Tools

Below is a brief description of some of the software and hardware tools used in the design of the system.

 

• Hewlett Packard Logic Analyser

The logic analyser was used to interrogate the bus architecture of the GBA. This was necessary due to the fact that Nintento have, to date, not publicly released any specifications for the device. The logic analyser has two input pods, each with 16 probes, for a total of 32 digital inputs. This was ideal for the GBA analysis as the bus system has 32 lines including all data, address, power and control lines. The logic analyser takes a set, finite number of discrete samples beginning at a trigger event, such as a rise or fall on one of the bus lines. The analyser gave us a good idea as to the workings of the bus.

 

• Mentor Graphics DesignView

DesignView was used to create the final schematic of the interface cartridge once a design had been chosen. The schematic can then be used for creating a printed circuit board.

 

• Mentor Graphics Expedition

Expedition was used to create a PCB from the schematic designed in DesignView.

 

• Vsim

Vsim was used to simulate portions of the VHDL code. This is to ensure the code works correctly before synthesizing it to the programmable logic device. The simulator emulated a 9600bps serial transmission from the Bluetooth device to test the UART design.