TMS570LC4357: The on-chip flash bank7 uses FEE drive

Cherry Zhou said:

1) What is the difference between using the fee module to erase bank7 space and directly using f021 API to erase bank7 space?

The TI FEE Driver uses the Flash API library for performing program/erase operations.

Cherry Zhou said:

Or what is the benefit of using fee drive?

Many applications require storing small quantities of system related data (e.g., calibration values, device configuration) in a non-volatile memory, so that it can be used, modified or reused even after power cycling the system. EEPROMs are primarily used for this purpose. EEPROMs have the ability to erase and write individual bytes of memory many times over and the programmed locations retain the data over a long period even when the system is powered down.

The objective of TI FEE Driver is to provide a set of software functions intended to use a Sector of on-chip Flash memory as the emulated EEPROM. These software functions are transparently used by the application program for writing, reading and modifying the data.

Cherry Zhou said:

2) What is the relationship between block, sector, virtual sector in the fee module?

Block: a group of data, for example 8 bytes, or 10 bytes

Sector: a contiguous region of flash memory that must be erased simultaneously. TMS570LC4357 data flash (bank 7) consists of 16 sectors.

Virtual sector: The Virtual Sector is the basic organizational unit used to partition the EEPROM Emulation Flash Bank. A virtual sector can contain one or more contiguous flash sectors within one flash bank for example Bank 7. A minimum of 2 Virtual Sectors are required to support the TI FEE Driver.

Cherry Zhou said:

Can it be understood that a virtual sector may consist of one or more sector, with multiple blocks placed in consecutive order in the same virtual sector?

Your understanding is correct.