EP2AGX95EF29C6N Datasheet, PDF (338/380 Pages) Altera Corporation – Device Interfaces and Integration

9–52
Chapter 9: Configuration, Design Security, and Remote System Upgrades in Arria II Devices
Remote System Upgrade Mode
Configuration Image Types
When performing a remote system upgrade, Arria II device configuration bitstreams
are classified as factory configuration images or application configuration images. An
image, also referred to as a configuration, is a design loaded into the Arria II device
that performs certain user-defined functions.
Each Arria II device in your system requires one factory image or the addition of one
or more application images. The factory image is a user-defined fall-back, or safe
configuration, and is responsible for administering remote updates in conjunction
with the dedicated circuitry. Application images implement user-defined
functionality in the target Arria II device. You may include the default application
image functionality in the factory image.
A remote system upgrade involves storing a new application configuration image or
updating an existing one using the remote communication interface. After an
application configuration image is stored or updated remotely, the user design in the
Arria II device starts a reconfiguration cycle with the new image. Any errors during
or after this cycle are detected by the dedicated remote system upgrade circuitry and
cause the device to automatically revert to the factory image. The factory image then
performs error processing and recovery. The factory configuration is written to the
serial configuration device only once by the system manufacturer and must not be
remotely updated. On the other hand, application configurations may be remotely
updated in the system. Both images can begin system reconfiguration.
Remote System Upgrade Mode
Remote system upgrade has only one mode of operation—remote update mode.
Remote update mode allows you to determine the functionality of your system after
power-up and offers several features.
Remote Update Mode
In remote update mode, Arria II devices load the factory configuration image after
power up. The user-defined factory configuration determines which application
configuration is to be loaded and triggers a reconfiguration cycle. The factory
configuration may also contain application logic.
When used with serial configuration devices, remote update mode allows an
application configuration to start at any flash sector boundary. For example, this
translates to a maximum of 128 sectors in the EPCS64 device and 32 sectors in the
EPCS16 device. Altera recommends not using the same page in the serial
configuration devices for two images. Additionally, remote update mode features a
user watchdog timer that determines the validity of an application configuration.
When an Arria II device is first powered up in remote update mode, it loads the
factory configuration located at page zero (page registers PGM[23..0] = 24'b0).
Always store the factory configuration image for your system at page address zero.
This corresponds to the start address location 0×000000 in the serial configuration
device.
Arria II Device Handbook Volume 1: Device Interfaces and Integration
July 2012 Altera Corporation