US Patent 11983133 Adaptive integrated programmable data processing unit

An integrated circuit device includes multiple heterogeneous functional circuit blocks and interface circuitry that permits the heterogeneous functional circuit blocks to exchange data with one another using communication protocols of the respective heterogeneous functional circuit blocks. The IC device includes fixed-function circuitry, user-configurable circuitry (e.g., programmable logic), and/or embedded processors/cores. A functional circuit block may be configured in fixed-function circuitry or in the user-configurable circuitry (i.e., as a plug-in). The interface circuitry includes a network-on-a-chip (NoC), an adaptor configured in the user-configurable circuitry, and/or memory. The memory may be accessible to the functional circuit blocks through an adaptor configured the user-configurable circuitry and/or through the NoC. The IC device may be configured as a SmartNIC, DPU, or other type of system-on-a-chip (SoC).