ASIC Design Services

The SPI-4 Phase 2 (System Packet Interface Level 4 Phase 2) is a high-speed interconnection for 10 Gb/s aggregate bandwidth applications. It provides for packet and cell transfer in applications such as OC-192 ATM, Packet over Sonet/SDH, as well as 10 Gb/s Ethernet.

SLE's SPI-4 receiver and transmitter blocks provide a complete solution for the customers' applications; from physical layer bit de-skew through the link-layer protocol management. This includes all OIF required features for the full solution and some additional features for easier implementation and integration.

These full-featured designs provide the functionality and flexibility required to speed time-to-market.

SPI-4 Phase 2 Top Level Block Diagram:

SPI-4.2 diagram

Highlighted Features:
  • Conforms to Optical Internetworking Forum specification OIF-SPI4-02.0 System Packet Interface Level 4 Phase 2 standard
  • Implementation is technology independent, currently available in 9 different technologies, portable to other technologies
  • Fully testable synchronous design meets 1000 Mb/s per line
  • Supports dynamic bit de-skew over full frequency range as well as static mode of operation
  • Incorporates a fully digital design which is implemented in standard cell ASIC libraries using no custom cells, no analog components, no PLLs, and no DLLs
  • Incorporates a proprietary real-time tuning feature which reduces the need for periodic training, increases usable bandwidth, and improves data integrity
  • Features a high-speed digital SERDES for technology portability and faster time-to-market
  • Manages up to 256 ports and supports calendar lengths up to 1024, allowing for uneven bandwidth allocation across channels
  • Performs credit management and arbitration to ease core logic design and accelerate time-to-market
  • Incorporates an asynchronous interface between the core logic design and the SPI-4 channel clock to ease core logic and accelerate time-to-market
  • Allows for per-port configurable maxburst values creating maximum flexibility in bandwidth allocation
  • Includes encrypted Verilog for the packet generator which, when added to a Verilog test bench, generates valid SPI-4 data packets to be transmitted over the channel
  • Includes encrypted Verilog for the protocol checker which verifies the data being sent across the channel meets the OIF protocol standard
  • Simple flow through user architecture allows for design and implementation flexibility and highly configurable operation
  • Optimized for high-speed ASICs

More Information:

Because interoperability is a fundamental requirement of today's high-speed interfaces, the SLE-developed SPI-4 Phase 2 core has been proven interoperable with the similar offerings from leading ASSP developers.

Using SLE's SPI-4.2 IP product offerings, designers can significantly reduce implementation costs and accelerate their time-to-market compared to in-house or full-custom design alternatives. See what our customers have said about working with SLE's IP and design team:SLE Customer Survey

SLE's SPI-4 Phase 2 is currently available in 13 different technologies and portable to many other technologies. They include:

Technology Soft Macro Hard Macro Silicon Proven
Agilent, 130nm X   X
IBM SA-27e, 180nm X   X
IBM (Virtual Silicon), 130nm X   X
IBM CU-11, 130nm X X X
IBM CU-08, 90nm X X X
IBM CU-65 X X In Lab
ST Microelectronics, 130nm X X X
ST Microelectronics, 90nm X X X 
TI SR-40, 130nm X X X 
TSMC (Artisan), 130nm X X X 
TSMC 130nm LVOD X   X
TSMC 130nm G X   X
TSMC 65LP X   X

 

SLE SPI-4.2 Customers:

Some of SLE’s SPI-4.2 customers include leading networking and computing companies. References are available upon request.

Additional SPI-4.2 Resources:
Brief datasheet about SLE's SPI-4 Phase 2 PDF

PDF of "All SPI-4's are not created equal" EDN Article
Technical article details what architectural and design requirements are needed for an OIF compliant SPI-4 Phase 2 core to address the speed and interoperability requirements of today’s systems.
02/20/03

PDF of "Hitting the 10-Gbit Mark with SPI-4.2" CommsDesign.com Article
Proper configuration and Usage of the SPI-4.2
09/10/02

SLE's FREE SPI-4 Phase 2 Model Simulation Model Simulation
Need to "Test Drive" SLE's SPI-4.2? A FREE SPI-4.2 model simulation is available. Contact us for more information.

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Silicon Logic Engineering
7 South Dewey St.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-830-1200

related information

For the SLE SPI-4.2 Datasheet, click here.

SLE specializes in high-end ASIC, FPGA, and system design.

SLE offers design services, consulting services, and high-end IP cores such as Interlaken and SPI-4.2.