"Errors (<number>):Could not allocate the following pins to any bank: - <number> pins at <voltage> mV" in the Early Power Estimator for Intel® Stratix® 10 devices

Description

Due to a problem with the Early Power Estimator (EPE) for Intel® Stratix® 10 devices version 19.4 and earlier, you may see this error even if there are still available pins when differential input pins are used and the VCCIO voltages of all I/O banks are not 2.5V.

Here is an example.

• Device: 1SG280H
• Package: F50
• Number of user I/O: 672
• Number of I/O bank: 14
• Number of pin pre I/O bank: 48
• User I/O usage:  
  • 1.2 V output * 625 pins
  • LVDS input * 1 pair

In this case, since 625 pins are used for 1.2V output, the VCCIO voltages of 14 I/O banks are 1.2V.

LVDS input is powered by VCCPT, not VCCIO.  So a pair of LVDS input should be able to be assigned to remaining pins.  But the EPE for Intel Stratix 10 devices incorrectly displays an error like the following image.

Resolution

You can safely ignore this error.

This problem is fixed starting with the EPE for Intel Stratix 10 devices of the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software version 21.3.