Unit information: Digital Design, Group Project in 2020/21

Unit name	Digital Design, Group Project
Unit code	EENG28010
Credit points	10
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Shuangyi Yan
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	EENG14000, EENG20400
Co-requisites	none
School/department	School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Faculty	Faculty of Science and Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

The aim of this unit is to give students a practical introduction to digital logic design and prototyping in FPGAs based on VHDL entry, using industry standard tools. Students will work in groups to design a functioning digital system and implement it.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate, through practice, the use of VHDL as a modelling language to describe digital logic, including use of common templates to describe combinational and sequential logic blocks;
2. Explain the hardware implications of a given piece of VHDL code and the limitations imposed in coding for synthesis;
3. Design combinational and sequential logic blocks and finite-state machines in VHDL based on a given set of functional specifications;
4. Interpret a specification for a digital system;
5. Propose modular structural divisions for a complex digital system, and define interfaces for the constituent modules;
6. Set-up and run simulations and debug VHDL code for correct functionality in the ModelSim simulator, and approach the testing and simulation of a design in a systematic manner;
7. Use Xilinx to prototype designs in FPGAs;
8. Familiarity with good practice in design management and effective collaboration in a shared group project.

Teaching Information

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, including lectures, practical activities supported by drop-in sessions, problem sheets and self-directed exercises.

Assessment Information

Summative:

Assignment 1 : An individual take-home exercise that is assessed based on functionality and quality of VHDL code, and analytical and descriptive answers, all related to design of digital circuits and systems. (ILOs 1-6) Marked on a Pass/Fail basis

Assignment 2 : A group exercise that is assessed based on the functionality and quality of submitted code to meet specifications (ILOs 1-8). Marked on a Pass/Fail basis

Reading and References

Douglas L Perry, VHDL : Programming by Example, 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill 2002.

Volnei Pedroni Circuit Design with VHDL, MIT Press, 2004

J. Bhasker, A VHDL Synthesis Primer, 2nd ed, Star Galaxy Pub., 1998.