Description
An interface is a grouping of signals that share a common function, containing both individual signals and multiple buses. An AXI4-Lite master, for example, contains a large number of individual signals plus multiple buses, which are all required to make a connection. By grouping these signals and buses into an interface, the Vivado IP integrator can identify common interfaces and automatically make multiple connections in a single step.
An interface is defined using the IP-XACT standard. Standard interfaces provided by Xilinx can be found in the Vivado tools installation directory at data/ip/interfaces. See the Vivado Design Suite User Guide: Designing IP Subsystems Using IP Integrator (UG994) [Ref 27] for more information on interface nets, pins, and ports.
A block design interface net, or a bd_intf_net object, connects the interface pins on a block design cell to other interface pins, or to external interface ports. The bd_intf_net object connects through multiple levels of the design hierarchy, connecting block design cells. Every interface net has a name which identifies it in the design. All block design cells, interface pins, and interface ports connected to these nets are electrically connected.
Related Objects
As seen in Figure 2-4, page 24, the block design interface net, bd_intf_net object, occurs in a block design, or diagram. It is connected to interface ports (bd_intf_port), and through interface pins (bd_intf_pin) to block design cells (bd_cell) in the diagram. You can query the bd_intf_nets of the diagram, bd_cell, bd_intf_pin, and bd_intf_port objects.
get_bd_intf_nets -of_objects [get_bd_ports]
In addition, you can query the block design cells (bd_cell) or the bd_intf_pins or bd_intf_port objects that are connected to a specific bd_intf_net:
get_bd_cells -of_objects [get_bd_intf_nets /INTERRUPT_1_1]
Properties
The properties on the bd_intf_net object include the following:
Property Type Read-only Visible Value
CLASS string true true bd_intf_net
NAME string false true microblaze_0_axi_periph_to_s00_couplers
PATH string true true /microblaze_0_axi_periph/microblaze_0_axi_periph_to_s00_couplers
To report the properties for the bd_intf_net object, you can copy and paste the following command into the Vivado Design Suite Tcl shell or Tcl Console:
report_property -all [lindex [get_bd_intf_nets] 0]