EECE579: Digital Design Flows Usman Ahmed Dept. of ECE University of British Columbia.
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Transcript of EECE579: Digital Design Flows Usman Ahmed Dept. of ECE University of British Columbia.
EECE579: Digital Design Flows
Usman Ahmed
Dept. of ECE
University of British Columbia
Implementing Digital Circuits
Custom
Standard CellsCompiled Cells
Macro Cells
Cell-based
Gate ArraysStructured ASICs
FPGA's
Array-based
Semicustom
Digital Circuit Implementation Approaches
Implementing Logic Circuits
HDLHDL
Logic SynthesisLogic Synthesis
FloorplanningFloorplanning
PlacementPlacement
RoutingRouting
Tape-out
Circuit ExtractionCircuit Extraction
Pre-Layout Simulation
Pre-Layout Simulation
Post-Layout Simulation
Post-Layout Simulation
StructuralStructural
PhysicalPhysical
BehavioralBehavioralDesign Capture
D
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Standard Cell Design
Functionalmodule(RAM,multiplier,…)
Routingchannel
Logic cellFeedthrough cell
Row
s o
f ce
lls
• Library of cells that implement different gates
• Cells can have different width but all cells have same height
(hence Standard Cells)
• Many variants of the same cell
Standard Cell Design
Functionalmodule(RAM,multiplier,…)
Routingchannel
Logic cellFeedthrough cell
Row
s o
f ce
lls
• Logic Synthesis
Transform the HDL description into library cells
• Placement
Where to place a cell ?
• Routing
Connect the placed cells.
Standard Cell Design
Functionalmodule(RAM,multiplier,…)
Routingchannel
Logic cellFeedthrough cell
Row
s o
f ce
lls
Optimizations:• Gate Resizing• Buffer Insertion• In-place Re-synthesis
Standard Cell Design: An Example
Standard Cell Design
Functionalmodule(RAM,multiplier,…)
Routingchannel
Logic cellFeedthrough cell
Row
s o
f ce
lls
• Routing channel can be narrowed if more interconnect layers are available
Standard Cell Design: New Generation
• Cell-structure hidden under interconnect layers
Standard Cell Design: Summary• Used only for the high-
speed or low-power applications
• Very expensive, and time consuming
• (> $2M just for the mask costs)
• Very high re-spin cost
FPGAs
• FPGA: Field-Programmable Gate Array
Circuit Description
Expensive Chip
Manufacturing
GateArray
What’s Inside an FPGA?
•
Logic Blocks
- used to implement
logic
- lookup tables and
flip-flops
Altera: LABs
Xilinx: CLBs
What’s Inside an FPGA?
•
I/O Blocks
- interface off-chip
- can usually support
many I/O Standards
What’s Inside an FPGA?
• Connection
Block
Logic Block
Sw itch Block
Routing Track(Horizontal)
Routing Channel(Vertical){
TILE
Basic Logic Gate: Lookup-Table
Function of each lookup table can be configured by shifting in bit-stream.
Logic Block:
• Inputs
Bit-S
tream
Logic Clusters
• D Q
D Q
D Q
Lo
cal I
nte
rco
nn
ect
Several lookup tables are grouped into “clusters”
- Typically 8 to 10 lookup
tables per cluster
Connections between lookup tables in the same cluster are fast
Connections between lookup tables in different clusters are slow
What’s Inside an FPGA?
• Connection
Block
Logic Block
Switch Block
Routing Track(Horizontal)
Routing Channel(Vertical){
Reconfigurable Logic:
Connect Logic Blocks using Fixed Metal Tracks and Programmable Switches
Reconfigurable Logic:
Connect Logic Blocks using Fixed Metal Tracks and Programmable Switches
Implementing Systems in an FPGA
High-speed I/O
Embedded PowerPCEmbedded memories
Hardwired multipliers
FPGA Fabric
Xilinx Vertex-II Pro
Advantages of FPGAs:• "Instant Manufacturability": reduces time to market• Cheaper for small volumes because you don’t need to pay for
fabrication• means you don’t need to be a big company to make a chip
• Relaxes Designers -> relaxed designers live longer!
Disadvantages of FPGAs:• Slower than custom or standard cell based chips• Cannot get as much circuitry on a single chip• Today: ~ 1M gates is the best you can do
~ 200 MHz is about as fast as you can get
• For large volumes, it can be more expensive than gate arrays and custom chips
Structured ASICs
• Combines good features of FPGAs and Standard Cell ASICs
All the layers are customized for a circuit- Standard Cell ASIC
Some layers are generalized while a few layers are customized for a circuit
- Structured ASIC
All the layers are generalized for any circuit- FPGA
Interconnect
Layers
Transistors
Logic Blocks
• Choices– Fine Grained
• Basic gates: NAND, NOR, XOR, FF etc.
– Medium Grained• Lookup Tables
– Coarse Grained• Multi-input, Multi-output blocks (e.g., PLAs)
• Configurability– SRAM cells– Vias
• Lower Level (e.g., between M1 and M2)
• Upper Level (Via stacks brought up to the configurable layers)
Routing Fabrics
• Metal and Via Programmable– More flexibility, more efficiency– Employed in most structured ASIC offerings
• Via Programmable– Regular, easy to manufacture– Metal is fixed and every segment may not be
fully utilizable, → Can be Inefficient
Design Flows
Design Flows
Design Flows
Design Flows
Design Flows
Implementing Logic Circuits
HDLHDL
Logic SynthesisLogic Synthesis
FloorplanningFloorplanning
PlacementPlacement
RoutingRouting
Tape-out
Circuit ExtractionCircuit Extraction
Pre-Layout Simulation
Pre-Layout Simulation
Post-Layout Simulation
Post-Layout Simulation
StructuralStructural
PhysicalPhysical
BehavioralBehavioralDesign Capture
D
esig
n Ite
ratio
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