Stratix V Device Handbook: Volume 2: Transceivers

ID 683779
Date 11/23/2021
Public
Document Table of Contents

4.4.4. Transceiver Clocking and Channel Placement Guidelines

This section describes the transceiver clocking for Gen1 and Gen2 Hard IP and PIPE configurations. The channel placement guidelines are only described for Gen1 and Gen2 PIPE configuration. The channel placement guidelines for Gen1 and Gen2 Hard IP configuration are not included.

Transceiver Clocking for PCIe Gen1 and Gen2

PIPE x1 Configuration

The high-speed serial clock is provided by the CMU PLL in a channel different from that of the data channel. The local clock divider block in the data channel generates a parallel clock from this high-speed clock and distributes both clocks to the PMA and PCS of the data channel.

Figure 106. Transceiver Clocking in a Gen1/Gen2 PIPE x1 Configuration


PIPE x2 Configuration

In a PIPE x2 bonded configuration, clocking within the PCS is independent for each receiver channel. Clocking is bonded only for transmitter channels, while the control signals are bonded for both transmitter and receiver channels. The Quartus II software automatically places the transmit CMU PLL and master channel in either channel 1 or channel 4 within a transceiver bank

Figure 107. Transmitter Clocking in a Gen1/Gen2 PIPE x2 Configuration


PIPE x4 Configuration

In a PIPE x4 bonded configuration, clocking within the PCS is independent for each receiver channel. Clocking is bonded only for transmitter channels, while the control signals are bonded for both transmitter and receiver channels. The Quartus II software automatically places the transmit CMU PLL and master channel in either channel 1 or channel 4 within a transceiver bank.

Figure 108. Transmitter Clocking in a Gen1/Gen2 PIPE x4 Configuration


Figure 109. Receiver Clocking in a Gen1/Gen2 PIPE x4 Configuration


PIPE x8 Configuration

In the x8 PCIe bonded configuration, clocking is independent for receiver channels. Clocking and control signals are bonded only for transmitter channels.

Figure 110. Transceiver Clocking in a Gen1/Gen2 PIPE x8 Configuration


Transceiver Channel Placement Guidelines for Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 PIPE Configurations

Note: The channel placement guidelines are only described for Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 x1, x2, x4, and x8 PIPE configurations. The channel placement guidelines for Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 Hard IP configuration are not included.

The following table lists the physical placement of PIPE channels in x1, x2, x4, and x8 bonding configurations. The Quartus® II software automatically places the CMU PLL in a channel different from that of the data channels.

Table 37.  PIPE Configuration Channel PlacementPlacement by the Quartus II software may vary with design, thus resulting in higher channel usage.
Configuration Data Channel Placement Channel Utilization Using CMU PLL in Gen1 and Gen2 Channel Utilization Using ATX PLL in Gen1 and Gen2 Channel Utilization Using CMU and ATX PLL in Gen3
x1 Any channel 2 1 2
x2 Contiguous channels 3 2 3
x4 Contiguous channels 5 4 5
x8 Contiguous channels 9 8 9
Channel Placement for Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 x1 PIPE Configuration

For PIPE x1 configurations, the channel can be placed anywhere within a transceiver bank that contains the transmitter PLL. In Gen1 and Gen2 configurations, you can select either the ATX PLL or the CMU PLL as the transmitter PLL. In Gen3 configurations, a CMU PLL is used for Gen1 and Gen2 datarates and an ATX PLL is used for Gen3 datarates.

Channel Placement for Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 x2 and x4 PIPE Configuration

The following two figures show examples of channel placement for PIPE x2 and x4 configurations. In a PIPE x2 or x4 configuration, the two or four channels must be contiguous and within the same transceiver bank, but they can be placed in any order as long as Logical Lane 1 is placed on the master channel. In Gen1 and Gen2 configurations, you can select either the ATX PLL or the CMU PLL as the transmitter PLL. In Gen3 configurations, a CMU PLL is used for Gen1 and Gen2 datarates and an ATX PLL is used for Gen3 datarates. The CMU PLL and/or ATX PLL must be within the same transceiver bank as the master channel.

In the figures, channels shaded in blue provide the transmit CMU PLL generating the high-speed serial clock. Channels shaded in gray are data channels. The Quartus II software automatically selects one of the following within a transceiver bank:

  • The CMU PLL in either channel 1 or channel 4.
  • The upper or lower ATX PLL if the ATX PLL is selected as the transmitter PLL within the transceiver bank containing the master channel.

Gen3 channel placement requires both a CMU and an ATX PLL in the same transceiver bank as the master channel.

Figure 111. Example of PIPE x2 Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 Channel Placement Using an ATX PLL, a CMU PLL, or Both


Figure 112. Example of PIPE x4 Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 Channel Placement Using an ATX PLL, a CMU PLL, or BothChannels shaded in blue provide the transmit CMU PLL generating the high-speed serial clock. Channels shaded in gray are data channels. The Quartus II software automatically selects the CMU PLL in either channel 1 or channel 4 within a transceiver bank. Gen3 channel placement requires an additional ATX PLL in the same transceiver bank as the master channel.


Channel Placement for Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 x8 PIPE Configuration

In a PIPE x8 configuration, the eight channels must be contiguous, but they can be placed in any order as long as Logical Lane 0 is placed on the master channel.

The Quartus II software automatically selects one of the following within a transceiver bank:

  • The CMU PLL in either channel 1 or channel 4.
  • The upper or lower ATX PLL if the ATX PLL is selected as the transmitter PLL within the transceiver bank containing the master channel.

In Gen1 and Gen2 configurations, you can select either the ATX PLL or the CMU PLL as the transmitter PLL. In Gen3 configurations, a CMU PLL is used for Gen1 and Gen2 datarates and an ATX PLL is used for Gen3 datarates. The CMU PLL and/or ATX PLL must be within the same transceiver bank.

Figure 113. Example of PIPE x8 Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3 Channel Placement Using an ATX PLL, a CMU PLL, or BothChannels shaded in blue provide the transmit CMU PLL generating the high-speed serial clock. Channels shaded in gray are data channels. Gen3 channel placement requires both a CMU and ATX PLL in the same transceiver bank as the master channel.