Design of digital circuitry, using MSI functions, logical gates and modules designed using VHDL. Introducing VHDL for design, simulation and testing of logical circuitry and programming CPLDs and FPGAs.

2 lectures weekly

None.

None.

90 % Examination

10% attendance at labs.

The aims of this course are to:

■ develop skills in the design of digital circuits by learning to build functional modules from simple gates and more complex circuits from modules;

■ make use of MSI logic functions as exemplars and blocks in larger designs;

■ introduce VHDL as the basis for the design, description, simulation and testing of digital logic functions and circuits;

■ build up basic functional modules using VHDL and thence constructing larger designs;

■ present the correspondence between VHDL descriptions and MSI logic functions such as multiplexers, decoders and counters;

■ introduce and design systems based on finite state machines (FSM), exploring manual methods for their design. FSMs are commonly the basis of even simple designs and this fact will be illustrated using many practical examples;

■ introduce the basics of programmable logic devices (PLD), and the process of taking designs from idea, to simulation and finally to working circuit.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ take an idea for a digital circuit, analyse its requirements and thus determine the basic functional modules and, if necessary, finite state machines which will the needed to implement the design;

■ compose VHDL to describe logical functions and assemblies of such functions;

■ make use of design software to write, simulate and test VHDL Entities;

■ design digital circuits from modular components both MSI and VHDL.

Requirements for the award of credits

To ensure that a student will be awarded the credits for a course, he or she must complete the course and reach a minimum level of attainment. This requires that a student:

■ be present at laboratories and tutorials on 100% of occasions at which attendance is monitored,

■ satisfactorily complete the assignments in the laboratories,

■ attend the class test (if held) and gain a nonzero mark and

■ attend the degree examination and gain a nonzero mark

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher partici-pa-tion rates. Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing an absence report.