Trends in Electronics Trends in Electronics Design with Applications in Design with Applications in

AstronomyAstronomy

Presented by Presented by David Warren David Warren

University of Tasmania University of Tasmania (Astronomy)(Astronomy)

Altium Ltd. (Electronic Design Altium Ltd. (Electronic Design Tools)Tools)

““Old” Electronic DesignOld” Electronic Design

• Before the late 70’s electronic Before the late 70’s electronic devices were all hardware.devices were all hardware.– Component based. (switches, relays, Component based. (switches, relays,

valves, transistors, IC’s, VLSI IC.)valves, transistors, IC’s, VLSI IC.)– Limited functionalityLimited functionality– Time consumingTime consuming– Iterative hardware provingIterative hardware proving– Very expensiveVery expensive

The MicroprocessorThe Microprocessor

• Developed in 1972 by Intel for the Developed in 1972 by Intel for the calculator market.calculator market.

• By ~1980 the microprocessor wasBy ~1980 the microprocessor was– Fast (~1M instructions/sec)Fast (~1M instructions/sec)– Powerful (full featured instruction set Powerful (full featured instruction set

(Z80))(Z80))– Cheap !! (<US$20 )Cheap !! (<US$20 )– Ubiquitous (Even in Tasmania)Ubiquitous (Even in Tasmania)

The Soft Design RevolutionThe Soft Design Revolution

• The advent of the Microprocessor The advent of the Microprocessor meant that Electronic Engineers could meant that Electronic Engineers could move a large part of their design into move a large part of their design into the mutable “Software Space”.the mutable “Software Space”.

• You all saw what happened!You all saw what happened!• Explosion of appliances and devices.Explosion of appliances and devices.• The PC, communicationsThe PC, communications• And now GOOGLE EARTH!And now GOOGLE EARTH!

The FPGA RevolutionThe FPGA Revolution

• By 2005 the FPGA has become;By 2005 the FPGA has become;– Fast (100s of MHz)Fast (100s of MHz)– Powerful (1M gates+)Powerful (1M gates+)– Cheap (~US$20)Cheap (~US$20)– Ubiquitous (multiple manufacturers)Ubiquitous (multiple manufacturers)

So What Revolution???So What Revolution???

The “Soft Hardware” The “Soft Hardware” RevolutionRevolution

• FPGA’s are very large arrays of FPGA’s are very large arrays of electronic logic hardware which have electronic logic hardware which have not yet been configured. not yet been configured.

• They will be told what to become by They will be told what to become by the User. That’s YOU.the User. That’s YOU.

• They can be reconfigured almost They can be reconfigured almost instantly.instantly.

• So we have Soft Hardware!!So we have Soft Hardware!!

Implications of Soft Implications of Soft HardwareHardware• Engineers can now move much of the Engineers can now move much of the

remaining (not Software) design into remaining (not Software) design into Soft Hardware.Soft Hardware.

• Very little of the design need be Very little of the design need be immutable (fixed Hard Hardware).immutable (fixed Hard Hardware).

• The target PCB becomes Connectors, The target PCB becomes Connectors, powersupply, and FPGA. Very little powersupply, and FPGA. Very little else is required in many cases.else is required in many cases.

The Post-Processor WorldThe Post-Processor World• The Von-Neumann world has limitationsThe Von-Neumann world has limitations

Instructions & data distinguished by usage.Instructions & data distinguished by usage.- Sequential memory (one dimensional)Sequential memory (one dimensional)- Data has no inherent meaningData has no inherent meaning

• ““Word at a Time” operation & bottleneckWord at a Time” operation & bottleneck

• So Ditch the Processor!So Ditch the Processor!

• HDLs, esp. VHDL & VERILOGHDLs, esp. VHDL & VERILOG

• High Level language to RTL translators.High Level language to RTL translators.

• C to RTL, or more exactly C to VHDL to RTLC to RTL, or more exactly C to VHDL to RTL

New Generation of Design New Generation of Design ToolsTools• Most FPGA design tools are Vendor Most FPGA design tools are Vendor

Dependent. (YOU don’t want this)Dependent. (YOU don’t want this)• Existing tools remain fragmented.Existing tools remain fragmented.• Strong need for Integrated Approach.Strong need for Integrated Approach.• As designers for Astronomy we want an As designers for Astronomy we want an

integrated system which provides all the integrated system which provides all the tools we want.tools we want.

• We want to finish the design and get on We want to finish the design and get on with the SCIENCE.with the SCIENCE.

Altium DesignerAltium Designer

• Let’s see how we can do this…….Let’s see how we can do this…….

Familiar Design ParadigmFamiliar Design Paradigm

Generic Logic LibraryGeneric Logic Library

Mixed Block/Schematic/HDL/ASS/High Level Design Mixed Block/Schematic/HDL/ASS/High Level Design EntryEntry

FPGA based InstrumentsFPGA based Instruments

Embedded Processor and Nanoboard Embedded Processor and Nanoboard FacilitiesFacilities

Embedded Processor LibraryEmbedded Processor Library

Embedded Design – No HDLEmbedded Design – No HDL (necessary)(necessary)

Device Chain – FPGA’s, uP’s, Test Insts.Device Chain – FPGA’s, uP’s, Test Insts.

Full PCB - FPGA Interface managementFull PCB - FPGA Interface management

Main PointsMain Points

• Integrated Tool KitIntegrated Tool Kit

• FPGA based System DesignFPGA based System Design

• VHDL SupportVHDL Support

• Embedded supportEmbedded support

• Test InstrumentsTest Instruments

• PCB DesignPCB Design

• PCB – FPGA ManagementPCB – FPGA Management

• Vendor IndependentVendor Independent

Video Demo’sVideo Demo’s

http://www.altium.com/Evaluate/Demohttp://www.altium.com/Evaluate/DemoCenter/altiumdesigneroverview/Center/altiumdesigneroverview/

>>>>>>END>>>>>>>>>>END>>>>

The future is softThe future is soft

• The movement of design into the ‘soft’ realm brings great benefits to the electronic The movement of design into the ‘soft’ realm brings great benefits to the electronic product development processproduct development process– Critical design decisions can be made later in the design cycleCritical design decisions can be made later in the design cycle– Different implementation options can be considered throughout the design Different implementation options can be considered throughout the design

cyclecycle– Product can be brought to market earlier and then upgraded in the fieldProduct can be brought to market earlier and then upgraded in the field– The hard-wired platform and the embedded intelligence can be developed The hard-wired platform and the embedded intelligence can be developed

concurrentlyconcurrently– The methodology facilitates easier design reuse and modularisation of designThe methodology facilitates easier design reuse and modularisation of design

• To capitalise on these benefits and move into the future your design tools must be To capitalise on these benefits and move into the future your design tools must be ready and capable of facilitating this new design paradigm.ready and capable of facilitating this new design paradigm.

Hard-wired designDesign function is fixed and

cannot be changed after

manufacture

Hard-wired components are fixed,

but software can be changed after

manufacture

Processor-based design ‘Soft’ designBoth software and soft-wired

components can be changed after

manufacture –- freedom of system

implementation

Anticipating the next big Anticipating the next big thingthing• FPGAs allow embedded intelligence to encompass FPGAs allow embedded intelligence to encompass

not only software, but soft-wired physical device not only software, but soft-wired physical device blocks blocks

• FPGAs allow more of the design to be done in a FPGAs allow more of the design to be done in a ‘soft’ realm ‘soft’ realm – Blocks of the physical design can be soft-Blocks of the physical design can be soft-

wiredwired– Soft-wired components can be easily changed Soft-wired components can be easily changed

throughout the development processthroughout the development process

• The emergence of highly-capable FPGA devices at The emergence of highly-capable FPGA devices at relatively low cost is fuelling an explosion in ‘soft’ relatively low cost is fuelling an explosion in ‘soft’ system designsystem design

• In this paradigm electronic product development In this paradigm electronic product development involves two elementsinvolves two elements– Defining a hardwired platform to house the Defining a hardwired platform to house the

programmable elements using off-the-shelf programmable elements using off-the-shelf components and connection interfacescomponents and connection interfaces

– Developing the embedded intelligence that Developing the embedded intelligence that resides within the programmable elements.resides within the programmable elements.

Altium Designer integrated technology coverageAltium Designer integrated technology coverage

HardwareBoard-level system design

Soft-wired hardwareFPGA-level system design

SoftwareEmbedded Software design

• Mixed schematic block Mixed schematic block diagram and HDL design diagram and HDL design entryentry

• Ready-to-use, FPGA-based Ready-to-use, FPGA-based functional components, functional components, including processors and including processors and peripheralsperipherals

• Vendor-independent device Vendor-independent device selection and designselection and design

• HDL functional simulationHDL functional simulation

• RTL-level synthesisRTL-level synthesis

• FPGA-based virtual FPGA-based virtual instruments for LiveDesign instruments for LiveDesign interactive system design interactive system design and debugand debug

• Centralized control of design Centralized control of design processing and download to processing and download to FPGAFPGA

• Bi-directional PCB-FPGA Bi-directional PCB-FPGA design constraint design constraint propagationpropagation

FPG

A-P

CB

co-d

esi

gn

FPG

A-P

CB

co-d

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• Hierarchical, multi-Hierarchical, multi-channel schematic channel schematic capturecapture

• Mixed analog-digital Mixed analog-digital SPICE circuit simulationSPICE circuit simulation

• Pre- and post-layout Pre- and post-layout signal integrity analysissignal integrity analysis

• Rules-based PCB design Rules-based PCB design and layoutand layout

• Situs Topological Situs Topological autoroutingautorouting

• Automatic and Automatic and interactive FPGA pin interactive FPGA pin optimization for routingoptimization for routing

• PCB-FPGA I/O PCB-FPGA I/O synchronizationsynchronization

• CAM file generation, CAM file generation, inspection and editinginspection and editing

Hard

ware

Soft

ware

co-d

esi

gn

Hard

ware

Soft

ware

co-d

esi

gn

• Integrated embedded Integrated embedded software development software development for supported FPGA-for supported FPGA-based and discrete based and discrete processorsprocessors

• Viper optimizing Viper optimizing compilerscompilers

• Source-level debugSource-level debug

• Debug from source and Debug from source and disassembly viewsdisassembly views

• Simulator-based debugSimulator-based debug

• Language-aware, Language-aware, configurable code editorconfigurable code editor

• Software profilersSoftware profilers

Who is this Dave Guy Who is this Dave Guy Anyway?Anyway?• {{• Dave's life is deeply schizophrenic with half of his brain focused on the business of software tools for Dave's life is deeply schizophrenic with half of his brain focused on the business of software tools for

electronic design, and the other half focused on hedonistic pursuits which include a large dose of electronic design, and the other half focused on hedonistic pursuits which include a large dose of astronomy. Another half is deeply involved in the promotion of Physics & Maths at the Uni. of Tas astronomy. Another half is deeply involved in the promotion of Physics & Maths at the Uni. of Tas and generally. If that's too many halves, well that's how I often feel.and generally. If that's too many halves, well that's how I often feel.

•   • The truth is that Dave is a sad refugee from the Grand Old Days of Australian X-Ray Astronomy The truth is that Dave is a sad refugee from the Grand Old Days of Australian X-Ray Astronomy

(Greenhill school of applied integrated technology (read as "honours student tech slave")) of the (Greenhill school of applied integrated technology (read as "honours student tech slave")) of the early 80's.early 80's.

•   • After failing to complete numerous PhD's in variously x-rays, cosmic rays, and physiology,  Dave After failing to complete numerous PhD's in variously x-rays, cosmic rays, and physiology,  Dave

stepped sideways into technology companies one of which grew into Protel Technology which begat stepped sideways into technology companies one of which grew into Protel Technology which begat Altium Ltd, the Australian ASX listed electronic CAD company.Altium Ltd, the Australian ASX listed electronic CAD company.

• Dave never quite left involvement with astronomy and has returned with vigour to this his favorite Dave never quite left involvement with astronomy and has returned with vigour to this his favorite pastime in recent years.pastime in recent years.

•   • Anyway, Dave has 25 years experience in electronics, both for science and industry, and 20 year Anyway, Dave has 25 years experience in electronics, both for science and industry, and 20 year

experience in the design, development and selling of CAD tools for electronic design.experience in the design, development and selling of CAD tools for electronic design.• In the last years Dave has gotten real interested in electronics design for radio astronomy.In the last years Dave has gotten real interested in electronics design for radio astronomy.• In particular Altium Ltd has developed significant tools for integrated FPGA design.In particular Altium Ltd has developed significant tools for integrated FPGA design.• These tools allow the "non-expert" electronic designer to jump into the FPGA world with These tools allow the "non-expert" electronic designer to jump into the FPGA world with

unprecedented ease....unprecedented ease....• }}