Linux and FPGAs Chad D. Kersey chad@cdkersey.com - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Linux and FPGAs Chad D. Kersey chad@cdkersey.com cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 1/9

Architecture FPGA Overview Architecture Applications FPGA Development in Linux Linux on FPGA Devices ■ Reconfigurable logic and interconnect. ■ Divided into slices as pictured above. ■ Each slice combinational or sequential. ■ RAM, IO, and other IP typically included. cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 2/9

Applications ■ Start hardware production before design complete. (Like, FPGA Overview Architecture for instance, the Open Graphics Project) Applications ■ Produce small-run or one-time custom designs cheaply. FPGA Development in Linux Linux on FPGA Devices ■ Simulate hardware before it’s produced. ■ Accelerate highly parallel applications (like genome sequencing) cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 3/9

HDL-Based Development ■ Basis of hardware design on FPGAs. FPGA Overview ■ Enhanced by IP libraries, floorplanning tools. FPGA Development in Linux HDL-Based Development Free Cores ■ Free cores available to include in your designs. Free Simulation Tools Commercial Tools Linux on FPGA Devices cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 4/9

Free Cores ■ Open Cores (opencores.org) has many useful projects, FPGA Overview including free processors, network devices, and video FPGA Development in Linux HDL-Based Development interfaces. Free Cores Free Simulation Tools ■ The Open Graphics Project (wiki.opengraphics.org) aim to Commercial Tools produce a free hardware GPU. Linux on FPGA Devices ■ LEON (www.gaister.com/leonmain.html) is an open-source SPARC core written in VHDL that is synthesizable on an FPGA. cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 5/9

Free Simulation Tools ■ Icarus Verilog (www.icarus.com/eda/verilog) is an open FPGA Overview source simulator supporting a useful subset of the Verilog FPGA Development in Linux HDL-Based Development HDL. Free Cores Free Simulation Tools ■ GHDL (ghdl.free.fr) is a GHDL simulation environment built Commercial Tools around GCC. Linux on FPGA Devices ■ GTK-Wave (home.ne.rr.com/gtkwave) is a waveform viewer compatible with GHDL and iverilog. ■ These can be combined with an appropriate text editor and build system to create a productive custom hardware design environment. cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 6/9

Commercial Tools Free-of-Charge Educational Licensing FPGA Overview ■ Xilinx ISE (www.xilinx.com/ise) FPGA Development in Linux HDL-Based Development ■ ModelSim (www.model.com) More complete language Free Cores Free Simulation Tools support than GHDL or iverilog, with integrated waveform Commercial Tools editor and viewer, carries steep fees for commercial use. Linux on FPGA Devices For-pay Only ■ Altera Quartus II (www.altera.com), an HDL-based integrated development environment for Altera FPGA’s. cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 7/9

µ CLinux on Soft Cores ■ uCLinux gives Linux-like driver support and environment FPGA Overview without requiring hardware memory protection (expensive FPGA Development in Linux to implement). Linux on FPGA Devices µ CLinux on Soft Cores ■ Altera NIOS (www.niosforum.com) runs a variant of Embedded Processor Cores uCLinux natively. ■ The LEON SPARC Implementation (www.gaisler.com/leonmain.html) runs uCLinux. cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 8/9

Embedded Processor Cores FPGA Overview FPGA Development in Linux Linux on FPGA Devices µ CLinux on Soft Cores Embedded Processor Cores ■ Xilinx Platform Studio (part of ISE) supports MontaVista Linux as a default target environment. ■ Used in SBC design evaluation, prototyping, and systems research. cdkersey@gatech.edu Linux and FPGAs - p. 9/9