EP3C16F256I7N Altera, EP3C16F256I7N Datasheet - Page 341

• Manufacturer Part Number: EP3C16F256I7N
• Description: Cyclone III
• Manufacturer: Altera

Introduction
Functional
Description
Altera Corporation-Preliminary
March 2007
CIII51012-1.0
System designers face difficult challenges such as shortened design
cycles, evolving standards, and system deployments in remote locations.
Cyclone
re-programmability and dedicated circuitry to perform remote system
upgrades. Remote system upgrades help deliver feature enhancements
and bug fixes without costly recalls, reduce time-to-market, and extend
product life.
Cyclone III devices feature dedicated remote system update circuitry.
Soft logic (either the Nios II
implemented in a Cyclone III device can download a new configuration
image from a remote location, store it in configuration memory (such as
a serial configuration device), and direct the dedicated remote system
update circuitry to initiate a reconfiguration cycle. The dedicated
circuitry performs error detection during and after the configuration
process, recovers from any error condition by reverting back to a safe
configuration image, and provides error status information. This
dedicated remote system upgrade circuitry is unique to Cyclone III
devices and helps to avoid system downtime.
Remote system upgrade is supported in Cyclone III active serial (AS) and
active parallel (AP) configuration schemes. Remote system upgrade can
also be implemented in conjunction with advanced Cyclone III features
such as real-time decompression of configuration data in an AS
configuration scheme.
This chapter describes the functionality and implementation of the
dedicated remote system upgrade circuitry. It also defines several
concepts related to remote system upgrade, including factory
configuration, application configuration, remote update mode, and user
watchdog timer.
The dedicated remote system upgrade circuitry in Cyclone III devices
manages remote configuration and provides error detection, recovery,
and status information. User logic or a Nios II processor implemented in
the Cyclone III device logic array provides access to the remote
configuration data source and an interface to the system's configuration
memory.
®
III devices help overcome these challenges with their inherent
12. Remote System Upgrade
With Cyclone III Devices
®
embedded processor or user logic)
12–1