Abstract: A platform supporting reconfigurable computing, enabling the introduction of reconfigurable hardware into portable devices is described. Dynamic hardware/software multitasking methods for a reconfigurable computing platform including reconfigurable hardware devices such as gate arrays, especially FPGA's, and software, such as dedicated hardware/software operating systems and middleware, adapted for supporting the methods, especially multitasking, are described. A computing platform, which is a heterogeneous multi-processor platform, containing one or more instruction set processors (ISP) and a reconfigurable matrix (for instance a gate array, especially an FPGA), adapted for (dynamic) hardware/software multitasking is described.

Abstract: Network on Chip (NoC) Devices, especially Heterogeneous Multiprocessor Network on Chip Devices are described, that optionally contain Reconfigurable Hardware Tiles, as well as Methods and Operating Systems (OS) for Control thereof. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention the Operating Systems handle either (a) run-time traffic management methods or (b) task migration methods, or a combination of these methods. The Operating Systems may be partly distributed but with a centralized master. The traffic management methods and apparatus of the invention use a statistical QoS approach. A system is described having an at least dual Network on Chip as well as methods of operating the same. The system has at least an on-chip communications network, comprising a first on-chip data traffic network (data NoC) and a second on-chip control traffic network (control NoC), having a control network interface component (control NIC) and a data network interface component (data NIC).

Abstract: A platform supporting reconfigurable computing, enabling the introduction of reconfigurable hardware into portable devices is described. Dynamic hardware/software multitasking methods for a reconfigurable computing platform including reconfigurable hardware devices such as gate arrays, especially FPGA's, and software, such as dedicated hardware/software operating systems and middleware, adapted for supporting the methods, especially multitasking, are described. A computing platform, which is a heterogeneous multi-processor platform, containing one or more instruction set processors (ISP) and a reconfigurable matrix (for instance a gate array, especially an FPGA), adapted for (dynamic) hardware/software multitasking is described.

Abstract: A method for improving run-time execution of an application on a platform based on application metadata is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises loading a first information in a standardized predetermined format describing characteristics of at least one of the applications. The method further comprises generating the run-time manager, based on the first information, the run-time manager comprising at least two run-time sub-managers, each handling the management of a different resource. The information needed to generate the two run-time sub-managers is at least partially shared.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the design of an essentially digital system. As one example of digital systems, these may perform real-time transformations on time discrete digitized samples of analogue quantities. An example of such a system is a digital communication system. The transformations on the data can be specified in a programming language and executed on a processor such as a programmable processor or directly on application specific hardware. In accordance with the present invention the digital system is described as a set of threads in a description language. Alternative names for a thread are tasks and processes. The set of threads defines a representation or model of the digital system. In accordance with the present invention, the representation or model is preferably executable at each stage of the design independent of the current level of abstraction of that representation or model. With description language is meant a programming language.

Abstract: Network on Chip (NoC) Devices, especially Heterogeneous Multiprocessor Network on Chip Devices are described, that optionally contain Reconfigurable Hardware Tiles, as well as Methods and Operating Systems (OS) for Control thereof. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention the Operating Systems handle either (a) run-time traffic management methods or (b) task migration methods, or a combination of these methods. The Operating Systems may be partly distributed but with a centralized master. The traffic management methods and apparatus of the invention use a statistical QoS approach. A system is described having an at least dual Network on Chip as well as methods of operating the same. The system has at least an on-chip communications network, comprising a first on-chip data traffic network (data NoC) and a second on-chip control traffic network (control NoC), having a control network interface component (control NIC) and a data network interface component (data NIC).

Abstract: A platform supporting reconfigurable computing, enabling the introduction of reconfigurable hardware into portable devices is described. Dynamic hardware/software multitasking methods for a reconfigurable computing platform including reconfigurable hardware devices such as gate arrays, especially FPGA's, and software, such as dedicated hardware/software operating systems and middleware, adapted for supporting the methods, especially multitasking, are described. A computing platform, which is a heterogeneous multi-processor platform, containing one or more instruction set processors (ISP) and a reconfigurable matrix (for instance a gate array, especially an FPGA), adapted for (dynamic) hardware/software multitasking is described.

Abstract: The present invention proposes effective solutions for the design of Virtual Memory Management for applications with dynamic data types in an embedded (HW or SW) processor context. A structured search space for VMM mechanisms with orthogonal decision trees is presented. Based on said representation a systematic power exploration methodology is proposed that takes into account characteristics of the applications to prune the search space and guide the choices of a VMM for data dominated applications. A parameterizable model, called Flexible Pools, is proposed. This model limits the exploration of the Virtual Memory organization considerably without limiting the optimization possibilities.

Abstract: A hardware and software co-design environment and design methodology based on a data-model that allows one to specify, simulate, and synthesize heterogeneous hardware and software architectures from a heterogeneous specification. The environment and methodology of the invention allow for the interactive synthesis of hardware and software interfaces. The environment defines primitive objects to represent a specification of an essentially digital system. The primitive objects are defined by describing the specification of the system in one or more processes, each process representing a functional aspect of the system. Further, each of the processes have ports which are connected to ports of other processes with a channel. The ports structure communication between the processes.