Event

Title:

C-Based Design: High-Level synthesis with the Vivado HLx Tool

Start date:

August 01

End date:

- August 02

Start time:

09:00 am

End time:

05:00 pm

Location:

Online

Registration:

Description:

v2018.2 This course provides a through introduction to the Vivado High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tool. This course covers synthesis strategies, features, improving throughput, area, interface creation, latency, testbench coding, and coding tips. Use the Vivado HLS tool to optimize code for high-speed performance in an embedded environment and download for in-circuit validation.

This course focuses on the Zynq-7000 All Programmable SoC and 7 Series FPGA architectures. Check with your local Authorized Training Provider for the specifics of the in-class lab board or other customizations.

After completing this comprehensive training, you will have the necessary skills to:

Enhance productivity using the Vivado HLS tool
Describe the high-level synthesis flow
Use the Vivado HLS tool for a first project
Identify the importance of the testbench
Use directives to improve performance and area and select RTL interfaces
Identify common coding pitfalls as well as methods for improving code for RTL/hardware
Perform system-level integration of IP generated by the Vivado HLS tool
Describe how to use OpenCV functions in the Vivado HLS tool

Course Outline

Day 1

Introduction to High-Level Synthesis (Lecture)
Basics of the Vivado HLS Tool (Lecture,Demo,Lab)
Design Exploration with Directives (Lecture)
Vivado HLS Tool Command Line Interface (Lecture,Lab)
Introduction to HLS UltraFast Design Methodology (Lecture)
Introduction to I/O Interfaces (Lecture)
Block-Level Protocols(Lecture,Lab)
Port-Level Protocols (Lecture,Demo,Lab)
Port-Level Protocols: AXI4 Interfaces (Lecture,Demo)
Port-Level Protocols: Memory Interfaces (Lecture,Lab)
Port-Level Protocols: Bus Protocol(Lecture)
Pipeline for Performance: PIPELINE (Lecture,Demo,Lab)

Day 2

Pipeline for Performance: DATAFLOW (Lecture,Lab)
Optimizing Structures for Performance (Lecture,Demo,Lab)
Data Pack and Data Dependencies (Lecture)
Vivado HLS Tool Default Behavior-Latency (Lecture)
Reduce Latency (Lecture)
Improving Are (Lecture,Lab)
Introduction to HLx Design Flow (Lecture,Demo,Lab)
HLS vs SDSoC Development Environment Flow (Lecture,Demo)
Vivado HLS Tool: C Code (lecture,Lab)
Hardware Modeling (Lecture)
OpenCV Libraries (Lecture)
Pointers (Lecture)

Topic Descriptions

Day 1

Introduction to High-Level Synthesis-Overview of the High-level Synthesis (HLS), Vivado HLS tool flow, and the verification advantage.
Basics of the Vivado HLS Tool-Explore the basics of high-level synthesis and the Vivado HLS tool.
Design Exploration with Directives-Explore different optimizations the techniques that can improve the design performance.
Vivado HLS Tool Command Line Interface-Describes the Vivado HLS tool flow in command prompt mode.
Introduction to HLS UltraFast Design Methodology-Introduces the methodology guidelines covered in this course and the HLS UltraFast Design Methodology steps.
Introductions to I/O Interfaces-Explains interfaces such as block-level and port-level protocols abstracted by the Vivado HLS tool from the C design.
Block-Level Protocols-Explains the different types of block-level protocols abstracted by the Vivado HLS tool.
Port-Level Protocols-Describes the port-level interface protocols abstracted by the Vivado HLS tool from the C design.
Port-Level Protocols: AXI4 interfaces-Explains the different AXI interfaces (such as AXI4-Master,AXI4-Lite(Slave) and AXI4-Stream) supported by the Vivado HLS tool.
Port-Level Protocols:Memory Interfaces-Describes the Memory Interface port-level protocols (such as BRAM,FIFO) abstracted by the Vivado HLS tool from the C design.
Port-Level Protocols: Bus Protocol-Explains the bus protocol supported by the Vivado HLS tool.
Pipeline for Performance: PIPELINE-Describes the PIPELINE directive for improving the throughput of a design.

Day 2

Pipeline for Performance: DATAFLOW-Describes the DATAFLOW directive for improving the throughput of a design by pipelining the functions to executes as soon as possible.
Optimizing Structures for Performance-Learn the performance limitations caused by arrays in your design. You will also learn some optimization techniques to handle arrays for improving performance.
Data Pack and Data Dependencies-Learn how to use a DATA_PACK and DEPENDENCE directives to overcome the limitations caused by structures and loops in the design.
Vivado HLS Tool Default Behavior:Latency-Describes the default behavior of the Vivado HLS tool on latency and throughput.
Reduce Latency-Describes how to optimize the C design to improve latency.
Improving Area-Describes different methods for improving resource utilization and explains how some of the directives have impact on the area utilization.
Introduction to HLx Design Flow-Describes the traditional RTL flow vs the Vivado HLx design flow.
HLS vs SDSoC Development Environment Flow-Describes the HLS flow vs the SDSoC development flow.
Vivado HLS Tool: C Code-Describes the Vivado HLS tool support for the C/C++language, as well as arbitrary precision data types.
Hardware Modeling-Explains hardware modeling with streaming data types and shift register implementation using the a-_shift_reg class.
OpenCV Libraries-Explains the OpenCV design flow and the Vivado HLS tool support.
Pointers-Explains the use of pointers in the design and workarounds for some of the limitations.