Aurora 8B/10B cores can be used in a wide variety of applications because of their low resource cost, scalable throughput, and flexible data interface. Examples of core applications include:
•Chip-to-chip links: Replacing parallel connections between chips with high-speed serial connections can significantly reduce the number of traces and layers required on a PCB. The core provides the logic needed to use GTP, GTX, and GTH transceivers, with minimal FPGA resource cost.
•Board-to-board and backplane links: The core uses standard 8B/10B encoding, making it compatible with many existing hardware standards for cables and backplanes. Aurora 8B/10B cores can be scaled, both in line rate and channel width, to allow inexpensive legacy hardware to be used in new, high-performance systems.
•Simplex connections (unidirectional): The Aurora protocol provides alternate ways to perform unidirectional channel initialization making possible the use of the GTP, GTX, and GTH transceivers in the absence of a back channel and to reduce costs due to unused full-duplex resources.