DYNAMICALLY RECONFIGURABLE HARDWARE SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME CONTROL OF PROCESSES

摘要

A dynamically reconfigurable hardware system provides real-time control of an external device. The system has a configuration memory (19), a reconfigurable logic module (13) and a processor (17), and a communication port (31). The configuration memory (19) stores a hardware configuration of the reconfigurable logic module (13). The reconfigurable logic module (13) in communication with the configuration memory (19), establishes the hardware configuration in the module (13) on receipt of a configuration signal. The processor (17) is in communication over a data bus (27) with the reconfigurable logic module (13), the configuration memory (19), and sends the configuration signal to the reconfigurable logic module (13) and establishes the hardware configuration in the configuration memory (19). The communication port (31), coupled to the reconfigurable logic module (13) independently of signals on the data bus (27), controls the external device.