Questions and Answers
VHDL must undergo a review process every ______ years to ensure its ongoing relevance to the industry.
5
The first revision of VHDL was completed in September ______.
1993
VHDL-2002 is a minor revision of VHDL ______.
2000
One of the features introduced in VHDL-1993 was ______ variables.
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The VHPI allows tools programmable access to a VHDL model before and during ______.
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The next revision of VHDL was released in January ______ and is referred to as 'VHDL2008'.
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VHDL 2000 Edition includes the addition of ______ types.
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The year when all rights of VHDL were transferred to ______ was 1986.
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HDL stands for Hardware ______ Language.
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To use an HDL, you need a CAD system that supports it, with major CAD systems supporting ______, Verilog, System C, System Verilog.
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The development of VHDL was initiated in 1981 by the United States Department of ______ to address the hardware life cycle crisis.
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The standardization process for VHDL sought participation and feedback from ______ at an early stage.
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A baseline language (version ______) was published 2 years before the standard.
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DoD Mil Std 454 mandates the supply of a comprehensive VHDL description with every ______ delivered to the DoD.
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The cost of reproducing electronic hardware was reaching crisis point due to inadequate ______ of the parts.
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The best way to provide the required level of description in the design process is to use ______ throughout.
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Study Notes
Hardware Description Language (HDL)
- HDL is used for describing hardware for documentation, simulation, synthesis, verification, and related purposes.
- Requires a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) system that supports it.
- Major CAD systems supporting HDL include VHDL, Verilog, System C, and System Verilog.
- Notable CAD systems:
- Cadence – Incisive
- Mentor Graphics – ModelSim, Questa
- Altera and XILINX (arrangement to use ModelSim)
- Synopsys – Focused on synthesis and ASIC production from HDL descriptions.
HDL History and Background
- Requirement: VHDL development began in 1981 by the U.S. Department of Defense to combat the hardware life cycle crisis due to inadequate documentation and the use of incompatible simulation tools.
- Standardization: Early industry feedback shaped VHDL's standardization process; the baseline version was released two years before the final standard.
- ASIC Mandate: DoD Mil Std 454 requires comprehensive VHDL descriptions for every ASIC delivered, promoting VHDL throughout the design process.
VHDL Revisions
- VHDL 1993: First IEEE review completed in 1993, remains the most supported version of VHDL.
- VHDL 2000: Introduced protected types to resolve issues with shared variables from VHDL 1993.
- VHDL 2002: A minor update relaxing buffer port usage rules, enhancing their usefulness.
VHPI and Further Revisions
- VHPI (2007): Introduced a procedural interface allowing programmable access to VHDL models during simulation without adding new features.
- VHDL 2008: Released in January 2009, marks the following comprehensive revision of VHDL.
Timeline of VHDL History
- 1981: Initiation by U.S. DoD for hardware life-cycle crisis.
- 1983-85: Development of the baseline language by Intermetrics, IBM, and TI.
- 1986: Rights transferred to IEEE.
- 1987: Publication of IEEE Standard and Mil Std 454 requiring VHDL descriptions with ASICs.
- 1994: First revision leading to VHDL 1076-1993 standard.
- 2000: Release of VHDL 1076-2000, Edition.
- 2002: Updated VHDL 1076-2002 standard.
- 2007: VHDL 1076c-2007 introduces VHPI.
- 2009: Release of VHDL 1076-2008 as a revised standard.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamentals of Hardware Description Languages (HDL) and their applications in digital design. Participants will learn about different HDLs such as VHDL and Verilog, as well as various CAD systems that support these languages, including Cadence and Mentor Graphics.
