Languages and Compilation

4.6 Summary

Reconfigurable computing requires the description of algorithms, their expression into software and hardware circuits, and the debugging of the resulting software/hardware systems. RC languages range from C, Fortran, and Java variants, including parallel language variants, to graphical programming languages. Novel language features include directives to partition computation, to allocate variables to specific memories, parallel processing directives, directives to pipeline lops. Compilers for RC languages face formidable challenges in generating efficient hardware circuits. In contrast to fixed instruction microprocessors, micro-architecture design decisions must be resolved during compilation. Once an application-specific architecture has been designed, the inherent flexibility of FPGAs make the tasks of synthesis, mapping, placement, and routing difficult and time consuming. Finally, debugging reconfigurable systems imposes unique challenges to gain visibility into the hardware as well as execution control during debugging.