Method for programming a programmable gate array in a distributed computer system

A non-transitory storage medium storing therein an initial bitstream of a programmable gate array to configure a logic circuit on the programmable gate array, which implements a configuration logic configured to carry out a method comprising:

• receiving a configuration software for programming the programmable gate array;
• receiving a user bitstream at a data interface of the programmable gate array for configuring a user logic on the programmable gate array;
• storing the user bitstream on a non-volatile memory of the programmable gate array;
• configuring the user logic on the programmable gate array via the user bitstream;
• configuring, along with the user logic, a monitoring logic on the programmable gate array, which is configured to monitor input data fed into the programmable gate array by a computer system and to detect a reset command in the input data for reconfiguring the programmable gate array;
• transmitting the reset command from the configuration software to the monitoring logic via at least one data line of a computer system;
• and
• restoring an initial state, in which the configuration logic on the programmable gate array is configured to receive a new user bitstream from the configuration software for configuring a new user logic on the programmable gate array and to store it on the non-volatile memory by the monitoring logic as a result of the detection of the reset command.

A method for programming at least one programmable gate array in a distributed computer system, the method comprising:

• providing configuration software for programming peripheral programmable gate arrays in the computer system;
• integrating a first programmable gate array into a periphery of the computer system, the first programmable gate array being adapted to read out a bitstream from a first non-volatile memory and to configure a logic circuit on the first programmable gate array according to the specifications of the read-out bitstream;
• providing a configuration, on the first programmable gate array, of a first configuration logic, which is configured to receive a first user bitstream from the configuration software for configuring a first user logic on the first programmable gate array, and to store the first user bitstream on the first non-volatile memory;
• transmitting a first user bitstream from the configuration software to the first configuration logic via at least one data line of the computer system;
• storing the first user bitstream on the first non-volatile memory by the first configuration logic;
• configuring the first user logic on the first programmable gate array with the aid of the first user bitstream;
• integrating a second programmable gate array into the periphery of the computer system, the second programmable gate array being designed to read out a bitstream from a second non-volatile memory and to configure a logic circuit on the second programmable gate array according to the specifications of the read-out bitstream;
• configuring, on the second programmable gate array, a second configuration logic, which is configured to receive a second user bitstream for configuring a second user logic on the second programmable gate array and to store it on the second non-volatile memory;
• configuring, on the first programmable gate array, a programming logic, which is configured to receive the second user bitstream from the configuration software and to transmit it to the second configuration logic via at least one data line of the computer system;
• transmitting the second user bitstream from the configuration software to the programming logic;
• transmitting the second user bitstream from the programming logic to the second configuration logic before the first user logic is configured on the first programmable gate array;
• and
• configuring the second user logic on the second programmable gate array with the aid of the second user bitstream.