An abstraction layer enabling pervasive hardware-reconfigurable systems. (2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cilardo, Alessandro; Mazzocca, Nicola; Prinetto, Paolo
• Is Part Of: International journal of embedded systems. Volume 10:Number 5(2018)
• Page Start: 366
• Page End: 377
• Publication Date: 2018
• Subjects: pervasive computing -- ubiquitous systems -- code mobility -- reconfigurable computing -- field-programmable gate array -- FPGA -- adaptive systems; Embedded computer systems -- Periodicals; 004.16
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-1068

Abstract

Field-programmable gate array technologies are creating a new range of challenges for pervasive and ubiquitous systems. Revisiting and extending approaches borrowed from the purely software domain is a fundamental opportunity in this scenario. In particular, this paper addresses code mobility, a well-established approach used to dynamically adapt a distributed system based on the actual application needs, and extends it to a deep code mobility concept, allowing 'logical' hardware components to be migrated across a pervasive infrastructure. The work presents the architecture and the prototype implementation of a reconfigurable computing framework providing full support to deep code mobility through an abstraction layer which exposes a portable view of the underlying reconfigurable hardware. The paper then thoroughly discusses two application scenarios, hardware-accelerated distributed data mining and autonomous online testing, confirming the impact of deep code mobility in real-world pervasive computing contexts.