AM2631: AM2631 storage temperature

Hello Bill,

We don't have storage temperature as a parametric search as it is very rare to have anyone look into that for part selection criteria and we try and keep the options limited to relevant specifications.

I can inquire if there is any possibility to have an AM26x device that is stored down to -65C but there isn't a difference in storage temperature across the device family today.

Best Regards,

Ralph Jacobi

I would greatly appreciate it. I have found that the TMS320F28377D-EP does have a storage temp at -65C, so I know TI offers at least some products that operate in this space. 

https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tms320f28377d-ep.pdf?ts=1739855159557&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.ti.com%252Fproduct%252FTMS320F28377D-EP

But I would very much prefer to have access to the extra features available on the AM263X series.

How may I get in contact with someone at TI to discuss this further? I work with a defense contractor and cannot discuss my application in a public space. I need a TI MCU that can survive -65C and implement certain cybersecurity protections in accordance with NIST SP800-53.

Hello William,

Understood, I suspected as much.

Given you are basically looking for -EP or higher parts, one way to see the TI portfolio for this is with our broader microcontrollers & processors selector tool and then use the Rating category to just select HiRel, Military, and Space products. You can also select which microcontroller classes you would be interested in.

This link should provide you such a search which has 26 results. Unfortunately at that level, the descriptions don't cover cybersecurity but hopefully that helps narrow down the list: https://www.ti.com/microcontrollers-mcus-processors/products.html#1498=HiRel%20Enhanced%20Product%3BMilitary%3BSpace&-3=Arm%20Cortex-R%20MCUs%3BC2000%20real-time%20microcontrollers%3BMSP430%20microcontrollers&sort=-1;asc&

As far as a TI contact goes, I would check with your defense contractor if they work with any TI sales teams and if so go through that path. But really that conversation would only be to help influence future -EP qualified devices. Anything that's available right now will be listed in that search.

Best Regards,

Ralph Jacobi

I really appreciate the help you've provided in chat. I have a question about the TMS570LC4357-EP

That datasheet does not list any cryptographic acceleration capabilities. In fact, none of the -EP MCUs list any cryptographic acceleration. The AM263x Sitara Datasheet does list cryptographic acceleration, which is the primary reason I've been targeting it.

So if I go with an MCU that does not have accelerated crypto, does that mean I need a software library to do software-only encryption?

For instance, what approach would I use to do something like HTTPS on a TMS570LC4357-EP? (https is not the real application, this is just a toy problem for the sake of public forum discussion)

I'm still in the design phase and trying to make sure I select an MCU that CAN meet the needs of the target application. Implementing it is tomorrow's problem.

Hi William,

The lack of crypto makes sense from what I know about that device. AM26x has a dedicated Hardware module to handle that and some older MCUs have just specific crypto peripherals like just an AES module. But for a case like your hypothetical one, yes you'd either have to handle that with software-based encryption using libraries or have some sort of external security IC that handles that for the MCU.

Which path to go would depend on your requirements in terms of needed crypto algorithms, time to process them, how much overhead you can spare on MCU etc.

Best Regards,

Ralph Jacobi

Would mbedtls be a reasonable library for software encryption on TMS570LC4357-EP? Perhaps TI has a better library for software encryption on devices without hardware AES? Also, would LAUNCHXL2-570LC43 be the appropriate launchpad?

About to place some orders, just looking for a sanity check on my high level approach. Thanks again.