Altera Nios Development Board - Manual (Page 28)

1–20 Altera Corporation
Nios Development Board Reference Manual, Cyclone Edition December 2004
Serial Configuration Device (EPCS4)
f
See the “Serial Configuration Devices (EPCS1 & EPCS4) Data Sheet” in
the Cyclone Device Handbook for more information about this device and
the “EPCS Device Controller Core with Avalon Interface” chapter in the
Nios II Processor Handbook for information about the EPCS device
controller component in SOPC Builder.
Serial
Configuration
Device (EPCS4) U59 is a serial configuration device connected to the Cyclone FPGA.
Serial configuration devices are flash memory devices with a serial
interface that can store configuration data for a Cyclone FPGA, and load
the data into the FPGA upon power-up or re-configuration. You can use
the EPCS4 serial configuration device to store FPGA configuration data,
or Nios II program data, or both.
The SOPC Builder EPCS Serial Flash Controller component enables
Nios II processor systems to access the EPCS4 device. You can use the
EPCS serial flash controller to write new data into the EPCS4 device, and
to read Nios II program code or data from the device.
U59 is blank by default. You can use the Quartus II software to program
FPGA configuration data (a .pof file) into the EPCS4 device connected to
connector J28. J28 connects to the pins of U59, enabling you to program
the device via an Altera download cable, such as the USB Blaster cable.
1 The orientation of J28 is the reverse of J24. When the Altera
download cable is connected to J28 correctly, the cable will rest
over the Cyclone device.
For details on the Cyclone configuration process with the EPCS4 device,
see
“Configuration Controller Device (EPM7128AE)” on page 1–20 .
f
See the “Serial Configuration Devices (EPCS1 & EPCS4) Data Sheet” in
the Cyclone Device Handbook for more information about the EPCS4
device. See the “EPCS Device Controller Core with Avalon Interface”
chapter in the Nios II Processor Handbook for information about the EPCS
serial flash controller component in SOPC Builder.
Configuration
Controller
Device
(EPM7128AE) The configuration controller (U3), is an Altera MAX ® 7000 EPM7128AE
device. It comes pre-programmed with logic for managing board reset
conditions and configuring the Cyclone device from data stored in flash
memory and the EPCS4 serial configuration device.