Intel® Quartus® Prime Standard Edition User Guide: Debug Tools

ID 683552
Date 9/24/2018
Public
Document Table of Contents

5.9.5. Using the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer in Devices with Configuration Bitstream Security

Certain device families support bitstream decryption during configuration using an on-device AES decryption engine. You can still use the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer to analyze functional data within the FPGA. However, note that JTAG configuration is not possible after the security key has been programmed into the device.

Intel FPGA recommends that you use an unencrypted bitstream during the prototype and debugging phases of the design. Using an unencrypted bitstream allows you to generate new programming files and reconfigure the device over the JTAG connection during the debugging cycle.

If you must use the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer with an encrypted bitstream, first configure the device with an encrypted configuration file using Passive Serial (PS), Fast Passive Parallel (FPP), or Active Serial (AS) configuration modes. The design must contain at least one instance of the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer. After the FPGA is configured with a Signal Tap Logic Analyzer instance in the design, when you open the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer in the Intel® Quartus® Prime software, you then scan the chain and are ready to acquire data with the JTAG connection.