Application specific processor architecture comprising pre-designed reconfigurable application elements interconnected via a bus with high-level statements controlling configuration and data routing

摘要

The architecture and design method of an application specific processor ("ASP") is disclosed. The ASP is designed by integrating selected pre-designed application elements contained in a library. These selected application elements can communicate with each other via a bus. Post-synthesis tailoring of the synthesized ASP is accomplished by using an instruction program which sequences the invocation of each application element and provides reconfiguration and data input/output routing commands thereto. A power management design is incorporated within the application elements allowing the majority of the application elements to be turned on only during periods of invocation.