Intel XeonTM Processor MP
46
Datasheet
Overshoot/undershoot magnitude levels must observe the absolute maximum specifications listed
in
Table 23 through
Table 26. These specifications must not be violated at any time regardless of
bus activity or system state. Within these specifications are threshold levels that define different
allowed pulse duration. Provided that the magnitude of the overshoot/undershoot is within the
absolute maximum specifications (2.3V for overshoot and -0.65V for undershoot), the pulse
magnitude, duration and activity factor must all be used to determine if the overshoot/undershoot
pulse is within specifications.
3.2.4
Overshoot/Undershoot Pulse Duration
Pulse duration describes the total time an overshoot/undershoot event exceeds the overshoot/
undershoot reference voltage (V
CC). The total time could encompass several oscillations above the
reference voltage. Multiple overshoot/undershoot pulses within a single overshoot/undershoot
event may need to be measured to determine the total pulse duration.
Note 1: Oscillations below the reference voltage can not be subtracted from the total overshoot/
undershoot pulse duration.
3.2.5
Activity Factor
Activity Factor (AF) describes the frequency of overshoot (or undershoot) occurrence relative to a
clock. Since the highest frequency of assertion of any common clock signal is every other clock, an
AF = 1 indicates that the specific overshoot (or undershoot) waveform occurs every other clock
cycle. Thus, an AF = 0.01 indicates that the specific overshoot (or undershoot) waveform occurs
one time in every 200 clock cycles.
For source synchronous signals (address, data, and associated strobes), the activity factor is in
reference to the strobe edge. The highest frequency of assertion of any source synchronous signal is
every active edge of its associated strobe. So, an AF = 1 indictees that the specific overshoot (or
undershoot) waveform occurs every strobe cycle.
The specifications provided in
Table 23 through
Table 26 show the maximum pulse duration
allowed for a given overshoot/undershoot magnitude at a specific activity factor. Each table entry is
independent of all others, meaning that the pulse duration reflects the existence of overshoot/
undershoot events of that magnitude ONLY. A platform with an overshoot/undershoot that just
meets the pulse duration for a specific magnitude where the AF < 1, means that there can be no
other overshoot/undershoot events, even of lesser magnitude (note that if AF = 1, then the event
occurs at all times and no other events can occur).
Note 1: Activity factor for common clock AGTL+ signals is referenced to BCLK[1:0] frequency.
Note 2: Activity factor for source synchronous (2X) signals is referenced to ADSTB[1:0]#.
Note 3: Activity factor for source synchronous (4X) signals is referenced to DSTBP[3:0]# and
DSTBN[3:0]#.
3.2.6
Reading Overshoot/Undershoot Specification Tables
The overshoot/undershoot specification for the processor is not a simple single value. Instead,
many factors are needed to determine what the over/undershoot specification is. In addition to the
magnitude of the overshoot, the following parameters must also be known: the width of the
overshoot and the activity factor (AF). To determine the allowed overshoot for a particular
overshoot event, the following must be done: