Intel® IXP42X Product Line of Network Processors and IXC1100 Control Plane Processor
September 2006 DM
Order Number: 252480-006US 455
High-Speed Serial Interfaces—Intel® IXP42X product line and IXC1100 control plane
processors
There is one register titled the HSS Clock Divider Register that provides a means to
generate a unique data clock for each of the two IXP42X product line and IXC1100
control plane processors’ HSS interfaces. This may help reduce BOM cost by eliminating
the need for a clock oscillator in cases where the system can tolerate an imperfect data
clock with a certain amount of jitter. The IxHssAcc API will configure the HSS clock
divider register with the appropriate values depending on which clock frequencies is
selected, being 512 KHz, 1.536 MHz, 1.544 MHz, 2.048 MHz, 4.096 MHz, and 8.192
MHz. This is discussed further in the next section:
17.5.1 HSS Clock and Jitter
Each of the two High-Speed Serial (HSS) interfaces — on the IXP425, IXP423 and
IXP421 network processors — can be configured to generate an output clock on the
HSS_TXCLK and HSS_RXCLK pins. This output clock, however, is not as accurate and
stable as using an external oscillator. That is because the HSS clock is based on the
internal, 133.32-MHz AHB bus. This frequency does not divide down easily.
Subsequently, jitter and error are introduced into the resultant HSS output clock.
If developers are clocking a framer, DAA, or other device with a sensitive input PLL,
they should use an external clock.
To provide developers with additional data, this chapter contains five tables:
1. Table155, “HSS Tx/Rx Clock Output” on page 455
2. Table156, “HSS Tx/Rx Clock Output Frequencies and PPM Error” on page 456
3. Table157, “HSS Tx/Rx Clock Output Frequencies And Their Associated Jitter
Characterization” on page 456
4. Table158, “HSS Frame Output Characterization” on page 456
5. Table159, “Jitter Definitions” on page 457
The jitter and error calculations, in the following tables, are valid only for IXP400
software Release 1.4 and later.
17.5.2 Overview of HSS Clock Configuration
The HSS clock is generated by the WAN/Voice network processor engine (NPE). This
clock can be configured by using the HSS API in IXP400 software releases 1.4 and later.
The clock speed can be set by using the HSS API.
It is important to be aware of the jitter and frequency error on the output clock of the
HSS. The six clock values in Tabl e 155 have been pre-defined by IXP400 software
release 1.4 to minimize jitter and PPM error. The values shown in the following table are
those currently supported in software.
Table 155. HSS Tx/Rx Clock Output
HSS Clock Output Frequency Protocol Frame Size
(Bits) Notes
512 KHz GCI 32 1
1.536 MHz GCI 96 1
1.544 MHz 1 T1 193
2.048 MHz 1 T1/E1 256 2