Embedding of dedicated high-performance ASICs into reconfigurable systems providing additional multimedia functionality

The computational power required in many multimedia applications is well beyond the capabilities of today's multimedia systems. Therefore, the embedding of additional high-performance accelerator multimedia components into these systems is most decisive. This paper presents the embedding of multimedia components into computer systems using reconfigurable coprocessor boards. The goal of those reconfigurable platforms which can be adapted to several applications and which include programmable digital signal processors, control and memory devices as well as dedicated multimedia ASICs is worked out. On the way to such a platform four ASICs for image and text processing are presented. The embedding of these components into a computing system using a CardBus-based coprocessor board is shown. Such a reconfigurable coprocessor board is an important intermediate stage on the way to future hybrid reconfigurable systems on chip.