VHDL Data Types
Suresh Balpande
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VHDL Data Types
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VHDL Data Types
Scalar
Integer
Enumerated
Real (floating point)*
Physical*
Composite
Array
Record
Access (pointers)*
* Not supported by synthesis tools
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Predefined Data Types
bit (0 or 1)
bit_vector (array of bits)
integer
real
time (physical data type)
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Different data types
Enumeration:
Red, blue
standard
logic:
Resolved,
Unresolved
Boolean:
TRUE,
FALSE
Data
types
Float:
0.124
Integer:
13234,23
Bit:
0,1
Character
a,b
String:
text
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Examples of some common types
Type BOOLEAN is (FALSE, TRUE)
type bit is (0 ,1);
type character is (-- ascii string)
type INTEGER is range of integer numbers
type REAL is range of real numbers
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VHDL Data Objects
Constant
Variable
Signal
File*
* Not supported by synthesis tools
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Identifiers
May contain A-Z, a-z, 0-9, _
Must start with letter
May not end with _
May not include two consecutive _
VHDL is case insensitive
Sel sel and SEL refer to same object
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Identifier Examples
A2G
valid
8bit_counter
invalid -- starts with number
_NewValue
invalid -- starts with _
first#
invalid -- illegal character
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Characters and Strings
Characters
A, 0, 1, $, x, *
Strings
string of characters
00101101
0X110ZZ1
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Characters and Strings
Bit Strings
B011111010110
O3726
X7D6
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Integer Data Type
Integer
Minimum range for any implementation as defined by
standard: - 2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647
Example assignments to a variable of type integer :
ARCHITECTURE test_int OF test IS
BEGIN
PROCESS (X)
VARIABLE a: INTEGER;
BEGIN
a := 1; -- OK
a := -1; -- OK
a := 1.0; -- illegal
END PROCESS;
END test_int;
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Integer Data Type
Minimum range for any implementation: 2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647
Define range of integer
minimizes synthesized logic
type CountValue is range 0 to 15;
type Twenties is range 20 to 29;
type Thirties is range 39 downto 30;
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Example of Integer Data Type
process(addr)
variable j: integer range 0 to 35;
variable addru: unsigned(7 downto 0);
begin
for i in 7 downto 0 loop
addru(i) := addr(i);
end loop;
j := conv_integer(addru);
M <= rom(j);
end process;
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Enumeration types:
An enumeration type is defined by listing
(enumerating) all possible values
Examples:
type COLOR is (BLUE, GREEN,
YELLOW, RED);
type MY_LOGIC is (0, 1, U, Z);
-- then MY_LOGIC can be one of the 4
values
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VHDL Data Types
Scalar Types (Cont.)
Enumerated
User specifies list of possible values
Example declaration and usage of enumerated data type :
TYPE binary IS ( ON, OFF );
... some statements ...
ARCHITECTURE test_enum OF test IS
BEGIN
PROCESS (X)
VARIABLE a: binary;
BEGIN
a := ON; -- OK
... more statements ...
a := OFF; -- OK
... more statements ...
END PROCESS;
END test_enum;
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Exercises
Example of the enumeration type of the menu of a restaurant:
type food is (hotdog, tea, sandwich, cake, chick_wing);
(a) Declare the enumeration type of the traffic light.
Answer: _______________________________________
(b) Declare the enumeration type of the outcomes of rolling a
dice.
Answer: _______________________________________
(c) Declare the enumeration type of the 7 notes of music.
Answer: _______________________________________
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Physical
Physical
Can be user defined range
Physical type example
Time units are the only predefined physical type in VHDL.
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Physical
Physical
Can be user defined range
Physical type example
Current in Amp, mA.,
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Predefined physical data type
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VHDL Data Types
Scalar Types (Cont.)
Real
Minimum range for any implementation as defined by
standard: -1.0E38 to 1.0E38
Example assignments to a variable of type real :
ARCHITECTURE test_real OF test IS
BEGIN
PROCESS (X)
VARIABLE a: REAL;
BEGIN
a := 1.3; -- OK
a := -7.5; -- OK
a := 1; -- illegal
a := 1.7E13; -- OK
a := 5.3 ns; -- illegal
END PROCESS;
END test_real;
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VHDL Data Types
Scalar Types (Cont.)
Physical
Require associated units
Range must be specified
Example of physical type declaration :
TYPE resistance IS RANGE 0 TO 10000000
UNITS
ohm; -- ohm
Kohm = 1000 ohm; -- i.e. 1 KW
Mohm = 1000 kohm; -- i.e. 1 MW
END UNITS;
Time is the only physical type predefined in
VHDL standard
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Booleans
type boolean is (false, true);
variable A,B,C: boolean;
C := not A
C := A and B
C := A or B
C := A nand B
C := A nor B
C := A xor B
C := A xnor B
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Bits
type bit is (0, 1);
signal x,y,z: bit;
x <= 0;
y <= 1;
z <= x and y;
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Standard Logic
library IEEE;
use IEEE.std_logic_1164.all;
type std_ulogic is ( U, -- Uninitialized
X -- Forcing unknown
0 -- Forcing zero
1 -- Forcing one
Z -- High impedance
W -- Weak unknown
L -- Weak zero
H -- Weak one
-); -- Dont care
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Standard Logic
type std_ulogic is unresolved.
Resolved signals provide a mechanism
for handling the problem of multiple
output signals connected to one signal.
subtype std_logic is resolved std_ulogic;
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Resolved logic concept
(Multi-value Signal logic)
Can the outputs be connected together?
C1
??
C2
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Resolved signal concept
Signal c1,c2, b1: bit;
b1<=c1;
c1
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b1
Resolved signal concept
Signal c1,c2, b1: bit;
b1<=C1;
b1<=C2;
??
illegal
C1
b1
??
C2
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Type Std_logic and std_ulogic
Std_logic is a type of resolved logic, that means a signal
can be driven by 2 inputs
std_ulogic: (the u: means unresolved) Std_ulogic type
is unresolved logic, that means a signal cannot be driven
by 2 inputs
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VHDL Data Types
Composite Types
Array
Used to group elements of the same type into a single VHDL object
Range may be unconstrained in declaration
Range would then be constrained when array is used
Example declaration for one-dimensional array (vector) :
TYPE data_bus IS ARRAY(0 TO 31) OF BIT;
0 ...element indices... 31
0 ...array values...
1
VARIABLE X : data_bus;
VARIABLE Y : BIT;
Y := X(12);
-- Y gets value of element at index 12
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VHDL Data Types
Composite Types (Cont.)
Example one-dimensional array using DOWNTO :
TYPE reg_type IS ARRAY(15 DOWNTO 0) OF BIT;
15 ...element indices... 0
0 ...array values...
1
VARIABLE X : reg_type;
VARIABLE Y : BIT;
Y := X(4);
-- Y gets value of element at index 4
DOWNTO keyword must be used if leftmost
index is greater than rightmost index
Big-endian bit ordering, for example
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VHDL Data Types
Composite Types (Cont.)
Records
Used to group elements of possibly different types into a single
VHDL object
Elements are indexed via field names
Examples of record declaration and usage :
TYPE binary IS ( ON, OFF );
TYPE switch_info IS
RECORD
status : BINARY;
IDnumber : INTEGER;
END RECORD;
VARIABLE switch : switch_info;
switch.status := ON; -- status of the switch
switch.IDnumber := 30; -- e.g. number of the switch
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