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Hardware Design Language

A language used to describe and design complex integrated circuits.

Verilog

A hardware design language based on the programming language C, commonly used in the design of integrated circuits.

VHDL

Another hardware design language based on the programming language Ada, commonly used in the design of integrated circuits.

Register Transfer Level (RTL)

A concept introduced by Gordon Bell and Allen Newell, describing the level of abstraction in hardware design languages.

Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI)

The shift in integrated circuit design towards larger and more complex circuits.

System Verilog

An updated version of Verilog that addresses weaknesses and includes high-level object-oriented code.

Module

A component described in Verilog that has input and output nodes.

Continuous Assignment Statement

A statement in Verilog that permanently drives a net with the value of another net.

Variable Scope

The visibility and accessibility of variables within a module.

Ternary Operator

A conditional operator in Verilog that assigns a value based on a condition.

Always Block

A block of code in Verilog that is always running and executes when certain conditions are met.

Procedural code

Code that is executed sequentially, line by line.

Wire

A 1-bit variable in Verilog that can hold a value of 0 or 1.

Clock signal

A synchronizing signal used to synchronize other signals in a circuit.

Posedge

A positive edge of a clock signal.

Reg

A keyword used to declare a variable as a register in Verilog.

Non-blocking assigns

Assignments that are done simultaneously, rather than one line at a time.

Blocking

A keyword used to indicate that an assignment should be done in a blocking manner.

Continuous assign

A keyword used to continuously drive a value to a variable.

Logic datatype

A datatype in System Verilog that can be used for either reg or wire variables.

Loop

A construct in Verilog used to repeat a set of statements multiple times.

FPGA

Field Programmable Gate Array, a type of integrated circuit that can be programmed after manufacturing.

ASIC

Application Specific Integrated Circuit, a type of integrated circuit designed for a specific application.

Prototype board

A printed circuit board (PCB) used as an example platform for using an FPGA.

GPIO

General Purpose Input Output, a digital interface through a connector to an external system or sensor.

ADC

Analog-to-Digital Converter, a device that converts analog signals to digital signals.

Clock frequency

The frequency at which a clock signal operates.

Block diagram

A diagram that shows the components and connections of a system or circuit.

Max 10

A 55nm FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) manufactured by Intel (Altera) with features such as programmable logic units, embedded memory, flash memory, multipliers, PLLs, GPIO, ADC channels, SDRAM temporary storage, memory access controller, and SD card support.

GPIO

General purpose input/output pins on the DE10-Lite board used for connecting external devices.

Platform Designer

A menu-driven system in Quartus software used to build complex systems by piecing together libraries of on-chip components such as ADC, NIOS, DSP, and SDRAM.

The purpose of Test benches?

Used for simulation verification of Verilog modules, allowing the user to set specific inputs and observe the module's behavior during a delay.

Simulation verification

The process of testing a Verilog module using simulation software like ModelSim to ensure its correct functionality before physical validation.

What is a Testbench?(Concept)

A module used to stage a set of inputs for a HDL (Hardware Description Language) module, with declarations of variables, instantiation of child modules, and an initial block specifying inputs and delays.

Structure of a test bench

The components of a test bench module, including the module statement, variable declarations, instantiation of child modules, initial block(s) for specifying inputs and delays, and the endmodule statement.

Modname

The name of a child module instantiated within a test bench module.