Intel® High Level Synthesis Compiler Pro Edition: Best Practices Guide

ID 683152
Date 4/01/2024
Public
Document Table of Contents

7.1. Example: Overriding a Coalesced Memory Architecture

Using memory attributes in various combinations in your code allows you to override the memory architecture that the Intel® HLS Compiler Pro Edition infers for your component.

The following code examples demonstrate how you can use the following memory attributes to override coalesced memory to conserve memory blocks on your FPGA:

  • hls_bankwidth(N)
  • hls_numbanks(N)
  • hls_singlepump
  • hls_max_replicates(N)

The original code coalesces two memory accesses, resulting in a memory system that is 256 locations deep by 64 bits wide (256x64 bits) (two on-chip memory blocks):

component unsigned int mem_coalesce_default(unsigned int raddr,
                                            unsigned int waddr,
                                            unsigned int wdata){
    unsigned int data[512];
    data[2*waddr] = wdata;
    data[2*waddr + 1] = wdata + 1;
    unsigned int rdata = data[2*raddr] + data[2*raddr + 1];
    return rdata;
}

The following images show how the 256x64 bit memory for this code sample is structured, as well how the component memory structure is shown in the high-level design report (report.html)

Figure 33. Memory Structure Generated for mem_coalesce_default

The modified code implements a single on-chip memory block that is 512 words deep by 32 bits wide with stallable arbitration:

component unsigned int mem_coalesce_override(unsigned int raddr,
                                             unsigned int waddr,
                                             unsigned int wdata){
    //Attributes that stop memory coalescing
    hls_bankwidth(4) hls_numbanks(1)
    //Attributes that specify a single-pumped single-replicate memory
    hls_singlepump hls_max_replicates(1)
    unsigned int data[512];
    data[2*waddr] = wdata;
    data[2*waddr + 1] = wdata + 1;
    unsigned int rdata = data[2*raddr] + data[2*raddr + 1];
    return rdata;
} 

The following images show how the 512x32 bit memory with stallable arbitration for this code sample is structured, as well how the component memory structure is shown in the high-level design report (report.html).

Figure 34. Memory Structure Generated for mem_coalesce_override

While it might appear that you save hardware area by reducing the number of RAM blocks needed for the component, the introduction of stallable arbitration increases the amount of hardware needed to implement the component. In the following table, you can compare the number ALMs and FFs required by the components.