How to Design a High-Speed Memory Interface

DEPRECATED COURSE: This course is older and no longer offered with our regular course list. It is only available as a private class.

Please contact the BLT Training Team to schedule a private class.

This course teaches hardware designers who are new to high-speed memory I/O to design a memory interface in Xilinx FPGAs. It introduces designers to the basic concepts of high-speed memory I/O design, implementation, and debugging using 7 series FPGAs.

Additionally, students will learn about the tools available for high-speed memory interface design, debug, and implementation of high-speed memory interfaces.

The major memory types covered are DDR2 and DDR3. The following memory types are covered on demand: RLDRAMII, LPDDR2, and QDRII+. Labs are available for DDR3 on the Kintex-7 FPGA KC705 board.

Skills Gained

After completing this comprehensive training, you will know how to:

  • Identify the FPGA resources required for memory interfaces
  • Describe different types of memories
  • Utilize Xilinx tools to generate memory interface designs
  • Simulate memory interfaces with the Xilinx Vivado simulator
  • Implement memory interfaces
  • Identify the board design options for the realization of memory interfaces
  • Test and debug your memory interface design
  • Run basic memory interface signal integrity simulations

Course Outline

Day 1

  • Course Introduction
  • 7 Series FPGAs Overview
  • Memory Devices Overview
  • 7 Series Memory Interface Resources
  • Memory Controller Details and Signals
  • MIG Design Generation
  • LAB: MIG Core Generation
    Create a DDR3 memory controller using the Memory Interface Generator (MIG) in the Vivado IP catalog. Customize the soft core memory controller for the board.
  • MIG Design Simulation
  • LAB: MIG Design Simulation
    Simulate the memory controller created in Lab 1 using the Vivado simulator or Mentor Graphics QuestaSim simulator.

Day 2

  • MIG Design Implementation
  • LAB: MIG Design Implementation
    Implement the memory controller created in the previous labs. Modify constraints, synthesize, implement, create the bitstream, program the FPGA, and check the functionality.
  • Memory Interface Test and Debugging
  • LAB: MIG Design Debugging
    Debug the memory interface design utilizing the Vivado logic analzyer.
  • MIG in Embedded Designs
  • LAB: MIG in IP Integrator
    Use the block design editor to include the MIG IP in a given processor design.
  • Memory Interface Board-Level Design
  • DDR3 PCB Simulation (optional)
  • LAB: DDR3 Signal Integrity Simulation (optional)
    Learn basic signal analysis options to check waveforms and design optimization.

 

Training Duration:

2 Days

Who should attend:

FPGA designers and logic designers

Prerequisites:

  • VHDL or Verilog experience or Designing with VHDL or Designing with Verilog course
  • Familiarity with logic design, state machines and synchronous design
  • Very helpful to have: Basic knowledge of FPGA architecture
  • Familiarity with Xilinx implementation tools
  • Nice to have: Familiarity with I/O basics and high-speed I/O standards

Version: 2021-03-17_0932

Updated 12-18-2023
©2023 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Xilinx, Inc. is now part of AMD. Xilinx, the Xilinx logo, AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Alveo, Artix, Kintex, Kria, Spartan, Versal, Vitis, Virtex, Vivado, Zynq, and other designated brands included herein are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.