ECE524 FPGA/ASIC Design and Optimization Using VHDL

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Spring 2026

Time: Class: MW: 11:30 am – 12:45 pm, Lab: W: 8:30 am – 11:15 am

Location: Class: JD2203, Lab: JD2203

Spring 2026 Office Hours : M, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, on campus, online, or by appointment


Announcements

-january 21, 2026 - Class starts

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the course syllabus from here: ece524 course syllabus

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the old exams from here: ece524 old exams

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the project guideleine from here: project guideline

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the vivado tutorial from here: vivado tutorial

-january 21, 2026 - useful HDL online tutorial: (1) Nandland VHDL/Verilog ,(2) HDLBits Verilog , (3) UCR VHDL learning by example

-january 21, 2026 - you can download Xilinx Synthesis Guide (UG901) from here: xilinx synthesis guide


Assignments

Date Assignment Solution Due Date
january 21, 2026 homework 1 homework 1 solution february 16, 2026
february 16, 2026 homework 2 homework 2 solution february 23, 2026
february 23, 2026 homework 3 homework 3 solution march 4, 2026
march 4, 2026 homework 4 homework 4 solution march 11, 2026
march 23, 2026 homework 5 homework 5 solution april 13, 2026
april 13, 2026 homework 6 homework 6 solution may 4, 2026

Class Organization

Date Lecture Topic Note
january 21, 2026 lecture 1 introduction --
january 26, 2026 lecture 2 introduction --
january 28, 2026 lecture 3 fpga architecture part I
february 2, 2026 lecture 4 fpga architecture part I
february 4, 2026 lecture 5 fpga architecture part I
february 9, 2026 lecture 6 fpga architecture part II
february 11, 2026 lecture 7 fpga architecture part II
february 16, 2026 lecture 8 synthesis --
february 18, 2026 lecture 9 synthesis --
february 23, 2026 lecture 10 advanced design practices part I
february 25, 2026 lecture 11 advanced design practices part I
march 2, 2026 lecture 12 advanced design practices part II
march 4, 2026 lecture 13 advanced design techniques part III
march 9, 2026 lecture 14 advanced design techniques part IV
march 11, 2026 lecture 15 advanced design techniques part IV
march 16, 2026 -- spring break --
march 18, 2026 -- spring break --
march 23, 2026 -- midterm exam review/discussion/problem solving --
march 25, 2026 -- midterm exam --
march 30, 2026 lecture 16 FSMs --
april 1, 2026 lecture 17 timing & clocking --
april 6, 2026 lecture 18 timing & clocking --
april 8, 2026 lecture 19 timing & clocking --
april 13, 2026 lecture 20 performance improvement techniques --
april 15, 2026 lecture 21 performance improvement techniques --
april 20, 2026 lecture 22 special topics --
april 22, 2026 lecture 23 special topics systolic architectures
april 27, 2026 lecture 24 special topics systolic architectures
april 29, 2026 -- final exam review/discussion/problem solving --
may 4, 2026 -- project presentation --
may 6, 2026 -- project presentation --
may 13, 2026 -- final exam (10:15 am - 12:15 pm) --

Lab Documents

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the Zybo 10 reference manual from here: Zybo 10 development kit reference manual

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the Zybo 20 reference manual from here: Zybo 20 development kit reference manual

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the Zedboard reference manual from here: Zedboard development kit reference manual

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the lap report guidlines from here: lab report guidlines

-january 21, 2026 - you can view Zybo information page here: Zybo information page

-january 21, 2026 - you can view Zedboard information page here: Zedboard information page

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the servo motor SG-90 datasheet from here: servo motor sg90 datasheet

-january 21, 2026 - you can download the master constraint file from here: zedboard, zybo

-january 21, 2026 - you can view SSD information page here: SSD information page


Lab Organization

Date Assignment Note supplementary material Due Date
january 21, 2026 lab 0 vivado software tutorial and demonstration lab 0 supplement january 28, 2026
january 28, 2026 lab 1 clocks and counters lab 1 supplement february 4, 2026
february 4, 2026 lab 1 -- -- february 11, 2026
february 11, 2026 lab 2 pmods (ssd) -- february 18, 2026
february 18, 2026 lab 3 fpga memory -- february 25, 2026
february 25, 2026 lab 4 fpga features lab 4 supplement march 11, 2026
march 4, 2026 lab 4 fpga features -- --
march 11, 2026 lab 5 FIR filter design lab 5 supplement march 25, 2026
march 18, 2026 -- spring break --
march 25, 2026 lab 6 FSM design -- april 1, 2026
april 1, 2026 lab 7 pwm -- april 8, 2026
april 8, 2026 lab 8 pipelining -- april 15, 2026
april 15, 2026 lab 9 -- -- april 22
april 22, 2026 lab 10 -- -- april 29
april 29, 2026 project -- -- may 6
may 6, 2026 -- project presentation -- --