VHDL: Programming by Example

CHAPTER 12

Top-Level System Design

In the last few chapters, we have discussed VHDL language features and the VHDL synthesis process. In the next few chapters, we tie all of these ideas together by developing a top-down design for a small CPU design, verify its functionality, verify that it can be synthesized, and implement the design in an FPGA device.

CPU Design

The example is a small, 16-bit microprocessor. A block diagram is shown in Figure 12-1.

Figure 12-1CPU Block Diagram.

The processor contains a number of basic pieces. There is a register ...