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amildm's avatar
amildm
Icon for Contributor rankContributor
3 years ago
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Pipeline Factor in SignalTap

Hello, In SignalTap there is an option to add the Pipeline to the signals. Should the pipeline acts as synchronizers? Will the set_false_path constraints be added automatically? Thanks!
  • FvM's avatar
    FvM
    3 years ago

    Hello,

    Debug Tools User Guide explains:

    "The Pipeline factor setting indicates the number of pipeline registers that the Intel
    Quartus Prime software can add to boost the fMAX of the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer."

    https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/667125?fileName=ug-qps-debug-683552-667125.pdf

    Not related to synchronizers. There's no specific feature to support the consistent capture of asynchronous signals. Signaltap operation is described so:

    "Synchronous sampling of data nodes using the same clock tree driving the logic under test."

    Regards

    Frank

FvM's avatar
FvM
Icon for Super Contributor rankSuper Contributor
3 years ago
The same way as it does for other synchronous designs. As you know, fmax of a synchronous design is restricted by the propagation delay of the combinational path between two registers. Pipelining allows to cut the path into shorter parts and thus increasing fmax.

I presume that Signaltap logic will use all available methods of timing driven synthesis, e.g. register retiming, to achieve the defined clock speed. You don't need to care for. Pipeline factor enables an additional degree of freedom for Signaltap timing optimization.