IWR6843ISK-ODS: Bootloader Flow

one quick addition:

I actually found this : https://e2e.ti.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/1023/AWR1xx_5F00_Radar_5F00_Interface_5F00_Control.pdf

and this https://e2e.ti.com/support/sensors/f/1023/t/797974. Seems the bootloader-spi protocol is using the AWR1xxx Radar Interface Control Protocol. But the discussion in that post goes into private after some iterations.

To avoid confusion, we want to boot-up the device without using qspi flash by using spi protocol and download the firmware to ram and run it directly via spi bootloader protocol.However seems the protocol is different from the bootloader-uart protocol and seems does not support download the bundled bin file (Header+R4F application+DSP application+TI Radar Block patch) directly.

Hi Nick,

Please see the Secondary Bootloader example which is available in the Industrial Toolbox at the following location: C:\ti\mmwave_industrial_toolbox_4_2_0\labs\common\src\utils\sbl

Please allow a few days for more discussion.

Cheers,

Akash

Hi Akash,

I wanted to check in on this, any updates?

Thanks,
Nick

Hi Nick,

1) You need to remove SFLASH to enter SPI boot mode.

2) Follow the communication protocol used by the mmWave SDK mmWaveLink rlDeviceFileDownload API to communicate with an external host to receive the images to be loaded as message packets over the SPI. See the SPI SBL for reference (C:\ti\mmwave_industrial_toolbox_4_2_0\labs\common\src\utils\sbl). 

Thanks

Yogesh

Do you have any document regarding the bootloader-spi download protocol.

I don't think it is helpful  to work out the protocol from the following block of code in the mmwave sdk.  (rlDeviceFileDownload function)

      /* LDRA waiver   8 D - DD data flow anomalies found- */

        /* Initialize in-message structure to zero */

        rlDriverMsg_t inMsg = {0};

        /* Initialize out-message structure to zero */

        rlDriverMsg_t outMsg = {0};

        /* Initialize in-payload sub-block structure to zero */

        rlPayloadSb_t inPayloadSb = {0};

        /* Construct command packet */

        rlDriverConstructInMsg(RL_DEV_FILE_DOWNLOAD_MSG, &inMsg, &inPayloadSb);

        /* set the remaining chunk in command message */

        inMsg.remChunks = remChunks;

        /* Fill in-message Payload */

        /* AR_CODE_REVIEW MR:R.11.1  <APPROVED> "conversion required." */

        /*LDRA_INSPECTED 95 S */

        rlDriverFillPayload(RL_DEV_FILE_DOWNLOAD_MSG, RL_SYS_FILE_DWLD_SB, &inPayloadSb,\

                            (rlUInt8_t*)&data->fData[0U], (rlUInt16_t)data->chunkLen);

        /* Send Command to mmWave Radar Device */

        /* LDRA waiver 45 D - can't be NULL */

        /* LDRA waiver 45 D - can't be NULL */

        retVal = rlDriverCmdInvoke(deviceMap, inMsg, &outMsg);

Hi Casey,

You can try and follow this document:

https://e2e.ti.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/1023/AWR1xx_5F00_Radar_5F00_Interface_5F00_Control.pdf

Thanks

Yogesh

It  just re-post what we found in Feb-3 for the link.

For the bootloader-spi download protocol, it seems does not support the bin file used in bootloader-uart download

From the doc:

5.18.1 Sub block 0x4080 – AWR_DEV_FILE_DOWNLOAD_SB
Table 5.124 AWR_DEV_FILE_DOWNLOAD_SB contents
FILE_TYPE:
Value Description
0x0 FILETYPE_BSS_BUILD
0x1 FILETYPE_CALIB_DATA
0x2 FILETYPE_CONFIG_INFO
0x3 FILETYPE_MSS_BUILD

What sequence should those files be downloaded,  and how to extract the bin file into the above files ?

Hi Casey,

That was older format. The new DFP does support BIN file. Please see the updated document:

http://software-dl.ti.com/ra-processors/esd/MMWAVE-DFP/latest/exports/mmWave-Radar-Interface-Control.pdf

Thanks

Yogesh