Design Patterns for Reconfigurable Computing

TLDR

Design patterns for reconfigurable computing provide canonical solutions to recurring design challenges and serve as a foundation for design creation, education, tool development, and community discussion. The paper articulates the role of design patterns in reconfigurable computing, presents example patterns, proposes an initial catalog, and discusses its potential benefits. The authors illustrate how design patterns can be applied by offering example patterns and outlining a starting catalog for reconfigurable computing.

Abstract

It is valuable to identify and catalog design patterns for reconfigurable computing. These design patterns are canonical solutions to common and recurring design challenges which arise in reconfigurable systems and applications. The catalog can form the basis for creating designs, for educating new designers, for understanding the needs of tools and languages, and for discussing reconfigurable design. Tying application and implementation lessons to the expansion and refinement of this catalog make those lessons more relevant to the design community. In this paper, we articulate this role for design patterns in reconfigurable computing, provide a few example patterns, offer a starting point for the contents of the catalog, and discuss the potential benefits of this effort.