Looking to better understand intra assignment delays in verilog

[mavericknik]

Hi,

I'm learning verilog and looking to understand intra assignment delays.
I read some books and I think I have the basics covered. I was looking
online for some questions and came across this which I cant seem to
understand:


Q: Using the given, draw the waveforms for the following
versions of a (each version is separate, i.e. not in the same run):



reg clk;
reg a;

always #10 clk = ~clk;

(1) always @(clk) a = #5 clk;
(2) always @(clk) a = #10 clk;
(3) always @(clk) a = #15 clk;

Now, change a to wire, and draw for:

(4) assign #5 a = clk;
(5) assign #10 a = clk;
(6) assign #15 a = clk;

A:

       10      30      50      70      90     110     130
         __     ___     ___     ___     ___     ___     __
clk ___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___

           __     ___     ___     ___     ___     ___     __
(1)a ____|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |_

             __     ___     ___     ___     ___     ___     __
(2)a ______|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|


(3)a ________________________________________________________

Since the #delay cancels future events when it activates, any delay
over the actual 1/2 period time of the clk flatlines...

With changing a to a wire and using assign, we
just accomplish the same thing...

       10      30      50      70      90     110     130
         __     ___     ___     ___     ___     ___     __
clk ___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___

           __     ___     ___     ___     ___     ___     __
(4)a ____|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |_

             __     ___     ___     ___     ___     ___     __
(5)a ______|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|   |___|


(6)a ________________________________________________________

For each of the #15 delays, how is the output a always 0? The text
states the #delay cancels future events when it activates. What does
this mean? Shouldnt a be assigned 1 #15 after the clock every time?

Thanks

 

[Ashish Agrawal]

Hi,

For each of the #15 delays, how is the output a always 0?

Thanks

(6) assign #15 a = clk;
Here Change in clk must be stable for 15 units otherwise output will hold the previous value. Since clk is changing in every 10 units hence this change is treated as glitch or noise and output is holding it previous value 0.

(3) always @(clk) a = #15 clk;
clk should be transported to output after 15 time units. But I think since you are using blocking assignment that's why output is always 0. Did you try using non-blocking assignment <= ?

I am not sure about the (3). You can try using <= and then we may come to conclusion.