Configurable IC with packet switch configuration network

An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

• a) a plurality of configurable circuits grouped in tiles;
• b) a first data network for passing data between the configurable circuits said first data network formed at least partly by a subset of configurable circuits;
• and
• c) a second packet-switch network for receiving packets of data from outside of the tiles and switchably routing each packet to at least one destination tile;
• wherein a particular packet that is for a particular resource in a particular tile comprises a first address that identifies the particular tile from the plurality of tiles, and a second address that identifies the particular resource within the particular tile.

A method of accessing an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of configurable tiles, each with a set of configurable resources, the method comprising:

• a) addressing a particular configurable tile from the plurality of configurable tiles;
• and
• b) after addressing the particular configurable tile, addressing a particular configurable resource within the particular configurable tile;
• wherein addressing the particular configurable tile comprises transmitting an address of the particular configurable tile over a configuration network of the IC;
• wherein addressing the particular configurable resource comprises transmitting an address of the particular configurable resource over the configuration network.

A method of accessing an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of configurable tiles, each with a set of configurable resources, the method comprising:

• a) addressing a particular configurable tile from the plurality of configurable tiles, wherein addressing the particular configurable tile comprises transmitting an address of the particular configurable tile over a configuration network of the IC;
• b) after addressing the particular configurable tile, addressing a particular configurable resource within the particular configurable tile, wherein addressing the configurable resource comprises transmitting an address of the particular configurable resource over the configuration network;
• and
• c) writing configuration data to the addressed configurable resource, wherein writing the configuration data comprises transmitting data over the configuration network of the IC after transmitting said addresses of the particular configurable tile and configurable resource.

A method of accessing an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of configurable tiles each with a set of configurable resources the method comprising:

• a) addressing a particular configurable tile from the plurality of configurable tiles;
• b) after addressing the particular configurable tile, addressing a particular configurable resource within the particular configurable tile;
• and
• c) reading data from the addressed configurable resource.

A method of accessing an integrated circuit (IC), the IC comprising a plurality of groups of configurable circuits, the method comprising:

• a) generating a particular data set comprising:
• i) an address of at least one particular group for which the data set is intended;
• and
• ii) at least one instruction to the particular group for processing the particular data set;
• and
• b) supplying the particular data set to more than one group of configurable circuits.

A method for configuring an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of groups of configurable circuits, said method comprising:

• a) generating a plurality of configuration data sets, each particular configuration data set addressed to a particular group, wherein at least two different configuration data sets are addressed to two different groups, each configuration data set comprising:
• i) an address of a particular group for which the configuration data set is intended;
• and
• ii) configuration data for configuring the particular group;
• and
• b) transmitting each configuration data set to more than one group in order to configure configurable circuits.

An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

• a) a plurality of groups of configurable circuits;
• and
• b) a packet-switch network for routing data packets to the groups;
• wherein a particular data packet comprises an address for at least one particular group to which the particular data packet is directed, said particular data packet routed to more than one group including at least one group to which the data packet is not addressed.

An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

• a) a plurality of groups of configurable circuits;
• b) a configuration controller for specifying configuration data sets for the groups, wherein each configuration data set comprises:
• i) an address for addressing at least one particular group to which the configuration data set is directed;
• and
• ii) configuration data for configuring the addressed particular group,
• said configuration controller further for supplying each configuration data set to more than one of said groups of configurable circuits.