
Intel Xeon Processor with 512 KB L2 Cache
Datasheet
51
3.3.4
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 indicates that the specific overshoot (or
undershoot) waveform occurs every strobe cycle.
The specifications provided in
Table 24 through
Table 27 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.
2. Activity factor for source synchronous (2x) signals is referenced to ADSTB[1:0]#.
3. Activity factor for source synchronous (4x) signals is referenced to DSTBP[3:0]#and DSTBN[3:0]#.
3.3.5
Reading Overshoot/Undershoot Specification Tables
The processor overshoot/undershoot specification is not a simple single value. Instead, many
factors are needed to determine what the overshoot/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:
1. Determine the signal group that particular signal falls into. For AGTL+ signals operating in
the 4X source synchronous domain,
Table 24 should be used. For AGTL+ signals operating in
the 2X source synchronous domain,
Table 25 should be used. If the signal is an AGTL+ signal
operating in the common clock domain,
Table 26 should be used. Finally, for all other signals
residing in the 33 MHz domain (asynchronous GTL+, TAP, etc.),
Table 27 should be used.
2. Determine the magnitude of the overshoot or the undershoot (relative to VSS).
3. Determine the activity factor (how often does this overshoot occurs).
4. Next, from the appropriate specification table, determine the maximum pulse duration (in
nanoseconds) allowed.
5. Compare the specified maximum pulse duration to the signal being measured. If the pulse
duration measured is less than the pulse duration shown in the table, then the signal meets the
specifications.
Undershoot events must be analyzed separately from overshoot events as they are mutually
exclusive.