-------

Tutorial 2 on using the LCD on the Spartan 3E Starter Kit board

by Claudio Talarico
Eastern Washington University
ctalarico@ewu.edu

----------

The design displays the word VHDL and a "running" digit (0 to 9)

on the LCD. The word VHDL is on the first line, while the running
digit is on the second line
+----------------+
|VHDL
|
|
0|
+----------------+

--- The 2 x 16 character LCD on the board has an internal Sitronix ST7066U
graphics
-- controller that is functionally equivalent with the following devices:
-- * Samsung S6A0069X or KS0066U
-- * Hitachi HD44780
-- * SMOS SED1278
-- To minimize pin icount the FPGA controls the LCD via the 4-bit data
interface.
-library IEEE;
use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL;
use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_ARITH.ALL;
use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_UNSIGNED.ALL;
entity lcd is
port( clk
rst
SF_D
LCD_E
LCD_RS
LCD_RW
SF_CE0
end lcd;

:
:
:
:
:
:
:

in std_logic;
in std_logic;
out std_logic_vector(11 downto 8);
out std_logic;
out std_logic;
out std_logic;
out std_logic);

architecture rtl of lcd is

type istate_t is (istep_one, istep_two, istep_three, istep_four, istep_five,
istep_six, istep_seven, istep_eight, istep_nine,
function_set, entry_mode, control_display, clear_display,
init_done);
type dstate_t is (didle, set_start_address, write_data_V, write_data_H,
write_data_D, write_data_L, --return_home,
address_digit, write_digit);
signal istate, next_istate

: istate_t;--state and next state of the init. sm

signal
sm
signal
signal
signal
signal
LCD_E
signal
LCD_RS
signal
SF_D
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal
signal

dstate, next_dstate

: dstate_t;--state and next state of the display

idone, next_idone
count, next_count
nibble
enable, next_enable

:
:
:
:

regsel, next_regsel

: std_logic;--register select signal put out to

byte

: std_logic_vector(7 downto 0); --data to pass to

timer_15ms
timer_4100us
timer_100us
timer_40us
timer_1640us
txdone, next_txdone
txcount, next_txcount
selnibble
next_selnibble
digit, next_digit
cnt, next_cnt

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

std_logic;--initialization done
integer range 0 to 750000;
std_logic_vector(3 downto 0);
std_logic;--register enable signal put out to

std_logic;
std_logic;
std_logic;
std_logic;
std_logic;
std_logic;
integer range 0 to 2068;
std_logic;
std_logic;
std_logic_vector(3 downto 0);
integer range 0 to 50000000;

begin
--- concurrent assignments (LCD interface)
-SF_CE0 <= '1'; --disable intel strataflash memory.
--FPGA has full read/write access to LCD.
LCD_RW <= '0'; --write LCD (LCD accepts data).
--putting LCD_RW=0 also prevent the LCD screen
--from presenting undesired data.
SF_D
<= nibble;
LCD_E <= enable;
LCD_RS <= regsel;
--- the data_selector choose what data to pass to the LCD
-- depending on the operation's state of the system
-data_selector: process(istate, dstate, digit)
begin
-- the following section of the code is for the
-- LCD's initialization process so it is always
-- the same
case istate is
when istep_two | istep_four | istep_six =>
byte <= X"30";
when istep_eight =>
byte <= X"20";
when function_set =>
byte <= X"28";
when entry_mode =>
byte <= X"06";
when control_display =>

byte <= X"0C";

when clear_display =>
byte <= X"01";
when others =>
byte <= (others => '0');
end case;
---if

the following section of code

needs to be modified depending on what
the user want to display on the screen
istate = init_done then
case dstate is
when set_start_address =>
byte <= X"80"; -- first char of first line
when write_data_V =>
byte <= X"56";
when write_data_H =>
byte <= X"48";
when write_data_D =>
byte <= X"44";
when write_data_L =>
byte <= X"4C";
when address_digit =>
byte <= X"CF"; -- last char of the second line
when write_digit =>
byte <= "0011" & digit;
when others =>
byte <= (others => '0');
end case;
end if;
end process data_selector;
--- generate a 0 to 9 "running digit"
-- the following block increments the digit once every sec.
-- at the end of the trasmission of the address of the
-- desired display location
-digit_incr: process (dstate, txdone, digit, cnt)
begin
-- by defaukt hold
next_digit <= digit; -- hold the value
next_cnt
<= cnt;
if (cnt = 50000000) then
if (dstate = address_digit and txdone = '1') then
if digit = X"9" then
next_digit <= (others => '0');
else
next_digit <= digit + 1;
end if;
next_cnt <= 0;
end if;
else
next_cnt <= cnt + 1;

end if;
end process digit_incr;

--- select what nibble goes to the LCD's

-- data interface
-nibble_select: process (selnibble, byte)
begin
case selnibble is
when '0' => -- pass lower nibble
nibble <= byte(3 downto 0);
when '1' => -- pass upper nibble
nibble <= byte(7 downto 4);
when others => -- nothing to do
end case;
end process nibble_select;

--- After power-on, the display must be initialized to

-- a) establish the required communication protocol, and
-- b) configure the diplay operation
--- a) Configuration of the Fout-bit Interface Protocol
-- The initialization sequence establishes that the FPGA application wishes
to use
-- the four-bit data interface to the LCD as follows:
-s1. Wait 15ms or longer, although the display is generally ready when
the FPGA
-finishes configuration. The 15ms interval is 750,000 clock cycles
at 50 MHz.
-s2. Write SF_D<11:8> = 0x3, pulse LCD_E High for 12 clock cycles.
-s3. Wait 4.1 ms or longer, which is 205,000 clock cycles at 50 MHz.
-s4. Write SF_D<11:8> = 0x3, pulse LCD_E High for 12 clock cycles.
-s5. Wait 100 s or longer, which is 5,000 clock cycles at 50 MHz.
-s6. Write SF_D<11:8> = 0x3, pulse LCD_E High for 12 clock cycles.
-s7. Wait 40 s or longer, which is 2,000 clock cycles at 50 MHz.
-s8. Write SF_D<11:8> = 0x2, pulse LCD_E High for 12 clock cycles.
-s9. Wait 40 s or longer, which is 2,000 clock cycles at 50 MHz.
--- b) Display Configuration
-- The four-bit interface is now established. The next part of the sequence
-- configures the display:
-s10. Issue a Function Set command, 0x28, to configure the display for
operation
-on the Spartan-3E Starter Kit board.
-s11. Issue an Entry Mode Set command, 0x06, to set the display to
automatically
-increment the address pointer.
-s12. Issue a Display On/Off command, 0x0C, to turn the display on and
disables
-the cursor and blinking.
-s13. Issue a Clear Display command, 0x01.

----

s14. Allow at least 1.64 ms (82,000 clock cycles) after issuing a clear
display command.

--------

The design is "partitioned" into 4 blocks:

1) init_sm
2) time_m
3) display_sm
4) tx_m

---------

Once power comes on, the init_sm makes sure we go through all the
necessary steps of the LCD initialization process.
The only purpose of the sm is to control that the system evolve
properly through the various initialization steps. Besides this task
the sm doesn't do much. The "real work" is done behind the scenes
by tx_m and time_m

init_sm: process (istate, idone, timer_15ms, timer_4100us, timer_100us,

timer_40us, timer_1640us, txdone )
begin
-- default assignments
next_istate
<= istate;
next_idone
<= idone;
case istate is
when istep_one => -- wait here for 15 ms
if (timer_15ms = '1') then
next_istate
<= istep_two;
end if;
when istep_two => -- write nibble (0x3)
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= istep_three;
end if;
when istep_three => -- wait here for 4100 us
if (timer_4100us = '1') then
next_istate
<= istep_four;
end if;
when istep_four => -- write nibble (0x3)
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= istep_five;
end if;
when istep_five => -- wait here for 100 us

if (timer_100us = '1') then

next_istate
<= istep_six;
end if;
when istep_six => -- write nibble (0x3)
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= istep_seven;
end if;
when istep_seven => -- wait here for 40 us
if (timer_40us = '1') then
next_istate
<= istep_eight;
end if;
when istep_eight => -- write nibble (0x2)
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= istep_nine;
end if;
when istep_nine => -- wait here for 40 us
if (timer_40us = '1') then
next_istate
<= function_set;
end if;
when function_set => -- istep 10:
-- write data (0x28)
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= entry_mode;
end if;
when entry_mode => -- istep 11
-- write data 0x06
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= control_display;
end if;
when control_display => -- istep 12
-- enable display, disable cursor, disable
blinking
-- write data 0x0C
if (txdone = '1') then
next_istate <= clear_display;
end if;
when clear_display => -- istep 13
-- write data 0x01

if (txdone = '1') then

next_istate <= init_done; -- init. done
end if;
when init_done => -- istep 14
-- the state machine will remain in init_done for good
-- must wait 1.64 ms after issuing a clear display command
if (timer_1640us = '1') then
next_idone
<= '1';
end if;
when others => -- nothing to do
end case;
end process init_sm;

--- time_m provides all signals needed to correctly "time" the various
-- LCD's operations
-time_m: process(istate, count, idone)
begin
--- by default hold the state, keep the counter at rest, and
-- hold the timer's outputs low
-next_count
<= count;
timer_15ms
<= '0'; -- combinational output
timer_4100us <= '0'; -- combinational output
timer_100us <= '0'; -- combinational output
timer_40us
<= '0'; -- combinational output
timer_1640us <= '0'; -- combinational output
case istate is
when istep_one
=>
next_count <= count + 1;
if (count = 750000) then
next_count <= 0;
timer_15ms <= '1';
end if;
when istep_three =>
next_count <= count + 1;
if (count = 205000) then
next_count
<= 0;
timer_4100us <= '1';
end if;
when istep_five =>
next_count <= count + 1;
if (count = 5000) then
next_count <= 0;

timer_100us <= '1';

end if;
when istep_seven | istep_nine =>
next_count <= count + 1;
if (count = 2000) then
next_count <= 0;
timer_40us <= '1';
end if;
when init_done =>
if (idone = '0') then
next_count <= count + 1;
end if;
if (count = 82000) then
next_count
<= 0;
timer_1640us <= '1';
end if;
when others => -- nothing to do
end case;
end process time_m;

--- tx_m generate the control (LCD_E, LCD_RS, LCD_RW, SF_CE0) and data (SF_D)
-- signals needed to drive the LCD according to the 4-bit interface protocol
-- used by the Spartan 3E starter kit board.
-tx_m: process(istate, txcount, byte, selnibble, enable, txdone,
idone, dstate)
begin
next_selnibble <= selnibble;
next_txdone
<= txdone;
next_txcount
<= txcount;
next_enable
<= enable;
--- the following section of the state machine allow
-- to transmit the data necessary for the LCD's
-- initialization (which is pretty much the same
-- no matter what the user what to write on the
-- display), as well as transmitting the bytes
-- needed to display the text the user want to put
-- on the screen (which is user specific so it
-- will require cutomization)
-case istate is
when istep_one | istep_three | istep_seven | istep_nine =>
next_selnibble <= '1'; -- pass hign nibble
-- transmit a nibble
when istep_two | istep_four | istep_six | istep_eight =>
next_txcount <= txcount + 1;
if (txcount = 1) then
next_enable <= '1';
end if;
if (txcount = 10) then

next_enable <= '0';

next_txdone <= '1';
end if;
if (txcount = 11) then
next_txcount
<= 0;
next_txdone
<= '0';
--next we could pass zeros on the SF_D bus
end if;
-- transmit a byte
when function_set | entry_mode | control_display |
clear_display | init_done =>
-------------

if we are in init_done the LCD's initialization

phase is completed so we only need to transmit
the bytes needed to display the text the user
want to put on the screen
the following condition makes sure we can transmit
the bytes needed for initializing the LCD as well
as the bytes the user need to display the desired
text on the LCD.
The condition must be customized according
to the user needs

if (istate /= init_done or
(istate = init_done and
(dstate = set_start_address or
dstate = write_data_V or
dstate = write_data_H or
dstate = write_data_D or
dstate = write_data_L or
dstate = address_digit or
dstate = write_digit
))) then
next_txcount <= txcount + 1;
if (txcount = 1) then
next_enable <= '1';
end if;
if (txcount = 10) then
next_enable <= '0';
end if;
if (txcount = 11) then
-- next we could pass zeros on the SF_D bus
end if;
-- the timing between the falling edge of the upper nibble's enable
-- and the rising edge of the lower nibble's rising edge of an
-- operation is 1us (50 clock cycles)
if (txcount = 58) then
-- 10 + 1 + 50 - 2 = 58
next_selnibble <= '0'; -- pass lower nibble
end if;
if (txcount = 60) then
next_enable <= '1';
end if;
if (txcount = 69) then

next_enable <= '0';

end if;
if(txcount = 70) then -- done with the lower nibble data
-- next we could pass zeros on the SF_D bus
end if;
-- the timing between the falling edge of the lower nibble's enable
-- and the rising edge of the upper nibble's rising edge
-- of two adjacent operations is 40us (2000 clock cycles)
if (txcount = 2067) then
next_txdone <= '1';
end if;
if (txcount = 2068) then -- 69 + 1 + 2000 - 2 =
next_txcount
<= 0;
next_txdone
<= '0';
next_selnibble <= '1'; -- pass upper nibble
end if;
end if;
when others => --nothing to do
end case;
end process tx_m;

--- display state machine

--- Once the LCD has been properly initialized finally the display sm kicks
in and
-- it makes possible to display characters on the screen.
-- The character code to be displayed on the screen are first stored in the
Display
-- Data RAM (DDRAM).
-- There are 32 character locations on the display. The upper line of
characters
-- is stored between addresses 0x00 and 0x0F of the DDRAM. The second line
of
-- characters is stored between addresses 0x40 and 0x4F of the DDRAM.
-- The character code stored in a DDRAM location "references" a specific
character
-- bitmap stored in the predefined Character Generator ROM (CGROM) character
set.
-- The CGROM contains the font bitmap for each of the predefined characters
that
-- the LCD screen can display.
-- The sequence of commands to display characters to the screen is as
follows:
-- 1. Set DDRAM Address command
-It sets the initial DDRAM address by initializing an internal address
counter.
-The DDRAM address counter either remains constant or auto-increments
or
-auto-decrements by one location, as defined by the I/D set bit of the
-entry mode set command.
-- 2. Write Data to DDRAM command

-Write data into DDRAM if the command follows a previous Set DDRAM
Address.
-- 3. Return Cursor Home command
-Return the cursor to the home position, the top-left corner. DDRAM
contents are
-unaffected.
--- The specific sequence of commands executed in the state machine depend on
the text
-- the user want to display on the LCD
--- the logic to activate the register select signal is placed in this block
-display_sm: process(dstate, txdone, idone, regsel, txcount)
begin
-- by default hold state
next_dstate <= dstate;
next_regsel <= regsel;
if txcount = 11 then
next_regsel <= '0';
end if;
if txcount = 58 then
next_regsel <= idone; --high for active write dstates, low for istates
end if;
if txcount = 70 then
next_regsel <= '0';
end if;
case dstate is
when didle =>
next_regsel <= '0'; -- must be low for active istates
if (idone = '1') then
next_dstate <= set_start_address;
next_regsel <= '0'; -- must be low for address commands
end if;
when set_start_address => -- start the text at the first
-- location of the first line
-- of the LCD (0x80)
next_regsel <= '0';
if (txdone = '1') then
next_dstate <= write_data_V;
next_regsel <= '1'; --must be high for write commands
end if;
when write_data_V => -- V = 0x56
if (txdone = '1') then
next_dstate <= write_data_H;
next_regsel <= '1';
end if;
when write_data_H => -- H = 0x48
if (txdone = '1') then

next_dstate <= write_data_D;

next_regsel <= '1';
end if;
when write_data_D => -- D = 0x44
if (txdone = '1') then
next_dstate <= write_data_L;
next_regsel <= '1';
end if;
when write_data_L => -- L = 0x4C
if (txdone = '1') then
next_dstate <= address_digit;
next_regsel <= '0';
end if;
when address_digit => -- 0x80
next_regsel <= '0';
if (txdone = '1') then
next_dstate <= write_digit;
next_regsel <= '1';
end if;
when write_digit => -- the digit running from 0 to 9
-- 0x30, 0x31, 0x32, 0x33, 0x34,
-- 0x35, 0x36, 0x37, 0x38, 0x39
if (txdone = '1') then
next_dstate <= address_digit; --return_home;
next_regsel <= '0';
end if;
--when return_home =>
-- by default the state machine will remain in the
-- return_home state for good
-- NOTE: this is not a "real" return_home command
-(see the Spartan 3E starter kit user guide).
-If we know that once we reach this state we
-are not sending anything new to the display
-we can simply stall the sm in this state
when others => -- nothing to do;
end case;
end process display_sm;
registers: process(rst, clk)
begin
if rst = '1' then
istate
<= istep_one;
dstate
<= didle;
idone
<= '0';
count
<= 0;
txcount
<= 0;
selnibble <= '1'; -- upper nibble

enable
<= '0';
txdone
<= '0';
regsel
<= '0';
digit
<= (others => '0');
cnt
<= 0;
elsif clk = '1' and clk'event then
istate
<= next_istate;
dstate
<= next_dstate;
idone
<= next_idone;
count
<= next_count;
txcount
<= next_txcount;
selnibble <= next_selnibble;
enable
<= next_enable;
txdone
<= next_txdone;
regsel
<= next_regsel;
digit
<= next_digit;
cnt
<= next_cnt;
end if;
end process registers;
end rtl;