Abstract

Reconfigurable circuits running in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) can be dynamically optimized for power based on computational requirements and thermal conditions of the environment. In the past, FPGA circuits were typically small and operated at a low frequency. Few users were concerned about high-power consumption and the heat generated by FPGA devices. The current generation of FPGAs, however, use extensive pipelining techniques to achieve high data processing rates and dense layouts that can generate significant amounts of heat. FPGA circuits can be synthesized that can generate more heat than the package can dissipate. For FPGAs that operate in controlled environments, heatsinks and fans can be mounted to the device to extract heat from the device. When FPGA devices do not operate in a controlled environment, however, changes to ambient temperature due to factors such as …

Date

2006

Authors

Phillip H Jones, Young H Cho, John W Lockwood

Conference

2006 IEEE International Conference on Field Programmable Technology

Pages

229-236

Publisher

IEEE