A multi-platform controller allowing for maximum Dynamic Partial Reconfiguration throughput

Dynamic and partial reconfiguration (DPR) is a special feature offered by Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), giving the designer the ability to reconfigure a certain portion of the FPGA during run-time without influencing the other parts. This feature allows the hardware to be adaptable to any potential situation. For some applications, such as video-based driver assistance, the time needed to exchange a certain portion of the device might be critical. This paper addresses problems, limitations and results of on-chip reconfiguration that enable the user to decide whether DPR is suitable for a certain design prior to its implementation. A method is therefore introduced to calculate the expected reconfiguration throughput and latency. In addition, an IP core is presented that enables fast on-chip DPR close to the maximum achievable speed. Compared to an alternative state-of-the art realization, an increase in speed by a factor of 58 can be obtained.