525.442 - VHDL/FPGA Microprocessor Design Course Homepage
Instructor Information
Ramsey Hourani
Email: ramsey.hourani@jhuapl.eduWork Phone: (443) 778-9154
Marian Titerence
Email: marian.titerence@gmail.comWork Phone: (443) 778-2904
Course Information
Course Description
This lab oriented course covers the design of digital systems using VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL)andits implementation in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). This technology allows cost-effective unique system realizations by enabling design reuse and simplifying custom circuit design. The design tools are first introduced and used to implement basic circuits. More advanced designs follow, focusing on integrating the FPGA with external peripherals, simple signal processing applications, utilizing soft-core processors, and using intellectual property (IP) cores. Projects will be assigned for course evaluation. Individual projects will be encouraged.
Prerequisites
525.415 Microprocessor Systems is suggested but not required, as well as an understanding of digital logic fundamentals.
Course Goal
This lab oriented course covers the design of digital systems using VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and its implementation in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). This technology allows cost-effective unique system realizations by enabling design reuse and simplifying custom circuit design. The design tools are first introduced and used to implement basic circuits. More advanced designs follow, focusing on integrating the FPGA with external peripherals, simple signal processing applications, utilizing soft-core processors, and using intellectual property (IP) cores. Projects will be assigned for course evaluation. Individual projects will be encouraged.
Course Objectives
- In this course, we will be learning fundamentals of VHDL with an emphasis on coding for synthesis, good digital design practices, and writing testbenches for exercising our designs. Each student will complete a number of assignments using a development board based on the Xilinx Spartan 3E FPGA.
Course Objectives:- Be able to translate a functional system description into appropriate digital blocks coded in VHDL
- Perform synthesis, place, and route of a digital design into a target FPGA
- Embed a programmable microcontroller in an FPGA design and write functional assembly code
- Display knowledge of good digital design practices in the context of the target hardware
When This Course is Typically Offered
TBD
Syllabus
Topics Covered
- Combinational Logic in VHDL
- Sequential Logic / Processes
- Types / Resolution Functions
- Operators / Arithmetic Packages
- Testbenches
- Finite State Machines
- Embedded Processors : Picoblaze
- FPGA Special Structures
- Intellectual Property
- Power / Timing Analysis
Student Assessment Criteria
| Laboratory Assignments / Homework | 50% |
| Mid-Term Exam | 20% |
| Final Project | 20% |
| Quizzes | 10% |
Laboratory Assignments can be completed at home using a class provided FPGA development kit and personal computer.
Textbooks
Textbook information for this course is available online through the MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore.
Course Notes
There are notes for this course.
Final Words from the Instructor
There is no textbook for this course. Class notes will be provided online.
(Last Modified: 07-28-2009 at 6:09:40 PM)