Interfacing external flash or SDRAM for data storage

Nathan Loika

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: HALCOGEN, TMS570LS3137, RM48L952, TMS570LS1227

Hey all,

I am a student using the RM4x series for a project. I need to store data that is passed to the controller via CAN until it can be downloaded via a computer. I am looking at storing upwards of 1GB of data total the the course of two hours or so. I know that the RM48 has an EMIF module in HalCoGen but I do not need the memory to store variable values or anything like that, it is just being used as temporary data storage. I am also not concerned with volatility of the memory, the application will be always on. Is there an expected method of interfacing this size external memory or should I just be using GIO and N2HET outputs to do it via a custom driver?

Any pointers would be appreciated!

Nat

over 10 years ago

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 10 years ago

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Nathan,

One option for your application is to use an SD Card.
Our HDK have a built in SD Card slot that is connected to SPI2.

I have an example of SD Card driver and File System that runs on TMS570LS3137 HDK.
It is attached to this post.

If you are using your own board, I've also attached the Schematics for the HDK so you can easily see the connection between the SD Card slot and the Micro.

This example used Halcogen to configure SPI2, and a CCS project (targeting TMS570LS3137) is also provided.

8468.HDK SD Card.zip

6283.TMS570LS31x_HDK_Schematics_RevE.pdf

NOTE: This project also support SPI1 instead of SPI2 in order to be used on a custom board I'm using.
When the code is generated with Halcogen, SPI.C is created. Based on the default configuration, SPI2 is used and initialized via the spiInit().

In this project, it is necessary (if the code is re-generated) to rename SPI.C as SPI2.C.
The provided CCS project is saved to use SPI2.C

In a similar way, in HDK SD Card\Library\fatfs\port you will find 2 files (mmc-hdk-hercules1.c and mmc-hdk-hercules2.c)
mmc-hdk-hercules1.c has to be used if SPI1.c is used, mmc-hdk-hercules2.c has to be used if SPI2.c is used.

Please have a look and let me know if this is working for you.

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 10 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Nathan,

I forgot to mention that you need a serial terminal connected to the SCI2 to enter commands to access the SD Card.
The parameters are 115200BPS 1 Start 8 Bits 1 Stop no parity.

0 Nathan Loika over 10 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Intellectual 370 points

Awesome, thanks for the info!

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 10 years ago in reply to Nathan Loika

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Nathan,

I've ported the SD card example to RM48 HDK.

Here is the CCS and Halcogen project.

4353.RM48_HDK_SD_Card.zip

0 Tammy Noergaard over 10 years ago in reply to Nathan Loika

Genius 3665 points

Hi Nathan. I have a simple file I/O library (to access files) for the sdcard over SPI2 with Jean-Marc's support as well, I have some code that has been ported to TI's Hercules RM48L952 if you want to see what you can use for your platform if it helps. Let me know and I can post for you if that also helps.

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean-Marc,

Currently I have try the source code you just shared.

I was try to import the source code to CCS. I am using CCS 6.1.0.00104.

But it was failed to open using CCS 6.1.0.00104. Do you have any suggestion for me?

Thank you.

Best Regards,

Lukman

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Lukman,

Could you be more specific on the problem. A screenshot will be the best.

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Sir,

I have try to import project that you give, bt it show that Error retrieving content description for resource.
Please take a look the screenshot on attached file.
Please guide me to make it.

Thank you very much,

Best Regards,

Lukman

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Lukman,

I've rebuild the project to be sure that all source file used by this project are available.

Here is the 4810.HDK_SD_Card.zip file that you will have to unzip on your machine.
All path are relative to the project so once you import the project in CCS, everything should be ok.

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean,

By the way, the sd_card.h is missing, could you send me again the sd_card.h again?

Thank You
Best Regards,

Lukman

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean,

Here I upload my current rebuild project using TMS570LS1227 HDK.
Please kindly help to take a look.

Thank You
Best Regards,

Lukman

2742.SD_CARD_1227ZWT.rar

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean,

Here are the screenshot of my current "warning report" project when I rebuild project using TMS570LS1227 HDK.
Please kindly help to take a look.

Thank You
Best Regards,

Lukman

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Lukman,

The project doesn't use sd_card.h

Where do you see the need of this header file?

0 Tammy Noergaard over 9 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Genius 3665 points

Hi Jean-Marc (and Lukman), I was included on this chain. We had the sdcard test project working with the Hercules RM48L952ZWT. How can I help? Feel free to send me a message.

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Sir,

Please have take a look those picture above.
on the source code, it use SD_test(), and SD_test() function is write on the sd_card.c.
Currently I use CCS Version: 6.1.0.00104. I also include my source code on attached files, please help to take a look i f I made some mistake.
Thank you very much.

Best Regards,

Lukman3731.SD_CARD_1227ZWT.rar

0 Jean-Marc Mifsud over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

TI__Mastermind 22375 points

Lukman,

I've fixed the warning you mentioned.

Here is the updated 5861.SD_CARD_1227ZWT.zip.

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Jean-Marc Mifsud

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean Sir,

Thank you very much for your help. Right now it just leave 1 warning, but I think it's okay. May I know what actually you did before?
I saw you comment some source code on picture above. But when actually I did by myself to comment some source code the same as you did, it doesn't work & still have many warning as before.
And, if right now I run the new source code which just you fix what are the differences with what I generate by myself before?
Would you please teach me Sir?

Thank You Very Much

Best Regards,

Lukman Arif Kurniawan

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean Sir,

Right Now I have run the source code, it looks like work. But I have another question, I have build some project which receive data by CAN Bus and I want to save this data automatically on SD Card, my question is could it be done by the source code which just you share? if it can, where should I put my variable so it can save the data automatically on SD Card? Because as I run the source code on picture above, it show that error code FR not Ready. I appreciate your help.

Thank you very much

Best Regards,

Lukman

0 Lukman Kurniawan over 9 years ago in reply to Lukman Kurniawan

Intellectual 430 points

Dear Jean Sir,

Recently I have try to read SD Card, using the source code just you build.
This time I use TMS570LS1227 HDK to rebuild the project. I have try to check one by one, but seems that I cannot find the error.
But when I run the program it always show "FR not ready" so it means cannot initialize the SD card. I use 4GB micro sd, is this too big?
Would you please help me check my project? I am wondering what is the problem. I attached the screen shot of my error project & my project including the Halcogen setting. I appreciate your time for help me.

8738.SD_CARD_1227ZWT.rar

Thank you very much.

Best Regards,

Lukman

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Interfacing external flash or SDRAM for data storage