Cyclone III online communication with PC through USB 2.0

[gabhades]

Hi,

I've got a Cyclone III dev Kit (EP3C120 dev board), and would like to implement a system which can be online configured through a PC software user interface, i.e. data should be transmitted through the USB 2.0 port to this dev board to store/edit a vector data in the FPGA. How should this be done? Is there any implemented IP core offered? Thank you guys

Best,
gabhades

 

[h@ro]

Not familiar with the board- but if it has an existing USB port, does it also have a dedicated UART chip? I have made an FPGA based board controlled through Matlab using a USB -> UART chip, which seems to be a lot less effort than making a completely FPGA based USB interface (manufacturer provides drivers etc so nothing required PC side). On the FPGA all that is needed is an asynchronous serial receiver- there are several modules I have seen floating around the web you could use for this.

 

[gabhades]

Not familiar with the board- but if it has an existing USB port, does it also have a dedicated UART chip? I have made an FPGA based board controlled through Matlab using a USB -> UART chip, which seems to be a lot less effort than making a completely FPGA based USB interface (manufacturer provides drivers etc so nothing required PC side). On the FPGA all that is needed is an asynchronous serial receiver- there are several modules I have seen floating around the web you could use for this.

Thank you I had no experience on real-time communication between FPGA and PC at all before, it is a really helpful suggestion of yours for me.