Jamil Khatib

HDLC controller core

HDLC controller core

(C) Copyright 2001 Jamil Khatib.

Contents

1  List of authors and changes
2  Project Definition
    2.1  Introduction
    2.2  Objectives
3  Specifications
    3.1  System Features Specification
    3.2  External Interfaces
        3.2.1  Receive Channel
        3.2.2  Back-end interface mapping to Wishbone SoC bus
        3.2.3  Transmit Channel
        3.2.4  Back-end interface mapping to Wishbone SoC bus
        3.2.5  CPU interface
4  Design description
    4.1  Receive Channel
        4.1.1  Design notes
        4.1.2  Timing
    4.2  Transmit Channel
        4.2.1  Design notes
        4.2.2  Timing
    4.3  External FIFO and registers
    4.4  Registers
        4.4.1  Transmit
        4.4.2  Receive
    4.5  Transmit Frame
    4.6  Receive Frame
    4.7  Connection to TDM controller
    4.8  Clocks Synchronization
    4.9  Diagrams
5  Testing and verifications
    5.1  Simulation and Test benches
    5.2  Verification techniques and algorithms
    5.3  Test plans
6  Implementations
    6.1  Scripts, files and any other information
    6.2  Design conventions and coding styles
7  Reviews and comments
8  References

1  List of authors and changes

Name Changes Date Contact address
Jamil Khatib Initial release 9-1-2001 khatib@ieee.org
Jamil Khatib TX interface added, Spec improved 27-1-2001 khatib@ieee.org
Jamil Khatib External FIFO buffer added 3-2-2001 khatib@ieee.org
Jamil Khatib Registers and CPU interface added 8-2-2001 khatib@ieee.org
Jamil Khatib Drop bit, TDM interface are added 9-2-2001 khatib@ieee.org
Jamil Khatib More design descriptions added 2-4-2001 khatib@ieee.org
Jamil Khatib FIFO buffers calculations added 9-4-2001 khatib@ieee.org

2  Project Definition

2.1  Introduction

HDLC protocol is used as a data link of most of the current communication systems like ISDN, Frame Relay etc. HDLC is a family of protocols that varies in address size, control field, FCS and no. of data bits.

2.2  Objectives

The aim of this project is to develop the basic HDLC functionalities to be used by many communication systems.

3  Specifications

3.1  System Features Specification

  1. Synchronous operation
  2. 8 bit parallel back-end interface
  3. Use external RX and TX clocks
  4. Start and end of frame pattern generation
  5. Start and end of frame pattern checking
  6. Idle pattern generation and detection (all ones)
  7. Zero insertion and removal for transparent transmission.
  8. Abort pattern generation and checking (7 ones)
  9. Address insertion and detection by software
  10. CRC generation and checking (CRC-16 or CRC-32 can be used which is configurale at the code top level)
  11. FIFO buffers and synchronization (External)
  12. Byte aligned data (if data is not aligned to 8-bits error signal is reported to the backend interface)
  13. Q.921, LAPD and LAPB compliant.
  14. The core should not have internal configuration registers or counters, instead it provides all the signals to implement external registers.
  15. There is No limit on the Maximum frame size as long as the backend can read and write data (depends on the external FIFO size)
  16. Bus connection is not supported directly (TxEN and RxEN pins can be used for that reason)
  17. Retransmission is not supported when there is collision in the Bus connection mode.
  18. This controller is used for low speed application only (relative to the backend bus).
  19. Supports connection to TDM core via backend interface and software control for time slot selection and control (signaling ,etc.) generation.
  20. Backend interface uses the Wishbone bus interface which can be connected directly to the system or via FIFO buffer.
  21. Optional External FIFO buffers, configuration and status registers.
  22. The core will be made of two levels of hierarchies, the basic functionality and the Optional interfaces and buffers.

3.2  External Interfaces

3.2.1  Receive Channel

Signal nameDirectionDescription
Control interface
Rst Input System asynchronous reset(active low)
Serial Interface
RxClk Input Receive Clock
Rx InputReceive Data
RxEn Input RX enable (active high)
Back-end Interface
RxD[7:0]OutputReceive data bus
ValidFrameOutputValid Frame indication during all frame bytes transfer
FrameErrOutputError in the received data (lost bits)
AbortedOutputAborted Frame
ReadInputRead byte
ReadyOutputValid data exists

3.2.2  Back-end interface mapping to Wishbone SoC bus

The HDLC receive backend interface can be used as a slave core or master according to the below mapping. The core supports SINGLE READ Cycle only using 8-bit data bus without address lines. The choice between master and slave is left for the system integrator and must do the configuration and glue logic as defined in the tables.

Figure

Signal NameWishbone signal
Master Configuration connected to FIFO
RxClk CLK_I
Rst not RST_I
RxD[7:0]DAT_O(7:0)
ValidFrameSTB_O
ValidFrameCYC_O
ReadByteACK_I and not RTY_I
ReadyWE_O
FrameERRTAG0_O
AbortedTAG1_O
Slave FIFO(two-clock domain FIFO)
Data[7:0]DAT_I(7:0)
Chip SelectSTB_I
STB_I and not FullFlagACK_O
FullFlagRTY_O
WriteWE_I
Slave Configuration
RxClk CLK_I
Rst not RST_I
RxD[7:0]DAT_O(7:0)
ValidFrameTAG0_O
ReadBytenot WE_I
Readynot RTY_O
STB_I and not WR_IACK_O
FrameERRTAG1_O
AbortedTAG2_O

3.2.3  Transmit Channel

Signal nameDirectionDescription
Control interface
Rst Input System asynchronous reset(active low)
Serial Interface
TxClk Input Transmit Clock
Tx Output Transmit Data
TxEn Input TX enable (active high)
Back-end Interface
TxD[7:0]Input Transmit data bus
ValidFrameInputValid Frame indication during all frame bytes transfer
AbortedTransOutputError in the transmitted data (Abort pattern was generated)
AbortFrameInputAbort Frame
WriteInputWrite byte
ReadyOutputCan accept new data

3.2.4  Back-end interface mapping to Wishbone SoC bus

The HDLC receive backend interface can be used as a slave core or master according to the below mapping. The core supports SINGLE WRITE Cycle only using 8-bit data bus without address lines. The choice between master and slave is left for the system integrator and must do the configuration and glue logic as defined in the tables.

Signal NameWishbone signal
Master Configuration connected to FIFO
TxClk CLK_I
Rst not RST_I
TxD[7:0]DAT_I(7:0)
WriteACK_I and not RTY_I
Readynot WE_O
AbortedTransTAG0_O
ValidFrameTAG1_I
AbortFrameTAG0_I
Always Active CYC_O
Always Active STB_O
Slave FIFO(two-clock domain FIFO)
Data[7:0]DAT_I(7:0)
EmptyFlagRTY_O
ReadWE_I
WE_I and not EmptyFlagACK_O
ChipSelectSTB_I
Slave Configuration
TxClk CLK_I
Rst not RST_I
TxD[7:0]DAT_I(7:0)
ValidFrameSTB_I
WriteWE_I
Readynot RTY_O
STB_I and WR_IACK_O
AbortFrameTAG0_I
AbortedTransTAG0_O

3.2.5  CPU interface

This interface is used when the FIFO and registers are included in the Core. This interface is compatible to WishBone slave bus interface that supports single read/write cycles and block cycles. The interface supports the following wishbone signals.

SignalNote
RST_IReset
CLK_IClock
ADR_I(2:0)3-bit address line
DAT_O(7:0)8-bit receive data
DAT_I(7:0)8-bit transmit data
WE_IRead/write
STB_IStrobe
ACK_OAcknowledge
CYC_ICycle
TAG0_OTxDone interrupt
TAG1_ORxReady interrupt

4  Design description

4.1  Receive Channel

4.1.1  Design notes

Receive channel provides interface to the backend via a simple handshake protocol that can be used to connect the controller to either a shared memory or FIFO buffer. This protocol uses the hand shack protocol of the Wishbone SoC bus.

Receive channel supports only 8-bits aligned data. Each frame starts with a starting flag (01111110) and ends with starting flag (01111110). Since the receipt ion is synchronous only, the channel uses the external clock and a byte must be read from the channel within the first 7 clock pulses after the ready signal is asserted. If no data is read during this period (while ValidFrame signal is active) FrameErr is signaled reported to the backend as long the ValidFrame is active. FrameErr is signaled also when non 8-bit aligned data is received and when FCS error is found.

4.1.2  Timing

4.2  Transmit Channel

Transmit channel provides interface to the backend via a simple handshake protocol that can be used to connect the controller to either a shared memory or FIFO buffer. This protocol uses the handshack protocol of the Wishbone SoC bus.

Transmit channel supports only 8-bits aligned data. Each frame starts with a starting flag (01111110) and ends with starting flag (01111110). Since the transmission is synchronous only, the channel uses the external clock and a byte must be written to the channel within the first 7 clock pulses after the ready signal is asserted. If no data is inserted during this period (while ValidFrame signal is active) abort pattern is transmitted and reported to the backend via AboredTrans signal as long the ValidFrame is active.

4.2.1  Design notes

4.2.2  Timing

The channel starts accepting data after asserting the ValidFrame signal. This signal can control no of idle pattern bits (e.g. if this signal is de-asserted for 8 bits only a single Idle pattern (8 ones) is inserted). Valid Frame signal must be asserted for 8 clocks after any valid write operation.

4.3  External FIFO and registers

The controller has optional external FIFO buffers, one for data to be transmitted and one for data to be received. Status and control registers are available to control these FIFOs. These two blocks (FIFOs and registers) are built around the HDLC controller core which make them optional if the core is to be used in different kind of applications. The current implementation supports the following configuration: The size of the Transmit and receive FIFOs is (8×128) bits which enables 128 maximum HDLC frame size.

The transmit buffer is used to prevent underflow while transmitting bytes to the line. All bytes will be available once the transmit is enabled. The Receive buffer is used to provide data burst transfer to the Back end interface which prevents the back end from reading each byte alone. The FIFO size is suitable for operating frequencies 2.048MHz on the serial interface and 50 MHz on the back end interface. Other frequencies can operate if the delay between HDLC frames is less than the delay needed for the back end to empty the internal FIFO (the next calculations is an example to be applied for different frequencies)

7 bits (minimum bits between HDLC Frames) / 2.048MHz = 3.418 us

128 Bytes (Maximum frame size) / 50MHz = 2.56 us

These FIFOs are implemented on Single port memory. Two interrupt lines are used, one to signal transmission done and one to request transfer of received frame to memory. These interrupts are also reflected in Status registers to support polling mode for the controller.

4.4  Registers

All internal registers are 8-bit width.

4.4.1  Transmit

Tx Status and Control Register: Tx_SC Offset Address = 0x0

BIT 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
FIELD N/A N/A FCSen FIFOOverflowAbortedTxAbortTxEnableTxDone
RESET 00000000
R/W ROROWOROROWOWORO

Tx FIFO buffer register: Tx_Buffer Offset Address = 0x1

BIT 7-0
FIELD Transmit Data byte
RESET 0x0
R/W WO

4.4.2  Receive

Rx Status and Control Register: Rx_SC Offset Address = 0x2

BIT 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
FIELD N/A N/A N/A FIFOOverflowAbortedFrameErrorDropRxReady
RESET 00000000
R/W ROROROROROROWORO

Rx FIFO buffer register: Rx_Buffer Offset Address = 0x3

BIT 7-0
FIELD Received Data byte
RESET 0x0
R/W RO

Rx Frame length: Rx_Len Offset Address = 0x4

BIT 7-0
FIELD Frame Length
RESET 0x0
R/W RO

4.5  Transmit Frame

4.6  Receive Frame

4.7  Connection to TDM controller

This controller can get/send data from/to TDM controller through software control. The software configures the TDM controller to select the channel. It adds/removes the address and control information fields of the HDLC frame. Then passes the data field between the two controllers through optional DMA transfer.

4.8  Clocks Synchronization

Since the core can operate in different clock domains (The serial line domain and the backend interface domain), all control signals pass through two flip flops to reduce the metastability. These Flip Flops are clocked with the same clock of the interface that read these signals.

4.9  Diagrams

Figure

Figure 1: HDLC core

Figure

Figure 2: HDLC controller

5  Testing and verifications

Requirement Test method Validation method
Interface timing
Functionality

5.1  Simulation and Test benches

5.2  Verification techniques and algorithms

5.3  Test plans

6  Implementations

The design is implemented using the VHDL language. The design is divided into three main blocks, serial Receive channel, Serial Transmit channel and the Top blocks. The Receive and Transmit serial channels perform the HDLC functionality. The Top blocks perform the FCS calculation (Which is either FCS-16 or FCS-32), the frame buffering the interface with the back end system and the synchronization between the clocks. The FCS and Buffering can be changed by replacing the corresponding files.

6.1  Scripts, files and any other information

RX
RxChannel.vhd Top Rx Channel
Rxcont.vhd Rx Controller
Zero_detect.vhd Zero detect and serial to parallel
flag_detect.vhd Flag detection
TX
TxChannel.vhd Top Tx channel
TXcont.vhd Tx Controller
zero_ins.vhd Zero insertion and parallel to serial
flag_ins.vhd Flag insertion
Top
TxBuff.vhdTx buffer
TxFCS.vhd Tx FCS-16
TxSync.vhd Tx synchronization
RxBuff.vhdRx buffer
RxFCS.vhd Rx FCS-16
RxSync.vhd Rx synchronization
WB_IF.vhd WishBone interface
hdlc.vhd Top HDLC controller

6.2  Design conventions and coding styles

7  Reviews and comments

8  References


File translated from TEX by TTH, version 2.67.
On 9 Apr 2001, 23:57.