Reuse Technique in Hardware Design - Sweet

4. Customization of RHFSM functionality is achieved
through reloading its RAM blocks with the aid of
methods [12].
5. Reusability of modules can be provided applying the
same technique which is widely employed in software
engineering.
6. The considered models can be retargeted to any
desired level of specification, such as general-purpose
languages, system-level specification languages and
hardware description languages. Thus, any design flow
discussed in section 2 can be supported.
7. Software models enable the designers to use generalpurpose
computers to generate customization bitstreams
and to verify the projects.
The following list summarizes advantages of the
proposed reuse technique for hardware design:
• It permits to realize highly optimized and carefully
tested design templates for vast varieties of similar
problems.
• The designed circuits can be made adaptable to
different external conditions. Indeed, dependently on
external events the circuit can be properly modified,
selecting an adequate module.
• The designed circuits can be made virtual in such a
way that we can implement functionality in FPGA that
does not possess sufficient hardware resources. This can
be achieved through proper sequential reconfiguration,
which is allowed for the considered models.
5. Conclusion
The paper describes a reuse technique that can be
applied to the design of FPGA-based, application-specific
digital systems. Reusability is achieved at the following
two levels. First, the considered circuits (hardware
templates) can be constructed in such a way that allows
the same hardware to be employed for different types of
closely related functionalities. Thus, reusability at the
level of hardware circuits is provided. Second, the
proposed specification and implementation methods
(namely HGSs and HFSMs) enable the description
fragments (or modules) to be employed in such a way that
the developed algorithm is composed of novel and
previously designed modules. Thus, reusability at the
level of specifications is provided. Finally, the integrated
reuse technique is proposed.
6. References
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Plus Variable Structure Computer”, in Proc. Western Joint
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[2] EE Times (2006, May 30), “Semiconductor FPGA/PLD
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ART_8800419580_499485_0e42dd84200605.HTM.
[3] EE Times (2006, May 24), “FPGA Market Will Reach $2.75
Billion by Decade's End” [Online]. Available:
http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/news13441.html.
[4] Virtex-5 LX Platform Overview (May, 2006) [Online].
Available:
http://direct.xilinx.com/bvdocs/publications/ds100.pdf.
[5] Altera Product Catalog. October 2006. Available at:
http://www.altera.co.jp/literature/sg/product-catalog.pdf.
[6] Available at: http://www.intel.com/technology/
mooreslaw/index.htm.
[7] Available at: http://www.xilinx.com/.
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challenges, tasks”.
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Las Vegas, USA, CSREA Press, June, 2003, pp. 56-62.
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machines and their implementation in FPGAs”, Journal of
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