Sectorized FPGA Architecture for Parallel Configuration Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) face challenges with increased component counts leading to higher area costs, reduced bandwidth, and increased complexity, which delays schedules and reduces customer features due to monolithic support functions for configuration, test, clocking, and power.
Innovation Solution
The FPGA is organized into sectors, each with local resources for configuration, test, clocking, and power, interconnected by global wiring, allowing independent or parallel operation, and featuring local and global control circuitry for efficient configuration and error correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If component counts in FPGA are increased to enhance functionality, then device capabilities are improved, but area cost increases and bandwidth decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The FPGA device is divided into multiple independent sectors, each capable of autonomous configuration and operation. This segmentation allows the device to achieve higher functionality through parallel operations across sectors while maintaining efficient resource utilization, thereby improving device capabilities without proportionally increasing area cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Each sector in the FPGA is designed with universal resources that can perform multiple functions including configuration, test, clocking, and power management. This multi-functionality allows a single sector to replace what would traditionally require multiple dedicated components, enhancing device capabilities while reducing overall area cost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If component counts in FPGA are increased to enhance functionality, then device capabilities are improved, but bandwidth decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the FPGA into multiple sectors that can operate independently and in parallel, the system achieves higher overall bandwidth through concurrent operations. Each sector processes data locally without requiring all components to contend for shared resources, thereby maintaining high speed while enhancing device capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional organization by arranging sectors in a two-dimensional array with both local and global interconnects. This spatial dimensionality allows data to flow through multiple parallel paths simultaneously, increasing bandwidth while supporting enhanced device capabilities.
3Ease of manufacture
If monolithic support functions are used for configuration, test, clocking, and power, then implementation is simpler, but complexity and rigidity increase causing schedule delays
Solution Approach 1:
Support functions are segmented and distributed to individual sectors rather than being centralized. Each sector contains its own configuration, test, clocking, and power management resources, which reduces inter-sector dependencies and rigidity. This allows independent modification and optimization of individual sectors without affecting the entire device, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining implementation feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sectorized architecture introduces dynamic flexibility by allowing each sector to be independently configured, enabled, or disabled based on operational requirements. This dynamic capability reduces rigidity in the system, allowing for easier adaptation and faster development schedules while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized sector designs.
4Ease of manufacture
If monolithic support functions are used at full-chip level, then resource sharing is maximized, but design simplification and bandwidth improvement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments support functions into local sector resources while maintaining global resource sharing capabilities. Each sector has dedicated local resources for common operations, eliminating the need for all components to share a single monolithic resource pool. This segmentation simplifies design by creating modular, self-contained units while still enabling resource sharing across sectors through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Each sector is designed with locally optimized resources tailored to its specific functional requirements, rather than using a uniform monolithic approach. This local quality allows each sector to be designed with appropriate complexity for its needs, simplifying overall design while maintaining efficient resource sharing through standardized inter-sector communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods relating to a programmable circuit. The programmable circuit includes multiple sectors. Each sector includes configurable functional blocks, configurable routing wires, configuration bits for storing configurations for the functional blocks and routing wires, and local control circuitry for interfacing with the configuration bits to configure the sector. The programmable circuit may include global control circuitry for interfacing with the local control circuitry to configure the sector. Each sector may be independently operable and/or operable in parallel with other sectors. Operating the programmable circuit may include using the local control circuitry to interface with the configurations bit and configure the sector. Additionally, operating the programmable circuit may include using the global control circuitry to interface with respective local control circuitry and configure the sector.