Firm gets patent for FPGA-based computer architecture

SAN FRANCISCO—RMT Inc. announced it has been granted a patent titled "Virtual Hardware System with Universal Ports Using FPGA," which is the technology used in its Black Diamond Advanced Technology SwitchBack ultra-rugged mobile computer.

The architecture in the SwitchBack places an FPGA in control of the computer and makes the CPU and chipset peripherals, RMT said. With this FPGA-based system, new hardware functionality is more easily upgradeable, can be added without new physical hardware, and can be reconfigured repeatedly, the company said.

The result is a reconfigurable computer in which many types of circuits and processes can be defined and implemented, according to RMT. This device can be programmed as a re-definable circuit board, a virtual CPU, a memory storage device, or a combination of all three, the company said.

"Utilizing an FPGA in this way revolutionizes how computers can operate by allowing virtual hardware to be added to the system with a simple download and without redesigning the electronics," said Justin Dyster, vice president of engineering for the Black Diamond Advanced Technology product line, in a statement. "No other PC in the world provides this capability in an ultra-rugged mobile form."

Putting the FPGA in primary control allows for parallel processing not possible in a traditional PC, RMT said. For example, it can process video and immediately run it through the FPGA to analyze it, then overlay the results onto the top of the processed video stream, in near real-time, the company said.