Multi-FPGA systems have tremendous potential, providing a high-performance computing substrate for many different applications. These systems harness multiple FPGAs, connected in a fixed pattern, to implement complex logic structures.  In order to use such a system effectively, it is a key for constructing a good performance hardware platform. The configuration scheme is an important part in hardware design. This paper aims at small scale Multi-FPGA systems composed of SRAM-based FPGAs developed by Xilinx Corporation,  proposes a novel configuration technique by using Platform Flash PROM XCF32P. Using this scheme, only adopting one XCF32P and one Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD) we can configure four FPGAs with monolithic configuration data smaller than 8Mbit. When the number of FPGA is more than four, Design revisioning allows the user to cascade more XCF32P PROMs to realize. Since Xilinx Platform PROM and Xilinx FPGA/CPLD are used to get a single-vender solution, the design for hardware and software is simplified.

Configuration Scheme for Small Scale Multi-FPGA Systems

The paper gives a new configuration method for Multi-FPGA systems based on XCF32P. As an example, the method adopts slave SelectMAP model, uses a XCF32P and a CPLD XC9572 to configure four Virtex XCV200 FPGAs. The configuration hardware interface circuit and CPLD software control program are designed, due to adopt a single vendor solution program, the designs for software and hardware of systems are simplified, and it can receive a higher configuration rate.

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Papers

Interface Circuit of Configuring Virtex FPGA Through SelectMAP