AM5718: IPU2 General Programming Usage for AM5718 Processor

Hi Rayan,

What is your use case here? Are you running a Linux on A15 core? What application are you planning to run on IPU2?

Regards,
Parth

Hi Parth,

We're running an RTOS application(EtherCAT) on the A15 core and were hoping to offput some overhead by running RTOS on the IPU1/2 as well.

Hi Ryan,

If you are running an RTOS application that your IPU1/2 should be free to use. By default RTOS SBL does not load any application on IPU2.

Regards,
Parth

Great to hear! Is there any option in the SBL to enable IPU2 for the idkAM571x build?

Hi Ryan,

I have not tried specifically for IPU2, but ideally you should be able to convert you binary in SBL loadable format and then SBL will take care of loading it to IPU2.
Please refer to the following documentation:
https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-rtos/esd/AM57X/08_01_00_09/exports/docs/rtos/index_Foundational_Components.html#am57x

Regards,
Parth

Hi Parth,

Can you clarify what you mean by converting the binary to SBL loadable format? We've built our application uisng the Image Gen batch file with IPU2 enabled, but the bootloader does not load software to IPU2 for the AM571x SBL build, only the AM572x and AM574x build load IPU2.

Hi Ryan,

I'll need to check this internally. Looks like for some reason SBL load of IPU2 is disabled. Let me check this and get back.

Regards,
Parth

Hi Ryan,

Apologies for delay in response. I looked into it and I don't see any specific reason as to why SBL is not configured for IPU2 core in AM571x.

I have raised a bug with the development team to get this fixed in the SDK.
Here is the JIRA Link for internal tracking https://jira.itg.ti.com/browse/PDK-13317

Meanwhile, I am trying to enable this on my end as well in parallel. Can you please share the binary that you created for IPU2 core, I'll try that out with my changes.

Regards,
Parth

Hi Parth,

Thanks for getting back to me and opening a ticket! Just for testing to boot process we've been using the MulticoreApp Example provided by the SDK.
C:\ti\processor_sdk_rtos_am57xx_06_03_02_08\pdk_am57xx_1_0_18\packages\ti\boot\sbl\example

Hello Ryan,

Thanks for your patience on this issue. Our expert Parth is currently occupied with other priority tasks. He will take this up once these tasks are completed.

In the meanwhile, can we ask you to modify the SBL mode and  enable the IPU loading part by defining AM571X_BUILD (along with AM572x and AM574x) and give a try?

Thanks.

Hi Praveen,

Do you mean to build the SBL using BOTH of the AM571X_BUILD and AM572X_BUILD flags? I've tried using just AM572X without any success already.

Hi Praveen,

Just checking to see if you saw my last response. Do you mean to build the SBL using BOTH of the AM571X_BUILD and AM572X_BUILD flags? I've tried using just AM572X without any success already.

Hi Ryan,

I would not recommend using AM572x_BUILD flag for AM571x devices, as AM571x has less processors/CPU cores, and relies on the logic based on the separate AM571x_BUILD.

Parth Nagpal said:

I looked into it and I don't see any specific reason as to why SBL is not configured for IPU2 core in AM571x.

As Parth stated earlier, and given that this is not a Linux-based SDK, IPU2 should be free to use. We will not be patching 6.3 SDK at this point, and instead the JIRA will be to enable the feature in a future AM57xx RTOS SDK.

I have looked into the code quickly, and I recommend that you add the AM571x_BUILD compiler flag around the SBL rprc boot code that deals with IPU2 to begin with, specifically around lines 311 and 534.

~ Line 311

~ Line 534

You will also need similar adjustments in <processor_sdk_rtos_am57xx_06_03_02_08>/pdk_am57xx_1_0_18/packages/ti/boot/sbl/soc/am57xx/sbl_slave_core_boot.c around lines 206 (in SBL_SlaveCorePrcmEnable()), 565 (function IPU2_SystemReset()) and around line 132 in sbl_slave_core_boot.h file

Please make the above changes, and see if you are able to proceed further.

regards

Suman

Hi Suman,

I have tried the suggested code changes and the bootloader does not even show any sort of UART printf functions that I would expect immediately on reset. I've spent some time debugging but have not found anything that's worked for me.  One thing of note is that the board\idkAM572x\sbl_main.c has a function SBL_IPU2_CPU1_BringUp(idkAM572xEntry.entryPoint_IPU2_CPU1) on line 152, would this also be required for the idkAM571x build?

Hi Ryan,

Ryan Hodgman said:

would this also be required for the idkAM571x build?

Yes, please copy over the equivalent lines from the board\idkAM572x folder to the board\idkAM571x folder, and adjust to use idkAM571xEntry instead of idkAM572xEntry.

regards

Suman

Hi Suman,

Still seeing the same issue, no output from the Bootloader. Is it possible to share anything from the Jira Ticket?

Hi Ryan,

Are you able to single-step the bootloader code? Can you connect to the IPU2 core using CCS (you should get an error if it continues to be in reset)?

There is nothing to share from the JIRA ticket, the team hasn't gotten to it yet.

regards

Suman

Hi Suman,

I will spend sometime to try this today and get back to you on the results. Is there any updates from the JIRA Ticket or an estimated timeline for a fix?

Thanks,
Ryan

Hi Ryan,

Let me know what you find. 

I have pinged the development team again on this topic, will let you know once I hear back from them.

regards

Suman

Hi Suman,

I did not have much luck getting the bootloader to work via a debugger, have you heard back from the development team yet?

Thanks, Ryan

Hi Ryan,

I have not heard back anything unfortunately, I have sent another reminder.

regards

Suman