FPGA Development Series - Boolean Board (Spartan-7, FPGA)

This series of personal research projects is designed to guide users through developing FPGA designs using the Boolean Board (Spartan-7, FPGA) and Vivado 2024.1. The projects cover key topics such as synthesis, implementation, I/O control, clock-driven designs, button debouncing, and RGB LED management. Each project builds on the previous one, offering a structured approach for self-guided learning and experimentation with FPGA development.

Supported Board

• Boolean Spartan-7 development board
  • Part Number: xc7s50csga342-1
  • Family: Spartan-7
  • Package: ccsga324
  • Speed Grade: -1
  • Temperature Grade: C

Reference Materials

• Download Vivado 2024.1
• Vivado 2024.1 installation notes

Setup Instructions

Clone or download this repository to your computer. It's recommended to store the files in a folder path containing only ASCII characters and avoid deeply nested paths, as Windows systems limit the maximum file path length to 260 characters.

Hardware Setup

1. Connect "PROG UART" port on the Boolean Board to your computer with a micro-USB cable.
2. Turn on the board using the switch in the top-left corner. A green LED will light up when powered on.

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Projects Overview

Project 1: Simple LED Control with Button Press

This project introduces the basics of using the Vivado IDE to create a simple HDL design where pressing Button 0 directly controls the state of an on-board LED. The red component of the RGB LED (RGB0_R) lights up when the button is pressed and turns off when the button is released. This project is ideal for understanding basic input/output interaction with the Boolean Board.

Project 2: Button-Controlled RGB LEDs

Building on the first project, this design adds control for two on-board RGB LEDs (red components) using two buttons. The project introduces modular design, allowing for separate input/output control for each LED and button, making it a great next step for expanding I/O functionality.

Project 3: Debouncing and Toggle Mechanism

This project introduces a clock-driven design for controlling two RGB LEDs using buttons, along with a simple debouncing mechanism. The design emphasizes toggling the state of the LEDs upon button press, ensuring stable input handling using clock-based debouncing.

Project 4: RGB LED Color Cycling with Reverse Control

In this project, you will control RGB0's red, green, and blue colors through button presses, allowing for forward and reverse cycling. Button 0 toggles the LED, Button 1 cycles the color forward, and Button 3 cycles the color backward. RGB1 retains simple red LED control using Button 2.