Using Single Port Ram module in a parent module

Altera_Forum · ‎05-22-2013

I am trying to use the RAM 1-port mega function in an upper level module but I can't find any examples how to use the RAM module once it is attached. Everywhere I see how to instantiate it, but once that is done, how do I use it? By changing the variables in always statements in the parent module are they automatically changed int he RAM module? I really just need an example.

My code is as follows.

This is my parent module


module UseRam(in,out, write_enable, clk, counter);
input  counter;
input write_enable;
input clk;
input  in;
output out;
single_port_ram_bb ram1( .data(in), .address(counter), .wren(write_enable), .clock(clk), .q(out));
endmodule

I'm starting simple, just channeling one module's inputs into the next, however I don't understand what's happening in the mega function module. The whole thing compiles but nothing happens when I change the inputs.

This is what the mega function manager creates. For a RAM 1-port


// megafunction wizard: %RAM: 1-PORT%VBB%
// GENERATION: STANDARD
// VERSION: WM1.0
// MODULE: altsyncram
// ============================================================
// File Name: single_port_ram.v
// Megafunction Name(s):
// altsyncram
//
// Simulation Library Files(s):
// altera_mf
// ============================================================
// ************************************************************
// THIS IS A WIZARD-GENERATED FILE. DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
//
// 12.1 Build 243 01/31/2013 SP 1 SJ Web Edition
// ************************************************************
//Copyright (C) 1991-2012 Altera Corporation
//Your use of Altera Corporation's design tools, logic functions
//and other software and tools, and its AMPP partner logic
//functions, and any output files from any of the foregoing
//(including device programming or simulation files), and any
//associated documentation or information are expressly subject
//to the terms and conditions of the Altera Program License
//Subscription Agreement, Altera MegaCore Function License
//Agreement, or other applicable license agreement, including,
//without limitation, that your use is for the sole purpose of
//programming logic devices manufactured by Altera and sold by
//Altera or its authorized distributors. Please refer to the
//applicable agreement for further details.
module single_port_ram_bb (
address,
clock,
data,
wren,
q);
input  address;
input clock;
input  data;
input wren;
output  q;
`ifndef ALTERA_RESERVED_QIS
// synopsys translate_off
`endif
tri1 clock;
`ifndef ALTERA_RESERVED_QIS
// synopsys translate_on
`endif
endmodule
// ============================================================
// CNX file retrieval info
// ============================================================
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: ADDRESSSTALL_A NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: AclrAddr NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: AclrByte NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: AclrData NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: AclrOutput NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: BYTE_ENABLE NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: BYTE_SIZE NUMERIC "8"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: BlankMemory NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: CLOCK_ENABLE_INPUT_A NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: CLOCK_ENABLE_OUTPUT_A NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: Clken NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: DataBusSeparated NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: IMPLEMENT_IN_LES NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: INIT_FILE_LAYOUT STRING "PORT_A"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: INIT_TO_SIM_X NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: INTENDED_DEVICE_FAMILY STRING "Cyclone II"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: JTAG_ENABLED NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: JTAG_ID STRING "Ram1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: MAXIMUM_DEPTH NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: MIFfilename STRING ""
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: NUMWORDS_A NUMERIC "32"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: RAM_BLOCK_TYPE NUMERIC "2"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: READ_DURING_WRITE_MODE_PORT_A NUMERIC "3"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: RegAddr NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: RegData NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: RegOutput NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: SYNTH_WRAPPER_GEN_POSTFIX STRING "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: SingleClock NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: UseDQRAM NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: WRCONTROL_ACLR_A NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: WidthAddr NUMERIC "5"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: WidthData NUMERIC "8"
// Retrieval info: PRIVATE: rden NUMERIC "0"
// Retrieval info: LIBRARY: altera_mf altera_mf.altera_mf_components.all
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: CLOCK_ENABLE_INPUT_A STRING "BYPASS"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: CLOCK_ENABLE_OUTPUT_A STRING "BYPASS"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: INTENDED_DEVICE_FAMILY STRING "Cyclone II"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: LPM_HINT STRING "ENABLE_RUNTIME_MOD=YES,INSTANCE_NAME=Ram1"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: LPM_TYPE STRING "altsyncram"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: NUMWORDS_A NUMERIC "32"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: OPERATION_MODE STRING "SINGLE_PORT"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: OUTDATA_ACLR_A STRING "NONE"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: OUTDATA_REG_A STRING "CLOCK0"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: POWER_UP_UNINITIALIZED STRING "FALSE"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: RAM_BLOCK_TYPE STRING "M4K"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: WIDTHAD_A NUMERIC "5"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: WIDTH_A NUMERIC "8"
// Retrieval info: CONSTANT: WIDTH_BYTEENA_A NUMERIC "1"
// Retrieval info: USED_PORT: address 0 0 5 0 INPUT NODEFVAL "address"
// Retrieval info: USED_PORT: clock 0 0 0 0 INPUT VCC "clock"
// Retrieval info: USED_PORT: data 0 0 8 0 INPUT NODEFVAL "data"
// Retrieval info: USED_PORT: q 0 0 8 0 OUTPUT NODEFVAL "q"
// Retrieval info: USED_PORT: wren 0 0 0 0 INPUT NODEFVAL "wren"
// Retrieval info: CONNECT: at address_a 0 0 5 0 address 0 0 5 0
// Retrieval info: CONNECT: at clock0 0 0 0 0 clock 0 0 0 0
// Retrieval info: CONNECT: at data_a 0 0 8 0 data 0 0 8 0
// Retrieval info: CONNECT: at wren_a 0 0 0 0 wren 0 0 0 0
// Retrieval info: CONNECT: q 0 0 8 0 at q_a 0 0 8 0
// Retrieval info: GEN_FILE: TYPE_NORMAL single_port_ram.v TRUE
// Retrieval info: GEN_FILE: TYPE_NORMAL single_port_ram.inc FALSE
// Retrieval info: GEN_FILE: TYPE_NORMAL single_port_ram.cmp FALSE
// Retrieval info: GEN_FILE: TYPE_NORMAL single_port_ram.bsf FALSE
// Retrieval info: GEN_FILE: TYPE_NORMAL single_port_ram_inst.v TRUE
// Retrieval info: GEN_FILE: TYPE_NORMAL single_port_ram_bb.v TRUE
// Retrieval info: LIB_FILE: altera_mf

Finally, I've seen this layout for a ram module on the internet and in the Quartus II template file.


// Quartus II Verilog Template
// Single port RAM with single read/write address
module single_port_ram# (parameter DATA_WIDTH=8, parameter ADDR_WIDTH=6)
(
input  data,
input  addr,
input we, clk,
output  q
);
// Declare the RAM variable
reg  ram;
// Variable to hold the registered read address
reg  addr_reg;
always at (posedge clk)
begin
// Write
if (we)
ram <= data;
addr_reg <= addr;
end
// Continuous assignment implies read returns NEW data.
// This is the natural behavior of the TriMatrix memory
// blocks in Single Port mode.
assign q = ram;
endmodule

This module makes sense, I can see what's going on. If I compile it by itself, I can plug in values and get them back out. however, I don't know how to make it use M4K blocks to save space. And I can't get it to work when I instantiate it in an upper module.

Any and all advice on RAM modules will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Altera_Forum · ‎05-22-2013

When you set write_enable high input data will be written to addressed location. Otherwise data is read from addressed location. What do you want to do with the ram?