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#5.2 Multiple Clock

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Some problems calls for solutions which involves multiple clock signals. Consider a 6-bit counter which should react each time one of three buttons pushed.

<Btn Down>   = <Btn0> Should Decrement the counter with "1"
<Btn Up>
      = <Btn1> Should increment the counter with "100"
<Btn Reset>   = <Btn3> Should set the counter to all zeros

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 Download the bit for and test if your having problems with bouncing: Test_speed_cntx.bit

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 The zippet project (ISE 9.2) can be found here: Speed_Control.zip

 
   
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 Multiple Drivers / Sources - A short-circuit of the outputs

 

Line 26 - The Clk actually not needed but its here for future-use.

Line 40 - Line 47 - Line 54
There's no problems with the use of Btn_up, Btn_Down and Btn_Reset as Clock-signal for a process.

Line 43 - Line 50 - Line 57
The problem arises when two or more processes (or concurrent code lines) try to change the same signal.

Multiple drivers or Sources will result as a short-circuit between output in the physical hardware.

 

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 Bad Synchronous description - Code can't be synthesized

 

Line 26 - The Clk actually not needed but its here for future-use.

Line 42 - Line 45 - Line 48
If your VHDL should be synthesized to "real" hardware must a process only contain one line with either
Rising_edge or Falling_edge calls.

If your writing code for simulation will it be okay to include multiple edge-sensitive statements.

Note! FPGA will typically contain F/F which could used as positive (rising) edge F/Fs or negative (falling) edge ditto.

New types of CPLD's present F/F's which could trigged at both rising edge and falling edge of the Clock signal.
 

What's the big idea between that feature???

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 Shift Register detection


Line 35 .. 37

Defines three shift registers of each 3-bit length.

The process at line 41 .. 48 shift the respective Btn signals into the registers.

000 = Button not pressed.
001 = Button now pressed
011 = Button still pressed
111 = Button pressed (for a long time)

110 = Button released
100 = Button still released
000 = Button not pressed

010 = Example of bouncing
101 = ditto

For each rising edge of the Clk will the Shift Registers be checked for valid "Button presses" defined as "011"

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 Gated clock solution - a "no good" practice


Line 38
- The CClk signal will be '1' when ever one of the three Btn signals changes to '1'.

This solution will surely give Yellow ! signs telling about the danger of "Gated Clock".

What could go wrong then???

Normally will a problem arise if Data arrives too early to F/F and before the Clock signal.

However seems the opposite to be problem here. A press at the <Btn_Down> produces a CClk but the signal arrives to late in order to be detected at the logic created by line 47..49

TRY IT YOURSELF!

If the lines 43..46 and 47..49 changes places will a better logic be generated and the count down functionality works again.

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 Clock Enable solution - a "right way" practice


The alternative to gated clock includes the use of a Clock Enable signal.

In order to produce an active "En" signal for one clock period must a single F/F hold the CClk signal for one Clk-period.
When ever CClk='0' and one of the three Btn signals '1' will the En change value to '1' as well.

The next rising edge at the Clk signal will then allow line 55 .. 63 to be active thanks to En='1' and line 54.

The very same rising edge will also "turn off" the En='1' by setting CClk='1' in line 42.

 

 
   

   

 
   
 
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 Alternative solution with "pure" VHDL code for the State Machine

Please note!

The Pulse signal will be high for one clock-period. It should be used as Clock-Enable signal and hence is it important that both circuit (Toogle_Button3 and Speed_Cnt1) are driven with the same Clk-signal.

 

 

Toggle_Button3

It seems very difficult (for me at least) to use manually coded states with the StateCAD tool of the ISE-package.

Line 20 .. 25:
An optimal solution for a State Machine which can debouche a  signal (with a 4-bit shift register named Q in line 17) and produce a Toggle-output, a Pulse-output and a Debouched-output will always be direct coding of the output-values into the states.

Line 29 + 30
In order to build in Hysteresis will the Set only be active after four 1-bit in a row - in contrast to the Res which requires four 0-bit in a row to be active.