Core-based design methodology for reconfigurable computing applications

In reconfigurable computing applications: cores are mapped on and off a rep rogrammable device to support computation. The paper examines the design an d management of two types of cores: routed and reconfigurable cores. Routed cores are fully implemented components which can be entirely added to or r emoved from a programmable device during application execution, whilst sect ions of reconfigurable cores can be modified during execution. It is argued that routed cores represent point solutions of traditional soft, firm or h ard cores, and thus cores made using existing design flows can be used in r econfigurable computing applications. The use of custom tools to automatica lly translate soft, firm or hard cores into routed cores is discussed whils t the design and run-time management of reconfigurable cores is illustrated with an application example.