Help with VHDL Serial Port for Automated HVAC Thermostat

[keith03]

Ok. I had a VHDL class last year, and I have muscled through a project that I started on my own, but now I am a bit stuck. I implemented an automated HVAC thermostat that will moniter each room individually. Each room had a 4 bit parallel input that was muxed into a state machine. The set point was also muxed in, and set through dip switches. I would like to make a VB GUI that will allow for serial comm. Through this, I would like to get the current room temp, and also change the set points. I need help in laying out my intentions here. I really don't know where to go next. I have found example UARTs online, and I don't completely undrstand exactly what my options are here. My first thought is to create a state machine that looks for a specific word of data, and then looks at my existing "code." I really am a bit confused. Anybody have some good design approaches to this? I would like to understand how. Thanks ahead of time.

Also, all of my work before was for a PLD using Quartus, this time I am using ISE with a FPGA. Any major do's and dont's with the switch? I figured out how things are suppose to work through tutorials and tooling around, but I don't want to screw anything up. Thanks again.

 

[anorlunda]

https://github.com/whitestone-no/open-serial-port-monitor

that is one example of what you can find with google search for open source serial port driver.