TMDS64GPEVM: Ethercat pru source/binary

Hi, Nick,

i have the following questions before i proceed further: 

* Do i need to compile the pru firmware from the source files in sdk ?

* Can i use pre-compiled pru firmware binaries given in sdk in production  using build-system in buildroot or yocto ? 

* How can i test the industrial protocols after uploading the pru firmware ?

* Is there any sample application available in linux sdk that i can use for testing the pru firmware ?   

Regards 

Paras

Hello Paras,

To clarify, the MCU+ SDK is for RTOS / Bare metal cores (i.e., R5). So the R5 cores would be the masters that initialize the PRU firmware. The protocol software stack would run on the RTOS R5 core rather than the Linux A53 core. Right now EtherCAT is only supported on RTOS R5 cores rather than the Linux A53s.

If you have additional questions after reviewing resources like https://software-dl.ti.com/mcu-plus-sdk/esd/AM64X/08_00_00_21/exports/docs/api_guide_am64x/ETHERCAT_SLAVE.html , let us know and we will connect you with the appropriate people.

Regards,

Nick

Hi, Nick

i installed the both MCU / Linux/RT SDK on my machine. In MCU based  SDK source code of pru is given but in Linux based SDK the pru source code for industrial protocols is pre-compiled and it is a part of reference image . But i cannot find any instructions how to load the pru firmware in reference image (part of linux sdk) . 

Moreover , after loading the pru firmware i need to test industrial protocols like profinet , ethercat , ethernet/ip . I could not find any sample application that we could use to test the pru firmware for industrial protocols . 

From the ti docs of Ethercat slave for am64x i can see that we need some third party stack to communicate with the pru . 

Can you suggest any third party stack along with the sample application that we can use to test Ethercat slave mode pru in am64x eval board. 

Hello Paras,

For your AM64x Linux SDK: Which SDK version are you using? Please point me to the location of the pre-compiled industrial protocols.

I have reassigned your thread to the EtherCAT subject owner to comment on testing the protocols that are supported on the MCU+ SDK 8.0.

Regards,

Nick

i am using latest 8th version of SDK.

You can find pre-compiled binaries for PRU in the following location :

ti-processor-sdk-linux-rt-am64xx-evm-08.00.00.21/linux-devkit/sysroots/aarch64-linux/lib/firmware/ti-pruss/

For this project we need to use Linux-Rt kernel so  MCU SDK is not useful to us.  

Hello Paras,

You are looking at the generic PRU Ethernet firmware (e.g., these are the firmwares to run Generic Ethernet on ICSSG slice 0 on AM64x / AM65x SR2: 2am65x-sr2-pru0-prueth-fw.elf, am65x-sr2-rtu0-prueth-fw.elf, am65x-sr2-txpru0-prueth-fw.elf). We added Generic PRU Ethernet support in AM64x Processor Linux SDK 8.0. Please reference my previous responses for which SDKs support which industrial protocols.

I am sending this back to the EtherCAT owner. Let them know if you still need guidance on testing protocols using MCU+ SDK 8.0.

Regards,

Nick

Hello Nick, 

Does this mean that Linux or Linux Rt SDK does not support industrial protocols like Ethercat, Profinet and Ethernet/IP via PRU interface and industrial protocols are only supported by R5 cores which initialize and control PRUs via MCU SDK version 8?

if yes then Is it possible to have some kind of stack running on Linux for Ethercat, Proifinet and Ethernet/IP which talks to R5 core which in turn talks to PRUs for real-time communication?

Any update?

Hello Paras,

TI provides a full stack for those protocols. As of AM64x MCU + SDK 8.0 / 8.1, we only provide stacks for industrial protocols on the R5s running RTOS. The R5 not only initializes and controls the PRUs, it also runs the stacks.

You could implement inter-processor communication (IPC) to pass data back and forth between Linux A53 and RTOS R5 for the R5 to send over the network stack. However, if your design has tight real-time requirements note that it will be easier to meet those if your real-time processing loop only includes RTOS cores instead of relying on IPC with a non-real time core.

Regards,

Nick

Hi Nick, 

How can we communicate with the R5 core? 

is there a driver (sys interface) that exist on Linux through which we can communicate with the R5 core?

Our end product has a hard real-time requirement. 

Hello Paras,

You can find documentation about using the Linux RPMsg driver to communicate with R5 cores here:
https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/docs/08_00_00_21/linux/Foundational_Components_IPC64x.html

Note that this driver is NOT suitable for real-time applications, or applications that require a high throughput of data. You may wish to implement your own version of an IPC driver that directly exposes shared memory and interrupts up to your userspace application.

What is your hard real-time requirement?

Regards,

Nick

Hi Nick , 

How can we test and verify the R5 stack for Ethercat or Ethernet/IP after compiling and flashing the following source codes for ethercat and ethernet/ip

* ethercat_slave_demo/simple/

* industrial_protocols/ethernetip_adapter_demo/

Hi
Please follow the links from these pages for more information on how to test:

• https://software-dl.ti.com/mcu-plus-sdk/esd/AM64X/08_01_00_14/exports/docs/api_guide_am64x/EXAMPLES_INDUSTRIAL_COMMS_ETHERCAT_SLAVE_DEMOS.html
• https://software-dl.ti.com/mcu-plus-sdk/esd/AM64X/08_01_00_14/exports/docs/api_guide_am64x/EXAMPLES_INDUSTRIAL_COMMS_ETHERNETIP_ADAPTER_DEMOS.html

Regards
Dhaval Khandla