An Improved LZO Compression Algorithm for FPGA Configuration Bitstream Files

With the increase in the quantity and scale of Static Random-Access Memory Field Programmable Gate Arrays (SRAM-based FPGAs) for aerospace application, the volume of FPGA configuration bit files that must be stored has increased dramatically. The use of compression techniques for these bitstream files is emerging as a key strategy to alleviate the burden on storage resources. Due to the severe resource constraints of space-based electronics and the unique application environment, the simplicity, efficiency and robustness of the decompression circuitry is also a key design consideration. Through comparative analysis current bitstream file compression technologies, this research suggests that the Lempel Ziv Oberhumer (LZO) compression algorithm is more suitable for satellite applications. This paper also delves into the compression process and format of the LZO compression algorithm, as well as the inherent characteristics of configuration bitstream files. We propose an improved algorithm based on LZO for bitstream file compression, which optimises the compression process by refining the format and reducing the offset. Furthermore, a low-cost, robust decompression hardware architecture is proposed based on this method. Experimental results show that the compression speed of the improved LZO algorithm is increased by 3%, the decompression hardware cost is reduced by approximately 60%, and the compression ratio is slightly reduced by 0.47%.