FanController Project

Overview

The FanController project is a Verilog-based digital design that simulates a fan controller system with various functionalities, including:

• Fan speed control
• Battery monitoring
• Status indication using a 7-segment display and a dual-color dot matrix

The project emphasizes a clear and organized design methodology, utilizing modular and hierarchical design techniques for clarity, scalability, and manageability.

Design Methodology

This project follows a Bottom-up Design approach. The development begins by constructing fundamental building blocks, which are then systematically integrated into higher-level modules. Key methodologies include:

• Design Abstraction: Managing complexity through multiple levels of abstraction.
• Modular Design: Encapsulating each system feature (timing, debounce, fan control, etc.) in its own module.
• Hierarchical Design Representation: Structuring the project so that the top module, FanController, integrates all sub-modules.

Project Hierarchy & Design Representation

1. Top-Level Module: FanController

Purpose: Manages overall system behavior by integrating various sub-modules.

Components:

• Timer: Handles timing signals (1s, 500ms, etc.)
• Debounce: Filters noise from user inputs
• StateManager: Manages fan's operational state (off, low, medium, high)
• BatteryManager: Monitors battery level and charging status
• LEDControl: Controls LED indicators for fan state and battery status
• DotMatrixDisplay: Generates patterns for the dual-color dot matrix
• DynamicDotMatrix: Manages multiplexing for the dual-color dot matrix
• SevenSegmentDisplay: Displays fan speed and battery level
• DynamicDisplay3: Controls dynamic scanning for the 7-segment display

2. Sub-Modules

Each sub-module is a self-contained unit responsible for a specific function in the system:

• Timer: Generates timing intervals for synchronous operations.
• Debounce: Cleans up button inputs to ensure noise-free transitions.
• StateManager: A finite state machine for fan speed control.
• BatteryManager: Monitors battery status.
• LEDControl: Provides visual feedback on system state.
• DotMatrixDisplay & DynamicDotMatrix: Control the dual-color dot matrix.
• SevenSegmentDisplay & DynamicDisplay3: Manage multiplexing for the 7-segment display.

Design Abstraction

The system is abstracted at multiple levels:

• System Level: The FanController module oversees the entire system, abstracting away low-level implementation details.
• Functional Level: Each sub-module abstracts specific tasks like timing, state management, or display control.
• Hardware Abstraction: Inside each sub-module, hardware-specific details are encapsulated.

Modular Design

The project’s emphasis on modularity provides several benefits:

• Scalability: New features can be added without altering existing code.
• Maintainability: Each module can be tested and debugged separately.
• Reusability: Modules are reusable for other projects.

Bottom-up Design Process

Building the Foundation

• Timer Module: Created first to generate periodic signals.
• Debounce Module: Implemented for reliable button input.
• Battery Management: Handles charging and battery depletion.

Intermediate Layers

• StateManager Module: Manages fan state.
• Display Modules: Handle visual outputs (7-segment display and dot matrix).

Integration

• Integrated modules into FanController.
• Tested the system iteratively for seamless component interaction.

Managing Design Complexity

Design complexity is managed through modular design and hierarchical organization, allowing visualization at different levels of granularity. The use of Verilog constructs like always blocks and continuous assignments facilitates this process.

Tools & Verification

The project relies on several tools for verification and implementation:

• Simulation: Verify functionality before hardware deployment.
• Synthesis: Check for timing constraints and resource usage.
• Debugging: Use debugging tools to ensure signal integrity and correct behavior.

Conclusion

The FanController project is a comprehensive example of managing a complex digital system using hierarchical and modular design. The structured methodology ensures both simplicity and scalability, making the system adaptable for future enhancements.

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Note: For more detailed technical information, please refer to the individual module files.