Editing Reconfigurable computing (section)

==Partial re-configuration==
'''Partial re-configuration''' is the process of changing a portion of reconfigurable hardware [[circuitry]] while the other portion keeps its former configuration. [[Field programmable gate array]]s are often used as a support to partial reconfiguration.

[[Electronic hardware]], like [[software]], can be designed modularly, by creating subcomponents and then higher-level components to instantiate them. In many cases it is useful to be able to swap out one or several of these subcomponents while the FPGA is still operating.

Normally, reconfiguring an FPGA requires it to be held in reset while an external controller reloads a design onto it. Partial reconfiguration allows for critical parts of the design to continue operating while a controller either on the FPGA or off of it loads a partial design into a reconfigurable module.  Partial reconfiguration also can be used to save space for multiple designs by only storing the partial designs that change between designs.<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Damian |last1=Wanta |first2=Waldemar T. |last2=Smolik |first3=Jacek |last3=Kryszyn |first4=Przemysław |last4=Wróblewski |first5=Mateusz |last5=Midura |title=A Run-Time Reconfiguration Method for an FPGA-Based Electrical Capacitance Tomography System |volume=11 |issue=4 |year=2022 |journal=Electronics |page=545 |doi=10.3390/electronics11040545|doi-access=free }}</ref>

A common example for when partial reconfiguration would be useful is the case of a communication device. If the device is controlling multiple connections, some of which require [[encryption]], it would be useful to be able to load different encryption cores without bringing the whole controller down.

Partial reconfiguration is not supported on all FPGAs. A special software flow with emphasis on modular design is required.  Typically the design modules are built along well defined boundaries inside the FPGA that require the design to be specially mapped to the internal hardware.

From the functionality of the design, partial reconfiguration can be divided into two groups:<ref>{{Cite book  | last1 = Wiśniewski | first1 = Remigiusz | title = Synthesis of compositional microprogram control units for programmable devices   | year = 2009 | publisher = University of Zielona Góra | location = Zielona Góra | isbn = 978-83-7481-293-1 | page = 153 }}</ref>
* ''dynamic partial reconfiguration'', also known as an active partial reconfiguration - permits to change the part of the device while the rest of an FPGA is still running;
* ''static partial reconfiguration'' - the device is not active during the reconfiguration process. While the partial data is sent into the FPGA, the rest of the device is stopped (in the shutdown mode) and brought up after the configuration is completed.