High-Level Synthesis with the Vitis Unified IDE

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Course Description

This course provides a thorough introduction to the Vitis™ High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tool. The focus is on:

• Converting C/C++ designs into RTL implementations
• Learning the Vitis HLS tool flow
• Creating I/O interfaces for designs by using the Vitis HLS tool
• Applying different optimization techniques
• Improving throughput, area, latency, and logic by using different HLS pragmas/directives
• Exporting IP that can be used with the Vivado® IP catalog
• Migrating designs from the classic Vitis HLS tool to the Vitis Unified IDE

Level

DSP 3

Course Duration

2 days

Audience

Software and hardware engineers looking to utilize high-level synthesis

Prerequisites

• C, C++, or System C knowledge
• High-level synthesis for software engineers OR high-level synthesis for hardware engineers

Software Tools

• Vitis HLS tool 2023.2
• Vivado Design Suite 2023.2
• Vitis Unified IDE 2023.2

Hardware

• Architecture: Zynq® UltraScale+™ MPSoC and Versal® AI Core series*
• Demo board: ZynqUltraScale+ MPSoC ZCU104 board*

* This course focuses on the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC architecture. Check with your local Authorized Training Provider for the specifics of the in-class lab board or other customizations

Skills Gained

After completing this comprehensive training, you will know how to:

• Enhance productivity by using the Vivado HLS tool
• Describe the high-level synthesis flow
• Use the Vitis Unified IDE to create an HLS component
• Identify the importance of the testbench
• Use directives to improve performance and area and select RTL interfaces
• Perform system-level integration of IP generated by the Vitis Unified IDE
• Migrate designs from the classic Vitis HLS tool to the Vitis Unified IDE

Course Outline

Day 1

• Introduction to High-Level Synthesis – Provides an overview of high-level synthesis (HLS), the Vitis Unified IDE for HLS flow, and the verification advantage. {Lecture}
• HLS Component Development Flow – Explores the HLS component development flow in the Vitis Unified IDE. {Lecture, Lab}
• Abstract Parallel Programming Model for HLS – Describes the structuring of a design at a high level using anabstract parallel programming model. {Lecture}
• Design Exploration with Directives – Explore different optimization techniques that can improve the design performance. {Lecture}
• HLS Component Development Using the Command Line – Describes the unified command line interface and the the v++ and vitis-run commands. {Lecture, Lab}
• Introduction to Vitis HLS Design Methodology – Introduces the methodology guidelines covered in this course and the HLS  Design Methodology steps. {Lecture}
• Introduction to I/O Interfaces – Explains interfaces such as block-level and port-level protocols abstracted by the Vitis HLS tool from the C design. {Lecture}
• Block-Level Protocols – Explains the different types of block-level protocols abstracted by the Vitis HLS tool. {Lecture, Lab}
• Port-Level I/O Protocols – Describes the port-level interface protocols abstracted by the Vitis HLS tool from the C design. {Lecture, Demo, Lab}
• AXI4 Adapter Interface Protocols – Explains the different AXI interfaces (such as AXI4-Master, AXI4-Lite (Slave), and AXI4-Stream) supported by the Vitis HLS tool. {Lecture, Demo}
• Optimizing for Performance: PIPELINE – Describes the PIPELINE directive for improving the throughput of a design. {Lecture, Lab}

Day 2

• Optimizing for Performance: DATAFLOW – Describes the DATAFLOW directive for improving the throughput of a design by pipelining the functions to execute as soon as possible. {Lecture, Lab}
• Optimizing for Throughput – Identify the performance limitations caused by arrays in your design. You will also explore optimization techniques to handle arrays for improving performance. {Lecture, Demo, Lab}
• Optimizing for Latency: Default Behavior  – Describes the default behavior of the Vitis HLS tool on latency and throughput. {Lecture}
• Optimizing for Latency: Reducing Latency – Describes how to optimize the C design to improve latency. {Lecture}
•  Optimizing AXI System Performance – Describes AXI burst transfers and their types. Also outlines the optimization steps to improve system performance. {Lecture}
• Vitis HLS Libraries – Describes the library support offered by Vitis HLS. {Lecture}
• Vitis HLS Libraries: Arbitrary Precision Data Types – Describes Vitis HLS support for the C/C++ languages as well as arbitrary precision data types. {Lecture, Lab}
• Using Pointers in Vitis HLS – Explains the use of pointers in a design and workarounds for some of the limitations. {Lecture}
• HLS Component Design Flow – System Integration – Illustrates the process of developing and exporting an HLS component as Vivado IP. {Lab}
• Migrating to the Vitis Unified IDE – HLS Component – Describes the need for the Vitis Unified IDE and identifies different approaches for migrating projects from the classic Vitis HLS tool to the Vitis Unified IDE. {Lecture, Lab}