CS 577: C-Based VLSI Design

Instructor

• Dr. Chandan Karfa

Cource Overview

• High-level Synthesis (HLS) is the process of generating effecient hardware at register transfer level (RTL) from the input C-code (high-level code). HLS is an active domain of research in recent times in the domain of electronic Design Automation (EDA) of VLSI. This course will help the students to understand

  • the overall C to RTL synthesis flow,

  • how a C-code will be converted to its equivalent hardware,

  • how to write C-code for efficient hardware generation,

  • how the common software compiler optimizations can help to improve the circuit performance.

  • Hardware Acceleration of Machine Learning Algorithm

  • Secure Hardware generation using HLS

  • Equivalence checking between C and RTL.

  • The overall EDA tool flow.

• This course will help the students to take up research in the domain of HLS. Also, this course will help the students to become proficient for EDA industries.

• Pre-requisites: (1) Basic knowledge of digital circuits (2) Basic knowledge of Data structures and algorithms

Class Timing and Venue:

• Slot F in timetable for Open Electives

• Friday: 11AM-12PM, Monday: 12PM-1PM, Tuesday: 12AM-1PM

• Venue: 5G4, Class Room Complex

• Mode of Lecture: Live Class

Teaching Assistants:

• Praveen Karmakar - pkarmakar@iitg.ac.in

• Nilotpola Sarma - s.nilotpola@iitg.ac.in

Syllabus:

• Electronic Design Automation flow: Overview of high-level synthesis, logic synthesis and physical synthesis;

• High-level Synthesis (HLS) Fundamentals: Overview HLS flow, Scheduling Techniques, Resource sharing and Binding Techniques, Datapath and Controller Generation Techniques;

• Impact of C-coding style on Hardware: Data types, Synthesis of Loops, Functions, RAM, ROM, Shift register inference from arrays;

• Impact of Compiler Optimization in HLS results: Impact of Compiler optimizations like copy propagation, constant propagation, common sub-expression elimination, loop transformations, code motions, etc., in HLS results;

• HLS for Security: RTL Locking, Logic Locking, Attack and Defense techniques;

• RTL Optimizations Techniques: Various optimization techniques to improve latency, area and power in C-based VLSI designs;

• High-level Synthesis Verification: BDD, Simulation based verification, Equivalence checking between C and RTL;

• Hardware acceleration of Machine Learning Algorithms

• Domain Specific High-level Synthesis

Text Book:

• [Micheli] G. De Micheli. Synthesis and optimization of digital circuits, McGraw Hill, India Edition, 2003.

• [Elliot] J. P. Elliot, Understanding Behavioural Synthesis: A Practical guide to High-level Synthesis, Springer, 2nd edition, 2000

• [Kilts] Steve Kilts, Advanced FPGA Design, Wiley, 2007.

• [Parhi] K. Parhi: VLSI Digital Signal Processing Systems: Design and Implementation, Jan 1999, Wiley.

• [Huth] M. Huth and M. Ryan, Logic in Computer Science: Modelling and Reasoning about Systems, 2nd Ed, Cambridge University Press, 2004.

• Various Research Papers.

References:

• [Gajski] D. D. Gajski, N. D. Dutt, A.C.-H. Wu and S.Y.-L. Lin, High-Level Synthesis: Introduction to Chip and System Design, Springer, 1st edition, 1992

• [BlueBook] Mike Fingeroff, High-Level Synthesis Blue Book, Mentor Graphics Corporation, 2010.

• Ryan Kastner, Janarbek Matai, and Stephen Neuendorffer, Parallel Programming for FPGAs, 2018.

• Philippe Coussy and Adam Morawiec, High-level Synthesis from Algorithm to Digital Circuit, Springer, 2008

• David. C. Ku and G. De Micheli, High-level Syntehsis of ASICs Under Timing and Synchronization Constraints, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992.

• T. F. Melham, Higher Order Logic and Hardware Verification, Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Grade Calculation

• Class Participation/Quiz: 10%

• MidSem: 25%

• End Sem: 45%

• Project: 20%. A group of 4/5 students to be assigned to a project.

Classes

Evaluation Schedule