Altera Cyclone IV - Programming Serial Configuration Devices

Chapter 8: Configuration and Remote System Upgrades in Cyclone IV Devices 8–19
Configuration
May 2013 Altera Corporation Cyclone IV Device Handbook,
Volume 1
Tab le 8 –8 provides the configuration time for AS configuration.
Enabling compression reduces the amount of configuration data that is sent to the
Cyclone IV device, which also reduces configuration time. On average, compression
reduces configuration time by 50%.
Programming Serial Configuration Devices
Serial configuration devices are non-volatile, flash memory-based devices. You can
program these devices in-system with the USB-Blaster™ or ByteBlaster™ II download
cables. Alternatively, you can program them with the Altera Programming Unit
(APU), supported third-party programmers, or a microprocessor with the SRunner
software driver.
You can perform in-system programming of serial configuration devices through the
AS programming interface. During in-system programming, the download cable
disables device access to the AS interface by driving the
nCE pin high. Cyclone IV
devices are also held in reset by a low level on
nCONFIG . After programming is
complete, the download cable releases
nCE and nCONFIG , allowing the pull-down and
pull-up resistors to drive V
CC
and GND, respectively.
To perform in-system programming of a serial configuration device through the AS
programming interface, you must place the diodes and capacitors as close as possible
to the Cyclone IV device. You must ensure that the diodes and capacitors maintain a
maximum AC voltage of 4.1 V (Figure 8–6).
1 If you want to use the setup shown in Figure 8–6 to perform in-system programming
of a serial configuration device and single- or multi-device AS configuration, you do
not require a series resistor on the
DATA line at the near end of the serial configuration
device. The existing diodes and capacitors are sufficient.
Altera has developed the Serial FlashLoader (SFL), a JTAG-based in-system
programming solution for Altera serial configuration devices. The SFL is a bridge
design for the Cyclone IV device that uses its JTAG interface to access the EPCS JIC
(JTAG Indirect Configuration Device Programming) file and then uses the AS
interface to program the EPCS device. Both the JTAG interface and AS interface are
bridged together inside the SFL design.
f For more information about implementing the SFL with Cyclone IV devices, refer to
AN 370: Using the Serial FlashLoader with the Quartus II Software.
Table 8–8. AS Configuration Time for Cyclone IV Devices
(1)
Symbol Parameter Cyclone IV E Cyclone IV GX Unit
t
SU
Setup time 10 8 ns
t
H
Hold time 0 0 ns
t
CO
Clock-to-output time 4 4 ns
Note to Table 8–8:
(1) For the AS configuration timing diagram, refer to the Serial Configuration (EPCS) Devices Datasheet.