// The MLAB // -------- // In addition to Logic Array Blocks (LABs) that contain ten Adaptive Logic // Modules (ALMs, see alm_sim.v), the Cyclone V/10GX also contain // Memory/Logic Array Blocks (MLABs) that can act as either ten ALMs, or utilise // the memory the ALM uses to store the look-up table data for general usage, // producing a 32 address by 20-bit block of memory. MLABs are spread out // around the chip, so they can be placed near where they are needed, rather than // being comparatively limited in placement for a deep but narrow memory such as // the M10K memory block. // // MLABs are used mainly for shallow but wide memories, such as CPU register // files (which have perhaps 32 registers that are comparatively wide (16/32-bit)) // or shift registers (by using the output of the Nth bit as input for the N+1th // bit). // // Oddly, instead of providing a block 32 address by 20-bit cell, Quartus asks // synthesis tools to build MLABs out of 32 address by 1-bit cells, and tries // to put these cells in the same MLAB during cell placement. Because of this // a MISTRAL_MLAB cell represents one of these 32 address by 1-bit cells, and // 20 of them represent a physical MLAB. // // How the MLAB works // ------------------ // MLABs are poorly documented, so the following information is based mainly // on the simulation model and my knowledge of how memories like these work. // Additionally, note that the ports of MISTRAL_MLAB are the ones auto-generated // by the Yosys `memory_bram` pass, and it doesn't make sense to me to use // `techmap` just for the sake of renaming the cell ports. // // The MLAB can be initialised to any value, but unfortunately Quartus only // allows memory initialisation from a file. Since Yosys doesn't preserve input // file information, or write the contents of an `initial` block to a file, // Yosys can't currently initialise the MLAB in a way Quartus will accept. // // The MLAB takes in data from A1DATA at the rising edge of CLK1, and if A1EN // is high, writes it to the address in A1ADDR. A1EN can therefore be used to // conditionally write data to the MLAB. // // Simultaneously, the MLAB reads data from B1ADDR, and outputs it to B1DATA, // asynchronous to CLK1 and ignoring A1EN. If a synchronous read is needed // then the output can be fed to embedded flops. Presently, Yosys assumes // Quartus will pack external flops into the MLAB, but this is an assumption // that needs testing. // The vendor sim model outputs 'x for a very short period (a few // combinational delta cycles) after each write. This has been omitted from // the following model because it's very difficult to trigger this in practice // as clock cycles will be much longer than any potential blip of 'x, so the // model can be treated as always returning a defined result. module MISTRAL_MLAB(input [4:0] A1ADDR, input A1DATA, A1EN, CLK1, input [4:0] B1ADDR, output B1DATA); reg [31:0] mem = 32'b0; always @(posedge CLK1) if (A1EN) mem[A1ADDR] <= A1DATA; assign B1DATA = mem[B1ADDR]; endmodule