Chapter 9: Configuration, Design Security, and Remote System Upgrades in the Cyclone III Device Family
9–75
Remote System Upgrade
Functional Description
The dedicated remote system upgrade circuitry in Cyclone III device family manages
remote configuration and provides error detection, recovery, and status information.
User logic or a Nios II processor implemented in the Cyclone III device family logic
array provides access to the remote configuration data source and an interface to the
configuration memory.
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Configuration memory refers to serial configuration devices (EPCS) or supported
parallel flash memory, and depends on the configuration scheme that you use.
The remote system upgrade process of Cyclone III device family involves the
following steps:
1. A Nios II processor (or user logic) implemented in the Cyclone III device family
logic array receives new configuration data from a remote location. The connection
to the remote source is a communication protocol such as the transmission control
protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), peripheral component interconnect (PCI),
user datagram protocol (UDP), universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter
(UART), or a proprietary interface.
2. The Nios II processor (or user logic) writes this new configuration data into a
configuration memory.
3. The Nios II processor (or user logic) starts a reconfiguration cycle with the new or
updated configuration data.
4. The dedicated remote system upgrade circuitry detects and recovers from any
error that might occur during or after the reconfiguration cycle, and provides error
status information to the user design.
Figure 9–32 shows the steps required for performing remote configuration updates
(the numbers in Figure 9–32 coincide with steps 1–4).
Figure 9–32. Functional Diagram of Cyclone III Device Family Remote System Upgrade
1
2
Data
Data
Configuration
Memory
Cyclone III
Device Family
Control Module
Development
Location
Data
Device Configuration
3
August 2012 Altera Corporation
Cyclone III Device Handbook
Volume 1
ALTERA [ ALTERA CORPORATION ]
