Embedded Design with the
Xilinx Embedded Developer Kit
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 1
© 2009 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Welcome
 If you are new to Embedded design with Xilinx FPGAs, this module will
help you start planning your design
 Understanding the difference between Xilinx’s FPGA architectures is
essential if you are going to select an appropriate FPGA device family
 The Embedded Developers Kit software (EDK) is designed to make
building a custom embedded design easy
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 2
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
After completing this module…
…you will be able to:
 Choose between a PPC 440 and a MicroBlaze processor system
 Explain the primary tool functionality included with the Embedded
Developers Kit (EDK)
 Explain the benefits of building an embedded design with an FPGA
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 3
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Lessons
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FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 4
Hardware Introduction
Overview of EDK
Embedded Development Design Flow
Summary
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Xilinx Embedded Processor Innovation
Performance
Integration
Flexibility
Features
32-bit RISC
Processor
Soft Core
2000
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 5
PowerPC 440
Embedded Block with
Integrated
Interconnect
PowerPC 405
Hard Core
in Virtex-4 FX
FPGA
PowerPC® 405
Hard Core
in Virtex®-II
PRO FPGA
2002
2004
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
2006
2008
Supported FPGAs
 FPGA families
– Spartan-3/3A/3AN/3A DSP/3E FPGA (MicroBlaze processor)
– Spartan-6 (MicroBlaze Processor)
– Virtex-4 FX (MicroBlaze and PowerPC 405 processors) and LX/SX FPGA
(MicroBlaze processor)
– Virtex-5 FXT (MicroBlaze and PowerPC 440 processor) LX/LXT FPGA
(MicroBlaze)
– Virtex-6 (MicroBlaze processor)
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 6
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Embedded Design in an FPGA
 Embedded design in an FPGA consists of the following
– FPGA hardware design
• Processor system
– MicroBlaze processor (soft core)
– PowerPC processor (PPC440 hard core)
– PLB bus components
• Other FPGA hardware
– Software platform for processor system
• Standalone
– C language support
– Processor services
– C drivers for hardware
• Third-party operating systems (optional)
– User software application
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 7
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
PowerPC Processor-Based Embedded Design
Dedicated Hard IP
PPC DDR2
Memory
Controller
DDR
MCI
PowerPC
440 Core
MPLB
SPLB
PLB v46
PLB v46
Hi-Speed
Peripheral
Off-Chip
Memory
e.g.
Memory
Controller
ZBT SSRAM
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 8
TEMAC
DMA
GB
E-Net
DDR SDRAM
UART
SDRAM
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
GPIO
Bus
Master
Full system customization to meet
performance, functionality, and cost
goals
MicroBlaze Processor-Based Embedded Design
BRAM
Local Memory
MicroBlaze
Bus
32-Bit RISC Core
Fast Simplex
Link
0,1….7
I-Cache
BRAM
D-Cache
BRAM
Flexible Soft IP
Configurable
Sizes
Possible in
Virtex™-5 FXT
Dedicated Hard IP
PowerPC
405 Core
440
SPLB
PLB v46
MPLB
PLB v46
Custom
Functions
Custom
Functions
CacheLink
SRAM
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 9
Hi-Speed
Peripheral
UART
Memory
Controller
FLASH/SRAM
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Off-Chip
Memory
GB
E- Net
IP Peripherals
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All are included FREE!
Bus infrastructure and bridge cores
Memory and memory controller cores
Debug
Peripherals
Arithmetic
Timers
Inter-processor communication
External peripheral controller
DMA controller
PCI
User core template
…and Other cores
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 10
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Lessons

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FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 11
Hardware Introduction
Overview of EDK
Embedded Development Design Flow
Summary
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Embedded Development Kit
 What is the Embedded Development Kit (EDK)?
– The Embedded Development Kit is the Xilinx software suite for designing
• Complete embedded programmable systems
• Processor sub-system component of larger design
– The kit includes all the tools, documentation, and IP that you require for
designing systems with embedded IBM PowerPC 440 hard processor cores
and/or Xilinx MicroBlaze soft processor cores
– SDK Eclipse-based software design environment
– It enables the integration of both hardware and software components of an
embedded system
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 12
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
XPS Functions
 Software application management
 Platform management
– Software library generation (LibGen)
– System create wizard (BSB)
– Software Profiling
– Netlist Generation (PlatGen)
– Xilinx Microprocessor Debugger
(XMD) and Software Debugging
– Custom Peripheral creation wizard
– Xilinx MicroKernel (XMK)
– Hardware Simulation (SimGen)
– Hardware Debugging (ChipScope)
HW/SW
Simulation
Hardware
Design
XPS
HW/SW
Debug
Software
Design - SDK
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 13
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Xilinx Platform Studio (XPS)
See the Notes section for a detailed description
Connectivity
Panel
Project
Information
Area
System
Assembly
View
Console
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 14
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
PROPERTIES
On passing, 'Finish' button:
On failing, 'Finish' button:
Allow user to leave quiz:
User may view slides after quiz:
User may attempt quiz:
Goes to Next Slide
Goes to Next Slide
After user has completed quiz
At any time
Unlimited times
Lessons
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FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 16
Hardware Introduction
Overview of EDK
Embedded Development Design Flow
Summary
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Embedded Development Design Flow
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Create a new EDK project
Use the Base System Builder (BSB) to construct your basic embedded
design
Run PlatGen to make your HDL instantiation files and netlist for each
component in your embedded design
Implement the embedded design with the ISE software
Create and compile your software with SDK
Merge your compiled software with the FPGA bitstream using the
Data2MEM utility
Download your FPGA’s completed bitstream using iMPACT
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 17
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Launching a New XPS Project
 It is recommended that XPS
processor projects be launched from
Project Navigator in the ISE software
– Easy to integrate a processor subsystem with other FPGA logic
– Access to more Xilinx point tools
– Easy software integration
 The processor sub-system can be
placed anywhere in the design
hierarchy
 More on this in later modules
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 18
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Starting out with a Processor Design
 Many vendors support evaluation and demo
boards with Xilinx FPGAs
–
–
–
–
Xilinx
Avnet
NuHorizons
Digilent
Virtex®-5 FPGA ML507
 Base System Builder (BSB) is a wizard to
facilitate a fast processor-based system
design by high abstraction, level-specification
entry
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 19
Spartan®-3E FPGA 1600E
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Project Creation Using the Base System Builder
Select a target board
Select a processor
Configure the processor
Select and configure I/O interfaces
Add internal peripherals
Generate system software and a
linker script
 Generate the design
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– Generated files include the following
•
•
•
•
system.mhs
system.xmp
data/system.ucf
pcore directory (empty)
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 20
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Generating the Processor Hardware Netlist
 Select Hardware  Generate Netlist
 Platform Generator: PlatGen
– Input file  MHS and MPD
• The MHS file defines the configuration of the embedded processor system,
including the bus architecture, peripherals and processor(s), interrupt request
priorities, and address space
• The MPD file defines the configurable parameters with their default values and
available ports for a peripheral
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Output files  system netlist, peripheral netlists, and BMM file
Creates the synthesis, HDL, and implementation directories
Generates the HDL wrapper files for the peripherals
Generates the top-level system HDL file
Extracts the peripheral netlists from the EDK install directory
Generates the BMM file
Calls XST to synthesize the top-level wrapper file
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 21
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Detailed EDK Design Flow
Standard Embedded Software Flow Standard Embedded Hardware Flow
Source Code
(C code)
Compile
Processor IP
MPD Files
Object Files
LibGen
Link
Libraries
Executable
Source Code
(VHDL/Verilog)
PlatGen
Synthesis
EDIF
IP Netlists
system.ucf
Data2MEM
download.bit
Hardware
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 22
MHS File
system.mhs
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
FPGA Implementation
(ISE/Xflow)
Create FPGA Programming
(system.bit)
Software Flow
 Software development is performed
with the Xilinx Software Development
Kit (SDK)
 A hardware image XML file must first
be generated to define the hardware
platform for which the software
application will be developed
 The SDK software tools will then
attach the software project to the
hardware
 SDK can be launched now or later,
Export Only
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 23
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
SDK Software Development
 SDK software development
– Create software platform
• System software, board
support package
• LibGen program
– Create software application
– Create Linker Script
– Build project  compile,
assemble, link
– Output file 
executable.elf
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 24
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Merging Hardware and Software Flows
Hardware
Flow
 Use of off-chip RAM
encouraged for large pieces
of software (typical)
Software
Flow
Data2MEM
download.bit
MicroBlaze/
PPC
 FPGA Partial Reconfiguration
enables the reprogramming of the
Block RAM contents without
reprogramming the entire FPGA
GPIO
– Saves download time
Arbiter
– Saves re-implementation time
UART
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 25
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
– Enables software debugging
Configuring the FPGA
 Download the bitstream
– Input file  download.bit
– This downloads the download.bit
file onto the target board by using
the Xilinx iMPACT tool in batch
mode
SDK
XPS
 Accessible from all tools
– XPS
– SDK
– Project Navigator
 Requires that the download cable
is connected
ISE Tool
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 26
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Virtex-5 FPGA ML507 Lab Board
RS-232 cable –
transmits serial
information from your
PC to your embedded
system (the other end is
attached to the PC). A
null modem is needed.
Xilinx USB platform cable –
configures the FPGA (the other
end is attached to the USB port of
PC)
FPGA and ASICthe
Technology
Comparison - 27
High-performance
ribbon cable
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Demo Boards
Spartan-6 FPGA LXT SP605
MicroBlaze Development
Board
Spartan-3E FPGA XC3S1600E
MicroBlaze Development
Board
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 28
Virtex-5 FPGA FXT ML507
PowerPC Evaluation
Platform
 Lab instructions are provided for both the
PowerPC 440 and MicroBlaze processors
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Lessons

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
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 29
Hardware Introduction
Overview of EDK
Embedded Development Design Flow
Summary
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
PROPERTIES
On passing, 'Finish' button:
On failing, 'Finish' button:
Allow user to leave quiz:
User may view slides after quiz:
User may attempt quiz:
Goes to Next Slide
Goes to Next Slide
After user has completed quiz
At any time
Unlimited times
Summary
 The Embedded Development Kit (EDK) includes all the tools,
documentation, and IP necessary for building embedded systems
 The Software Development Kit (SDK) is a comprehensive software
development environment for simple software and firmware for complex
applications
 The Base System Builder (BSB) makes it easy to build a full hardware
design targeting an available demo board
 Merging software into an FPGA hardware bitstream is completed with the
Data2MEM utility (Update Bitstream)
 Hardware netlists for an embedded design are implemented with the ISE
tools
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 31
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Where Can I Learn More?
 Xilinx Embedded Processing page
– www.support.xilinx.com/embedded
– Learn more about Embedded Design Kits for all Xilinx product families
 Xilinx online documents
– www.support.xilinx.com
•
•
Getting Started with the Embedded Development Kit
Processor IP Reference Guide
– Right-click any peripheral from the IP Catalog to learn more about it
•
•
•
Embedded Systems Tools Guide
Xilinx Drivers
Processor reference guides
– PowerPC 405/440 Processor Block Reference Guide
– MicroBlaze Processor Reference Guide
•
For all docs, select Help  EDK Online Documentation from the EDK tools
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 32
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Where Can I Learn More?
 Xilinx Training Courses
– www.xilinx.com/training
• Embedded Systems Development course
– Rapidly architect an embedded system
– Introduction to most of the EDK tools
• Embedded Systems Software Development course
– Rapidly architect an embedded software system
– Introduction to the SDK (Software Development Kit)
• Advanced Embedded Systems Development course
– Take advantage of advanced features of the PPC440
– Apply advanced debugging techniques including ChipScope
– Design a Flash memory-based system and boot load from off-chip Flash
memory
• Customers spend 50% of their time in lab
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 33
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
What’s Next?
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 Related Video Courses
– Embedded Design with the MicorBlaze Soft Processor Core
– Embedded Design with the PPC 440
FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 34
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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FPGA and ASIC Technology
Comparison - 35
© 2009
2007 Xilinx, Inc. All Rights Reserved