Altera Corporation

Darren Van Wageningen

Curt Wortman

Ali H Burney

Boon-Jin Ang

Dan Mansur

Thow-Pang Chong

Boon Jin Ang

Techniques are provided for implementing channel alignment for a data transmission interface in an HIP block on a programmable logic integrated circuit. The HIP block channel alignment logic can be run using a reduced number of parallel data paths, which consumes substantially less logic resources. Also, the HIP block channel alignment logic circuits can be processed at the higher HIP core clock rate in serial, decreasing lock latency time. Techniques are provided for implementing error handling for transmitted data in programmable logic circuits. The programmable logic circuits can be configured to implement error generation and error monitoring functions that are tailored for any application. Alternatively, the logic elements can be configured to perform other functions for applications that do not require error handling. The phase skew between data and clock signals on an integrated circuit are reduced by routing clock signals along with the data signals to each circuit block.

Techniques for optimizing design of a hard intellectual property block for data transmission

Integrated circuits such as programmable logic device integrated circuits are provided with transmitter and receiver circuitry for communicating over multi-lane serial communications links. Data is transmitted over the serial communications links in the form of data packets. Priority data packets may be nested within regular data packets. Regular data packets may be formed using start-of-packet and end-of-packet markers. The locations at which priority packets are nested within regular data packets may be denoted using suspend and continuation markers. A single cyclic redundancy check generator may be used to generate cyclic redundancy check words for the data packets. Start-of-packet markers, end-of-packet markers, suspend markers, continuation markers, and cyclic redundancy check words may be inserted and extracted from the serial communications link at fixed lane locations.

Serial communications systems with cyclic redundancy checking

Techniques are provided to hardware debug a programmable logic integrated circuit that includes a hardware intellectual property block (HIP). The HIP includes a logic circuit and state machine(s). The state machine outputs state machine information depending on selected signals within the logic circuit. The HIP block can also output data from a number of internal registers/flip-flops. Optional data registering logic can capture the state machine information and output it to a data bus.

Techniques for debugging hard intellectual property blocks

Techniques for transmitting and receiving FIFO status signals on a hard intellectual property (HIP) block of a programmable logic integrated circuit are provided. The FIFO status signals are demultiplexed after being received in the HIP block and then stored in a per port context. The FIFO status signals are retrieved from a storage block in a per port context and transmitted out of the HIP block through a multiplexer. The demultiplexing and multiplexing reduces the number of input and output ports that are needed to transmit the status signals into and out of the HIP block, yet providing the necessary status throughput for a full-rate SPI4.2 status channel implementation.

Techniques for transmitting and receiving SPI4.2 status signals using a hard intellectual property block

Techniques for reducing the frequency of an output signal from a hard intellectual property (HIP) block on an integrated circuit are provided. By reducing the frequency of the output signal, circuit blocks in the integrated circuit that operate at a lower frequency than the HIP block are able to capture the output signal. A plurality of serially coupled flip-flops store values of an HIP output signal during each period of the output signal. Logic circuitry then generates a lower frequency HIP output signal in response to the values stored in the flip-flops. Also, a flip-flop can generate a heartbeat signal that is used to determine whether a signal within an HIP block is operating properly.

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Kanta, Canada

Darren Van Wageningen