Circuit Design with VHDL
This textbook teaches VHDL using system examples combined with programmable logic and supported by laboratory exercises. While other textbooks concentrate only on language features, Circuit Design with VHDL offers a fully integrated presentation of VHDL and design concepts by including a large number of complete design examples, illustrative circuit diagrams, a review of fundamental design concepts, fully explained solutions, and simulation results. The text presents the information concisely yet completely, discussing in detail all indispensable features of the VHDL synthesis. The book is organized in a clear progression, with the first part covering the circuit level, treating foundations of VHDL and fundamental coding, and the second part covering the system level (units that might be located in a library for code sharing, reuse, and partitioning), expanding upon the earlier chapters to discuss system coding.
Part I, "Circuit Design," examines in detail the background and coding techniques of VHDL, including code structure, data types, operators and attributes, concurrent and sequential statements and code, objects (signals, variables, and constants), design of finite state machines, and examples of additional circuit designs. Part II, "System Design," builds on the material already presented, adding elements intended mainly for library allocation; it examines packages and components, functions and procedures, and additional examples of system design. Appendixes on programmable logic devices (PLDs/FPGAs) and synthesis tools follow Part II. The book's highly original approach of teaching through extensive system examples as well as its unique integration of VHDL and design make it suitable both for use by students in computer science and electrical engineering.
Why Read This Book
You should read this book if you want a balanced, example-driven introduction to VHDL that ties language constructs directly to real circuit and programmable-logic designs. It emphasizes synthesisable VHDL, realistic examples, and lab-style projects so you can move from simulation to FPGA implementation.
Who Will Benefit
Undergraduate students and practicing engineers who know digital logic and want a practical, synthesis-focused VHDL text to use for FPGA design and lab work.
Level: Intermediate — Prerequisites: Basic digital logic (combinational/sequential circuits) and familiarity with basic electronics or programming concepts; no prior VHDL required.
Key Takeaways
- Model combinational and sequential digital circuits using VHDL coding styles (concurrent, sequential, structural).
- Write and organize synthesizable VHDL suitable for FPGA implementation, including use of packages and subprograms.
- Design and implement finite-state machines, datapaths, and control logic in VHDL.
- Create testbenches and run functional simulations to verify designs before synthesis.
- Map and optimize VHDL designs for programmable logic targets and understand synthesis constraints and timing fundamentals.
- Apply laboratory-style exercises to move from simulation to bitstream generation and basic FPGA board testing.
Topics Covered
- Introduction to Digital Circuits and Design Methodology
- Overview of VHDL: Basic Concepts and Simulation
- Data Types, Operators, and Attributes in VHDL
- Concurrent and Sequential Modeling Styles
- Structural Modeling and Hierarchical Design
- Combinational and Sequential Circuit Examples
- Finite-State Machines and Control Structures
- Subprograms, Packages, and Design Reuse
- Synthesisable VHDL and Synthesis Guidelines
- Timing, Testbenches, and Verification Techniques
- Programmable Logic and FPGA Implementation Issues
- Laboratory Exercises and Complete Design Examples
Languages, Platforms & Tools
How It Compares
More example- and synthesis-oriented than Douglas Perry's tutorial-style VHDL books and less board-focused than Pong P. Chu's FPGA Prototyping by VHDL Examples, which emphasizes hands-on FPGA board projects.
