AN 741: Remote System Upgrade for MAX 10 FPGA Devices over UART with the Nios II Processor

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ID 683661
Date 2/21/2017
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Remote System Upgrade for MAX 10 FPGA Devices over UART with the Nios II Processor
1. Remote System Upgrade for MAX 10 FPGA Devices over UART with the Nios II Processor x
1.1. Remote System Upgrade with MAX 10 FPGA Overview 1.2. Abbreviations 1.3. Prerequisite 1.4. Requirements 1.5. Reference Design Files 1.6. Reference Design Functional Description 1.7. Reference Design Walkthrough 1.8. Document Revision History
1.6. Reference Design Functional Description x
1.6.1. Reference Design IP Core Components 1.6.2. The Nios II EDS Software Application Design
1.6.1. Reference Design IP Core Components x
1.6.1.1. Nios II Gen2 Processor 1.6.1.2. Altera On-Chip Flash IP Core 1.6.1.3. Altera Dual Configuration IP Core 1.6.1.4. Altera UART IP Core 1.6.1.5. Generic Quad SPI Controller IP Core
1.6.2. The Nios II EDS Software Application Design x
1.6.2.1. Updating Application Images Remotely 1.6.2.2. Triggering Reconfiguration Remotely
1.7. Reference Design Walkthrough x
1.7.1. Generating Programming Files 1.7.2. Programming the QSPI 1.7.3. Programming the FPGA with Initial Image using JTAG 1.7.4. Updating Image and Triggering Reconfiguration using UART
1.7.1. Generating Programming Files x
1.7.1.1. Generating files for QSPI Programming 1.7.1.2. Generating files for Remote System Upgrade
1.7.1.2. Generating files for Remote System Upgrade x
1.7.1.2.1. .pof Generation through Convert Programming Files
1. Remote System Upgrade for MAX 10 FPGA Devices over UART with the Nios II Processor

1.6.1.1. Nios II Gen2 Processor

The Nios II Gen2 Processor in the reference design has the following functions:

  • A bus master which handles all interface operations with the Altera On-Chip Flash IP core including read, write, and erase.
  • Provides an algorithm in software to receive the programming bit stream from a host computer and trigger reconfiguration through the Dual Configuration IP core.

You need to set the reset vector of the processor accordingly. This is to ensure the processor boots the correct application code from either UFM or external QSPI flash.

Note: If the Nios II application code is large, Intel recommends that you store the application code in the external QSPI flash. In this reference design, the reset vector is pointing to the external QSPI flash where the Nios II application code is stored.
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