How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

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5life

Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 18

15 Sep 2004 8:41 using mcu to configure xilinx

To gain lower cost and less PCB area , I need to configurate the xilinx device -spartan 3 with the mcu and flash memory ,but I don't know how to do it.

Somebody knows ?

xvibe

Joined: 11 Jul 2003
Posts: 93
Helped: 2
Location: Portugal

15 Sep 2004 11:01 interface fpga mcu

First you must read the xapp176.pdf from Xilinx to see how you can program your fpga. You'll see that are many ways to configure the fpga.
If your board have a MCU then chose on of the Slave methods that suites best to your application.
For example, in my board there's a PowerQUICC cpu and I configure the fpga in this way:
1. The DATA pins of the fpga are connected to the data bus of the cpu
2. The WRITE pin of the fpga to the R/W# of the cpu.
3. The CS pin of the fpga to the chipselect of the CPU that I use to access to the FPGA after it's programmed.
4. The BUSY pin of the fpga to a GPIO pin of the CPU but this could be improved. Not important if you don't need to program the fpga very fast.
5. For the CCLK signal of the fpga it's from a digital logic the I made but you should see how you do it for your board. By the way, I'm using the controlled CCLK.

I hope it was been usefull

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edavio

Joined: 23 Dec 2001
Posts: 71

15 Sep 2004 15:00 xilinx configure mcu

http://www.xilinx.com/bvdocs/appnotes/xapp058.pdf
see this application note from xilinx.

5life

Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 18

15 Sep 2004 16:32 Re: How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

In my application , the mcu is just used to configure the other chip and FPGA.

The questions:
1. is the serial flash my only choice when I want to configure my fpga without other chips.
2. The three process(mcu programming , flash w/r and the configuration to FPGA ),how can i emerge them into a schematic?
3.mcu programming and flash w/r uses RS-232? The FPGA online configuration is by the JTAG . So I must reserve two sets of header on the PCB board ?

Big Boy

Joined: 20 Jan 2004
Posts: 253
Helped: 10

15 Sep 2004 18:42 Re: How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

I don't know if there are parallel chips that work as stand-alone with FPGA. Otherwise, you do need another chip, like a counter, that feed an address to the flash, and increment on CCLK.

I know that if you have a serial flash, you can program it externally, even if FPGA is in-service. This require an extra bus buffer. Maybe something similar can be done for other flash type.

In any case, I don't see how to program the flash or mcu directly via RS232. You can however program the flash by using the mcu to do so, while giving the code over RS232. Most likely, the programming will take place using parallel port interface. If you design a JTAG and Program interface as standard used by that FPGA vendor, then you may also be able to program those using their software. Otherwise, you're free to build any hardware interface, as long as you write the software to interface it.

5life

Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 18

16 Sep 2004 1:23 Re: How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

I get a diagram which shows the configuration with 8-pin mcu and 8-pin flash .

I didn't know how it works and if it is good design.

Have a look and explain it in details ,Thanks.

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Aoxomox

Joined: 18 Jul 2001
Posts: 90

21 Sep 2004 17:29 Re: How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

Hi 5life,

I have a DSP that is booted from a Flash Memory with a fundamental application. The DSP is connected with an SPI-Port to the FPGA (Spartan-IIe) and will load the configuration data from the Flash memory to the FPGA. (You need DIN, DOUT, CCLK and /PROG, where /PROG in my system is connected to the /Reset output.) My FPGA is configured for slave serial mode. In my Flashmemory is enough space to store multiple FPGA-codes and I can overwrite each Via RS232.

This serial configuration method (~50MBit/s) is slower than the parallel (up to 50MByte/s) but you don't need a complex design. If you compare the time you need to configure the FPGA (in my case only 6MBit/s and ~100ms) to the time your system will work (hours to days) there is only design issues to decide for parallel or serial configuration.

hope it helps,

aOxOmOx

mImoto

Joined: 21 Feb 2002
Posts: 232
Helped: 2

21 Sep 2004 19:19 Re: How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

Does anyone have configured a Altera EPM7000 CPLD via JTAG with the spi??. How to reprogram the Altera with a small PIC that it`s not enough for porting the jampler software(via rs232)?.

Best regards,

mimoto

5life

Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 18

24 Sep 2004 8:47 Re: How to configurate a Xilinx Device With A MCU and Flash?

My design :
1 MCU gets the configuration data from PC,and puts it into the serial Flash
2 When there is no pc , the flash ouputs the conifiguration data to the fpga

Notes:
there are two interface :
1 RS-232 serial Port
2 FPGA serial configuration port

Is it right ?
The diagram is in the attachment.

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