UART on Xilinx FPGA Verilog Design, Vitis Software, Hardware

UART on FPGA: Verilog RTL to MicroBlaze AXI UART Lite
What you'll learn
✓ Explain UART frame structure, baud timing, and parity concepts clearly.
✓ Implement custom UART TX/RX modules in Verilog/SystemVerilog.
✓ Build and verify loopback communication in simulation.
✓ Integrate a MicroBlaze system with AXI UART Lite in Vivado Block Design.
✓ Create and run UART software in Vitis using XUartLite APIs.
✓ Perform hardware/software co-simulation with .elf and RTL together.
✓ Run and debug the design on real FPGA hardware using Vitis debugger.
✓ Choose between RTL and processor-based approaches based on project constraints.
Requirements
● Basic digital logic (flip-flops, FSM, synchronous design)
● Basic Verilog reading ability
● A Windows PC capable of running Vivado/Vitis
● Xilinx FPGA board for full hardware practice (recommended)
Description
"This course contains the use of artificial intelligence."
In this course, you will build a complete UART project on FPGA using two practical approaches.
First, you will implement UART directly in Verilog/SystemVerilog with your own transmitter and receiver logic. You will design finite state machines, generate baud ticks, handle parity, and verify loopback behavior.
Second, you will build a processor-based system using MicroBlaze and AXI UART Lite in Vivado and Vitis. You will create block designs, generate the platform, write loopback software in C, and connect software behavior to hardware registers.
By the end, you will understand when to choose custom RTL and when to choose processor-based design, based on timing Requirements, flexibility, and development speed.
What Makes This Course Different
• Two full implementation paths for the same UART problem
• Clear comparison between RTL and MicroBlaze approaches
• Co-simulation flow combining .elf software and RTL hardware
• Real FPGA hardware test and debugger-based verification
• Practical troubleshooting checklists for common issues
Learning Objectives (Udemy: What you'll learn)
By the end of this course, students will be able to
• Explain UART frame structure, baud timing, and parity concepts clearly.
• Implement custom UART TX/RX modules in Verilog/SystemVerilog.
• Build and verify loopback communication in simulation.
• Integrate a MicroBlaze system with AXI UART Lite in Vivado Block Design.
• Create and run UART software in Vitis using XUartLite APIs.
• Perform hardware/software co-simulation with .elf and RTL together.
• Run and debug the design on real FPGA hardware using Vitis debugger.
• Choose between RTL and processor-based approaches based on project constraints.
Prerequisites
• Basic digital logic (flip-flops, FSM, synchronous design)
• Basic Verilog reading ability
• A Windows PC capable of running Vivado/Vitis
• Xilinx FPGA board for full hardware practice (recommended)
Important Note on Course Materials
Course source code is provided inside the course portal for enrolled learners only.
Note: The narration in this course is produced using AI voice technology.
Who this course is for
■ FPGA beginners who already know basic digital logic
■ Embedded developers moving from software to FPGA SoC workflows
■ Engineers who want practical UART implementation experience
■ Students preparing for real-world FPGA interface projects
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