Teaching and research in FPGA based Digital Signal Processing using Xilinx System Generator

This paper presents an efficient approach for the implementation of typical DSP structures studied in class or conceived during research. This scheme is beneficial where the objective is to implement the physical working of complex DSP structures or algorithms without requiring detailed knowledge of hardware design and hardware description languages. The approach is based on the Xilinx System Generator for DSP tool, which integrates itself with the MATLAB based Simulink Graphics environment and relieves the user of the textual HDL programming. In addition to introducing this scheme for teaching of DSP, some useful examples based on Delta Sigma Modulators are also presented. These modulators are selected because they are an integral part of modern Analog to Digital Converters and encompass many important Signal Processing concepts. The advantage of this approach in DSP research in terms of reducing concept-to-Silicon design time and effort is also highlighted.