If you have the right tools, designing a microprocessor shouldn’t be complicated. The Verilog hardware description language (HDL) is one such tool. It can enable you to depict, simulate, and synthesize an electronic design, and thus increase your productivity by reducing the overall workload associated with a given project.Monte Dalrymple’s Microprocessor Design Using Verilog HDL is a practical guide to processor design in the real world. It presents the Verilog HDL in a straightforward fashion and serves as a detailed introduction to reducing the computer architecture and as an instruction set to practice. You’re led through the microprocessor design process from start to finish, and essential topics ranging from writing in Verilog to debugging and testing are laid bare.The book details the following, and more: Verilog HDL Review: data types, bit widths/labeling, operations, statements, and design hierarchy Verilog Coding Style: files vs. modules, indentation, and design organization Design Work: instruction set architecture, external bus interface, and machine cycle Microarchitecture: design spreadsheet and essential worksheets (e.g., Operation, Instruction Code, and Next State) Writing in Verilog: choosing encoding, assigning states in a state machine, and files (e.g., defines.v, hierarchy.v, machine.v) Debugging, Verification, and Testing: debugging requirements, verification requirements, testing requirements, and the test bench Post Simulation: enhancements and reduction to practice Monte Dalrymple received a BSEE (with highest honors) and an MSEE from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Monte started his career at Zilog, where he designed a number of successful products, including the Serial Communication Controller (SCC) family and the Universal Serial Controller (USC) family. He was also the architect and lead designer of the Z380 microprocessor. Monte started his own company, Systemyde International Corp., in 1995, and has been doing contract design work ever since. He designed all five generations of Rabbit microprocessors, a Z180 clone that is flying on the Juno mission to Jupiter, and a Z8000 clone that flies in a commercial avionics air data computer. Monte holds 16 patents as well as both amateur and commercial radio licenses. Monte wrote 10 articles for Circuit Cellar magazine between 1996 and 2010. He recently completed a side project to replace the CPU in an HP-41C calculator with a modern FPGA-based version.
