Functional Description
Page 7
Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the EPC device.
Figure 1. EPC Device Block Diagram
JTAG/ISP Interface
EPC Device
Shared Flash
Interface
Flash
Controller
FPGA
Shared Flash Interface
The EPC device features multiple configuration schemes. In addition to supporting
the traditional passive serial (PS) configuration scheme for a single device or a
serial-device chain, the EPC device features concurrent configuration and parallel
configuration. With the concurrent configuration scheme, up to eight PS device chains
can be configured simultaneously. In the FPP configuration scheme, 8-bits of data are
clocked into the FPGA during each cycle. These configuration schemes offer
significantly reduced configuration times over traditional schemes.
Furthermore, the EPC device features a dynamic configuration or page mode feature.
This feature allows you to dynamically reconfigure all the FPGAs in your system with
new images stored in the configuration memory. Up to eight different system
configurations or pages can be stored in the memory and selected using the
PGM[2..0]pins. Your system can be dynamically reconfigured by selecting one of the
eight pages and initiating a reconfiguration cycle.
This page mode feature combined with the external flash interface allows remote and
local updates of system configuration data. The EPC devices are compatible with the
remote system configuration feature of the Stratix device.
f For more information, refer to the Remote System Configuration with Stratix &
Stratix GX Devices chapter in the Stratix Device Handbook.
Other user programmable features include:
■
■
■
■
Real-time decompression of configuration data
Programmable configuration clock (DCLK
)
Flash ISP
Programmable POR delay (PORSEL
)
January 2012 Altera Corporation
Enhanced Configuration (EPC) Devices Datasheet
ALTERA [ ALTERA CORPORATION ]
