array of signed with unconstrained bit width (suggestions?)

[Victor Hannak]

I am creating a component that accepts as input a 2-D array of signed
signals (the numeric_std version of signed) that represent a coefficient
matrix. However, I would like the bit-width of the signed coefficients to
be variable as determined by a generic passed in to the component.

Ideally, I would like to define a type in a package like thus:

type signed_matrix_type is array (0 to 7, 0 to 7) of signed;

And then the component would look like this:

entity matrix_transform is
generic (
coeff_width : natural := 8);
port (
matrix_in : in signed_matrix_type(coeff_width-1 downto 0);
matrix_out : out signed_matrix_type(coeff_width-1 downto 0));
end entity matrix_transform;


Obviously, this is incorrect for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, I
would love to entertain suggestions on how to best implement this component.
Note that the base coefficient type must be signed because I want to
carefully control bit widths throughout the design. Therefore, I do not
want to use integer types/subtypes for the coefficients.

Thanks,

Vic.

 

[Mike Treseler]

Victor Hannak wrote:

I am creating a component that accepts as input a 2-D array of signed
signals (the numeric_std version of signed) that represent a coefficient
matrix. However, I would like the bit-width of the signed coefficients to
be variable as determined by a generic passed in to the component.

You might have to package the width
and and vary it with a script or preprocessor.

-- Mike Treseler

library ieee; ----------------------------------------------------------------
use ieee.std_logic_1164.all;
use ieee.numeric_std.all;

package matrix_pkg is
constant coeff_width : natural := 8;
type signed_matrix_type is
array (0 to 7, 0 to 7) of signed(coeff_width -1 downto 0);
end package matrix_pkg;

library ieee; ----------------------------------------------------------------
use ieee.std_logic_1164.all;
use work.matrix_pkg.all;

entity matrix_transform is
port (
matrix_in : in signed_matrix_type;
matrix_out : out signed_matrix_type);
end entity matrix_transform;