DMA Control Registers
Implement programmable source, destination and transfer-length registers.
Task
Provide writes at offsets 0x0 source, 0x4 destination, 0x8 length and 0xC control. Pulse start when bit 0 of the control word is written high.
Examples
- Implement the required behavior and preserve it under the stated control conditions.
Constraints
- Use synthesizable SystemVerilog unless this stage is verification-only.
What this problem is testing
A strong answer translates the requirement into synthesizable state and combinational logic, states reset and update semantics precisely, and handles boundary conditions rather than only the nominal case.
Interview habit: before coding, state reset behavior, the state that must be stored, and the conditions that update each output.
Verification plan
- Check reset or initialization before normal operation.
- Exercise the nominal sequence cycle by cycle.
- Test boundaries such as zero, maximum count, wraparound, full/empty, or simultaneous controls when they apply.
- Prove the design holds state when an enable or qualifying condition is absent.
Common mistakes
- Incomplete combinational assignments that infer a latch.
- Blocking/non-blocking assignments that do not match combinational versus sequential intent.
- Parameter-width and boundary errors.
- Passing the happy path while missing reset, overflow, simultaneous operations, or illegal requests.
Interview follow-up questions
- How would you parameterize this design without introducing width or boundary bugs?
- What changes if reset timing or polarity changes?
Concepts to review
DMA, register map, SoC
Open DMA Control Registers in the HDLForge interactive editor.
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- 2:1 Multiplexer — Easy
- Parameterized Counter — Easy
- Priority Encoder — Medium
- Synchronous FIFO — Hard
- Shift Register — Easy
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