OpenFPGA Working Group Charter

The OpenFPGA Working Groups are the central focus for OpenFPGA technical activities. The goals of the working groups is to concurrently

• define elements critical for achieving effective interoperability among reconfigurable computing applications including application requirements, application libraries, generalized APIs, interoperable core components
• develop reference implementations for solutions
• pursue technologies to evaluate capabilities across vendor platforms
• develop educational material critical to the use of reconfigurable computing

OpenFPGA aims to provide baseline collaborative infrastructure for working group activities supported by member fees collected and reinvested in working groups. Such infrastructure includes but is not limited to providing mailing lists, collaborative work areas, source code sharing facilities, website publishing, agreement support, and teleconferencing capabilities.

OpenFPGA aims to provide greater financial and other support for working group activities by developing relationships with sponsoring organizations

OpenFPGA aims to provide funding support for working groups by developing funding for special working group projects

In support of OpenFPGA efforts, mission and objectives, working groups are asked to individually develop the following:

• develop direction, goals and objectives for the working group
• define and prioritize projects requiring support with an average 18 month lookahead
• provide a projected assessment of needs and financial support required for projects
• work collaboratively across working groups to achieve interoperability on overlapping elements
• participate in OpenFPGA technology roundtable discussions and teleconferences
• provide brief written activity updates to the OpenFPGA community on a regular basis
• Share technical progress and developments with the OpenFPGA technical community on a timely basis

In addition to support developed and provided by OpenFPGA, individual working groups are also encouraged to leverage support options for their activities through both government and private sources.. As the situation directs, OpenFPGA can be employed as the sponsoring organization, fiscal point of contact, partner or legal supporting entity.

Each member of OpenFPGA is a voting member of the non-profit corporation. Issues before OpenFPGA working groups should be decided and backed by OpenFPGA members of the working group in order to become candidates for sanctioning by OpenFPGA.

Issues which cannot be resolved within or between working groups will be handled on a case-by-case basis, under guidance of the OpenFPGA board.