Digital logic introduction using fpg as resume
- 1. TELKOMNIKA, Vol.13, No.2, June 2015, pp. 125~132 ISSN: 1693-6930, accredited AbyDIKTI,DecreeNo:58/DIKTI/Kep/2013 DOI:10.12928/TELKOMNIKA.v13i2.xxxx Digital Logic Introduction Using FPGAs Writing : DEVI ALFIANDI, ROCHMAT DIANTORO Faculty of Information Technology, Department Electrical Engineering, Ahmad Dahlan University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Abstract The paper describes the adaptation of the Computer Architecture laboratory works given at the Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages from the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest to the new trends in digital logic design. The laboratories are given in a gradual approach, starting with simulation, continuing with breadboard design and finishing with circuits made on perfboard. We are preparing now to complement the practical side of the laboratory with Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) design, where the students will conceive, simulate, synthesize and implement the circuits already studied in the initial approach that used simulation followed by integrated circuits practical design. Keywords: digital logic; gradual approach; simulation; digital integrated circuits; FPGA 1. Introduction 1.1. Teaching digital logic design Digital Logic Design is a basic course and an introductory part in advanced subjects for many engineering and computer science students. The lectures are accompanied by laboratory works and projects in which students learn the practical things about digital logic and digital ICs (integrated circuits). In the Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages (FILS) from the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest (UPB), the teaching is done in of the English, French or German languages. There are two specializations in the English and French Streams regarding Computers and Information Technology, respectively Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications. An important accent is given to e-learning (Dascalu, Bodea, Lytras, de Pablos & Burlacu, 2014) and simulation (Mustata, 2014), but all the aspects of engineering learning, including the practical side, are considered carefully, with offsets at UPB level (Radovici & Culic, 2014). 1.2 Learning through experimentation One of the problems of education is that theory fails to be application oriented and this can be a dreadful menace for engineering instruction. We believe that students learn computer hardware fundamentals better if they are given practical learning exercises that illustrate the theoretical concepts. Intensifying the combination of textbook and engineering practical use, so as to improve teaching effectiveness, develop students' interest and enhance their comprehensive practical ability (Zhao & He, 2012). 1.3 Gradual Stages for Circuit Design The lectures of Computer Architecture are given at FILS to the students from the first year of study in the fields of Information Engineering and Applied Electronics, in the series where the subjects are given in English and in French. The peculiarities include the position of the subject in the first year and the wide- ranging backgrounds of the students, which come from a large number of countries, as well as the different careers envisaged for the recipients. For the time being, the laboratory initial part relies on simulation software, while the later stages offer the possibility to obtain practical (semi) permanent products. Digital logic circuits, combinational and sequential, are designed and simulated using
- 2. TELKOMNIKA, Vol.13, No.2, June 2015, pp. 125~132 ISSN: 1693-6930, accredited AbyDIKTI,DecreeNo:58/DIKTI/Kep/2013 DOI:10.12928/TELKOMNIKA.v13i2.xxxx “Multimedia Logic”, a free capture tool developed by Softronics. The next stage is the practice with “Java Breadboard”, a free circuit simulator replicating the breadboard hardware development environment. 2. FPGA Circuits The classical digital logic design labs given at FILS are complemented these days with some laboratory works where the design and simulation is done on FPGA boards. In this chapter we will present briefly the steps that help the students to complete their training in digital logic and to make the introduction to logical design. It is just an introduction to the field, closing the circle for digital design and opening the field of FPGA circuit studies in the years to come. 3. Digital Logic Introduction using FPGA Circuits The present in this chapter the practical implementation on FPGA of two circuits, the XOR gate made using 4 NAND gates and the traffic lights sequential circuit made using D-type flip-flops for which we followed the gradual study in Chapter 2. 4. Conclusions We presented in this paper some key issues of the FPGA learning process in general and some specific problems from our teaching environment in particular. It continues the gradual teaching method that is applied now with the introduction of FPGA circuits from the first year of studies. We propose the bringing of modern design methodology into course teaching, based on practical experience, from the first year of study, opening a vast horizon of future development to the students. As an actual strategy to deal with the current problems of FPGA course in higher education, this method has already made certain accomplishment in both teaching and experiment. References Dascalu M.-I., Bodea C-N, Lytras M., de Pablos P.O., & Burlacu A., (2014). Improving e-learning communities through optimal composition of multidisciplinary learning groups, Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 30, January 2014 Digilent inc. (2007), Digilent Basys Board Reference Manual, available at http://www.digilentinc.com/data/products/basys/basys_e_rm.pdf Even G. & Medina M., (2012). Digital Logic Design: A Rigorous Approach., Cambridge University Press. ISBN-13: 978-1107027534, Haskell R. E., & Hanna, D. M. (2009) Digital Introduction to Digital Design Using Digilent FPGA Boards - VHDL Edition. LBE Books, ISBN- 13: 978-0980133769 Haroldsen, T., Nelson, B., & White, B., (2013). Rapid FPGA design prototyping through preservation of system logic: A case study, 2013 23rd International Conference on Field Programmable Logic and Applications (FPL), pp. 1 - 7, DOI:10.1109/FPL.2013.6645539 Kluge, A., (2007). Experiential learning methods, simulation complexity and their effects on different target groups. Journal of educational computing research, 36(3), 27. Maxfield, C., & Brown A., (2005). The Definitive Guide to How Computers Do Math: Featuring the Virtual DIY Calculator. Wiley-Interscience, ISBN-13: 978-0471732785 Mustata, C. (2014) Case Study: The "General Management II" Business Simulation Game in Classroom, Proceedings of the 10th International Scientific Conference "eLearning and Software for Education" Bucharest, April 24 - 25, 2014 Nath, S., Pal, C. , Sau,S., Mukherjee, S.; Roy A., Guchhait A., & Kandar, D., Design of an FPGA based intelligence traffic light controller with
- 3. TELKOMNIKA, Vol.13, No.2, June 2015, pp. 125~132 ISSN: 1693-6930, accredited AbyDIKTI,DecreeNo:58/DIKTI/Kep/2013 DOI:10.12928/TELKOMNIKA.v13i2.xxxx VHDL, 2012 International Conference on Radar, Communication and Computing (ICRCC), pp. 92 - 97, DOI:10.1109/ICRCC.2012.6450554 Noga, K. M., & Radwanski, M., (2010). Modern Improvements in the Digital Logic Laboratory. Technological Developments, in Networking,