Verilog: Sampling short, external, asynchronous input signals on a FPGA

Question

I want to sample an external, possibly very short interrupt signal in my FPGA softcore. I did some research in some digital logic design books, and found this solution, where A is the input signal. The problem here is that it is way too short to be sampled by the synchronous flipflop shown, so a latch is used:

enter image description here

I am now wondering how this can be implemented in Verilog for use in a FPGA, I do not know how to tell the synthesis tool to place a latch there. How can this be done? Also, the design doesn't show how to reset Q - in the plot, it stays high for the rest of the example. How do I reset the whole design to be ready for the next interrupt signal?

Additionally: Do I need to put this signal through a few chained flip-flops to combat metastability, or is this design safe as-is?

• Cristobol Polychronopolis: You could instantiate the gates directly.
• DKNguyen: Do not fail to run any asynchronous external signal through a chain of at least two flip-flops/registers before using it with anything that runs off the FPGA clock.
• SteveSh: That's true for signals that are longer than your clock period. But OP's problem is a bit (no pun intended) different.
• DKNguyen: @SteveSh Yes, I was just looking at it again just now thinking it might be okay.

Answer 1

Just connect your signal to the clock input and use an async reset:

module see_shorty (
 input short_signal,
 input short_signal_clear,
 output reg short_signal_seen
 );
// You can make this negedge short_signal to detect a falling edge
// In the same way you can invert the reset signal
always @(posedge short_signal or posedge short_signal_clear)
 if (short_signal_clear)
 short_signal_seen <= 1'b0;
 else
 short_signal_seen <= 1'b1;
endmodule // see_shorty 

Synchronize short_signal_seen to your clock and use the result to make a short_signal_clear pulse which clears the FF again. (I leave those details to you)

---

Make a reset pulse:

// Make a reset pulse if short signal (synced to system clock) is high
// but previously it was low 
reg delayed_sig; // Need previous state of signal
wire short_signal_clear;
always @(posedge clk)
 delayed_sig <= short_signal_seen_synced;
assign short_signal_clear = short_signal_seen_synced & ~delayed_sig;

• Katharina: Thank you, that looks good! I would personally use a chain of two FF to synchronize the signal to my clock domain, is that sufficient? :)
• Oldfart: Yes. That is the norm. Then a third FF with an exor to make the reset pulse.
• Katharina: Thanks. What do you mean by "exor"? I would have generated the pulse in Verilog by asserting the reset signal, and with the next clock edge, deasserting it, like a small state machine. Is there a simpler way? :)
• Oldfart: Sorry, probably not an exor gate. I'll update the code

Answer 2

How bout something like this? The clock is your local clock, common to all the flip flops. R is the reset (usually power on) for the FFs.

The glitch filter is optional.

enter image description here

Answer to OP's Question

S is just the SET input of the flip flop.

• Katharina: What is the "S" input from the first flip flop? Will this catch signals that are shorter than the clock period and do no coincide with the clock edges?