MICROELECTRONIC SYSTEMS NEWS
FILENUMBER: 7016
BEGIN_KEYWORDS
Text Logic Design FPGAs Van_den_Bout
END_KEYWORDS
DATE: july 1994
TITLE: Text on Beginning Logic Design Using FPGAs by Van den Bout
Text on Beginning Logic Design Using FPGAs by Van den Bout
(Contributed by David E. Van den Bout of XESS Corp.)
"FPGA Workout: Beginning Exercises with the Intel FLEXlogic FPGA"
introduces the principles of digital logic design using the Intel
NFX780 FPGA. The philosophy of the book is that practical digi-
tal design expertise is acquired by building circuits and observ-
ing how they work. Therefore, each chapter presents working ex-
amples of logic circuits that the reader can load into an NFX780
FPGA and experiment with:
* The Digital Design Process
discusses the steps involved in designing a digital circuit
and shows how to implement a circuit using TTL chips.
* A Simple Prototyping System
shows how to build an NFX780-based FPGA protoboard for about
$100 using commonly-available parts. A complete parts list
(including ordering information for all hardware and software)
and schematic is included.
* Combinational Logic
describes the fundamentals of programmable logic and demonstrates
the use of the PLDasm hardware description language in building
simple gates and an LED decoder circuit.
* Modular Designs and Hierarchy
discusses the advantages of step-wise refinement and encapsulation
in the design process and shows how PLDasm supports these concepts.
* Flip-Flops
introduces sequential logic by building several types of
level-sensitive and edge-triggered flip-flop circuits.
* Counters
introduces state machine design by showing how flip-flops can be
combined to build resetable up and down counters.
* State Machine Design
gives a complete example of creating a state machine to control
a drink machine dispenser.
* Memories
discusses how random-access memories are organized and shows how
to build a small 4x4 memory using flip-flops and logic gates.
* The GNOME Microcomputer
introduces the architecture and instruction set for a simple,
4-bit microcomputer.
* The GNOME Controller
demonstrates the design of the control logic which sequences the
execution of instructions.
* The GNOME Datapath
explains the design of the ALU, flags, and registers which perform
the actual operations on data.
* GNOME Improvement
describes several improvements for the basic GNOME microcomputer.
Each chapter ends with a list of follow-on projects that further
extend the concepts. While some theory of digital logic design
is presented, the overall tone of the text is more practical. It
can be understood by someone with a knowledge of binary arithmet-
ic and elementary logic operations.
The book gives complete documentation for building an FPGA-based
prototyping board, but a ready-made prototyping board is also
available. The nfXboard is a small circuit board that can be
mounted in a larger protoboard or used stand-alone. It has a
socket for a single NFX780 FPGA, an LED digit for displaying
results, an interface cable for loading new circuits through the
PC printer port, and an additional interface for connecting mul-
tiple nfXboards to create multiple-FPGA systems. The nfXboard is
compatible with all the experiments shown in the FPGA Workout.
The following products will be available on August 1, 1994:
* "FPGA Workout: Beginning Exercises with the Intel FLEXlogic FPGA".
Softcover, 240 pp., 120 illustrations, and index.
ISBN 0-9642187-0-4.
Price: $19.95
* The FPGA Workout text PLUS an nfXboard containing the following:
+ 4.2'' x 1.9'' circuit board
+ socket for the NFX780 PLCC package
+ 26-pin header for interface to the PC printer port
+ 4' interface cable from the 26-pin header to the PC printer port
+ additional 26-pin header for cascading multiple nfXboards
+ 7-segment LED display
+ 5V regulator
+ 9V battery clip (optional)
+ on-board oscillator (optional)
Price: $99.95
* The FPGA Workout PLUS an nfXboard PLUS an NFX780-15 FPGA
Price: $149.95
For more information or to request an order form, call 800-549-
XESS or send e-mail to devb@vnet.net.
dbouldin@utk.edu