On exercising hardware-software logical equivalency using FPGAs

This paper addresses a laboratory work, within a digital system design course, where logical equivalency between hardware and software implementations is exercised. The exercise starts with the well-known system decomposition attitude, partitioning the system into control and data path, and giving ground for understanding co-design techniques within embedded system design development process. A comprehensive didactic example is used for illustrating the techniques, built around the well-known multiplier through successive additions. An FPGA (field programmable gate array) is used supporting implementations, taking advantage of reconfigurability capabilities, and accommodating hardware solutions, as well software solutions, where usage of a microcontroller´s IP (intellectual property) is included