11.2 Application Note #2 - Implementing Read-Only Locations

More Generally - Restricting Operation by Modifying User Address Decoder Responses

If it is desired to flag an error in response to an attempt to write a ``Read Only'' location, the IAC must be set to ``Bad Address'' when RD=0 and OA=the read-only address and OMS=the particular data operation(s). MS=2 (or 6 or 7) operations must be excluded from this ``Bad Address'' flag, otherwise a Secondary Address operation with the NTA set to that location will result in an SS=7 flag. This may be achieved using OSA in the address decoder.

Similar action must be taken if it is desired to prevent the use of certain MS codes at certain addresses. It is strongly recommended that OMS(2:0) and ORD (from the PCL) be used by the User Address Decoder for this function, because with a fast Master, due to the pipeline structure of the PCL, the segment MS and RD signals may not be the same as those of the current operation. OMS and ORD are the states being used by the current operation.

There is a situation which needs extra consideration, as follows: OMS and ORD are up-dated at the start of each cycle (rising edge of Strobe 1). It takes time for the new states to propagate through the User Address Decoder to the IAC inputs. The IAC latches are transparent during Strobe 1 and are locked at the end of Strobe 1 to allow for this propagation delay. This can result in glitching of signals due to changes in IAC during Strobe 1.

The User Read Strobe (OUST during a Read of a User Register) is produced during this time, therefore to prevent possible glitching, OUST is not suppressed for bad operations. This is not significant if the location has no readable hardware or is RAM, but if the hardware is a read-and-clear register or a FIFO, OUST must be disabled externally to the PCL to prevent unwanted clearing of the register.

If Logical Addressing is enabled, then the term not AK should be ORed with OSA in the address decoder in order to give a correct SS response to a logical address cycle to dataspace (loading the NTA with the IA field).