QUADSPI internal peripheral

Applicable for

STM32MP13x lines, STM32MP15x lines

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1 Article purpose

The purpose of this article is to

• briefly introduce the QUADSPI peripheral and its main features
• indicate the level of security supported by this hardware block
• explain how each instance can be allocated to the runtime contexts and linked to the corresponding software components
• explain, when needed, how to configure the QUADSPI peripheral.

2 Peripheral overview

The Quad-SPI interface (QUADSPI peripheral) interfaces the processor with serial NOR flash and serial NAND flash memories.
It supports:

• Single, Dual- or Quad-SPI flash memories
• A dual-flash mode, allowing to aggregate two flash memories into a virtual-single one
• Dual data rate and memory-mapped modes.

2.1 Features

Refer to STM32MP13 reference manuals or STM32MP15 reference manuals for the complete feature list and to the software components introduced below to know the implemented features.

2.2 Security support

2.2.1 On STM32MP13x lines 

The QUADSPI is a secure peripheral (under ETZPC control).

2.2.2 On STM32MP15x lines 

The QUADSPI is a non-secure peripheral.

3 Using the peripheral-associated software

3.1 Boot time

QUADSPI instance is a boot device that supports serial boot for flash programming with STM32CubeProgrammer.

3.2 Runtime

3.2.1 Overview

Allocation of the QUADSPI instances can be:

• The Arm^® Cortex^®-A7 secure context, on STM32MP13x lines  only, but this is not supported in OpenSTLinux.

or

• The Arm^® Cortex^®-A7 non-secure core to be controlled in Linux^® by the MTD framework

or

• The Arm^® Cortex^®-M4, on STM32MP15x lines  only, to be controlled in STM32Cube MPU Package by QUADSPI HAL driver

Chapter #Peripherals assignment describes which peripheral instances can be assigned to which context.

3.2.2 Software frameworks

3.2.2.1 On STM32MP13x lines 

Domain	Peripheral	Software components		Comment
		OP-TEE	Linux
Mass storage	QUADSPI		Linux MTD framework

3.2.2.2 On STM32MP15x lines 

Domain	Peripheral	Software components			Comment
		OP-TEE	Linux	STM32Cube
Mass storage	QUADSPI		Linux MTD framework	STM32Cube QUADSPI driver

3.2.3 Peripheral configuration

The firmware, running in the context to which the peripheral is assigned, applies the configuration that can be done alone via the STM32CubeMX tool for all internal peripherals and then manually completed (particularly for external peripherals), according to the information given in the corresponding software framework article.

For Linux kernel configuration, please refer to QUADSPI device tree configuration.

3.2.4 Peripherals assignment

3.2.4.1 On STM32MP13x lines 

Click on the right to expand the legend...

STM32MP13 internal peripherals

Check boxes illustrate the possible peripheral allocations supported by STM32 MPU Embedded Software:

• ☐ means that the peripheral can be assigned (☑) to the given runtime context.
• ⬚ means that the peripheral can be assigned to the given runtime context, but this configuration is not supported in STM32 MPU Embedded Software distribution.
• ✓ is used for system peripherals that cannot be unchecked because they are statically connected in the device.

Refer to How to assign an internal peripheral to a runtime context for more information on how to assign peripherals manually or via STM32CubeMX.
The present chapter describes STMicroelectronics recommendations or choice of implementation. Additional possiblities might be described in STM32MP13 reference manuals.

Domain	Peripheral	Runtime allocation			Comment
		Instance	Cortex-A7 secure (OP-TEE)	Cortex-A7 non-secure (Linux)
Mass storage	QUADSPI	QUADSPI	⬚	☐	Assignment (single choice)

3.2.4.2 On STM32MP15x lines 

Click on the right to expand the legend...

STM32MP15 internal peripherals

Check boxes illustrate the possible peripheral allocations supported by STM32 MPU Embedded Software:

• ☐ means that the peripheral can be assigned (☑) to the given runtime context.
• ⬚ means that the peripheral can be assigned to the given runtime context, but this configuration is not supported in STM32 MPU Embedded Software distribution.
• ✓ is used for system peripherals that cannot be unchecked because they are statically connected in the device.

Refer to How to assign an internal peripheral to a runtime context for more information on how to assign peripherals manually or via STM32CubeMX.
The present chapter describes STMicroelectronics recommendations or choice of implementation. Additional possiblities might be described in STM32MP15 reference manuals.

Domain	Peripheral	Runtime allocation				Comment
		Instance	Cortex-A7 secure (OP-TEE)	Cortex-A7 non-secure (Linux)	Cortex-M4 (STM32Cube)
Mass storage	QUADSPI	QUADSPI		☐	☐	Assignment (single choice)