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[/] [ht_tunnel/] [trunk/] [README.txt] - Rev 21
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=========================================
HyperTransport Tunnel
=========================================
This project describes a HyperTransport tunnel for hardware synthesis using
the SystemC C++ API. It was developped to be integrated as a core into a
larger hardware project. You can either synthesize the core using a SystemC
synthesis tool or simulate it using any C++ compiler. The design was
developped using SystemC 2.0.1
The tunnel is technology independent, so it can be used with any technology
(Xilinx FPGAs, Altera FPGAs, standard cell proces, etc.) The design uses
synchronous dual-port (one read and one write port) memories by having input
and outputs ports to those memories. So when instanciating the design, you
must connect those ports either to memories in a real circuit or to a memory
model in simulation.
The design has many options and to change them, you need to modify the file
rtl/systemc/core_synth/constants.h. It contains all the options and
configuration option available. This includes various modes : if the retry
mode is enabled, if DirectRoute is enabled, etc. It is also used to setup
the Configuration Space Registers : the address space used by the application,
the ID number of the application, etc.
For code documentation, you can run doxygen (a documenation tool) with the
doxygen.config. It will generate HTML documentation in doc/doxygen/html
For higher level documentation, look in the doc folder. At the moment of
writing this readme, the doc folder is empty but hopefully by the time you
read this there will be some proper documentation. But at least remember
that the source code is fairly well documented (in .h files) so don't be
afraid to go read at least the module descriptions in the .h files.
For synthesis
=============
The design was originally designed for the Synopsys SystemC Compiler tool,
but it is now discontinued. Alternatives are Celoxica Agility Compiler and
Forte Cynthesizer. Agility 1.0 is not compatible with the core but version
2.0 might be when it is released. I have not had the chance to try
Cynthesizer so I do not know if it works. If you have the chance of trying
it, let me know! I have synthesized multiple configurations of the design
and tested them in post-synthesis simulation, but those versions are useless
in a real application since the tunnel needs to be re-synthesized when the
CSR configuration changes, and every project usually has a different CSR
configuration.
For simulation in a larger project
==================================
To simulate it within a larger SystemC project, just include all the source
files in rtl/systemc in your project and instanciate the top level
vc_ht_tunnel_l1 module to use just like any SystemC module. But bear in mind
that this is an RTL description, so simulation is pretty slow.
For simulation in ModelSim
===========================
The .do file contains most of the commands necessary to compile the design
in ModelSim and run the main testbench, but to simulate it in your project
you will need a top level that instanciates the design and links it with
other designs. In other words, the .do file is only a set of commands to
get you started and run a testbench. ModelSim allows to run SystemC alongside
netlists, VHDL, Verilog or anything supported my ModelSim.
For simulation alone
====================
The bench directory contains many testbenches to test the design. The tests
done are VERY limited. Some tests are self-checking and others simply
stimulates the design and the output has to be manually checked.
If you are using MS Visual Studio, there are projects files already prepared
to compile and run the testbenches. All you have to do is update the location
of the SystemC include directory and the SystemC link library location in the
project.
If you are using GCC, I am not too familiar with the configure scripts that
search to see if SystemC is properly installed, is the correct version, etc.
etc., so there are no configure/makefile files ready to use out of the box.
Also, the fact that SystemC includes a "main" function often conflicts with
autoconfigure tests. I have tried the global testbench using KDevelop and
it works perfectly.
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