
Altera Corporation
12–21
September 2004
Stratix Device Handbook, Volume 2
Remote System Configuration with Stratix & Stratix GX Devices
Figure 12–12. Remote System Configuration Using Enhanced Configuration Devices
The user watchdog timer in Stratix and Stratix GX devices ensures that an
application configuration has loaded successfully and checks if the
application configuration is operating correctly in user mode. The
watchdog timer must be continually reset by the user logic. If an error
occurs while the application configuration loads, or if the watchdog timer
times-out during user mode, the factory configuration is reloaded to
page 12–4 illustrates the remote configuration mode.
Upon power-up in local configuration scheme, the application
configuration at page 001 (PGM[001] of the enhanced configuration
device) loads into the Stratix or Stratix GX device. This application can be
remotely or locally updated. If an error occurs during loading of the
configuration data, the factory configuration loads automatically (see
mode.
Local Update Programming File Generation
This section describes the programming file generation process for
performing remote system upgrades. The Quartus II convert
programming files (CPF) utility generates the initial and partial
programming files for configuration memory within the enhanced
configuration devices.
The two pages that local configuration mode uses are a factory
configuration stored at page 000, and an application configuration stored
at page 001. The factory configuration cannot be updated after initial
production programming. However, the application configuration can be
erased and reprogrammed after initial system deployment.
Remote Source
Application
Configuration Data
(Network)
Stratix or
Stratix GX Device
Nios
Processor
Configuration
Control Signals
Application/Factory
Configuration Data
PGM[2..0]
Application
Configuration Data
Enhanced
Configuration Device
Application Data 1
Application Data 7
Factory Data
Selecting Next
Application from
Factory Data
Watchdog
Circuitry