VHDL for Logic Synthesis (PDF)

Making VHDL a simple and easy-to-use hardware description
language

Many engineers encountering VHDL (very high speed integrated
circuits hardware description language) for the first time can feel
overwhelmed by it. This book bridges the gap between the VHDL
language and the hardware that results from logic synthesis with
clear organisation, progressing from the basics of combinational
logic, types, and operators; through special structures such as
tristate buses, register banks and memories, to advanced themes
such as developing your own packages, writing test benches and
using the full range of synthesis types.

This third edition has been substantially rewritten to include
the new VHDL-2008 features that enable synthesis of fixed-point and
floating-point hardware. Extensively updated throughout to reflect
modern logic synthesis usage, it also contains a complete case
study to demonstrate the updated features.

Features to this edition include:

* a common VHDL subset which will work across a range of
different synthesis systems, targeting a very wide range of
technologies

* a design style that results in long design lifetimes, maximum
design reuse and easy technology retargeting

* a new chapter on a large scale design example based on a
digital filter from design objective and design process, to testing
strategy and test benches

* a chapter on writing test benches, with everything needed to
implement a test-based design strategy

* extensive coverage of data path design, including integer,
fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic, logic circuits,
shifters, tristate buses, RAMs, ROMs, state machines, and
decoders

Focused specifically on logic synthesis, this book is for
professional hardware engineers using VHDL for logic synthesis, and
digital systems designers new to VHDL but familiar with digital
systems. It offers all the knowledge and tools needed to use VHDL
for logic synthesis. Organised in themed chapters and with a
comprehensive index, this complete reference will also benefit
postgraduate students following courses on microelectronics or
VLSI/ semiconductors and digital design.