Design of a High Speed XAUI Based on Dynamic Reconfigurable Transceiver IP Core

Abstract

By using the dynamic reconfigurable transceiver in high speed interface design, designer can solve critical technology problems such as ensuring signal integrity conveniently, with lower error binary rate. In this paper, we designed a high speed XAUI (10Gbps Ethernet Attachment Unit Interface) to transparently extend the physical reach of the XGMII. The following points are focused: (1) IP (Intellectual Property) core usage. Altera Co. offers two transceiver IP cores in Quartus II MegaWizard Plug-In Manager for XAUI design which is featured of dynamic reconfiguration performance, that is, ALTGX_RECO?FIG instance and ALTGX instance, we can get various groups by changing settings of the devices without power off. These two blocks can accomplish function of PCS (Physical Coding Sub-layer) and PMA (Physical Medium Attachment), however, with higher efficiency and reliability. (2) 1+1 protection. In our design, two ALTGX IP cores are used to work in parallel, which named XAUI0 and XAUI1. The former works as the main channel while the latter redundant channel. When XAUI0 is out of service for some reasons, XAUI1 will start to work to keep the business. (3) RTL (Register Transfer Level) coding with Verilog HDL and simulation. Create the ALTGX_RECO?FIG instance and ALTGX instance, enable dynamic reconfiguration in the ALTGXB Megafunction, then connect the ALTGX_RECO?FIG with the ALTGX instances. After RTL coding, the design was simulated on VCS simulator. The validated result indicates that the packets are transferred efficiently. FPGA makes high-speed optical communication system design simplified.