PhD in Information Technologies and their Aplication in Management, Architecture and Geophisics La Salle Campus Barcelona URL

PHD program in Information Technologies and their Application in Management, Architecture and Geophysics

Fast prototyping of digital systems

Description
VLSI technology allows integration of digital systems, always growing in complexity. This can be done efficiently only by using specialized CAD tools and a design methodology able to deal with the complexity of those systems. The subject studies the design of advanced CMOS digital systems to be implemented on FPGA or VLSI integrated circuits.
Type Subject
Optativa
Semester
First
Credits
5.00
Previous Knowledge

Basic digital electronics.

Objectives

Students who do this subject achieve and develop the following knowledge and abilities:

1. Have a basic general knowledge of the studied area.
2. Acquire a capacity for analysis and synthesis in the study and design of complex digital circuits, feasible in programmable logic devices and VLSI integrated circuits.
3. Acquire the capacity for organization and planning in complex digital systems design.
4. Use software techniques and new tools in advanced digital systems design
5. Identify and have the capacity to apply knowledge to practice in real-world problems involving complex digital systems, in a laboratory setting and working in a team.
6. Have the ability to manage information received from different sources, to apply it to the problems posed and the practices designed.

Contents

1.- Introduction to VLSI design
2.- Hardware description languages
3.- Simulation methods and testbenches
4.- Advanced techniques

- EDA-CAD Practices

The practices allow the student to work with Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools oriented to Electronic Design Automation (EDA).

Methodology

The methodology used in this subject is based on theoretical lessons and practical work.

Theory lessons basically consist of theoretical explanations of the subject´s contents and resolving practical problems related to these contents. Some research and prospective works are proposed in class for students to resolve and expose them. This allows a more individualized evaluation of the learning process of each student.

Practical works are guided and allows the student to have a taste of advanced CAD-EDA tools.

For the student´s better performance he/she has the possibility of personalized consultations on the subject, at a contents level, or on any other related matter (studying methods, planning, practical designs, problems correction…)

Evaluation

The subject is divided in two clearly different parts: one theoretical and the other practical. Each one of these parts is evaluated separately and must be passed independently in order to pass the subject.

The final mark is calculated as follows:
* Theory: 80%
* Practices: 20%
* In the case of not attending one of the two parts (theory or practice) the subject´s mark is NP (Not Presented).

Evaluation of the theory part:
A. Exams
D. Assignments done at home

The mark for the theory part is obtained from the exam (60%) and the researchs assignments done at home (40%).

Evaluation of the practical part:
F. Group reports/ assignments
G. Practical work with the computer

Practices must be handed in during the course on the established dates. The practices are evaluated taking in consideration the theoretical study and the final implementation.

Evaluation Criteria

Objective 1
Student must prove to have the basic knowledge related to the subject [A]

Objective 2
Students must know how to resolve and design any complex digital system problem posed in the field of integrated electronics, and be able to implement it in programmable logic devices using hardware description languages [D, F,G]

Objective 3
Students must have the capacity to plan all the tasks related to the practices in order to hand them in on the dates [F]

Objective 4
Students must be used to working with the computer, and to analyze and design digital systems on the computer, as a step previous to the implementation of any complex design [G]

Objective 5
Students must have the capacity for organization in order to work and promote team work. In the same way, team work provides the possibility of developing the capacity of applying the knowledge acquired to the practical design and being able to solve any problem [F]

Objective 6
Students must have the capacity for synthesis in front of all the information received, in order to choose the best elements for the realization of the practices. [F]

Basic Bibliography

* M.J.S. Smith, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits, Addison-Wesley, 1997.
* J.M. Rabaey, Digital Integrated Circuits: a Design Perspective, Prentice-Hall, 1996.

Additional Material

* N. Weste and K. Esraghian, Principles of CMOS VLSI Design, Addison Wesley, 1993.
* Z. Salcic, A. Smailagic, Digital Systems Design and Prototyping using Field Programmable Logic, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998.
* K. Cheng and V.D. Agrawal, Unified Methods for VLSI Simulation and Test Generation, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1989.
* J.P. Uyemura, Fundamentals of MOS Digital Integrated Circuits, Addison Wesley, 1988.
* J.P. Deschamps y J.M. Angulo, Diseño de Sistemas Digitales, Paraninfo, 1989.