Primitive Component: Flash Wrapper

Overview

prim_flash is a wrapper interface for technology specific flash modules.

As the exact details of each technology can be different, this document mainly describes the interface requirements and their functions. The wrapper however does assume that all page sizes are the same (they cannot be different between data and info partitions, or different types of info partitions).

Parameters

NametypeDescription
NumBanksintNumber of flash banks. Flash banks are assumed to be identical, asymmetric flash banks are not supported
InfosPerBankintMaximum number of info pages in the info partition. Since info partitions can have multiple types, this is max among all types.
InfoTypesintThe number of info partition types, this number can be 1~N.
InfoTypesWidthintThe number of bits needed to represent the info types.
PagesPerBankintThe number of pages per bank for data partition.
WordsPerPageintThe number of words per page per bank for both information and data partition.
DataWidthintThe full data width of a flash word (inclusive of metadata)
MetaDataWidthintThe metadata width of a flash word
TestModeWidthintThe number of test modes for a bank of flash

Signal Interfaces

Overall Interface Signals

NameIn/OutDescription
clk_iinputClock input
rst_niinputReset input
flash_req_iinputInputs from flash protocol and physical controllers
flash_rsp_ooutputOutputs to flash protocol and physical controllers
prog_type_avail_ooutputAvailable program types in this flash wrapper: Currently there are only two types, program normal and program repair
init_busy_ooutputThe flash wrapper is undergoing initialization
tck_iinputjtag tck
tdi_iinputjtag tdi
tms_iinputjtag tms
tdo_ooutputjtag tdo
bist_enable_iinputlc_ctrl_pkg :: On for bist_enable input
scanmode_iinputdft scanmode input
scan_en_iinputdft scan shift input
scan_rst_niinputdft scanmode reset
flash_power_ready_h_iinputflash power is ready (high voltage connection)
flash_power_down_h_iinputflash wrapper is powering down (high voltage connection)
flash_test_mode_a_iinputflash test mode values (analog connection)
flash_test_voltage_h_iinputflash test mode voltage (high voltage connection)
flash_err_ooutputflash level error interrupt indication, cleared on write 1 to status register
flash_alert_pooutputflash positive detector alert
flash_alert_nooutputflash negative detector alert
flash_alert_ackinputsingle pulse ack
flash_alert_triginputalert force trig by SW
tl_iinputTL_UL interface for rd/wr registers access
tl_ooutputTL_UL interface for rd/wr registers access

Flash Request/Response Signals

NameIn/OutDescription
rdinputread request
proginputprogram request
prog_lastinputlast program beat
prog_typeinputtype of program requested: currently there are only two types, program normal and program repair
pg_eraseinputpage erase request
bk_eraseoutputbank erase request
erase_suspendinputerase suspend request
addrinputrequested transaction address
partinputrequested transaction partition
info_selinputif requested transaction is information partition, the type of information partition accessed
heinputhigh endurance enable for requested address
prog_datainputprogram data
ackoutputtransaction acknowledge
rd_dataoutputtransaction read data
doneoutputtransaction done

Theory of Operations

Transactions

Transactions into the flash wrapper follow a req / ack / done format. A request is issued by raising one of rd, prog, pg_erase or bk_erase to 1. When the flash wrapper accepts the transaction, ack is returned. When the transaction fully completes, a done is returned as well.

Depending on the type of transaction, there may be a significant gap between ack and done. For example, a read may have only 1 or 2 cycles between transaction acknowledgement and transaction complete. Whereas a program or erase may have a gap extending up to uS or even mS.

It is the flash wrapper decision on how many outstanding transaction to accept. The following are examples for read, program and erase transactions.

Read

{signal: [
  {name: 'clk_i',     wave: 'p.................'},
  {name: 'rd_i',      wave: '011..0.1..0.......'},
  {name: 'addr_i',    wave: 'x22..x.2..x.......'},
  {name: 'ack_o',     wave: '010.10...10.......'},
  {name: 'done_o',    wave: '0....10...10....10'},
  {name: 'rd_data_o', wave: 'x....2x...2x....2x'},
]}

Program

{signal: [
  {name: 'clk_i',       wave: 'p................'},
  {name: 'prog_i',      wave: '011...0.1....0...'},
  {name: 'prog_type_i', wave: 'x22...x.2....x...'},
  {name: 'prog_data_i', wave: 'x22...x.2....x...'},
  {name: 'prog_last_i', wave: '0.......1....0...'},
  {name: 'ack_o',       wave: '010..10.....10...'},
  {name: 'done_o',      wave: '0..............10'},
]}

Erase

{signal: [
  {name: 'clk_i',     wave: 'p................'},
  {name: '*_erase_i', wave: '01.0.........1.0.'},
  {name: 'ack_o',     wave: '0.10..........10.'},
  {name: 'done_o',    wave: '0.....10.........'},
]}

Initialization

The flash wrapper may undergo technology specific initializations when it is first powered up. During this state, it asserts the init_busy to inform the outside world that it is not ready for transactions. During this time, if a transaction is issued towards the flash wrapper, the transaction is not acknowledged until the initialization is complete.

Program Beats

Since flash programs can take a significant amount of time, certain flash wrappers employ methods to optimize the program operation. This optimization may place an upper limit on how many flash words can be handled at a time. The purpose of the prog_last is thus to indicate when a program burst has completed.

Assume the flash wrapper can handle 16 words per program operation. Assume a program burst has only 15 words to program and thus will not fill up the full program resolution. On the 15th word, the prog_last signal asserts and informs the flash wrapper that it should not expect a 16th word and should proceed to complete the program operation.

Program Type

The prog_type input informs the flash wrapper what type of program operation it should perform. A program type not supported by the wrapper, indicated through prog_type_avail shall never be issued to the flash wrapper.

Erase Suspend

Since erase operations can take a significant amount of time, sometimes it is necessary for software or other components to suspend the operation. The suspend operation input request starts with erase_suspend_req assertion. Flash wrapper circuit acks when wrapper starts suspend. When the erase suspend completes, the flash wrapper circuitry also asserts done for the ongoing erase transaction to ensure all hardware gracefully completes.

The following is an example diagram

{signal: [
  {name: 'clk_i',                wave: 'p................'},
  {name: 'pg_erase_i',           wave: '01.0..............'},
  {name: 'ack_o',                wave: '0.10...10........'},
  {name: 'erase_suspend_i',      wave: '0.....1.0........'},
  {name: 'done_o',               wave: '0............10..'},
 ]
  }

Error Interrupt

The flash_err_o is a level interrupt indication, that is asserted whenever an error event occurs in one of the Flash banks. An Error status register is used to hold the error source of both banks, and it is cleared on writing 1 to the relevant bit. Clearing the status register trigs deassertion of the interrupt.