AN 886: Intel Agilex® 7 Device Design Guidelines

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ID 683634
Date 10/09/2023
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Introduction to the Intel Agilex® 7 Device Design Guidelines 2. System Specification 3. Device Selection 4. Security Considerations 5. Design Entry 6. Board and Software Considerations 7. Design Implementation, Analysis, Optimization, and Verification 8. Debugging 9. Embedded Software Design Guidelines for Intel Agilex® 7 SoC FPGAs
1. Introduction to the Intel Agilex® 7 Device Design Guidelines x
1.1. Design Flow 1.2. Introduction to the Intel Agilex® 7 Device Design Guidelines Revision History
2. System Specification x
2.1. Design Specifications 2.2. Install Intel® Quartus® Prime Software 2.3. IP Selection 2.4. Simulation 2.5. Preparing for Design Entry 2.6. I/O Summary 2.7. Using Intel Agilex® 7 HPS in your Device 2.8. System Specification Revision History
2.3. IP Selection x
2.3.1. Evaluate Available HPS IP 2.3.2. Select Soft/Hardened IP and I/O Interfaces
2.5. Preparing for Design Entry x
2.5.1. Coding Styles and Design Recommendations 2.5.2. Platform Designer
3. Device Selection x
3.1. Device Variant 3.2. PLLs and Clock Routing 3.3. Logic, Memory, and Multiplier Density 3.4. I/O Pin Count, LVDS SERDES Channels, and Package Offering 3.5. Speed Grade 3.6. Device Migration 3.7. Device Selection Revision History
4. Security Considerations x
4.1. Security Considerations Revision History
5. Design Entry x
5.1. Design Entry for SoC Devices 5.2. Design Entry for FPGA-only Devices 5.3. Design Entry for NoC 5.4. EMIF Considerations 5.5. Nios® Software Processor IP 5.6. Transceiver Planning 5.7. Reconfiguration 5.8. Design Entry Revision History
5.1. Design Entry for SoC Devices x
5.1.1. Firewall Planning 5.1.2. Boot And Configuration Considerations 5.1.3. HPS Clocking and Reset Design Considerations 5.1.4. Reset Configuration 5.1.5. HPS Pin Multiplexing Design Considerations 5.1.6. HPS I/O Settings: Constraints and Drive Strengths 5.1.7. Design Guidelines for HPS Interfaces 5.1.8. Interfacing between the FPGA and HPS 5.1.9. Implementing the Intel Agilex® 7 HPS Component
5.1.2. Boot And Configuration Considerations x
5.1.2.1. Selecting HPS Boot Options 5.1.2.2. Configuration Sources 5.1.2.3. Remote System Update (RSU)
5.1.3. HPS Clocking and Reset Design Considerations x
5.1.3.1. HPS Clock Planning 5.1.3.2. Early Pin Planning and I/O Assignment Analysis 5.1.3.3. Pin Features and Connections for HPS Clocks, Reset and PoR 5.1.3.4. Direct to Factory Pin Support for Remote System Update (RSU) Feature 5.1.3.5. Internal Clocks
5.1.4. Reset Configuration x
5.1.4.1. HPS Peripheral Reset Management 5.1.4.2. System Reset Considerations
5.1.7. Design Guidelines for HPS Interfaces x
5.1.7.1. Design Considerations for Selecting PHY Interfaces 5.1.7.2. USB Interface Design Guidelines 5.1.7.3. SD/MMC and eMMC Card Interface Design Guidelines 5.1.7.4. Design Guidelines for Flash Interfaces 5.1.7.5. UART Interface Design Guidelines 5.1.7.6. I2C Interface Design Guidelines
5.1.7.1. Design Considerations for Selecting PHY Interfaces x
5.1.7.1.1. HPS EMAC PHY Interfaces 5.1.7.1.2. RMII and RGMII PHY Interfaces 5.1.7.1.3. PHY Interfaces Connected Through FPGA I/O 5.1.7.1.4. Consider Device Driver Availability 5.1.7.1.5. MDIO 5.1.7.1.6. Signal Integrity
5.1.7.4. Design Guidelines for Flash Interfaces x
5.1.7.4.1. NAND Flash Interface Design Guidelines
5.1.8. Interfacing between the FPGA and HPS x
5.1.8.1. Overview of HPS Memory-Mapped Interfaces 5.1.8.2. Recommended System Topologies 5.1.8.3. Recommended Starting Point for HPS-to-FPGA Interface Designs 5.1.8.4. Information on How to Configure and Use the Bridges
5.1.8.1. Overview of HPS Memory-Mapped Interfaces x
5.1.8.1.1. HPS-to-FPGA Bridge 5.1.8.1.2. Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA Bridge 5.1.8.1.3. FPGA-to-HPS Bridge 5.1.8.1.4. Interface Bandwidths Relative Latencies and Throughputs for Each HPS Interface GUIDELINE: Avoid using the HPS-to-FPGA bridge to access peripheral registers in the FPGA from the MPU. GUIDELINE: Avoid using the Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA bridge to access memory in the FPGA from the MPU. GUIDELINE: Use soft logic in the FPGA (for example, a DMA controller) to move shared data between the HPS and FPGA. Avoid using the MPU and the HPS DMA controller for this use case.
5.1.8.2. Recommended System Topologies x
5.1.8.2.1. System Level Cache Coherency 5.1.8.2.2. HPS Accesses to FPGA Fabric 5.1.8.2.3. MPU Sharing Data with FPGA 5.1.8.2.4. Examples of Cacheable and Non-Cacheable Data Accesses From the FPGA
5.2. Design Entry for FPGA-only Devices x
5.2.1. Clocking and Reset Design Considerations 5.2.2. I/O and Clock Planning
5.2.2. I/O and Clock Planning x
5.2.2.1. Making FPGA Pin Assignments 5.2.2.2. Early Pin Planning and I/O Assignment Analysis for the FPGA Device 5.2.2.3. I/O Features and Pin Connections 5.2.2.4. Clock and PLL Selection 5.2.2.5. PLL Feature Guidelines 5.2.2.6. Clock Control Features 5.2.2.7. I/O Simultaneous Switching Noise
5.2.2.3. I/O Features and Pin Connections x
5.2.2.3.1. I/O Signaling Type 5.2.2.3.2. Selectable Standards and Flexible I/O Banks 5.2.2.3.3. Dual-Purpose and Special Pin Connections 5.2.2.3.4. Intel Agilex® 7 I/O Features
5.2.2.5. PLL Feature Guidelines x
5.2.2.5.1. Clock Feedback Mode 5.2.2.5.2. Clock Outputs
5.3. Design Entry for NoC x
5.3.1. NoC Architecture Basics 5.3.2. NoC Design Flow 5.3.3. Configuring NoC IP 5.3.4. Instantiating NoC IP 5.3.5. NoC Assignments 5.3.6. NoC Physical Placement 5.3.7. Compilation 5.3.8. Simulation
5.4. EMIF Considerations x
5.4.1. Memory Interfaces 5.4.2. FPGA EMIF Design Considerations
5.5. Nios® Software Processor IP x
5.5.1. Nios® V 5.5.2. Nios® II
6. Board and Software Considerations x
6.1. Early System and Board Planning 6.2. Board Design Guidelines for Intel Agilex® 7 SoC FPGAs 6.3. Pin Connection Considerations for Board Design 6.4. Board Considerations Revision History
6.1. Early System and Board Planning x
6.1.1. SmartVID 6.1.2. Intel® FPGA Power and Thermal Calculator 6.1.3. Thermal Management and Design 6.1.4. Temperature Sensing for Thermal Management 6.1.5. Voltage Sensor 6.1.6. Device Power-Up 6.1.7. Power Pin Connections and Power Supplies 6.1.8. Planning for Device Configuration
6.1.7. Power Pin Connections and Power Supplies x
6.1.7.1. Decoupling Capacitors 6.1.7.2. PLL Board Design Guidelines 6.1.7.3. Transceiver Board Design Guidelines
6.1.8. Planning for Device Configuration x
6.1.8.1. Device Power Cycling and Reconfiguration 6.1.8.2. Configuration Scheme Selection 6.1.8.3. Configuration Features 6.1.8.4. Intel® Quartus® Prime Configuration Settings 6.1.8.5. Configuration Pin Connections
6.1.8.2. Configuration Scheme Selection x
6.1.8.2.1. Serial Configuration Devices 6.1.8.2.2. Intel® FPGA Download Cable
6.1.8.4. Intel® Quartus® Prime Configuration Settings x
6.1.8.4.1. Optional Configuration Pins 6.1.8.4.2. Dual Purpose Configuration Pins
6.1.8.5. Configuration Pin Connections x
6.1.8.5.1. Configuration Pin Voltage Level 6.1.8.5.2. Clock Trace Signal Integrity 6.1.8.5.3. JTAG Pins 6.1.8.5.4. MSEL Configuration Mode Pins 6.1.8.5.5. Other Configuration Pins
6.2. Board Design Guidelines for Intel Agilex® 7 SoC FPGAs x
6.2.1. Boundary Scan for HPS 6.2.2. Embedded Software Debugging and Trace
6.3. Pin Connection Considerations for Board Design x
6.3.1. Board-Related Intel® Quartus® Prime Settings 6.3.2. Signal Integrity Considerations 6.3.3. Board-Level Simulation and Advanced I/O Timing Analysis
6.3.1. Board-Related Intel® Quartus® Prime Settings x
6.3.1.1. Unused Pins
6.3.2. Signal Integrity Considerations x
6.3.2.1. High-Speed Board Design 6.3.2.2. Voltage Reference Pins 6.3.2.3. Simultaneous Switching Noise 6.3.2.4. I/O Termination
7. Design Implementation, Analysis, Optimization, and Verification x
7.1. Selecting a Synthesis Tool 7.2. Device Resource Utilization Reports 7.3. Intel® Quartus® Prime Messages 7.4. Timing Constraints and Analysis 7.5. Area and Timing Optimization 7.6. Preserving Performance and Reducing Compilation Time 7.7. Designing with Intel® Hyperflex™ 7.8. Simulation 7.9. Power Analysis 7.10. Power Optimization 7.11. Design Implementation, Analysis, Optimization, and Verification Revision History
7.4. Timing Constraints and Analysis x
7.4.1. Recommended Timing Optimization and Analysis Assignments
7.10. Power Optimization x
7.10.1. Device and Design Power Optimization Techniques 7.10.2. Intel® Quartus® Prime Power Optimization Techniques
7.10.1. Device and Design Power Optimization Techniques x
7.10.1.1. Device Speed Grade 7.10.1.2. Clock Power Management 7.10.1.3. Memory Power Reduction 7.10.1.4. I/O Power Guidelines
8. Debugging x
8.1. On-Chip Debug Overview 8.2. On-Chip Debugging Tools 8.3. Debugging Revision History
8.1. On-Chip Debug Overview x
8.1.1. Planning Guidelines for Debugging Tools
9. Embedded Software Design Guidelines for Intel Agilex® 7 SoC FPGAs x
9.1. Overview 9.2. Golden Hardware Reference Design (GHRD) 9.3. Define Software Requirements 9.4. Define Software Architecture 9.5. Selecting Software Tools 9.6. Choosing the Bootloader Software 9.7. Selecting an Operating System for Your Application 9.8. Assembling Your Software Development Platform for Linux* 9.9. Assembling your Software Development Platform for Partner OS or RTOS 9.10. Driver Considerations 9.11. Boot And Configuration Considerations 9.12. System Reset Considerations 9.13. Flash Considerations 9.14. Develop Application 9.15. Test and Validate 9.16. Embedded Software Design Guidelines Revision History
9.5. Selecting Software Tools x
9.5.1. Selecting Software Build Tools 9.5.2. Selecting Software Debug Tools 9.5.3. Selecting Software Trace Tools
9.7. Selecting an Operating System for Your Application x
9.7.1. Using Linux* or RTOS 9.7.2. Using the Bootloader as a Bare-Metal Framework 9.7.3. Using Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical Multiprocessing (SMP vs. AMP) Modes
9.8. Assembling Your Software Development Platform for Linux* x
9.8.1. Golden System Reference Design (GSRD) for Linux* 9.8.2. Source Code Management Considerations
9.11. Boot And Configuration Considerations x
9.11.1. Configuration Sources 9.11.2. Configuration Flash 9.11.3. Configuration Clock 9.11.4. Selecting HPS Boot Options 9.11.5. HPS Boot Sources 9.11.6. Remote System Update (RSU)
9.13. Flash Considerations x
9.13.1. Flash Programming Method 9.13.2. Using a Single flash for Both FPGA Configuration and HPS Mass Storage
1. Introduction to the Intel Agilex® 7 Device Design Guidelines
2. System Specification
3. Device Selection
4. Security Considerations
5. Design Entry
6. Board and Software Considerations
7. Design Implementation, Analysis, Optimization, and Verification
8. Debugging
9. Embedded Software Design Guidelines for Intel Agilex® 7 SoC FPGAs

5.1.8.1.4. Interface Bandwidths

To identify which interface to use to move data between the HPS and FPGA fabric, an understanding of the bandwidth of each interface is necessary. The figure below illustrates the peak throughput available between the HPS and FPGA fabric as well as the internal bandwidths within the HPS. The example shown assumes that the FPGA fabric operates at 400 MHz, the MPU operates at 1500 MHz, and the 64-bit external SDRAM operates at 3200 Mbits per second.

Figure 8.  Intel Agilex® 7 HPS Memory-Mapped BandwidthFor abbreviations, refer to the figure in Overview of HPS Memory-Mapped Interfaces.

Relative Latencies and Throughputs for Each HPS Interface

Interface

Transaction Use Case

Latency

Throughput

HPS-to-FPGA

MPU accessing memory in FPGA

Medium

Medium

HPS-to-FPGA

MPU accessing peripheral in FPGA

Medium

Very Low

Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA

MPU accessing register in FPGA

Low

Low

Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA

MPU accessing memory in FPGA

Low

Very Low

FPGA-to-HPS

FPGA master accessing non-cache coherent SDRAM

High

Medium

FPGA-to-HPS

FPGA master accessing the HPS on-chip RAM

Low

High

FPGA-to-HPS

FPGA master accessing the HPS peripheral

Low

Low

FPGA-to-HPS

FPGA master accessing coherent memory resulting in cache miss

High

Medium

FPGA-to-HPS

FPGA master accessing coherent memory resulting in cache hit

Low

Medium-High

FPGA-to-HPS

FPGA master accessing the HPS directly

Medium

High-Very High

Note: For the interfaces with no configuration recommended, refer to the corresponding interface sections: "HPS-to-FPGA Bridge", "Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA Bridge", and "FPGA-to-HPS Bridge".

GUIDELINE: Avoid using the HPS-to-FPGA bridge to access peripheral registers in the FPGA from the MPU.

The HPS-to-FPGA bridge is optimized for bursting traffic and peripheral accesses are typically short word-sized accesses of only one beat. As a result if peripherals are accessed through the HPS-to-FPGA bridge, the transaction can be stalled by other bursting traffic that is already in flight.

GUIDELINE: Avoid using the Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA bridge to access memory in the FPGA from the MPU.

The Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA bridge is optimized for non-bursting traffic and typically memory accesses are performed as bursts (often 32 bytes due to cache operations). As a result, if memory is accessed through the Lightweight HPS-to-FPGA bridge, the throughput is limited.

GUIDELINE: Use soft logic in the FPGA (for example, a DMA controller) to move shared data between the HPS and FPGA. Avoid using the MPU and the HPS DMA controller for this use case.

When moving shared data between the HPS and FPGA Intel® recommends to do so from the FPGA instead of moving the data using the MPU or HPS DMA controller. If the FPGA must access cache coherent data then it must access the FPGA-to-HPS bridge with the appropriate ACE-Lite cache extensions signaling to issue a cacheable transaction. If non-cache coherent data must be moved to the FPGA or HPS, a DMA engine implemented in FPGA logic can move the data through the FPGA-to-HPS bridge, achieving the highest throughput possible. Even though the HPS includes a DMA engine internally that can move data between the HPS and FPGA, its purpose is to assist peripherals that do not master memory or provide memory to memory data movements on behalf of the MPU.

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