FPGA Design Flow using ISE

Course Description This course provides professors with an introduction to designing with Xilinx FPGAs using ISE® Foundation™ software.
Level Introductory
Duration 2 Days
Who should attend? Professors who are new to FPGAs or Xilinx technology and wish to use Xilinx All Programmabe devices in digital design
Pre-requisites
  • Digital design experience
  • Basic HDL knowledge (VHDL or Verilog)
  • Understanding of 8-bit microcontrollers

Skills Gained

After completing this workshop, you will be able to:

  • Describe the general FPGA architectures and the design flow
  • Configure FPGA architecture features, such as DCM, using the Architecture Wizard
  • Communicate design timing objectives through the use of global timing constraints
  • Pinpoint design bottlenecks using the reports
  • Utilize synthesis options to improve performance
  • Understand the various implementation options
  • Create and integrate IP cores into your design flow using CORE Generator™ software
  • Use ChipScope™ Pro tool to perform on-chip verification
  • Use the 8-bit PicoBlaze™ microcontroller to interface to various board components

Course Overview

Day 1:

  • Basic FPGA Architecture
  • Xilinx Tool Flow
  • Lab 1: Xilinx Tool Flow
    • An introduction to FPGA design flow. Open a project containing the PicoBlaze 8-bit microcontroller and simulate the design using the ISim HDL simulator provided with the ISE Foundation software.
  • Architecture Wizard and Pins Assignment
  • Lab 2: Architecture Wizard and Pins Assignment
    • Use the Architecture Wizard to configure and instantiate a DCM into a PicoBlaze design.  Assign pin locations with PACE.  Implement design to generate a bitstream file.  Download and test in hardware using hyperterminal.
  • Reading Reports
  • Global Timing Reports
  • Lab 3: Global Timing Constraints
    • Enter and analyze the effects of global timing constraints on a simple PicoBlaze design.  Download and test the design in hardware using hyperterminal.

Day 2:

  • FPGA Design Techniques
  • Synchronous Design Techniques
  • Synthesis Techniques
  • Lab 4: Synthesis Techniques with Xilinx Synthesis Technology (XST)
    • Set various synthesis options to improve results for a simple PicoBlaze design.  Download the design and test in hardware using hyperterminal.
  • Implementation Options
  • Core Generator System
  • Lab 5: CORE Generator Software
    • Generate the instruction ROM for a PicoBlaze design using CORE Generator, initialized with instructions generated from the PicoBlaze assembler.  Download and test in hardware.
  • ChipScope-Pro Tool
  • Lab 6: ChipScope-Pro Tool
    • Use the ChipScope-Pro tool to debug a simple PicoBlaze design using an Integrated Logic Analyzer (ILA) core.