A Structural Object Programming Model, Architecture, Chip and Tools for Reconfigurable Computing

A new platform for reconfigurable computing has an object-based programming model, with architecture, silicon and tools designed to faithfully realize this model. The platform is aimed at application developers using software languages and methodologies. Its objectives are massive performance, long-term scalability, and easy development. In our structural object programming model, objects are strictly encapsulated software programs running concurrently on an asynchronous array of processors and memories. They exchange data and control through a structure of self-synchronizing asynchronous channels. Objects are combined hierarchically to create new objects, connected through the common channel interface. The first chip is a 130nm ASIC with 360 32-bit processors, 360 1KB RAM banks with access engines, and a configurable word-wide channel interconnect. Applications written in Java and block diagrams compile in one minute. Sub-millisecond runtime reconfiguration is inherent.