High performance context switching for virtualized FPGA accelerators

A method, comprising:

• programming one or more programming regions in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device based on configuration data for implementing a target configuration of the one or more programming regions;
• saving a first context corresponding to the target configuration by transferring first state information from the set of one or more programming regions to a context memory, wherein the first state information is generated based on the target configuration;
• and
• restoring the first context by:
• transferring the first state information from the context memory to the one or more programming regions, and
• reprogramming the one or more programming regions based on the configuration data;
• and
• in the FPGA device, controlling timing of saving the first context based on a sequence of tasks to be executed in the one or more programming regions.

A computing system, comprising:

• one or more programming regions in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device;
• a context memory;
• a hardware context manager in the FPGA device, comprising:
• configuration logic configured to program the one or more programming regions based on configuration data for implementing a target configuration of the one or more programming regions;
• and
• context management logic coupled with the configuration logic, wherein the context management logic is configured to:
• save a first context corresponding to the target configuration by:
• retrieving state information from the set of one or more programming regions, wherein the state information is generated based on the target configuration, and
• storing the retrieved state information in the context memory, and
• restore the first context by:
• transferring the state information from the context memory to the one or more programming regions, and
• causing the configuration logic to program the one or more programming regions based on the configuration data;
• and
• scheduling logic coupled with the configuration logic and the context management logic, wherein the scheduling logic is configured to control timing of saving the first context based on a sequence of tasks to be executed in the one or more programming regions.