EDIT: removed some redundancies, moved all assignments to non-blocking, inserted a reset mapped as one of the input buttons of my FPGA... but when I implement the code, it starts transmitting the same wrong character and gets stuck in a single state of my machine.
Post Synthesis and Post-Implementation simulations are identical,$time-wise
module UART (reset_button, sysclk_p, sysclk_n,TxD, Tx_busy, Tx_state_scope_external);
input reset_button, sysclk_p, sysclk_n;
output wire TxD, Tx_busy;
output wire [1:0]Tx_state_scope_external;
//internal communications signals
wire clk_internal;
//buffer unit control signals
wire [7:0]TxD_data_internal;
wire Tx_start_internal;
wire Tx_busy_internal;
wire reset_flag;
reset_buf RESET_BUFF (.reset_internal (reset_flag), .reset (reset_button));
differential_CK CK_GENERATION (.sysclk_p (sysclk_p), .sysclk_n(sysclk_n), .clk(clk_internal));
output_Dbuffer OB1 (.reset (reset_flag), .RTS_n (Tx_busy_internal), .clk(clk_internal), .TX_trigger (Tx_start_internal), .TX_data(TxD_data_internal));
async_transmitter TX1 (.reset (reset_flag), .clk (clk_internal), .TxD_data(TxD_data_internal), .Tx_start (Tx_start_internal), .TxD(TxD), .Tx_busy_flag(Tx_busy_internal), .Tx_state_scope(Tx_state_scope_external));
obuf_TX O_TX1( .Tx_busy(Tx_busy), .Tx_busy_flag(Tx_busy_internal));
endmodule
module reset_buf (
output reset_internal,
input reset
);
// IBUF: Single-ended Input Buffer
// 7 Series
// Xilinx HDL Libraries Guide, version 14.7
IBUF #(
.IBUF_LOW_PWR("TRUE"), // Low power (TRUE) vs. performance (FALSE) setting for referenced I/O standards
.IOSTANDARD("DEFAULT") // Specify the input I/O standard
) IBUF_inst (
.O(reset_internal), // Buffer output
.I(reset) // Buffer input (connect directly to top-level port)
);
// End of IBUF_inst instantiation
endmodule
module differential_CK(
input sysclk_p,
input sysclk_n,
output clk
);
// IBUFGDS: Differential Global Clock Input Buffer
// 7 Series
// Xilinx HDL Libraries Guide, version 14.7
IBUFGDS #(
.DIFF_TERM("FALSE"), // Differential Termination
.IBUF_LOW_PWR("TRUE"), // Low power="TRUE", Highest performance="FALSE"
.IOSTANDARD("DEFAULT") // Specify the input I/O standard
) IBUFGDS_inst (
.O(clk), // Clock buffer output
.I(sysclk_p), // Diff_p clock buffer input (connect directly to top-level port)
.IB(sysclk_n) // Diff_n clock buffer input (connect directly to top-level port)
);
// End of IBUFGDS_inst instantiation
endmodule
module output_Dbuffer (
input reset,
input RTS_n, //TX_BUSY flag of the transmitter is my ready to send flag
input clk, //ck needed for the FSM
output wire TX_trigger, //TX_START flag of the transmitter now comes from THIS unit instead of Receiver
output wire [7:0]TX_data //byte for transmission
);
//internal variables
reg [7:0] mem [0:9]; //memory init, 10 * 8 bit locations
integer m, n, i, j, k ; //M = row [a.k.a. bytes], N = column [a.k.a. single bits]
reg TX_trigger_int;
reg [7:0] TX_data_int, TX_complete;
//reg sum256_ok;
reg [7:0]checksum_buff ;
//buffer FSM required variables
localparam //state enumeration declaration
BUF_IDLE = 3'b000,
BUF_START = 3'b001,
BUF_BYTES = 3'b010,
BUF_BUSY = 3'b011,
BUF_TX_CHECKSUM = 3'b100;
reg [2:0] buf_state; //2 bits for 4 states
//static assignments of OUTPUTS : Transmission Flag and Transmission Data (content)
assign TX_trigger = TX_trigger_int;
assign TX_data = TX_data_int;
//Block for transmitting [here I manage the TX_Data and TX_Trigger functionality]
always @(posedge clk)
begin
if (reset)
begin
buf_state <= BUF_IDLE;
TX_trigger_int <= 0;
TX_data_int <= 8'b00000000;
end
else case (buf_state)
BUF_IDLE:
begin
TX_trigger_int <= 0;
TX_data_int <= 8'b00000000;
m <=0;
n <=0;
i <=0;
j <=0;
mem[9] <= 8'b01010001; //81
mem[8] <= 8'b01000000; //64
mem[7] <= 8'b00110001; //49
mem[6] <= 8'b00100100; //36
mem[5] <= 8'b00011001; //25
mem[4] <= 8'b00010000; //16
mem[3] <= 8'b00001001; //9
mem[2] <= 8'b00000100; //4
mem[1] <= 8'b00000001; //1
mem[0] <= 8'b00000010;//2
checksum_buff <= 8'd31;
//check if the TX is not busy
if (RTS_n == 0) buf_state <= BUF_START;
end
BUF_START:
begin
TX_trigger_int <= 0;
if ((i == 0) || ( (j - i) > 1 )) buf_state <= BUF_BYTES;
else begin
$display ("BUFFER BUSY @time:", $time);
buf_state <= BUF_BUSY;
end
end
BUF_BYTES:
begin
//check if the TX is busy
if (RTS_n==0)
begin
// TX_trigger_int = 1; 21.09 MOVED THE TRIGGER INSIDE THE ELSE N LINE 498
if (j > 9)
begin
TX_trigger_int <= 0;
buf_state <= BUF_TX_CHECKSUM;
end
else begin
TX_data_int <= mem[j];
TX_trigger_int <= 1;
j <= j+1;
//TX_trigger_int =0;
buf_state <= BUF_START;
end
end
else buf_state <= BUF_BYTES;
end
BUF_BUSY:
begin
if (RTS_n == 0)
begin
$display ("BUFFER AVAILABLE AGAIN @time:", $time);
buf_state <= BUF_START;
end
end
BUF_TX_CHECKSUM:
begin
if (RTS_n==0) begin
TX_data_int <= checksum_buff;
// sum256_ok = 0;
TX_trigger_int <= 1;
buf_state <= BUF_IDLE;
end
end
//default: buf_state <= BUF_IDLE;
endcase
end
endmodule
module async_transmitter(
input clk,
input reset,
//differential clock pair
input [7:0] TxD_data,
input Tx_start, // it is ==TX_TRIGGER
output wire TxD, //bit being sent to the USB
output reg Tx_busy_flag,
output wire [1:0]Tx_state_scope
);
localparam //state enumeration declaration
TX_IDLE = 2'b00,
TX_START_BIT = 2'b01,
TX_BITS = 2'b10,
TX_STOP_BIT = 2'b11;
parameter ClkFrequencyTx = 200000000; // 200MHz
parameter BaudTx = 9600;
reg [1:0] Tx_state; //2 bits for 4 states
integer bit_counter; //bit counter variable
reg [7:0]TxD_data_int, TxD_int;
integer i; //vector index for output data
wire TXSTART_Trigger;
StartDetectionUnitTX SDU_TX (.clk(clk), .state (Tx_state), .signal_in (Tx_start), . trigger (TXSTART_Trigger));
wire BitTick;
BaudTickGen #(ClkFrequencyTx, BaudTx) as (.clk(clk), .trigger (TXSTART_Trigger), .tick(BitTick));
//BitTick is 16times the frequency generated during the RX portion
assign TxD = TxD_int;
always @(posedge clk) begin
if (reset)
begin
Tx_state <= TX_IDLE;
TxD_int <= 1;
Tx_busy_flag <=0;
end
else case (Tx_state)
TX_IDLE:
begin //reinitialization and check on the trigger condition
bit_counter <= 0;
TxD_data_int <= 8'b00000000;
i <= 0;
TxD_int <= 1; //idle state
Tx_busy_flag <= 0;
if (TXSTART_Trigger) begin
Tx_state <= TX_START_BIT;
TxD_data_int <= TxD_data;
Tx_busy_flag <= 1;
bit_counter <= 8;
end
end
TX_START_BIT:
begin
if (BitTick)
begin
TxD_int <= 0 ; //start bit is a ZERO logical value
Tx_state <= TX_BITS;
end
end
TX_BITS:
begin
if (BitTick)
begin
bit_counter <= bit_counter -1;
TxD_int <= TxD_data_int[i];
// $display ("ho trasmesso dalla UART un bit di valore %b al tempo: ", TxD, $time);
i <= i+1;
if (bit_counter < 1) Tx_state <= TX_STOP_BIT;
end
end
TX_STOP_BIT:
begin
if (BitTick) begin
TxD_int <= 1; //STOP BIT is a logical '1'
Tx_busy_flag <= 0;
Tx_state <= TX_IDLE;
end
end
// default: Tx_state <= TX_IDLE;
endcase
end
assign Tx_state_scope = Tx_state;
endmodule
module obuf_TX (
output Tx_busy,
input Tx_busy_flag
);
// OBUF: Single-ended Output Buffer
// 7 Series
// Xilinx HDL Libraries Guide, version 14.7
OBUF #(
.DRIVE(12), // Specify the output drive strength
.IOSTANDARD("DEFAULT"), // Specify the output I/O standard
.SLEW("SLOW") // Specify the output slew rate
) OBUF_inst (
.O(Tx_busy), // Buffer output (connect directly to top-level port)
.I(Tx_busy_flag) // Buffer input
);
// End of OBUF_inst instantiation
endmodule
module StartDetectionUnitTX ( //detects a rising edge of the start bit == TRANSMISSION START, during the IDLE state = 0000
input clk, [1:0]state,
input signal_in,
output trigger
);
reg signal_d;
always @(posedge clk)
begin
signal_d <= signal_in;
end
assign trigger = signal_in & (!signal_d) & (!state);
endmodule
module BaudTickGen (
input clk, trigger,
output tick //generates a tick at a specified baud rate *oversampling
);
parameter ClkFrequency = 200000000; //sysclk at 200Mhz
parameter Baud = 9600;
parameter Oversampling = 1;
//20832 almost= ClkFrequency / Baud, to make it an integer number
integer counter = (20833/Oversampling)-1; //-1 so counter can get to 0
reg out;
always @(posedge clk)
begin
if (trigger)
begin
counter <= (20833/Oversampling)-1; //-1 so counter can get to 0
out <= 1;
end
if (counter == 0)
begin
counter <= (20833/Oversampling)-1; //-1 so counter can get to 0
out <= 1;
end
else begin
counter <= counter-1;
out <= 0;
end
end
assign tick = out;
endmodule
My FPGA is a Virtex-7 VC707 and I'm using Vivado for my design flow.
Here I am attaching an image of my looping error.
TX_trigger_int <= 0; buf_state <= BUF_TX_CHECKSUM;. Otherwise you create races in simulation and could get into interesting states.