Verilog/VHDL design, FPGA applications,
Standard cells ASIC design,
Hardware implementation of video processing and communication applications,
EDA software development,
Team leader

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Dan Nicula, Professor

Dan NICULA's Professional Experience

Dr. D. NICULA is a professor at Transilvania University in Brasov, Romania, Department of Electronics & Computers. He graduated the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest, Romania, in 1990 with a MSc degree in Electronics. In 1997 he was awarded the PhD in Computer Sciences by Transilvania University. His research interests are mainly in the area of VLSI design and HDL RTL level modelling. Teaching duties include HDLs, microprocessors and digital electronics. He wrote the first Romanian book regarding VHDL and he is the leader of a team involved in HDL modelling and EDA software developing for third-parties.

1. Published books about HDLs

D. Nicula, G. Toacse "Digital Electronics: Devices, Circuits, Design (I) Verilog HDL (II) Editura Tehnica, Bucharest, 2005.

M. Cirstea, A. Dinu, D. Nicula "A Practical Guide to VHDL Design" Editura tehnica, Bucharest, 2001.

D. Nicula "Proiectarea sistemelor digitale implementate cu dispozitive programabile" ("Digital Systems Design Implemented with Programmable Logic Devices") Editura Tehnica, Bucharest, 2000. This book has been written as part of the Tempus Programm AC-JEP 13559-98 RESUME (REtraining SUpport for small and Medium Enterprises) and presents programmable devices and a tutorial of design using Xilinx FPGA.

G. Toacse, D. Nicula "Digital Electronics. Digital Integrated Circuits (I), Hardware Description Language VHDL (II)" - Editura TEORA, Bucharest, 1996. This part has 350 pages (50% of the book) and presents VHDL for the first time in Romanian.

2. Design activities related to HDLs

During June-July 1996 he worked for Centre Nacional de Microelectronica (CNM), Barcelona, SPAIN. During this time, he wrote a VHDL RTL model for an Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) decoder. The VHDL code has been synthesised and downloaded into a XILINX - FPGA XC4000 programmable device for rapid prototyping. Successful tests carried out have allowed the final implementation into a standard cell ASIC.

During May-July 1997, two graduated students supervised by him, continued his previous work. Started from VHDL code, they tested the programmable devices implementation and developed all necessary files for standard cell implementation (ES2 technology). The first student developed a prototype board containing a XC4000 and a DAC in order to provide the VHDL code validation. The prototype board "talks" spanish!
The second student developed all the necessary files for a ASIC version implementation. The entire design was developed by staff and students from TRANSILVANIA University and the final implementation in standars cell has been carried out by CNM Barcelona. The successful results has been published in "The International Journal of Enginnering Education", Volume 15, Number 1, 1999.

He currently use and teach students how to use the following EDA tools: ModelSim, Cadence, Synopsys, Xilinx Foundation, Altera Quartus.

His present teaching responsabilities are:

HDLs and Application of Digital Systems, 60 students/year
EDA Tehniques in Digital Design, 10 graduated students/year
VLSI Design, 60 students/year

Since 1997 he is a project manager for a team involved in HDL IP cores design third-parties companies from abroad. Projects done:

ADPCM decoder (VHDL, Xilinx XC4000, ES2)

I2C master/slave interface (VHDL, XILINX XC4000)

SDRAM and DDR controllers (VHDL/Verilog, Altera APEX)

Hardware video processing (VHDL/Verilog, Altera APEX)

USB Function Device Controller (Verilog, Altera APEX)

UTOPIA interface (Verilog)

PIC16C6x compatible IP core (Verilog)

3. Selected published papers

D. NICULA, M. Cirstea - "Successful CAD Tools Applications to FPGA/ASIC Design" "The International Journal of Enginnering Education", Volume 15, Number 1, 1999

D. NICULA, C. Duroiu - "From VHDL to FPGA" - OPTIM'98 - Brasov 1998.

D. NICULA - "VHDL Model of High-Speed Single-Port RAM (Synchronous Type)" - OPTIM'98 - Brasov, 1998.

D. NICULA, F. Sandu, C. Gerigan - "Modelul VHDL al unui Controler de bus I2C" ("VHDL Model for a I2C Controller") - Sesiunea Nationala de Comunicari Stiintifice a Academiei Aviatiei si Apararii Antiaeriene "Henri Coanda" - Brasov, 1998.

D. NICULA, C. Gerigan - "Verificarea Modelului VHDL al unui Controler de bus I2C prin Simulare si Implementare Hardware" ("VHDL Model for a I2C Controller Verification through Simulation and Hardware Implementation") - Sesiunea Nationala de Comunicari Stiintifice a Academiei Aviatiei si Apararii Antiaeriene "Henri Coanda" - Brasov, 1998.

D. NICULA, F. Sandu, C. Gerigan - "Hardware Multiplier Design - One Day from the Idea to the Implementation" - ELECTRONICS-ET'98, Sosopol, Bulgaria, 1998.

D. NICULA, G. Toacse - "VHDL Model of a Self-timed Circuit Controller" - OPTIM'96 - Brasov, 1996.

4. Supervised graduated students projects

During the last 10 years, he supervised many graduate and master projects related with VHDL/Verilog and ASIC design..

5. Industry Past and Current Employment

Info available on request.

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