then circuit protection is provided, but resource efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the isolation circuitry that traditionally separates platform and user regions. By eliminating these isolation components, the design achieves a unified circuit implementation where platform and user functions coexist without physical barriers, thereby removing the resource overhead associated with isolation circuitry and improving overall resource efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Using a flat shell for an accelerator card includes reading a flat shell from one or more computer readable storage media using computer hardware, wherein the flat shell is a synthesized, unplaced, and unrouted top-level circuit design specifying platform circuitry. A kernel specifying user circuitry is synthesized using the computer hardware. The kernel is obtained from the one or more computer readable storage media. The synthesized kernel is linked, using the computer hardware, to the flat shell forming a unified circuit design. The unified circuit design is placed and routed, using the computer hardware, to generate a placed and routed circuit design specifying the platform circuitry and the user circuitry for implementation in an integrated circuit.