OPENCORES Application Board 1 (OAB1)

Introduction

As you know, we have lots of free IP cores here, and we’ll have more coming soon. We have to use these cores otherwise they are invaluable. For this reason the idea of designing serials and open design boards are going to be available for any designers around the world.

Objective

This project is intended to:
- To design schematic can deal with analog signal and transport through Ethernet.
- To implementation CPU core and Ethernet core to one FPGA chip
- To program the necessary operation system and application software to achieve the goal.
- To build the prototype board.
- To do the test for all functions.

Design flow

This project can be divided into two parts. The board design and the cores design. Anyone can use free or commercial tools to design and implement this project

Board design flow can be done through four steps:

- Block Diagram design: I hope we use word 97+ for easy modify and exchange.
- Schematic entry: I will post schematic using PDF format. Anyone can also send me using PDF, protel99se or Cadence format.
- Layout design: The final layout will use Allegro or Protel99se.
- Board implementation: This is the final step in the design where the designer should work himself to produce his board unless we get funding or donation from PCB manufactory.

Cores design flow can be done through five steps:

- Design entry: Doesn t matter the tools, we exchange only VHDL or Verilog codes.
- Simulation: I hope to use ModelSim or Active-HDL, but other tools also welcome.
- Synthesis: I hope to use FPGA express, but other tools also welcome.
- Implementation: I hope to use Xilinx FPGA.
- Programming Download: Using onboard parallel cable.

System description

This is the Board block diagram

The system is composed of 5 main blocks:
- Xilinx FPGA, PROM and parallel interface
- SRAM circuit
- ADC and DAC interface
- Ethernet interface
- Power and reset circuit