A function generator-based reconfigurable system

This paper proposes a new reconfigurable system which has a function generator-based CLB architecture. This is different from the standard look-up table (LUT) based CLB architectures available in commercial FPGAs. The new function generation architecture is based on the fact that a small set of k-input Boolean functions can generate all the 2^2k, k-input Boolean functions using a simple mapping technique. The area required by the new function generation architecture is 58.6% lesser than the area required by a standard 16×1 LUT used in commercial FPGAs. In addition, the proposed architecture consumes 40.8% lesser power than the standard 16×1 LUT. The routing architecture for the proposed reconfigurable system is the same as those present in current-day FPGAs. Hence, the algorithms presently used for technology mapping, packing, placement and routing on FPGAs can be used for the proposed reconfigurable system without much modification. The new architecture requires a 10% increase in the SRAM configuration memory. This is an insignificant penalty in comparison to the reduction in the area of the FPGA and power consumption, achieved by the proposed CLB architecture.