How to connect module to module in Verilog?

Question

I am a beginner in the development of FPGA. I am interested in how to correctly combine several modules in the top-level file.

For example: in the top-level file, I want to connect the output of module 1 to the input of module 2, and so on.

Please see the picture below:

enter image description here

I am trying to create a counter from 0 to 9 that outputs a number to a seven segment display. Please let me know if I'm doing something wrong or what could be improved.

Here is my code:

File "seven_segment" (top level):

module seven_segment (
    input CLK,
    output [6:0] out
);

counter counter ( .CLK(CLK));
bcd bcd ( .out(out));

endmodule

File "bcd":

module bcd (
    input [3:0] in,
    output reg [6:0] out
);

always @ (in) begin
    case (in)
        4'b0000 : out = 7'b1111110;
        4'b0001 : out = 7'b0110000;
        4'b0010 : out = 7'b1101101;
        4'b0011 : out = 7'b1111001;
        4'b0100 : out = 7'b0110011;
        4'b0101 : out = 7'b1111011;
        4'b0110 : out = 7'b1011111;
        4'b0111 : out = 7'b1010000;
        4'b1000 : out = 7'b1111111;
        4'b1001 : out = 7'b1111011;
        default : out = 7'b0000000;
    endcase

    end
endmodule

File "counter":

module counter (
    input CLK,
    output reg [3:0] count
);

always @ (posedge CLK)
begin
    if (count == 4'b1010)
        count <= 0;
    else
        count <= count + 1;
    end
endmodule

toolic · Accepted Answer · 2023-02-11T11:34:42.050

In the top module, you need to add a wire for the signal that you want to connect to both module instances. Then you need to add port connections for that signal to each instance. Here are the specific changes:

module seven_segment (
    input CLK,
    output [6:0] out
);

wire [3:0] count;
counter counter ( .CLK(CLK) , .count(count) );
bcd     bcd     ( .in(count), .out(out)     );

endmodule

You can give the wire any name that you want. I chose to name it the same as the counter output (count), but as you can see, it is not a requirement to match the port name (.in(count)).

There are more examples in: How to instantiate a module

How to connect module to module in Verilog?

1 Answers1