Altera Low Latency 40-Gbps Ethernet MAC and PHY MegaCore Function - Manual (Page 52)

Low Latency 40-100GbE IP Core TX Data Bus with Adapters (Avalon-ST Interface)
The Low Latency 40-100GbE IP core TX datapath with adapters employs the Avalon-ST protocol. The
Avalon-ST protocol is a synchronous point-to-point, unidirectional interface that connects the producer
of a data stream (source) to a consumer of data (sink). The key properties of this interface include:
• Start of packet (SOP) and end of packet (EOP) signals delimit frame transfers.
• A valid signal qualifies signals from source to sink.
• The sink applies backpressure to the source by using the ready signal. The source typically responds to
the deassertion of the ready signal from the sink by driving the same data until the sink can accept it.
The
readyLatency
defines the relationship between assertion and deassertion of the ready signal, and
cycles which are considered to be
ready
for data transfer.The
readyLatency
on the TX client interface
is zero cycles.
Altera provides an Avalon-ST interface with adapters for both the LL 40GbE and LL 100GbE IP cores.
The Avalon-ST interface requires that the start of packet (SOP) always be in the MSB, simplifying the
interpretation and processing of incoming data.
In the LL 40GbE IP core, the interface width is 256 bits, and in the LL 100GbE IP core, the interface width
is 512 bits. The LL 40GbE Avalon-ST interface operates at 312.5 MHz and the LL 100GbE Avalon-ST
interface operates at 390.625 MHz.
The client acts as a source and the TX MAC acts as a sink in the transmit direction.
Figure 3-3: TX Client to MAC Interface with Adapters (Avalon-ST)
The Avalon-ST interface bus width varies with the IP core variation. In the figure, <n> = 4 for the 40GbE
IP core and <n> = 8 for the 100GbE IP core. <l> is log
2
(8*<n>).
l<n>_tx_data[<n>*64-1:0]
l<n>_tx_valid
l<n>_tx_error
l<n>_tx_empty[<l>-1:0]
l<n>_tx_startofpacket
l<n>_tx_ready
l<n>_tx_endofpacket
TX MAC
TX Client
Logic
UG-01172
2015.05.04
Low Latency 40-100GbE IP Core TX Data Bus with Adapters (Avalon-ST Interface) 3-7
Functional Description Altera Corporation
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