Patent ID: 7657861

Claim:
A method for operating a multidimensional field of reconfigurable elements groups of elements handling data together being configured into the field in a predetermined manner during runtime for processing to perform predetermined tasks, the method comprising: for at least one task to be performed: determining, by processing hardware, a plurality of element groups in the multidimensional field that are suitable for performing the task; selecting, by the processing hardware, a particular one of the plurality of suitable element groups to perform the task; and configuring, by the processing hardware, the selected element group into the field; wherein: configuration data pertaining to element groups is at least one of input from a memory that has non-negligible access times and generated with non-negligible generation times; the selection of the particular element group is made on the basis of a plurality of characteristic data records, each data record being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of suitable element groups; during the selection of the particular element group, at least for each of some of the plurality of suitable element groups, only a characteristic data record that includes less than all configuration data pertaining to the element group is input; and the method further comprises: in response to the selection, one of (a) reading from the memory and (b) generating all configuration data pertaining to the selected element group.