False path question - internal counter bit vs FSM state bit

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Dear Altera Forum members...

This is my first post here :)

I have a sub-circuit that consists of a binary up-counter (LPM_counter) with asynchronous reset and count enable, and a comparator (LPM_compare).

The sub-circuit compares an input 5-bit vector to the count value and sets an output flag if the count value is greater-or-equal to the input data value.

This flag is used as a control bit to a finite state machine.

When running the TimeQuest timing analyzer tool in Quartus, I get setup timing violations with worst-case timing paths that involve the q[1]-bit and states of the FSM. My question is whether or not I can set these as false paths

https://alteraforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14298&stc=1

The figure shows how the TimeQuest labels the nodes that violate the setup timing.

I was thinking that since the timing violations does not involve the flag used to control the state transitions, I can set the shown paths as false paths... Please comment.

Regards Ronny

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Every path is relevant unless you the designer knows that it is not. Your clock is 50 MHz and in a modern fpga you shouldn't fail timing. likely you are clocking wrong. Or too long comb section

Max v devices are really just FPGAs. They work basically the same.

As for this problem, you cannot set false paths as all are relevant.

Hi kaz.

In your comment "likely you are clocking wrong", will you please elaborate what that means ?

The clock is generated externally. It is defined using the "create_clock"-command in the sdc file...

In another example, using a max V CPLD with vhld code of a circuit that involves an LPM_counter and an LPM_compare - connected to a very basic FSM, I still cannot close timing for a 100 MHz clock (Fmax = ~97 MHz)...

Do you think my code is faulty ?

The project uses the MAX V 5M80ZM64I5 device.

There are three auto-generated VHDL files: lpmcompare.vhd, lpmcounter.vhd and lpmzerotimeflag.vhd.

The lpmcountandcompare.vhd, connects them together as a subcircuit.

The toplevel entity is the timingtest_lpmcc_minifsm.vhd.

The .sdc file is called timingTest_LPMcc_miniFSM (there is only one constraint, the "create_clock"...)

Recall that Quartus by default uses 3-space wide tabs, such that the text-files may not look that nice in other text-editors...

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why not post the code along with the .SDC file?

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Would you rather that I copy-paste them into "reply"-fields, in the browser ?

This will look messy...