Lecture RTL hardware design - Chapter 1: Introduction to Digital System Design. Chapter 1 presents a “big picture” of digital system design, including an overview on device technologies, system representation, development flow and software tools. | Introduction to Digital System Design RTL Hardware Design by P. Chu Chapter 1 1 Outline 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Why Digital? Device Technologies System Representation Abstraction Development Tasks Development Flow RTL Hardware Design by P. Chu Chapter 1 2 1. Why Digital RTL Hardware Design by P. Chu Chapter 1 3 Advantages • Advantage of digital devices – Reproducibility of information – Flexibility and functionality: easier to store, transmit and manipulate information – Economy: cheaper device and easier to design • Moore’s law – Transistor geometry – Chips double its density (number of transistor) in every 18 months – Devices become smaller, faster and cheaper – Now a chip consists of hundreds of million gates – And we can have a “wireless-PDA-MP3-playercamera-GPS-cell-phone” gadget very soon RTL Hardware Design by P. Chu Chapter 1 4 Applications of digital systems • “Digitization” has spread to a wide range of applications, including information (computers), telecommunications, control systems etc. • Digital circuitry replaces many analog systems: – Audio recording: from tape to music CD to MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) player – Image processing: from silver-halide film to digital camera – Telephone switching networks – Control of mechanical system: ., “flight-by-wire” RTL Hardware Design by P. Chu Chapter .
