FPGAs for Everyone, The psC Language Reference Manual
Luc Morin2022
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Abstract
This book presents a new technology for programming FPGAs. The psC language and the Novakod Studio IDE make FPGA programming accessible to C++ developers. All you need is a little C++, and you will easily learn psC to program FPGAs. The psC compiler generates high quality VHDL code that can be inserted in any Vivado or Quartus project. In addition, the CYCLE-ACCURATE HIGH-LEVEL SIMULATOR gives you WYSIWYG (What You Simulate Is What You Get) on the real FPGA. A paperback edition is available on Amazon.
Related papers
An overview of FPGAs and FPGA programming; Initial experiences at Daresbury
2006
This report will provide a brief introduction to Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), the key reasons for their emergence into the High Performance Computing (HPC) market and the difficulties of assessing their performance against that of conventional microprocessors. It will also discuss FPGA programming tools and the key challenges involved in programming these devices. As well as providing some background information on FPGAs and FPGA programming this report will cover our initial experiences of FPGA programming with specific reference to the Cray XD1 system.
Overview on Strategies and Approaches for FPGA Programming
TELKOMNIKA (Telecommunication Computing Electronics and Control), 2014
This paper presents an overview of strategies and approaches for FPGA programming. At first, design entry methods are briefly introduced. Then, the concepts of FPGA programming in some perspective viewpoints, such as: execution perspective, modelling perspective, programming style perspective, construction methodology perspective and synthesis perspective will be explained. Finally, the principle of VHDL programming use synchronization-evolution-action approach is introduced.
Features, Design Tools, and Application Domains of FPGAs
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 2007
In the past two decades advances in Programmable Device technologies, in both the hardware and software arenas, have been extraordinary. The original application of rapid prototyping has been complemented with a large number of new applications that take advantage of the excellent characteristics of the latest devices. High speed, very large number of components, large number of supported protocols and the addition of ready-to-use IP cores, make Programmable Devices a preferred choice of implementation, and even deployment in mass production quantities. This paper surveys the advanced features, design tools and application domains for Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The main characteristics and structure of modern FPGAs is first described to show their versatility and abundance of available design resources. Software resources are also discussed, as they are the main enablers for the efficient exploitation of the design capabilities of these devices. Current application domains are described, like configurable computing, dynamically reconfigurable systems, rapid system prototyping, communication processors and interfaces and signal processing. The paper also presents the authors' prospective view of how FPGAs will evolve to enter new application domains in the future.
Advances in FPGA tools and techniques
Microprocessors and Microsystems, 2005
Development of Microcontroller/ FPGA-based systems
Microcontrollers and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) both are widely used in digital system design. Microcontroller-based instruments are becoming increasingly widespread. On one hand, their high speed, power and falling prices make them an obvious choice. On the other hand, the fast growing popularity of FPGAs, the availability of powerful development tools, and the increase in speed and high density have made FPGA-based systems an alternative choice. Due to the importance of both technologies to undergraduate students, this paper discusses the importance of both technologies and presents the experience in teaching both. The design, implementation and testing of a typical project completed, based on both a microcontroller and a FPGA is presented. Students' reactions, encountered problems and skills gained are also reported.
Architecture of FPGAs and CPLDs: A Tutorial
This paper provides a tutorial survey of architectures of commercially available high-capacity field-programmable devices (FPDs). We first define the relevant terminology in the field and then describe the recent evolution of FPDs. The three main categories of FPDs are delineated: Simple PLDs (SPLDs), Complex PLDs (CPLDs) and Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). We then give details of the architectures of all of the most important commercially available chips, and give examples of applications of each type of device.
A Novel FPGA Architecture and an Integrated Framework of CAD Tools for Implementing Applications
IEICE Transactions on Information and Systems, 2005
A complete system for the implementation of digital logic in a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) platform is introduced. The novel power-efficient FPGA architecture was designed and simulated in STM 0.18 µm CMOS technology. The detailed design and circuit characteristics of the Configurable Logic Block, the interconnection network, the switch box and the connection box were determined and evaluated in terms of energy, delay and area. A number of circuit-level low-power techniques were employed because power consumption was the primary concern. Additionally, a complete tool framework for the implementation of digital logic circuits in FPGA platforms is introduced. Having as input VHDL description of an application, the framework derives the reconfiguration bitstream of FPGA. The framework consists of: i) non-modified academic tools, ii) modified academic tools and iii) new tools. Furthermore, the framework can support a variety of FPGA architectures. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons with existing academic and commercial architectures and tools are provided, yielding promising results.
FPGA as a part of MS Windows control environment
Proceedings of the International …, 2006
The attention is focused on the Windows operating system (OS) used as a control and measurement environment. Windows OS due to extensions becomes a real-time OS (RTOS). Benefits and drawbacks of typical software extensions are compared. As far as hardware solutions are concerned the field programmable gate arrays FPGA technology is proposed to ensure fast time-critical operations. FPGA-based parallel execution and hardware implementation of the data processing algorithms significantly outperform the classical microprocessor operating modes. Suitability of the RTOS for a particular application and FPGA hardware maintenance is studied. Keywords: MS Windows extensions, soft real time operating system, FPGA-based controller FPGA JAKO CZĘŚĆ ŚRODOWISKA STEROWANIA MS WINDOWS Uwagę skupiono na Windows -systemie operacyjnym (OS) użytym jako środowisko pomiarów i sterowania. Windows OS, dzięki rozszerzeniom, staje się systemem operacyjnym czasu rzeczywistego (RTOS). Porównano wady i zalety typowych programowych rozszerzeń. W przypadku sprzętowych rozwiązań, proponuje się użycie technologii FPGA, by wykonać szybkie, krytyczne czasowo operacje. Równoległe wykonanie algorytmu oparte na technologii FPGA i sprzętowa implementacja algorytmów przetwarzania danych w sposób znaczący przewyższają klasyczne mikroprocesorowe tryby pracy. Badane są: dostosowanie oraz użyteczność RTOS dla wybranych aplikacji i rozwiązania sprzętowe wykorzystujące technologię FPGA. Słowa kluczowe: rozszerzenie MS Windows, miękkie systemy operacyjne czasu rzeczywistego, sterowniki oparte na technologii FPGA
Related papers
Software for development and communication with FPGA based hardware
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2005
This document describes aspects of creating software for communication with hardware, especially with FPGA based systems. Features unique for FPGA systems are compared with features of the traditional electronic systems. There are discussed topics like hardware interface definition, or address space description. Connecting client application is shown with Matlab as an example. Solutions with FPGA and embedded processors are discussed.
Rapid-X - An FPGA Development Toolset Using a Custom Simulink Library for MTCA.4 Modules
IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2015
The recent introduction of advanced hardware architectures such as the Micro Telecommunications Computing Architecture (MTCA) caused a change in the approach to implementation of control schemes in many fields. The development has been moving away from traditional programming languages (), to hardware description languages (VHDL, Verilog), which are used in FPGA development. With MATLAB/Simulink it is possible to describe complex systems with block diagrams and simulate their behavior. Those diagrams are then used by the HDL experts to implement exactly the required functionality in hardware. Both the porting of existing applications and adaptation of new ones require a lot of development time from them. To solve this, Xilinx System Generator, a toolbox for MATLAB/Simulink, allows rapid prototyping of those block diagrams using hardware modelling. It is still up to the firmware developer to merge this structure with the hardware-dependent HDL project. This prevents the application engineer from quickly verifying the proposed schemes in real hardware. The framework described in this article overcomes these challenges, offering a hardware-independent library of components that can be used in Simulink/System Generator models. The components are subsequently translated into VHDL entities and integrated with a pre-prepared VHDL project template. Furthermore, the entire implementation process is run in the background, giving the user an almost one-click path from control scheme modelling and simulation to bit-file generation. This approach allows the application engineers to quickly develop new schemes and test them in real hardware environment. The applications may range from simple data logging or signal generation ones to very advanced controllers. Taking advantage of the Simulink simulation capabilities and user-friendly hardware implementation routines, the framework significantly decreases the development time of FPGA-based applications.
DSP with FPGAs: A XILINX/Simulink-based course and laboratory
This is the third paper in a series that introduces a MatLab/Simulink-based design flow for FPGAs at an undergraduate curriculum level. In the first paper presented at SPIE 2006 we analyzed the design tools, while in the second paper presented at SPIE 2007 we reported on the appropriate topics for the lectures and labs. In this third paper we first give an overview based on the 12-year EDA cycle on why FPGAs have now reached a level where SOPC design is possible and why MatLab/Simulink is favored by both leaders in the FPGA field: Altera (DSP builder) and Xilinx (System Generator). We then describe the Xilinx Blackboard educational material development (EMD) that has been used in Spring 2007 and Spring 2008 to teach a Xilinx System Generator based course and laboratory.
<title>DSP with FPGAs: a Xilinx/Simulink-based course and laboratory</title>
Independent Component Analyses, Wavelets, Unsupervised Nano-Biomimetic Sensors, and Neural Networks VI, 2008
This is the third paper in a series that introduces a MatLab/Simulink-based design flow for FPGAs at an undergraduate curriculum level. In the first paper presented at SPIE 2006 we analyzed the design tools, while in the second paper presented at SPIE 2007 we reported on the appropriate topics for the lectures and labs. In this third paper we first give an overview based on the 12-year EDA cycle on why FPGAs have now reached a level where SOPC design is possible and why MatLab/Simulink is favored by both leaders in the FPGA field: Altera (DSP builder) and Xilinx (System Generator). We then describe the Xilinx Blackboard educational material development (EMD) that has been used in Spring 2007 and Spring 2008 to teach a Xilinx System Generator based course and laboratory.
A Short Course on Implementing FPGA Based Digital Systems
2008
The rapid advances in the FPGA technology along with high-levels of system integration have made FPGAs the preferred platform not only for rapid prototyping but also for production of digital embedded systems. This paper presents the experience of a team of instructors in designing and conducting a short course on implementing FPGA-based digital systems for industry professionals. The selection of topics, course organization, the issues involved in designing effective hands-on exercises and the response of the students to the course are discussed.
FPGA computer architectures
2002
We present the recent research and development in the area of computer architectures designed €rom regular assemblies of FPGA devices (we will call them FPGA computers for short).
SME: A High Productivity FPGA Tool for Software Programmers
ArXiv, 2021
For several decades, the CPU has been the standard model to use in the majority of computing. While the CPU does excel in some areas, heterogeneous computing, such as reconfigurable hardware, is showing increasing potential in areas like parallelization, performance, and power usage. This is especially prominent in problems favoring deep pipelining or tight latency requirements. However, due to the nature of these problems, they can be hard to program, at least for software developers. Synchronous Message Exchange (SME) is a runtime environment that allows development, testing and verification of hardware designs for FPGA devices in C#, with access to modern debugging and code features. The goal is to create a framework for software developers to easily implement systems for FPGA devices without having to obtain heavy hardware programming knowledge. This article presents a short introduction to the SME model as well as new updates to SME. Lastly, a selection of student projects and ...
Hands-on Experience with Altera FPGA Development Boards
2017
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
A FPGA Learning System combining Hardware and Software Tools
Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Artificial Neural Networks Data Preparation Techniques and Application Development, 2004
FPGA including very complex digital blocks are possible nowadays due to digital integrated circuits progress. FPGA fundamentals and characteristics are not easy to explain because they have a lot of interrelated concepts. By this reason FPGA learning is usually based on a family of a particular manufacturer and doesn't give a general view of configurable devices. Due to that it is essential for the electronic learning community to dispose of tools facilitating the learning process of the fundamentals of the FPGA's and the design of systems based on them. The learning system we describe in this paper combines a tutorial with a hardware and software tools to achieve a friendly interface with a PC to facilitate FPGA distance learning for students with a basic knowledge of digital electronics and VHDL.
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