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electronictechub · 8 months ago

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Understanding FPGA Architecture: Key Insights

Introduction to FPGA Architecture

Imagine having a circuit board that you could rewire and reconfigure as many times as you want. This adaptability is exactly what FPGAs offer. The world of electronics often seems complex and intimidating, but understanding FPGA architecture is simpler than you think. Let’s break it down step by step, making it easy for anyone to grasp the key concepts.

What Is an FPGA?

An FPGA, or Field Programmable Gate Array, is a type of integrated circuit that allows users to configure its hardware after manufacturing. Unlike traditional microcontrollers or processors that have fixed functionalities, FPGAs are highly flexible. You can think of them as a blank canvas for electrical circuits, ready to be customized according to your specific needs.

How FPGAs Are Different from CPUs and GPUs

You might wonder how FPGAs compare to CPUs or GPUs, which are more common in everyday devices like computers and gaming consoles. While CPUs are designed to handle general-purpose tasks and GPUs excel at parallel processing, FPGAs stand out because of their configurability. They don’t run pre-defined instructions like CPUs; instead, you configure the hardware directly to perform tasks efficiently.

Basic Building Blocks of an FPGA

To understand how an FPGA works, it’s important to know its basic components. FPGAs are made up of:

Programmable Logic Blocks (PLBs): These are the “brains” of the FPGA, where the logic functions are implemented.

Interconnects: These are the wires that connect the logic blocks.

Input/Output (I/O) blocks: These allow the FPGA to communicate with external devices.

These elements work together to create a flexible platform that can be customized for various applications.

Understanding Programmable Logic Blocks (PLBs)

The heart of an FPGA lies in its programmable logic blocks. These blocks contain the resources needed to implement logic functions, which are essentially the basic operations of any electronic circuit. In an FPGA, PLBs are programmed using hardware description languages (HDLs) like VHDL or Verilog, enabling users to specify how the FPGA should behave for their particular application.

What are Look-Up Tables (LUTs)?

Look-Up Tables (LUTs) are a critical component of the PLBs. Think of them as small memory units that can store predefined outputs for different input combinations. LUTs enable FPGAs to quickly execute logic operations by “looking up” the result of a computation rather than calculating it in real-time. This speeds up performance, making FPGAs efficient at performing complex tasks.

The Role of Flip-Flops in FPGA Architecture

Flip-flops are another essential building block within FPGAs. They are used for storing individual bits of data, which is crucial in sequential logic circuits. By storing and holding values, flip-flops help the FPGA maintain states and execute tasks in a particular order.

Routing and Interconnects: The Backbone of FPGAs

Routing and interconnects within an FPGA are akin to the nervous system in a human body, transmitting signals between different logic blocks. Without this network of connections, the logic blocks would be isolated and unable to communicate, making the FPGA useless. Routing ensures that signals flow correctly from one part of the FPGA to another, enabling the chip to perform coordinated functions.

Why are FPGAs So Versatile?

One of the standout features of FPGAs is their versatility. Whether you're building a 5G communication system, an advanced AI model, or a simple motor controller, an FPGA can be tailored to meet the exact requirements of your application. This versatility stems from the fact that FPGAs can be reprogrammed even after they are deployed, unlike traditional chips that are designed for one specific task.

FPGA Configuration: How Does It Work?

FPGAs are configured through a process called “programming” or “configuration.” This is typically done using a hardware description language like Verilog or VHDL, which allows engineers to specify the desired behavior of the FPGA. Once programmed, the FPGA configures its internal circuitry to match the logic defined in the code, essentially creating a custom-built processor for that particular application.

Real-World Applications of FPGAs

FPGAs are used in a wide range of industries, including:

Telecommunications: FPGAs play a crucial role in 5G networks, enabling fast data processing and efficient signal transmission.

Automotive: In modern vehicles, FPGAs are used for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), real-time image processing, and autonomous driving technologies.

Consumer Electronics: From smart TVs to gaming consoles, FPGAs are used to optimize performance in various devices.

Healthcare: Medical devices, such as MRI machines, use FPGAs for real-time image processing and data analysis.

FPGAs vs. ASICs: What’s the Difference?

FPGAs and ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) are often compared because they both offer customizable hardware solutions. The key difference is that ASICs are custom-built for a specific task and cannot be reprogrammed after they are manufactured. FPGAs, on the other hand, offer the flexibility of being reconfigurable, making them a more versatile option for many applications.

Benefits of Using FPGAs

There are several benefits to using FPGAs, including:

Flexibility: FPGAs can be reprogrammed even after deployment, making them ideal for applications that may evolve over time.

Parallel Processing: FPGAs excel at performing multiple tasks simultaneously, making them faster for certain operations than CPUs or GPUs.

Customization: FPGAs allow for highly customized solutions, tailored to the specific needs of a project.

Challenges in FPGA Design

While FPGAs offer many advantages, they also come with some challenges:

Complexity: Designing an FPGA requires specialized knowledge of hardware description languages and digital logic.

Cost: FPGAs can be more expensive than traditional microprocessors, especially for small-scale applications.

Power Consumption: FPGAs can consume more power compared to ASICs, especially in high-performance applications.

Conclusion

Understanding FPGA architecture is crucial for anyone interested in modern electronics. These devices provide unmatched flexibility and performance in a variety of industries, from telecommunications to healthcare. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or someone looking to learn more about cutting-edge technology, FPGAs offer a fascinating glimpse into the future of computing.

#fpga

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takshila21 · 19 days ago

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Mastering VLSI: Your Guide to Industry-Ready Chip Design Skills

Understanding the Importance of VLSI in Today’s Tech Industry

The world of technology is rapidly advancing, and at the heart of these developments lies VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) design. This intricate process enables the creation of complex semiconductor devices used in everyday gadgets, computers, and communication systems. As innovation surges, the demand for skilled professionals in VLSI design continues to grow. Whether you are a student looking to start a career in electronics or an engineer seeking to specialize in chip design, building a strong foundation in VLSI is essential. Courses that offer practical exposure and a comprehensive curriculum are crucial for learners to understand and master this highly technical field. VLSI isn’t just about theory—it involves hands-on experience, a deep understanding of logic circuits, and a strong grasp of current industry trends, making high-quality training programs all the more critical.

Building Expertise with RTL Design Fundamentals

One of the key areas within VLSI is RTL (Register Transfer Level) design. RTL design focuses on describing the flow of data within a digital circuit using hardware description languages like Verilog or VHDL. A strong understanding of RTL is foundational for any aspiring VLSI engineer, as it plays a pivotal role in designing and simulating complex digital systems. Students and professionals who undergo rtl design training gain the ability to translate system-level functionality into hardware-level implementation, a skill highly valued in industries like semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and embedded systems. As chip designs become more sophisticated, the need for precision and accuracy in RTL implementation continues to rise. Structured training programs help learners get familiar with design constraints, timing analysis, and synthesis, ensuring they are well-prepared for real-world design challenges.

Elevating Verification Skills with Online Training

Verification is another critical component of the VLSI design flow. It ensures that the design works as intended before it is fabricated into a physical chip. This step not only saves time but also prevents costly errors during production. With the rise of digital learning platforms, many engineers are turning to online design verification training to sharpen their skills from the convenience of their own space. These programs cover essential verification techniques such as simulation, formal verification, and coverage analysis. They also introduce learners to industry-standard tools and scripting languages, preparing them for practical scenarios in design environments. Online courses make it possible for working professionals and students to balance their schedules while still gaining the technical depth required to succeed in verification roles. As companies look for engineers who are both technically sound and time-efficient, this mode of learning continues to grow in popularity.

Advantages of Structured VLSI Training Programs

Choosing the right VLSI training program can have a lasting impact on your career. Structured courses not only offer a well-rounded curriculum but also provide hands-on lab sessions, mentorship, and real-time project experience. This type of immersive learning helps students to not just understand the theoretical aspects of VLSI but also to apply them in practical scenarios. Training programs with a strong emphasis on tools, techniques, and industry expectations can give learners an edge in job interviews and on the job. In addition to building technical expertise, such programs often include resume-building tips, mock interviews, and industry networking opportunities. By selecting a comprehensive training provider, learners can ensure that they are not only industry-ready but also confident in their ability to tackle the evolving challenges of the semiconductor world.

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karpagam-college-of-engineering · 5 months ago

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What is VLSI Design and Communication Systems? A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction In today’s tech-driven world, VLSI design and communication systems power modern electronics and connectivity. Let’s simplify their importance!

What is VLSI Design? VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) involves designing integrated circuits (ICs) with millions of transistors on a single chip. It’s the core of devices like smartphones and computers.

Evolution of VLSI From bulky circuits with few transistors to compact, efficient chips, VLSI has revolutionized modern electronics by making devices smaller, faster, and smarter.

Key Elements of VLSI Design

Logic Design: Creates circuits for logical operations using languages like VHDL or Verilog.

Physical Design: Lays out transistors and components to optimize performance.

Verification: Ensures the design works flawlessly before production.

Communication Systems: The Backbone of Connectivity Communication systems enable information flow between devices, from mobile phones to satellites.

Components of Communication Systems

Transmitter: Converts data into signals for transmission.

Channel: The medium (fiber optics or airwaves) carrying the signals.

Receiver: Captures and converts signals into usable forms.

Types of Communication Systems

Analog: Continuous signals (e.g., landline phones).

Digital: Faster, secure data transmission in bits (e.g., Internet, mobile networks).

VLSI and Communication Systems: The Perfect Duo

Chip Design: VLSI enables high-speed, low-power chips for communication devices.

Signal Processing: VLSI processes signals for reliable, fast communication.

Challenges

Power Consumption: Designing energy-efficient chips is tough.

Signal Interference: Ensuring quality signals in wireless systems.

Scaling Limits: Miniaturizing transistors faces material and performance barriers.

Conclusion VLSI design creates ultra-compact, powerful chips, while communication systems enable seamless information flow. Together, they power modern technology, from smartphones to IoT, shaping the future of connectivity and innovation.

https://kce.ac.in/what-is-vlsi-design-and-communication-systems-a-comprehensive-guide/

#college #education #bestcollege #engineering #best engineering college in coimbatore

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vlsiguru24 · 5 months ago

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VLSI Design And Verification Course For Fresher - VLSI Guru

In the fast-paced world of technology, the VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) domain stands as a cornerstone for innovations in electronics and semiconductor design. If you’re a fresher aiming to dive into this exciting field, the VLSI Design and Verification Course by VLSI Guru is your perfect launchpad.

Why Choose VLSI as a Career Path?

The demand for skilled professionals in VLSI design and verification is skyrocketing, with industries relying on advanced ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) to power cutting-edge technologies. From smartphones to autonomous vehicles, the scope of VLSI is vast and evolving.

What Does the Course Offer?

The VLSI Design and Verification Course by VLSI Guru is tailored for freshers, focusing on:

HDL Languages: Master Verilog and VHDL for RTL coding.

SystemVerilog & UVM: Learn modern verification methodologies for building robust testbenches.

ASIC Design Flow: Gain insights into the complete chip design process.

FPGA Prototyping: Get hands-on experience with FPGA tools and workflows.

Debugging & Tools Expertise: Work with industry-standard tools like Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor Graphics.

Why VLSI Guru?

VLSI Guru emphasizes practical learning through real-world projects and labs. Freshers are trained to handle challenges in semiconductor design and verification, bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Who Can Enroll?

The course is ideal for engineering graduates in ECE, EE, or CSE with a passion for chip design and a desire to work in leading semiconductor companies.

Start your journey in the semiconductor industry today with VLSI Guru's specialized training.

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govindhtech · 5 months ago

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AMD Vivado Design Suite 2024.2: Versal SoCs Revolutionized

What Is AMD Vivado?

A collection of design tools for AMD adaptive SoCs and FPGAs is called AMD Vivado. It contains tools for place and route, design entry, synthesis, verification, and simulation.

AMD Vivado Design Suite

The 2024.2 version, which includes significant improvements for designing with AMD Versal adaptable SoCs, is now available.

AMD Vivado 2024.2 highlights

Improved Versal Adaptive SoC Design Flows for AMD.

Fast Place and Route for All Versal Devices

Improved Advanced Flow for Quick Compilation.

Routability and congestion optimization.

Enabling Top-Level RTL Flows

Makes it possible to use transceivers from the top-level RTL and Versal programmable network on chip (NoC).

Fast Boot of Processing System in Versal Devices

Segmented setup for quick OS.

Startup that satisfies a range of boot-sequence needs.

Facilitating quicker design iterations and achieving your FMAX goals more rapidly

The design program for AMD adaptive SoCs and FPGAs is called AMD Vivado. Design Entry, Synthesis, Place and Route, and Verification/Simulation tools are among its components.

Discover how sophisticated capabilities in the Vivado design tools enable designers to more precisely estimate power for AMD adaptive SoCs and FPGAs while cutting down on compilation times and design cycles.

Benefits

AMD Vivado Meeting Fmax Targets

One of the most difficult stages of the hardware design cycle is reaching your FMAX objective in a high-speed design. Vivado has special capabilities that assist you close timing, such Intelligent Design Runs (IDR), Report QoR Assessment (RQA), and Report QoR Suggestions (RQS). By using RQA, RQS, and IDR, you may reach your performance targets in a matter of days rather than weeks, which will increase your productivity significantly.

AMD Vivado Faster Design Iterations

As developers troubleshoot their ideas and add new features, design iterations are typical. These iterations are frequently minor adjustments made to a tiny section of the design. Incremental compile and Abstract Shell are two essential technologies in the AMD Vivado Design Suite that drastically cut down on design iteration times.

AMD Power Design Manager

Early and precise power prediction is essential for informing important design choices when creating FPGA and adaptive SoCs. For big and complicated devices like the Versal and UltraScale+ families, Power Design Manager is a next-generation power estimating tool designed to enable precise power estimation early in the design process. This tool was created especially to give precise power estimates for devices that have a lot of complicated hard IP blocks.

Design Flows

Design Entry & Implementation

Design entry in conventional HDL, such as VHDL and Verilog, is supported by AMD Vivado. Additionally, it supports the IP Integrator (IPI), a graphical user interface-based tool that enables a Plug-and-Play IP Integration Design Environment.

For today’s sophisticated FPGAs and SOCs, Vivado offers the finest synthesis and implementation available, with integrated timing closure and methodology capabilities.

Users may confine their design, assess findings, and close timing with the aid of the UltraFast methodology report (report_methodology), which is accessible in Vivado’s default flow.

Verification and Debug

To guarantee the final FPGA implementation’s functionality, performance, and dependability, verification and hardware debugging are essential. Effective validation of design functionality is made possible by the verification elements of the Vivado tool. Its extensive debugging capabilities enable engineers to quickly identify and fix problems in intricate designs.

Dynamic Function eXchange

With Dynamic Function eXchange (DFX), designers may make real-time changes to specific parts of their designs. The remaining logic can continue to function as designers download partial bitstreams to their AMD devices. This creates a plethora of opportunities for real-time performance improvements and design modifications. Designers may cut power consumption, upgrade systems in real-time, and switch to fewer or smaller devices via Dynamic Function eXchange.

AMD Vivado Platform Editions

AMD Vivado Design Suite- Standard & Enterprise Editions

AMD Vivado Design Suite Standard Edition is available for free download. The Enterprise Edition’s license options start at $2,995.

Features

Licensing Options

AMD Vivado Standard

You may download the AMD Vivado Standard Edition for free, giving you immediate access to its essential features and capabilities.

AMD Vivado Enterprise

All AMD devices are supported by the fully functional Vivado Enterprise Edition of the design suite.

Recommended System Memory

Each target device family’s average and maximum AMD Vivado Design Suite memory utilization. AMD advises allocating enough physical memory to handle periods of high consumption.

Remarks

The more LUT and CLB are used, the more memory is used. The following figures were calculated with an average LUT usage of around 75%.

The amount of memory used is strongly impacted by the magnitude and complexity of timing restrictions.

The following figures were produced on a single synthesis and implementation run using the AMD Vivado tools in programmed batch mode.

DFX flow may result in increased memory use.

These devices are not compatible with 32-bit computers.

Answer Record 14932 describes how to set up a Windows 32-bit computer to use 3 GB of RAM.

Operation System

The following operating systems are compatible with AMD’s x86 and x86-64 chip architectures.

Features

Support for Microsoft Windows.

10.0 1809, 1903, 1909, and 2004 are Windows updates.

Support for Linux.

7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, and 7.9 for CentOS and RHEL 7.

CentOS/RHEL 8: 8.1, 8.2, 8.3.

LE SUSE: 12.4, 15.2.

Among Ubuntu’s LTS versions are 16.04.5, 16.04.6, 18.04.1, 18.04.2, and 18.04.3, 18.04.4 LTS, 20.04 LTS, and 20.04.1 LTS.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

#AMDVivado #VivadoDesignSuite #Versal #VersalSoCs #FPGAs #DesignSuite #News #Technews #Technology #Technologynews #Technologytrends #Govindhtech

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lorryelectronicblog · 8 months ago

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Understanding FPGA Architecture: Key Insights

Introduction to FPGA Architecture

What Is an FPGA?

How FPGAs Are Different from CPUs and GPUs

Basic Building Blocks of an FPGA

To understand how an FPGA works, it’s important to know its basic components. FPGAs are made up of:

Programmable Logic Blocks (PLBs): These are the “brains” of the FPGA, where the logic functions are implemented.

Interconnects: These are the wires that connect the logic blocks.

Input/Output (I/O) blocks: These allow the FPGA to communicate with external devices.

These elements work together to create a flexible platform that can be customized for various applications.

Understanding Programmable Logic Blocks (PLBs)

What are Look-Up Tables (LUTs)?

The Role of Flip-Flops in FPGA Architecture

Routing and Interconnects: The Backbone of FPGAs

Why are FPGAs So Versatile?

FPGA Configuration: How Does It Work?

Real-World Applications of FPGAs

FPGAs are used in a wide range of industries, including:

Telecommunications: FPGAs play a crucial role in 5G networks, enabling fast data processing and efficient signal transmission.

Automotive: In modern vehicles, FPGAs are used for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), real-time image processing, and autonomous driving technologies.

Consumer Electronics: From smart TVs to gaming consoles, FPGAs are used to optimize performance in various devices.

Healthcare: Medical devices, such as MRI machines, use FPGAs for real-time image processing and data analysis.

FPGAs vs. ASICs: What’s the Difference?

Benefits of Using FPGAs

There are several benefits to using FPGAs, including:

Flexibility: FPGAs can be reprogrammed even after deployment, making them ideal for applications that may evolve over time.

Parallel Processing: FPGAs excel at performing multiple tasks simultaneously, making them faster for certain operations than CPUs or GPUs.

Customization: FPGAs allow for highly customized solutions, tailored to the specific needs of a project.

Challenges in FPGA Design

While FPGAs offer many advantages, they also come with some challenges:

Complexity: Designing an FPGA requires specialized knowledge of hardware description languages and digital logic.

Cost: FPGAs can be more expensive than traditional microprocessors, especially for small-scale applications.

Power Consumption: FPGAs can consume more power compared to ASICs, especially in high-performance applications.

Conclusion

#fpga

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youngmindssri · 1 year ago

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NO.1 VLSI System Design in India

Welcome to Youngminds Technology Solutions, a leading VLSI System Design Software Development Agency in India. Our focus is on the development of the latest solutions that promote innovation and efficiency in the area of VLSI system design. Come with us as we are building the future of technology together.

Our VLSI design team has deep expertise in realizing product and software development for a wide range of application areas on cutting-edge technologies. YMTS team have wide set of skills across electronic chip design flow from specification to GDSII on latest node technologies, with special focus on RTL/FPGA Design, design verification and FPGA emulation.

VLSI SYSTEM DESIGN ASIC / FPGA Design Development

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” You can hire us to build your custom website that fulfils your unique requirements. Unlike using a pre-built template for your site, a customized website is specifically created for you.

VLSI Services our Engineering team expertise in various stages of the design flow, Such as:

Micro-Architecture development for given specifications

SoC Design / ARM-based SoC architecture designs

RTL Integration & IP subsystem development

Full-Chip / SoC Level Design with Verilog, VHDL, System Verilog

Migration from FPGA to ASIC

Lint, CDC Checks and writing waivers

Integration of digital and analogue blocks (Like SERDES PMA + PCS or DDR + Phy etc.,)

Synthesis, STA Constraints for both ASIC and FPGA

Logic equivalency and formality checks

Hands-on experience on Various Industrial EDA tools

Optimization of Power, Area and timing trade off

FPGA Prototyping on Xilinx / Altera FPGA Boards

Optimization & Maintenance

We are here to help you understand the importance of web application maintenance. We provide several services which will enable your web application run error-free and smooth.

Our knowledge-based AI platform driven by automation and innovation. It enables our clients�� businesses to continuously reinvent system landscapes and achieve IT goals that align with business needs. By aligning IT with business value, we help clients push the envelope beyond cost and quality.

Training

YMTS provides training programs that help students / Engineers and customers get to productivity faster. All our training programs have been developed keeping in mind what it takes to accelerate skill development of today's R&D engineers and have been proven in-house with our own new hires as well as multiple customers.

As a top VLSI System Design Software Development Services, we are proud of the excellent services we offer. Our knowledge and dedication assure the best solutions for your VLSI requirements. Select us for the best performance in the VLSI system design. Visit More Information: https://ymtsindia.com/vlsi-system-design Meta Tags: VLSI System Design, VLSI System Management, VLSI Design Services, VLSI System Design Agency

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agnisystechnology · 1 year ago

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5 Reasons for Using an Open Source Register Automation Tool | Agnisys

Register automation is an integral part of IP and SoC development. Long ago, design, verification, firmware, and documentation teams preferred doing register management manually or each team wrote their own scripts for limited automation. Later, companies started doing this automation at the organization level. Central scripts were written for register automation for design, verification, firmware, and documentation teams, but still each had their own specifications. This led to many iterations between these teams before different collaterals were all brought in sync. As design complexity grew, maintaining these scripts became difficult, and commercial EDA tools took their place. Simultaneously, many open source tools also cropped up that could be used for register automation. Although commercial tools have their own value proposition, open source tools also have their use cases. The five primary reasons why you might use open source tool are:

1. Cost

Open source EDA tools are typically free to use as there is no license fee, support fee, etc. You can just download, install, and get going. Generally, these tools are ideal for students, academicians, and perhaps small companies or cash-starved start-ups. If the cost to fix a bug in the final product developed using an open source tool is less than the cost of a commercial EDA tool for register automation, then it may be beneficial to opt for it.

For companies, there are a few more factors that affect the cost indirectly; experienced CAD engineers are required to integrate the tool in the production environment without any compatibility issues. Also, design and verification teams must be able to quickly ramp up on the tool to be able to churn out fully tested and verified designs faster in order to meet the shrinking market window. Some software engineers may also be needed to fix any issues or tailor the open source tool to meet unique requirements.

Considering all the above factors, if you can ensure that the total cost of ownership of an open source tool remains less, then the open source tool can turn out to be cost-effective for your organization.

If saving money on a commercial tool is more important than the money spent on finding bugs later in the development flow then you can perhaps go with the open source solutions.

2. Features

More options, more confusion! Fewer options, less confusion!

Generally, commercial EDA tools offer a comprehensive range of features and functionalities, including a rich set of special registers, a large number of properties for customization, etc. as they are developed and maintained by dedicated teams with extensive resources and customer interactions.

The open source tools may not support comprehensive features and functionality, but with fewer options you are not spoiled for choice. Assess the specific requirements of your project, including design complexity, input specification format (System RDL/IP-XACT/Excel/Document or a mix of these formats), required output collateral formats (Verilog, VHDL, System Verilog, UVM, HTML, PDF, Markdown, etc.), performance targets, and time-to-market constraints. Determine whether the features and capabilities of the open source tool align with these requirements.

With limited requirements you can be satisfied with a smaller set of features. For example, you may be using just one input specification format so you may not need a tool that supports a mix of formats. Similarly, you may require only design and verification collaterals, so why should you pay for other collaterals such as firmware, documentation, and custom outputs? Also, you may be working on FPGAs so ASIC related features could be of no use to you. You may be dealing with small and fairly simple designs so you may not require high performance features like clock-domain-crossing (CDC), functional safety, and so on. Working across teams and geography may not be important for you, rendering enterprise level features useless for you.

If you have simple register maps and don’t have any 3rd party IPs in IP-XACT and other formats, then open source may be enough for you.

3. DIY

Companies can start with the open-source software and set up a team of software engineers to modify the code for specific project requirements, tailoring the tools to fit the company's unique needs. The main challenge here is when updates of an open source software are released. It is usually a thrilling adventure into the unknown. Your engineering team may need to spend hours tinkering with config files and compiling the source to maintain compatibility with your production tool flow. Some previous features may suddenly disappear or be implemented differently as these tools are ever evolving. Merging your custom changes to open source code with new updates often requires a major and costly effort.

If hours spent tinkering with the output generation is not going to cause delay in the project and the cost of dedicating software engineers in developing, refining and maintaining the open source tool for several years is less than the cost of the commercial tools, then open source might be a possible solution.

4. Support

Many open-source projects have vibrant communities of users and developers who contribute to ongoing development, provide support, and share knowledge. While open source communities are there to help, you need to navigate through different forums for advice. Extensive documentation requires skills to extract the right information or else you can drown in the sea of available materials.

Support can be a weakness for open source tools. Troubleshooting is a costly affair, and often time consuming as well, delaying your critical project. There are no training programs, although there could be numerous tutorials available to help users learn the nitty gritty of the tools. This kind of community based approach to support can make troubleshooting a tedious task, affecting productivity, and risking your project success.

If time to market is not important for your project, then the absence of quick support may be acceptable.

5. Transparency, Scaling and Certification

With open source software, the code transparency can provide reassurance regarding security and reliability. Transparency may also expose vulnerabilities and critical flaws making these tools susceptible to attacks.

Open source tools also need to scale with your company’s evolving needs to support future innovation and competitiveness. Your company’s growth trajectory is linked to the evolution trajectory of the open source tool, which may be good enough for the short term but not suitable for long term strategy.

In certain industries, such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices, regulatory compliance is critical. Companies making products in these domains do not have the luxury of using open source tools as they may not offer features and certifications to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.

Open source crowdsource development has its advantages but what happens when multiple users have conflicting requirements? One will always need a person to maintain the branch with their changes.

ISO 26262 certification requires that the tool vendor follows standard development processes to ensure tool quality, predictability, and fault management. If certification is not important or necessary then open source software can be used.

Conclusion

Open source register automation tools have their strengths and weaknesses. There are numerous use cases for these tools especially in academics, prototyping, and non-critical projects/products. However, many other industries and applications have requirements that can only be met with commercial register automation solutions. Open source tools may look cost-effective in the short term but, in the long term, the cost of ownership and the risk to the project outweighs the perceived benefits.

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learnandgrowcommunity · 2 years ago

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youtube

VHDL Basics : Begin the World of FPGA Design Tools & VHDL Design Flow

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on FPGA design tools and VHDL design flow! In this video, we dive into the fascinating world of FPGA design and explore the essential tools and methodologies needed for successful FPGA development. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced engineer, this tutorial will provide valuable insights and tips to enhance your FPGA design skills. We start by introducing the fundamentals of FPGA design, explaining the benefits and versatility of using FPGAs in various applications. From there, we explore the wide range of design tools available, from popular industry-standard software like Xilinx Vivado and Altera Quartus Prime to open-source alternatives like GHDL and Icarus Verilog. We highlight the strengths and features of each toolset, enabling you to choose the most suitable one for your projects. With a solid foundation in FPGA design and tools, we then delve into the VHDL (VHSIC Hardware Description Language) design flow. From understanding the basics of VHDL syntax to implementing complex digital designs, we provide step-by-step explanations and practical demonstrations. You'll learn about entity and architecture design, the importance of libraries, and how to simulate and synthesize VHDL code for your FPGA. To ensure a holistic learning experience, we discuss common challenges and pitfalls in FPGA design and provide valuable troubleshooting tips. We also touch upon advanced topics like FPGA optimization techniques, timing analysis, and physical implementation considerations. So, whether you're a student, hobbyist, or professional looking to enhance your FPGA design skills, this tutorial is the ultimate resource to get started on your journey. Join us now and unlock the vast potential of FPGA design tools and the VHDL design flow! FPGA design tools, VHDL design flow, FPGA development, Xilinx Vivado, Altera Quartus Prime, VHDL, Verilog, VHDL syntax, digital design, entity architecture, libraries, simulate VHDL code, synthesize VHDL code, FPGA optimization techniques, timing analysis, physical implementation, FPGA design skills.

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instantebookmart · 2 years ago

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Digital Design: With an Introduction to the Verilog HDL, VHDL, and SystemVerilog 6th Edition, ISBN-13: 978-0134549897 [PDF eBook eTextbook] Publisher: ‎ Pearson; 6th edition (March 7, 2017) Language: ‎ English 720 pages ISBN-10: ‎ 9780134549897 ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0134549897 The speed, density, and complexity of today’s digital devices are made possible by advances in physical processing technology and digital design methodology. Aside from semiconductor technology, the design of leading-edge devices depends critically on hardware description languages (HDLs) and synthesis tools. Three public-domain languages, Verilog, VHDL, and SystemVerilog, all play a role in design flows for today’s digital devices. HDLs, together with fundamental knowledge of digital logic circuits, provide an entry point to the world of digital design for students majoring in computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering. In the not-too-distant past, it would be unthinkable for an electrical engineering student to graduate without having used an oscilloscope. Today, the needs of industry demand that undergraduate students become familiar with the use of at least one hardware description language. Their use of an HDL as a student will better prepare them to be productive members of a design team after they graduate. Given the presence of three HDLs in the design arena, we have expanded our presentation of HDLs in Digital Design to treat Verilog and VHDL, and to provide an introduction to SystemVerilog. Our intent is not to require students to learn three, or even two, languages, but to provide the instructor with a choice between Verilog and VHDL while teaching a systematic methodology for design, regardless of the language, and an optional introduction to SystemVerilog. Certainly, Verilog and VHDL are widely used and taught, dominate the design space, and have common underlying concepts supporting combinational and sequential logic design, and both are essential to the synthesis of high-density integrated circuits. Our text offers parallel tracks of presentation of both languages, but allows concentration on a single language. The level of treatment of Verilog and VHDL is essentially equal, without emphasizing one language over the other. A language-neutral presentation of digital design is a – common thread through the treatment of both languages. A large set of problems, which are stated in language-neutral terms, at the end of each chapter can be worked with either Verilog or VHDL. The emphasis in our presentation is on digital design, with HDLs in a supporting role. Consequently, we present only those details of Verilog, VHDL, and SystemVerilog that are needed to support our treatment of an introduction to digital design. Moreover, although we present examples using each language, we identify and segregate the treatment of topics and examples so that the instructor can choose a path of presentation for a single language—either Verilog or VHDL. Naturally, a path that emphasizes Verilog can conclude with SystemVerilog, but it can be skipped without compromising the objectives. The introduction to SystemVerilog is selective—we present only topics and examples that are extensions of Verilog, and well within the scope of an introductory treatment. To be clear, we are not advocating simultaneous presentation of the languages. The instructor can choose either Verilog/SystemVerilog or VHDL as the core language supporting an introductory course in digital design. Regardless of the language, our focus is on digital design. The language-based examples throughout the book are not just about the details of an HDL. We emphasize and demonstrate the modeling and verification of digital circuits having specified behavior. Neither Verilog or VHDL are covered in their entirety. Some details of the languages will be left to the reader’s continuing education and use of web resources. Regardless of language, our examples introduce a design methodology based on the concept of computer-aided modeling of digital systems by means of a mainstream, IEEE-standardized, hardware description language. This revision of Digital Design begins each chapter with a statement of its objectives. Problems at the end of each chapter are combined with inchapter examples, and with in-chapter Practice Exercises. Together, these encounters with the subject matter bring the student closer to achieving the stated objectives and becoming skilled in digital design. Answers are given to selected problems at the end of each chapter. A Solution Manual gives detailed solutions to all of the problems at the end of the chapters. The level of detail of the solutions is such that an instructor can use individual problems to support classroom instruction. Table of Contents: Preface 1 Digital Systems and Binary Numbers 1.1 Digital Systems 1.2 Binary Numbers 1.3 NumberBase Conversions 1.4 Octal and Hexadecimal Numbers 1.5 Complements of Numbers 1.6 Signed Binary Numbers 1.7 Binary Codes 1.8 Binary Storage and Registers 1.9 Binary Logic 2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Gates 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Basic Definitions 2.3 Axiomatic Definition of Boolean Algebra 2.4 Basic Theorems and Properties of Boolean Algebra 2.5 Boolean Functions 2.6 Canonical and Standard Forms 2.7 Other Logic Operations 2.8 Digital Logic Gates 2.9 Integrated Circuits 3 GateLevel Minimization 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Map Method 3.3 FourVariable K-Map 3.4 ProductofSums Simplification 3.5 Donâ€™tCare Conditions 3.6 NAND and NOR Implementation 3.7 Other TwoLevel Implementations 3.8 ExclusiveOR Function 3.9 Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) 4 Combinational Logic 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Combinational Circuits 4.3 Analysis of Combinational Circuits 4.4 Design Procedure 4.5 Binary Adderâ€”Subtractor 4.6 Decimal Adder 4.7 Binary Multiplier 4.8 Magnitude Comparator 4.9 Decoders 4.10 Encoders 4.11 Multiplexers 4.12 HDL Models of Combinational Circuits 5 Synchronous Sequential Logic 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Sequential Circuits 5.3 Storage Elements: Latches 5.4 Storage Elements: FlipFlops 5.5 Analysis of Clocked Sequential Circuits 5.6 Synthesizable HDL Models of Sequential Circuits 5.7 State Reduction and Assignment 5.8 Design Procedure 6 Registers and Counters 6.1 Registers 6.2 Shift Registers 6.3 Ripple Counters 6.4 Synchronous Counters 6.5 Other Counters 6.6 HDL Models of Registers and Counters 7 Memory and Programmable Logic 7.1 Introduction 7.2 RandomAccess Memory 7.3 Memory Decoding 7.4 Error Detection and Correction 7.5 ReadOnly Memory 7.6 Programmable Logic Array 7.7 Programmable Array Logic 7.8 Sequential Programmable Devices 8 Design at the Register Transfer Level 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Register Transfer Level (RTL) Notation 8.3 RTL descriptions VERILOG (Edge- and Level-Sensitive Behaviors) 8.4 Algorithmic State Machines (ASMs) 8.5 Design Example (ASMD Chart) 8.6 HDL Description of Design Example 8.7 Sequential Binary Multiplier 8.8 Control Logic 8.9 HDL Description of Binary Multiplier 8.10 Design with Multiplexers 8.11 RaceFree Design (Software Race Conditions) 8.12 LatchFree Design (Why Waste Silicon?) 8.13 System Verilogâ€“An Introduction 9 Laboratory Experiments with Standard ICs and FPGAs 9.1 Introduction to Experiments 9.2 Experiment 1: Binary and Decimal Numbers 9.3 Experiment 2: Digital Logic Gates 9.4 Experiment 3: Simplification of Boolean Functions 9.5 Experiment 4: Combinational Circuits 9.6 Experiment 5: Code Converters 9.7 Experiment 6: Design with Multiplexers 9.8 Experiment 7: Adders and Subtractors 9.9 Experiment 8: FlipFlops 9.10 Experiment 9: Sequential Circuits 9.11 Experiment 10: Counters 9.12 Experiment 11: Shift Registers 9.13 Experiment 12: Serial Addition 9.14 Experiment 13: Memory Unit 9.15 Experiment 14: Lamp Handball 9.16 Experiment 15: ClockPulse Generator 9.17 Experiment 16: Parallel Adder and Accumulator 9.18 Experiment 17: Binary Multiplier 9.19 HDL Simulation Experiments and Rapid Prototyping with FPGAs 10 Standard Graphic Symbols 10.1 RectangularShape Symbols 10.2 Qualifying Symbols 10.3 Dependency Notation 10.4 Symbols for Combinational Elements 10.5 Symbols for FlipFlops 10.6 Symbols for Registers 10.7 Symbols for Counters 10.8 Symbol for RAM Appendix Answers to Selected Problems Index M. Morris Mano is an Emeritus Professor of Computer Engineering at the California State University, Los Angeles. His notable works include the Mano Machine, i.e. a theoretical computer that contains a central processing unit, random access memory, and an input-output bus. M. Morris Mano has authored numerous books in the area of digital circuits that are known for teaching the basic concepts of digital logic circuits in a clear, accessible manner. His books for the introductory digital design course, Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals and Digital Design, continue to be two of the most widely used texts around the world. Michael Ciletti is an Emeritus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. An early advocate of including HDL-based design methodology in the curriculum, he pioneered and developed the offering of several courses using Verilog, VHDL, FPGAs and standard cell based hardware implementations for design, testing, and synthesis of VLSI devices. His consulting work has ranged from processor design to providing expert witness testimony in cases involving HDLs. He has developed and presented courses for industry in The United States, Asia, and Europe. His widely-adopted textbooks have promoted the use of the now-standard Verilog HDL and encouraged adoption of HDL-based design practice in logic design and computer science curricula. Ciletti resides in Colorado Springs, CO, where he pursues a strong interest in landscape photography. What makes us different? • Instant Download • Always Competitive Pricing • 100% Privacy • FREE Sample Available • 24-7 LIVE Customer Support

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eduebookstore · 2 years ago

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your-chipedge · 5 years ago

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How To Choose Frontend Vs. Backend? A guide for Freshers

#VLSI frontend and backend are nothing but two different domains in the field of VLSI. The classification is based on the different steps involved in a typical ASIC design flow. Following diagram shows a typical design flow for an ASIC or SOC.

As it shows the design flow starts with a specification document which lists out the technical requirements needed in the chip design. It is followed by translating the specification to Architectural design. The architectural design involves designing the functional blocks and the communication protocol between them and translating them into actual modules that contain FSMs, combinational and sequential circuits etc. The architectural design is then modelled using a Hardware description language like Verilog/VHDL/System Verilog, which is the RTL design stage. The Functional Verification stage starts with a verification plan and a corresponding verification environment which describes and implements the method of proving the design correctness, using different Verification techniques. The design is refined until the HDL model is proved to be meeting the specifications.This stage is followed by Synthesis – a process of transforming the HDL design into a technology specific gate-level netlist, given all the specified constraints and optimization settings. DFT is a structural technique which facilitates a design to become testable after production. All the works till this stage are normally called as the Frontend of VLSI design and are executed by Frontend Engineers.

The next step in the ASIC Design flow is Placement and Routing which involves arranging approximate locations of a set of modules that need to be placed on a layout. Clock tree synthesis is a process which makes sure that the clock gets distributed evenly to all sequential elements in a design to fix the timing violations. This is followed by routing in which exact paths for the interconnection of standard cells and macros and I/O pins are determined.The file produced at the output of the layout is the GDSII (GDS2) file which is the file used by the foundry to fabricate the silicon. Gate level simulations and Static Timing Analysis (a method of validating the timing performance of a design by checking all possible paths for timing violations without having to simulate) are also done to make sure that the gate level design meets the timing requirements for correct design operations. All steps after logic synthesis are performed by Backend engineers and forms the Backend jobs.

Work of a Frontend Engineer

RTL Design/Coding

Synthesis

Functional Verification

DFT

Work of a Backend Engineer

Floor Planning

Placement

Clock Tree Synthesis

STA

Physical Verification

Which one has more career Opportunities?

With the advances being made in technologies like process geometries, feature size and product innovations on a daily basis, there is a constant need to design, develop and re-engineer integrated circuits (ICs). Since electronic products like mobile phones are being released with new features in shorter cycles, there is a healthy demand for qualified VLSI engineers to work on these products. Therefore, there is good scope for a career in the VLSI industry. The important point is that both the domains, front end and back end have their own advantages and have great career prospects. It is completely up to you which one to choose depending on your interest and confidence level, as both offer a great deal of learning and growth.

How to choose?

In order to become a front end engineer, one needs to have good knowledge of HDLs(Verilog/VHDL/SystemVerilog). It will be an added advantage if you have industry related protocol knowledge. So if you have ample digital fundamental knowledge, are fond of HDL coding, love debugging and want to have a sound understanding about the functionality of IC or chip you should definitely go for Front End. With the recent emergence of Artificial intelligence and its application towards VLSI opens up a huge scope for Front end engineers. In order to become a back end engineer, one needs to be well equipped with the concepts of digital electronics, CMOS and Analog Circuits, Scripting knowledge for automation, Hands on Tools for physical design, layout etc. If the above mentioned skills fascinates you then you can opt for Backend and there might be a chance to work in Foundry as well.

Challenges faced by a fresher to get into VLSI industry

Even though VLSI industry is a niche and has lots of career opportunities, on the flip side, industry is currently somewhat less reachable for fresh graduates, compared to other areas due to some particular reasons. Firstly, VLSI or chip design requires a deeper level of knowledge and skills than other electronics related fields .But our Universities are not catering 100% to the VLSI industry requirements. Secondly, VLSI chip design is expensive and requires access to high-cost, specialised electronic design automation (EDA) tools.

How can Chipedge help?

Chipedge offers various courses for fresh graduates both in frontend and backend domains, to choose from. The courses are well structured starting from building a strong foundation by emphasising on fundamental subjects like Digital, CMOS etc. Once the candidate becomes confident with the fundamental knowledge, we impart all the domain specific skills required for the VLSI industry, by giving hands on training on industry standard EDA tools (Synopsys).

#chipedge vlsicourses vlsi #asic uvm systemverilog

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hummerminer-blog · 5 years ago

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Application Specific Integrated Circuits Chip Design Flow

Step 1: Prepare an Requirement Specification

Step 2: Create an Micro-Architecture Document.

Step 3: RTL Design & Development of IP's

Step 4: Functional verification all the IP's/Check whether the RTL is free from Linting Errors/Analyze whether the RTL is Synthesis friendly.

Step 4a: Perform Cycle-based verification(Functional) to verify the protocol behaviour of the RTL

Step 4b: Perform Property Checking , to verify the RTL implementation and the specification understanding is matching. Get More Information Hummer Miner

Step 5: Prepare the Design Constraints file (clock definitions(frequency/uncertainty/jitter),I/O delay definitions, Output pad load definition, Design False/Multicycle-paths) to perform Synthesis, usually called as an SDC synopsys_constraints, specific to synopsys synthesis Tool (design-compiler)

Step 6: To Perform Synthesis for the IP, the inputs to the tool are (library file(for which synthesis needs to be targeted for, which has the functional/timing information available for the standard-cell library and the wire-load models for the wires based on the fanout length of the connectivity), RTL files and the Design Constraint files, So that the Synthesis tool can perform the synthesis of the RTL files and map and optimize to meet the design-constraints requirements. After performing synthesis, as a part of the synthesis flow, need to build scan-chain connectivity based on the DFT(Design for Test) requirement, the synthesis tool (Test-compiler), builds the scan-chain.

7: Check whether the Design is meeting the requirements (Functional/Timing/Area/Power/DFT) after synthesis.

Step 7a: Perform the Netlist-level Power Analysis, to know whether the design is meeting the power targets.

Step 7b: Perform Gate-level Simulation with the Synthesized Netlist to check whether the design is meeting the functional requirements.

Step 7c: Perform Formal-verification between RTL vs Synthesized Netlist to confirm that the synthesis Tool has not altered the functionality.

Step 7d: Perform STA(Static Timing Analysis) with the SDF(Standard Delay Format) file and synthesized netlist file, to check whether the Design is meeting the timing-requirements.

Step 7e: Perform Scan-Tracing , in the DFT tool, to check whether the scan-chain is built based on the DFT requirement.

Step 8: Once the synthesis is performed the synthesized netlist file(VHDL/Verilog format) and the SDC (constraints file) is passed as input files to the Placement and Routing Tool to perform the back-end Actitivities.

Step 9: The next step is the Floor-planning, which means placing the IP's based on the connectivity,placing the memories, Create the Pad-ring, placing the Pads(Signal/power/transfer-cells(to switch voltage domains/Corner pads(proper accessibility for Package routing), meeting the SSN requirements(Simultaneous Switching Noise) that when the high-speed bus is switching that it doesn't create any noise related acitivities, creating an optimised floorplan, where the design meets the utilization targets of the chip.

Step 9a : Release the floor-planned information to the package team, to perform the package feasibility analysis for the pad-ring .

Step 9b: To the placement tool, rows are cut, blockages are created where the tool is prevented from placing the cells, then the physical placement of the cells is performed based on the timing/area requirements.The power-grid is built to meet the power-target's of the Chip .

Step 10: The next step is to perform the Routing., at first the Global routing and Detailed routing, meeting the DRC(Design Rule Check) requirement as per the fabrication requirement.

Step 11: After performing Routing then the routed Verilog netlist, standard-cells LEF/DEF file is taken to the Extraction tool (to extract the parasitics(RLC) values of the chip in the SPEF format(Standard parasitics Exchange Format), and the SPEF file is generated.

Step 12: Check whether the Design is meeting the requirements (Functional/Timing/Area/Power/DFT/DRC/LVS/ERC/ESD/SI/IR-Drop) after Placement and Routing step.

Step 12a: Perform the Routed Netlist-level Power Analysis, to know whether the design has met the power targets.

Step 12b: Perform Gate-level Simulation with the routed Netlist to check whether the design is meeting the functional requirement .

Step 12c: Perform Formal-verification between RTL vs routed Netlist to confirm that the place & route Tool has not altered the functionality.

Step 12d: Perform STA(Static Timing Analysis) with the SPEF file and routed netlist file, to check whether the Design is meeting the timing-requirements.

Step 12e: Perform Scan-Tracing , in the DFT tool, to check whether the scan-chain is built based on the DFT requirement, Peform the Fault-coverage with the DFT tool and Generate the ATPG test-vectors.

Step 12f: Convert the ATPG test-vector to a tester understandable format(WGL)

Step 12g: Perform DRC(Design Rule Check) verification called as Physical-verification, to confirm that the design is meeting the Fabrication requirements.

Step 12h: Perform LVS(layout vs Spice) check, a part of the verification which takes a routed netlist converts to spice (call it SPICE-R) and convert the Synthesized netlist(call it SPICE-S) and compare that the two are matching.

Step 12i : Perform the ERC(Electrical Rule Checking) check, to know that the design is meeting the ERC requirement.

Step 12j: Perform the ESD Check, so that the proper back-to-back diodes are placed and proper guarding is there in case if we have both analog and digital portions in our Chip. We have separate Power and Grounds for both Digital and Analog Portions, to reduce the Substrate-noise.

Step 12k: Perform separate STA(Static Timing Analysis) , to verify that the Signal-integrity of our Chip. To perform this to the STA tool, the routed netlist and SPEF file(parasitics including coupling capacitances values), are fed to the tool. This check is important as the signal-integrity effect can cause cross-talk delay and cross-talk noise effects, and hinder in the functionality/timing aspects of the design.

Step 12l: Perform IR Drop analysis, that the Power-grid is so robust enough to with-stand the static and dynamic power-drops with in the design and the IR-drop is with-in the target limits.

Step 13: Once the routed design is verified for the design constraints, then now the next step is chip-finishing activities (like metal-slotting, placing de-coupling caps).

Step 14: Now the Chip Design is ready to go to the Fabrication unit, release files which the fab can understand, GDS file.

Step 15: After the GDS file is released , perform the LAPO check so that the database released to the fab is correct.

Step 16: Perform the Package wire-bonding, which connects the chip to the Package.

#Hummer Miner #Hummer Miner Mars H1 #Hummer miner H1

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vlsiguru24 · 6 months ago

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FPGA System Design Training - VLSI Guru

In the evolving world of digital design, FPGA System Design Training has become a cornerstone for engineers aspiring to excel in hardware design and embedded systems. VLSI Guru’s comprehensive FPGA System Design course equips you with the skills to design, develop, and implement FPGA-based systems using the latest industry tools and methodologies.

What is FPGA System Design?

FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) System Design involves programming configurable logic blocks to create customized hardware solutions. FPGAs are widely used in applications like embedded systems, signal processing, and high-performance computing due to their flexibility, scalability, and speed.

Why Choose VLSI Guru for FPGA System Design Training?

1. Industry-Focused Curriculum

VLSI Guru’s training covers all essential aspects of FPGA System Design, including:

Basics of FPGA architecture and design flow.

Programming using VHDL and Verilog.

Advanced concepts like timing analysis, IP integration, and system optimization.

Hands-on experience with industry tools like Xilinx Vivado and Intel Quartus.

2. Hands-On Learning

Our training emphasizes practical exposure, allowing you to work on real-world FPGA projects such as:

Designing digital circuits.

Implementing communication protocols.

Developing hardware acceleration modules.

3. Expert Mentorship

Learn from experienced trainers with extensive industry expertise, ensuring you gain insights into real-world FPGA system design challenges and solutions.

4. Placement Assistance

VLSI Guru provides job-oriented training along with resume building, interview preparation, and placement support to help you secure roles in top hardware and semiconductor companies.

What Will You Learn?

Fundamentals of FPGA architecture and HDL programming.

Design, simulation, and implementation using Verilog/VHDL.

Prototyping on FPGA development boards.

Debugging and optimization techniques for FPGA-based systems.

Who Should Enroll?

This course is ideal for:

Engineering graduates in electronics, electrical, or related fields.

Freshers and professionals seeking a career in FPGA System Design.

Embedded system developers looking to enhance their hardware design skills.

Why FPGA System Design is in Demand

FPGAs are the backbone of modern electronics, powering innovations in telecommunications, automotive, IoT, and artificial intelligence. Skilled FPGA engineers are in high demand to meet the growing need for customized hardware solutions.

Join VLSI Guru Today

Get ahead in the competitive semiconductor industry with VLSI Guru’s FPGA System Design Training. Our hands-on approach, expert guidance, and career support ensure you are ready to tackle the challenges of FPGA-based system design.

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govindhtech · 1 year ago

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Agilex 5 E-Series with Power-Optimized Edge Performance

Intel Agilex 5 FGPA

Agilex 5 E-Series

Altera’s latest mid-range FPGAs, the Agilex 5 FPGAs E-Series, are now supported by the recently released Quartus Prime Software v24.1, which can be downloaded right now. Intel are happy to announce that it is now simpler than ever and completely free of charge to take use of the unmatched capability of Altera’s Agilex 5 FPGAs E-Series with the introduction of the state-of-the-art Quartus Prime Software from Altera.

Intel Agilex 5

Free Licence: Get rid of obstacles. With the help of Quartus Prime Pro Edition Software v24.1, you may use the newest E-Series devices at no cost, enabling you to innovate beyond limits!

Streamlined Design Flow: Use Quartus Prime Software to see the smooth integration of intellectual property (IP)-Centric design flow. Their easily customizable design samples streamline the process of getting started so you can concentrate on what really matters your innovative ideas.

New Embedded Processing Capabilities: Make use of the Simics simulator-supported dual-core ARM Cortex-A76 and dual-core ARM Cortex-A55 of the Agilex 5 SoC FPGA, the industry’s first asymmetric processing complex. Additionally, Agilex 5 FPGAs may be combined with the feature-rich, performance- and space-optimized Nios V soft-processor for smaller embedded FPGA applications. Additionally, they collaborate with a number of partners who provide a top-notch suite of tools to improve your FPGA and embedded development experience, including Arm, Wind River, Siemens, Ashling, MathWorks, and many more.

Comprehensive Intellectual Property (IP) Portfolio: With their tried-and-true IP portfolio for Agilex 5 FPGAs, many of which are free, you may shorten the time it takes to market. Reduce the amount of circuitry used and make design timing closure easier with hard IP solutions for PCI Express, Ethernet, and memory protocols, which also support LPDDR5. With PCS’s Ethernet 10G MAC, you can guarantee deterministic and synchronised communication, enhanced by Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) features.

This version includes the Video and Vision Processing (VVP) portfolio IP for Agilex 5 FPGAs, which enables the entire portfolio of video solutions, as well as additional IPs supporting MIPI D-PHY and MIPI CSI-2. Begin developing your Agilex 5 FPGA designs and rely on additional validated advanced features like JESD204C IP, ORAN IP, LDPC IP, CPRI, and eCPRI among others.

Unprecedented Capabilities: Altera FPGAs may be programmed with cutting-edge capabilities like the following using the Quartus Prime Pro Edition Software v24.1.

Agilex 5 datasheet

Dashboard for Quartus Software Exploration (Preproduction)

With distinct instances of Quartus Prime software, numerous projects running concurrently may be easily coordinated and the compilation and timing results can be seen.

Fresh Features for Compilation: Generation flow of precompiled components (PCCs)Utilising the new precompiled component (PCC) generation flow during compilation, shorten the time it takes to compile synthesis.Start the Simulator using the Quartus Prime GUI.Effortlessly start simulations straight from the Quartus Prime GUI by using the handy “Tools ➤ Run Simulation” menu item. Remove the need for extra procedures to streamline your workflow and save time.

Features and Improvements of Synthesis

Use the RTL Linter Tool to convert older RTL files to Verilog/VHDL standards with ease, optimise RAM inference for better speed and resource use, and reduce warnings in error-free RTL modules to increase readability while developing.

Improved Timing Indicator

Gain more flexibility in timing analysis and SDC scripting with new scripting options; guarantee design integrity with sign-off capabilities for particular combinational loops; and learn more about timing characteristics with enhanced Chip Planner visualisation of asynchronous clock domain crossings (CDCs).

Innovations in Advanced Link Analysers

Link Builder: Use the brand-new Link Builder tool to quickly and easily build high-speed serial connections. Streamline the connection creation procedure by automatically generating schematics and importing channels and devices.

High DPI Monitor Assistance: Benefit from improved readability and display quality thanks to GUI scaling for high DPI displays and automated DPI recognition. Enjoy enhanced usability and user experience.

Enhanced Data Viewer: With improvements to the Data Viewer, analyse forward error correction (FEC) code word faults more effectively. Error outcomes may be easily interpreted and analysed for more efficient error correction techniques.

Enhancements to Simulation Time:

Easy-to-use UI for automated import of devices and channels and schematics. Agilex 7 IP offers faster simulation times with the updated Q run and FEC models.

Qualities:

R-Tile: Transaction Layer (TL) multi-channel DMA IP (AXI) up to Gen5 x16 For flexibility in incorporating third-party PCIe Switch IP, use the bypass mode. A new design example for Gen5 x4 endpoint configuration is also provided.

F-Tile: Utilising FastSIM to reduce simulation time in PIPE mode and providing Ubuntu driver support for all sample designs.increased compatibility for up to 64 embedded endpoints.For greater coverage, the Debug Tool Kit (DTK) was added to the switch IP.

Become a Part of the Community: Hua Xue, VP & GM Software Engineering, remarked, “Intel’re excited to offer Quartus Prime Software v24.1, a crucial milestone in FPGA design.”

“Now, engineers everywhere can easily access the unmatched potential of Agilex 5 FPGAs E-Series.” Quartus’s simplified design process and these cutting-edge technologies allow engineers to reach their full potential for innovation. With their state-of-the-art processing capabilities, Agilex 5 devices transform embedded FPGA applications. These are enhanced by Quartus’s vast IP portfolio, which includes a variety of solutions like Ethernet, PCI Express, memory protocols like LPDDR5, support for MIPI D-PHY, CSI-2, and a suite of video solutions, among many other IPs.

The Quartus Exploration Dashboard offers a user-friendly interface and optimization recommendations, which further improve the design exploration process. Intel’re pushing both the simplicity of use and the fast compiler technologies with Quartus v24.1’s open access to E-Series FPGAs and a simplified design pipeline to enable engineers and innovators to unleash their creativity like never before.”

Intel Agilex 5 price

Normally marketed to corporations and incorporated into bigger systems, the Intel Agilex 5 FPGAs do not have a set pricing that is made accessible to the general public. A number of variables affect the pricing, including:

Model specifics: The Agilex 5 family has two distinct series (D and E) with differing logic cell characteristics and capacities. Models with additional features will cost more.

Volume: If you buy in large quantities, you may be able to negotiate a lower price with distributors or directly with Intel.

Distributor: Price structures may vary significantly throughout distributors.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

#Agilex #intelagilex #agilex5 #intelagilex5 #govindhtech #FPGA #news #technews #technology #technologynews #TechnologyTrends Intel

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usacounselingcredit · 2 years ago

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Houston Texas Appliance Parts: How Efinix is Conquering the Hurdle of Hardware Acceleration for Devices at the Edge

Houston Texas Appliance Parts

How Efinix is Conquering the Hurdle of Hardware Acceleration for Devices at the Edge

by Houston Texas Appliance Parts on Tuesday 07 March 2023 08:21 AM UTC-05

In previous articles, we established the many ways FPGAs surpass other AI chipsets for running machine learning algorithms at the edge in terms of reconfigurability, power consumption, size, speed, and cost. Moreover, how the microarchitecture-agnostic RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) marries up with the architectural flexibility of the FPGA seamlessly. However, the apparent lack of mid-range, cost-effective FPGAs and their less-than-straightforward design flow are a major bottleneck — the software skills required for the fully custom hardware description language (HDL) implementation are difficult to find and often come with a steep learning curve.

Efinix fills the gap with FPGAs built on the innovative quantum compute fabric made up of reconfigurable tiles known as exchangeable logic and routing (XLR) cells that function as either logic or routing, rethinking the traditional fixed ratio of logic elements (LEs) and routing resources. This allows for a high-density fabric in a small device package where no part of the FPGA is underutilized. The potential of this platform transcends the typical barriers facing edge-based devices today: power consumption, latency, cost, size, and ease of development.

Possibly the most striking feature of Efinix FPGAs is the ecosystem and state-of-the-art tool flow surrounding it that lowers development barriers, allowing designers to readily implement AI at the edge using the same silicon — from prototype to production. Efinix has embraced the RISC-V, thereby allowing users to create applications and algorithms in software — capitalizing on the ease of programmability of this ISA without being bound to proprietary IP cores such as ARM. Since this is all done with flexible FPGA fabric, users can massively accelerate in hardware. Efinix offers support for both low level and more complex custom instruction acceleration. Some of these techniques include the TinyML accelerator and predefined hardware accelerator sockets. With approaches such as these, the leaps in acceleration accomplished delivers hardware performance while retaining a software-defined model that can be iterated and refined without the need to learn VHDL. This results in blazing-fast speeds for edge devices, all while consuming low power and functioning within a small footprint. This article discusses precisely how the Efinix platform simplifies the entire design and development cycle, allowing users to take advantage of the flexible FPGA fabric for a scalable embedded processing solution.

Barriers at the edge — a dam-blocking progress

From massive wireless sensor networks to streaming a high-resolution 360o immersive AR or VR experience, most of the world's data lies at the edge. Disaggregating the compute burden from the cloud and bringing it closer to the devices opens doors for next-generation, bandwidth-hungry, ultra-low-latency applications in autonomous driving, immersive digital experiences, autonomous industrial facilities, telesurgery, and so on. The use cases are endless once the enormous roadblock of transmitting data to and from the cloud is sidestepped.

However, the very defining factors of low-latency, power-hungry compute at the edge are the very same factors that pose a significant design challenge for these small but prolific power-limited devices. How then is it possible to design a device capable of processing the power-hungry relevant ML algorithms without having to invest in elaborate technologies? The solution has been to implement any hardware deemed sufficient to run the suitable applications and algorithms (e.g., CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, ASSP) while accelerating the more compute-intensive tasks to balance the compute time (latency) and resources used (power consumed).

As with any innovation, the landscape of deep learning is continually shifting with updating models and optimization techniques, necessitating the use of more agile hardware platforms that can change almost as rapidly as the programs running on them with little to no risk. The parallel processing and flexibility/reconfigurability of FPGAs seem to line up seamlessly with this need. However, making these devices available for mainstream, high-volume applications requires lowering the design barriers for configuring and accelerating the FPGA fabric — a time-consuming process that normally requires a high degree of expertise. Furthermore, traditional accelerators are typically not granular enough and incorporate large pieces of a model that typically do not scale well. They also generally consume far too much power and are, more often than not, proprietary — causing engineers to relearn how to use the vendor-specific platform.

The Sapphire RISC-V core

Creating an application on the RISC-V Core in C/C++

Efinix squarely addresses all of these potential obstacles by taking on the challenge of making FPGAs available to the AI/ML community in an intuitive way. The RISC-V Sapphire core is fully user configurable through the Efinity GUI; this way, users do not have to know all the VHDL behind implementing the RISC-V in the FPGA and can exploit the straightforward programmability of common software languages (e.g., C/C++). This allows teams to rapidly generate applications and algorithms in software at speed. All the required peripherals and buses can be specified, configured, and instantiated alongside the Sapphire core to deliver a fully configured SoC (Figure 1). This RISC-V capability includes multi-core (up to four cores) support and Linux capability, delivering a high-performance processor cluster to a designer's FPGA application as well as the ability to run applications directly on the Linux operating system. The next step — hardware acceleration — is greatly simplified with hardware-software partitioning; once a designer has perfected their algorithm in software, they can progressively start to accelerate this within the flexible Efinix FPGA fabric. However, before we move on to the next step of hardware acceleration, it would be important to understand the inherent benefits of the RISC-V architecture and how it can be exploited for use within the FPGA fabric.

Figure 1: The Efinity GUI enables designers to configure their Sapphire RISC-V core (left) along with all the required peripherals and buses in familiar programming languages for a fully configured SoC. This capability is extended to up to four RISC-V cores.

Custom-instruction-capable RISC-V

The RISC-V architecture is unique in that it does not have all of its instructions defined; instead, there are a few instructions left open for the designer to define and implement. In other words, a custom arithmetic logic unit (ALU) can be created, and it will perform whatever arbitrary function when called upon by the custom instruction (Figure 2). These custom instructions will have the same architecture as the rest of the instructions (e.g., two registers in, one register out) granting a total of eight bytes of data to work with and four bytes that can be passed back to the RISC-V.

However, since the ALU is built within the FPGA, it can both access and pull data from the FPGA. This allows users to expand beyond the eight bytes of data and make the ALU arbitrarily complex — giving access to data that was put out on the FPGA previously (e.g., access to data from sensors). The ability to have an arbitrarily complex ALU is a multiplying factor for speed when it comes to hardware acceleration. Efinix has taken this ability of the custom instruction and adapted it for the AI and ML communities with the TinyML platform.

Figure 2: Custom ALUs can be created with the RISC-V where the standard configuration includes two source registers (rs1 and rs2) that are four bytes wide and one destination register (rd) that is four bytes wide.

The TinyML platform — a library of custom instructions

Hardware acceleration with the TinyML platform

The TinyML platform streamlines the process of hardware acceleration where Efinix has taken the compute primitives used in TensorFlow Lite models and created custom instructions to optimize their execution on accelerators in the FPGA fabric (Figure 3). Through this, the standard software-defined models of TensorFlow are absorbed into the RISC-V complex and are accelerated to run at hardware speed, taking advantage of the rich, open-source TensorFlow Lite community. The entire development flow has been streamlined using the popular Ashling tool flow to make setup, application creation, and debugging a simple and intuitive process.

Figure 3: TensorFlow Lite creates a quantized version of standard TensorFlow models and uses a library of functions to allow these models to run on MCUs at the edge. Efinix TinyML takes these TensorFlow Lite models, and using the custom instruction capabilities of the RISC-V core, accelerates them in the FPGA hardware.

Many of the TinyML platform's libraries of custom instructions are all available to the open-source community on the Efinix GitHub for free access to the Efinix Sapphire core and everything that is needed to design and develop highly accelerated edge AI applications.

Accelerations strategies: an overview

The combination of the RISC-V core, the Efinix FPGA fabric, and the rich, open-source TensorFlow community allows for creative acceleration strategies that can be broken down into several steps (Figure 4):

Step 1: Run the TensorFlow Lite model using the Efinity RISC-V IDE,

Step 2: Use the TinyML accelerator,

Step 3: User-defined custom instruction accelerator,

Step 4: Hardware accelerator templates.

As stated earlier, "Step 1" is a standard process through the Efinity GUI where users can take the Tensorflow Lite models and run it in software on the RISC-V using the very same, familiar process one would with a standard MCU — without having to worry about VHDL. After Step 1, designers will, more often than not, find that the performance of the algorithm they are running is not optimal and therefore requires acceleration. "Step 2" involves hardware-software partitioning where users can implement the fundamental building blocks inside the TensorFlow Lite models and literally click and drag to instantiate custom instructions and get a massive acceleration on the way the model runs on the Sapphire RISC-V core.

Figure 4: Efinix acceleration strategies.

User-defined custom instruction accelerator

"Step 3" leaves it open for designers to create their own custom instructions without leveraging the templates found in the TinyML platform, allowing users to innovate and create acceleration on top of the RISC-V core.

Hardware accelerator templates

Finally, after the required fundamental elements are now accelerated on the RISC-V, "Step 4" involves burying them inside the free Efinix SoC framework with "sockets" of acceleration. The quantum accelerator socket allows users to "point at" data, retrieve it, and edit its contents to, say, perform a convolution on bigger blocks of data.

The Sapphire SoC can be used to perform overall system control and execute algorithms that are inherently sequential or require flexibility. As stated earlier, the hardware-software codesign allows users to choose whether to perform this compute in the RISC-V processor or in hardware. In this acceleration methodology, the pre-defined hardware accelerator socket is connected to a direct memory access (DMA) controller and an SoC slave interface for data transfer and CPU control, which may be used for pre-processing/post-processing before or after the AI inference. The DMA controller facilitates communication between the external memory and other building blocks in the design by (Figure 5):

Storing frames of data into the external memory,

Sending and receiving data to/from the hardware acceleration block,

Sending data to the post-processing engine.

In an image-signal-processing application, this can look like leaving the RISC-V processor to execute the RGB to grayscale conversion as embedded software, while the hardware accelerator performs Sobel edge detection, binary erosion, and binary dilation in the pipelined, streaming architecture of the FPGA (see "Edge Vision SoC User Guide"). This can be scaled up for multi-camera vision systems, allowing companies to turn their designs into a product and deploy them extremely rapidly.

Figure 5: Sample edge vision SoC framework block diagram.

MediaPipe Face Mesh use case

The simplicity of this process might be better highlighted with an example. The MediaPipe Face Mesh ML model estimates hundreds of different three-dimensional facial landmarks in real-time. Efinix took this model and deployed it on the Titanium Ti60 development kit running at 300 MHz. As shown in Figure 6, convolutions on the RISC-V core contributed the most to latency. It is worth noting that the FPGA's resource utilization of close to 60% does not actually reflect the size of the ML model. Instead, this is due to the fact that the entire camera subsystem has been instantiated in the FPGA in order to perform acceleration benchmarking in real-time.

Figure 6: MediaPipe Face Mesh pre-trained network running on the Ti60 development kit showing both latency and resources used.

Simple custom instructions with the TinyML platform (Step 2)

Creating and running a simple, custom two registers in, one register out convolution instruction shows a four- to five-fold improvement in latency. This improvement continues as custom instructions used to accelerate the ADD, MAXIMUM, and MUL functions. However, latency improvements hit a plateau since the RISC-V is spending less time doing these operations (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Obvious latency improvements with simple, custom instructions created for CONV, ADD, MAXIMUM, and MUL functions.

Complex instructions with DMA (Step 4)

An arbitrarily complex ALU is also generated to replace the original CONV. This changes the slope of the original curve and dramatically improves the latency once more. However, FPGA utilization has also jumped up since the complex instruction has taken more resources inside the FPGA. Once again, the resource bar standing at nearly 100% is simply due the fact that the FPGA here contains the entire camera subsystem for demonstration purposes, what is important to note is the relative decrease in latency and increase in utilization (Figure 8).

What's more, switching to a larger FPGA, such as the Ti180, would run all of these complex instructions for massive acceleration without using even 50 percent of the FPGA resources available. These apparent tradeoffs are precisely what allow engineers to readily visualize the balancing act between latency, power consumption, and the cost/size of the FPGA. An edge application that has stringent latency requirements but more lenient power constraints could opt to increasingly accelerate the design for a drastic performance improvement. In power constrained applications, this increase in performance can be traded off by reducing the clock speed for a more moderate improvement in performance at a dramatically lower power.

Figure 8: A larger custom convolution instruction is employed for much more acceleration; however, resources consumed jumps up. Note, the near full utilization of the FPGA is simply due to the fact that the FPGA contains the entire camera subsystem, this would be dramatically lower if the Ti60 was simply running the ML model

A paradigm shift in AI/ML development

In a nutshell, Efinix has combined the familiar development environment of the RISC-V ISA and exploited its custom instruction capability to function within the architecturally flexible FPGA fabric. Unlike many hardware accelerators, this approach does not require any third-party tools or compilers. The acceleration is also fine grain with the acceleration of machine instructions — a level of granularity that only makes sense with an FPGA.

The fact that edge devices can be prototyped and deployed on the innovative design architecture of the Efinix FPGA means the solution is future-proofed. New models and updated network architectures can be expressed in familiar software environments and accelerated at the custom instruction level with only a small amount of VHDL (with libraries of available templates to use for guidance). This degree of hardware-software partitioning where 90 percent of the model remains in software running on the RISC-V allows for an extremely fast time to market. The combination of all of these approaches yields an elegant solution that truly lowers the barriers to entry for implementing an edge device. Designers now have access to a world-class embedded processing capability that can be accessed with a state-of-the-art tool flow and instantiated on the revolutionary Efinix Quantum fabric.

The post How Efinix is Conquering the Hurdle of Hardware Acceleration for Devices at the Edge appeared first on EE Times.

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