early introduction to programmable devices and tools in digital laboratory course parimal patel...

Early Introduction to Early Introduction to Programmable Devices and tools Programmable Devices and tools

in Digital Laboratory Coursein Digital Laboratory Course

Parimal PatelParimal PatelWei-Ming LinWei-Ming Lin

Presented byPresented byDr. Mehdi ShadaramDr. Mehdi Shadaram

Chirag ParikhChirag ParikhJohn PrevostJohn Prevost

Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of Texas at San AntonioUniversity of Texas at San Antonio

OutlineOutline

• Introduction• Curriculum

– 2004-2006 Catalog– 2006-2008 Catalog

• Logic Design Laboratory Course• Undergraduate Student Feedback • Summary• Conclusion

TWD Grant: TWD Grant: 010115-EE2003-0000

• Objective – Increase the number of high-quality

graduates who are technically competent and competitive in the nation

• Strategies – Student Retention and – Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement

Dr. Shadaram Add Your Dr. Shadaram Add Your SlideSlide

IntroductionIntroduction

• Logic devices can be classified into:– Fixed Logic device– Programmable Logic device (PLD)

• As technology evolved Complex devices were developed

• Two major types of programmable devices:– Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD)– Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA)


• Complex Programmable Logic Device– Supports lesser amount of logic compared to

FPGA– Consumes less power

• E.g. Xilinx Coolrunner CPLD can be run with citrus fruit

– Inexpensive– Ideal for cost-sensitive, battery-operated

portable applications• Mobile phones• Digital Hand-held Assistants


• Field Programmable Gate Arrays– Supports dense, complex systems– Special function architectural resources

• To improve silicon efficiencies

– Ideal for high density applications• Data processing and storage• Digital Signal Processing

• CAD Tools are required to design and implement functions

OutlineOutline


– 2004-2006 Catalog– 2006-2008 Catalog


CurriculumCurriculum

• 2004-2006– Electrical Engineering Undergraduate students

were required to take• EE 2513 (Logic Design)• EE 3463 (Microcomputer Systems I)• EE 3563 (Digital Systems Design)

– These courses were pre-requisites for• EE 4243 (Computer Organization and Architecture)• EE 4513 (Introduction to VLSI Design)• EE 4583 (Microcomputer Systems II)


• Topics covered:– EE 2513

• Problem solving sessions to emphasize logic design principles

• Conducted by Teaching Assistants

– EE 3563• Draw and simulate simple combinational circuits

– Multiplexer, 16-bit adder, sequence detector

• Tools used:– Mentor Graphics for schematic capture– ModelSim for simulation


• Shortcomings in Digital Curriculum– EE 2513

• No laboratory experiments or tools exposure

– EE 3563• Barely introduced VHDL• One assignment involving VHDL (4-bit adder)

– Overall limited exposure to VHDL and CAD tools• Lack of modeling even medium-complexity system

– Students not exposed to hands-on experiments• Building circuits using real IC’s

• Solution– Changes were made into current curriculum


• 2006-2008– Introduction of new course

• EE 2511 (Logic Design Laboratory)• Requires simultaneous enrollment or

completion of EE 2513• One 1–hour lecture and 2-hour Laboratory

class• Involves CAD tools for analysis and design of

digital circuits• Hands-on experience with IC’s, CPLD kits

and FPGA boards

OutlineOutline


– 2004-2006 Catalog– 2006-2008 Catalog


Logic Design Laboratory CourseLogic Design Laboratory Course

• New edition of textbook used– Hardware modeling concepts– CD containing LogicAid and SimuAid programs

• Upon funding of proposal written to TETC– Xilinx CPLD based kits were phased in starting

Fall 2005• Designed and verified combinational circuit on

hardware• Three experiments carried out during recitation

sessions• Demonstration of experiment on sequential circuits


• In Fall 2006– Introduced EE 2511 course– Course objectives

• Implement concepts learned in EE 2513 using 74xx IC’s• Implement concepts learned in EE 2513 using CAD tools• Develop models in VHDL and implement using

CPLD/FPGA based kits

– Topics covered• Schematic captures, gate-level and timing simulation• Design implementation using IC’s and 7-segment• VHDL coding, behavioral/timing simulation, synthesis

and implementation


– Coursework• Five tutorials and Seven lab assignments• Mid-term and final projects• Care taken that topics for laboratory assignments are

covered in EE 2513 or EE 2511 beforehand• Enhance written and oral communication skills

– Students asked to write formal report for projects– Students asked to give formal presentation for final

project


– Tutorials were developed on• Logic reduction using Boolean Algebra (LogicAid)• Entering schematics for combinatorial circuits (SimuAid)• Simulation of sequential circuits (SimuAid)• Logic reduction using K-Maps (LogicAid)• VHDL modeling, synthesis and implementation (Xilinx ISE)• Simulation (ISIM and ModelSim simulators)

– Hardware kits used• Freescale MCU Project board

– Build circuits using IC’s and 7-segment

• Xilinx’s CoolRunner XPLA3 CPLD-based kit– Combinatorial circuit design

• Xilinx’x Spartan3E-based starter kit– Sequential circuit design

Logic Design Laboratory CourseLogic Design Laboratory CourseTopics covered in Logic Design Laboratory and theory class

Spring 2007 Example

Week EE 2511 EE 2513

1 Introduction to course and Lab

Chap 1: Number systems and conversion

2 LogicAid tool and Lab 1 Chap 2: Boolean Algebra

3 SimuAid tool and Lab 2 Chap 3: Boolean AlgebraChap 4: Minterm and Maxterm

4 Building combinational circuits with IC’s (Lab 3)

Review of Chapters 1-4 and Exam 1

5 VHDL for combinational circuits

Chap 5: K-Maps

6 ISE tool / ISIM simulator for combinational circuit

Chap 6: Quine-McCluskeyChap 7: Multi-level gate networks



7 Using CPLD for combinational circuits

Chap 8: Combination circuit design Chap 9: PLDs

8 Design combinational circuit – Midterm project

Chap 9 continuesChap 0: Introduction to VHDL

9 SimuAid tool for sequential circuits and Lab 5

Chap 11: Latches and Flip Flops

10 Building sequential circuits with IC’s (Lab 6)

Chap 12: Registers and Counters

11 VHDL for sequential circuits

Chap 13: Clocked sequential circuits and Exam 2



12 ModelSim for sequential circuits and Lab 7

Chap 13 continuesChap 14: State Graphs and Tables

13 Using CPLD/FPGA for sequential circuits and Final Project assigned

Chap 15: State Table reduction and State Assignment

14 Designing sequential circuits (Final project continues)

Chap 16: Sequential circuit design

15 Final Project concluded Chap 16 continuesChap 17: VHDL for sequential logic

• LogicAid Tool– Useful for boolean expression

minimization using• Boolean laws and theorem• K-Maps

– Labs used• Lab 1, Lab 2, Lab 3


• SimuAid Tool– Useful for simple schematic capture and

combinational and sequential circuits simulation

– Labs used• Lab 2, Lab 3, Lab 4


• ISE and ISIM– Useful for Xilinx CPLD and FPGA kits

• VHDL Modeling• Behavioral Simulation

– Labs used• Lab 6, Lab 7

– Projects used• Mid-term and Final


• ICs based labs– ICs used

• 7400, 7404, 7408, 7432

– Other devices used• Switches, LEDs, 7-segment

– Labs used• Lab 3, Lab 6


OutlineOutline


– 2004-2006 Catalog– 2006-2008 Catalog

• Logic Design Laboratory Course• Undergraduate Student Feedback• Summary• Conclusion

Student’s PerspectiveStudent’s Perspective• Introduction• Hands-on approach

– Access to software alone not sufficient– Build-to-learn– Wired-up

• VHDL by practice– Simulation– Debugging

Student’s PerspectiveStudent’s Perspective• Process of design

– Problem statement– Formulate design– Build/Test/Debug– Present/Demonstrate outcome

• Exposed to FPGA’s and CPLD’s– Lecture theory only– Labs/projects gave concrete examples– Facilitated deeper level of

understanding

Student’s PerspectiveStudent’s Perspective• Summary

– Enhanced learning– Stimulated interest– Left with desire to “do-more”

OutlineOutline


– 2004-2006 Catalog– 2006-2008 Catalog


SummarySummary

EE2511 Class Enrollment

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5

10

15

20

25

Female Hispanics Total

Students

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Fall 2006

Spring 2007

• Hardware boards– Freescale, Xilinx

• Software tools– Logic Design by Charles Roth (Textbook)– Xilinx under University Program

• Department cost– IC’s, bread-board wires

• Course enrollment

OutlineOutline


– 2004-2006 Catalog– 2006-2008 Catalog


ConclusionConclusion

• New course has helped us modify EE 3563 content– VHDL modeling (First week)– Spartan3E kits (Mid-semester)

• Students implement complex finite state machines

• Recommend use of– Tools, Hands-on experiments and programmable

devices-based kits early in curriculum• Stimulate interests among students• Validate basic fundamentals using tools and hands-on

experience

early introduction to programmable devices and tools in digital laboratory course parimal patel...

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