SILICON LABS SiWG917 TA Flash Memory Map

Introduction

• For SiWG917 IC (SiWG917M111MGTBA), Flash is shared between the Wireless processor (TA) and Cortex M4 processor(M4). So far, the Wireless image has been 1.6MB. All eval boards and IC shipments done before Oct 2023 are based on this configuration.
• The Master boot Record (MBR) and SW releases are based on this 1.6MB Wireless image. New Wireless enhancements/features adoption may increase the size of the Wireless image to 1.8MB. Users are recommended to change their existing devices to support
• Wireless Image with 1.8MB and make them future-proof. For this change to affect, an MBR upgrade is needed.
• This document is a user guide that helps in identifying the MBR version of the device and guides the user to update the MBR (if required) using the Commander CLI tool. The tool performs best with systems running on Windows, Linux, and MacOS.
  Users must adapt the change based on the results from the MBR version check. If ‘MBR version check’ returns 1F, then no change to MBR is needed. In this case, users can directly make project-related changes per section Configuring the M4. In case the MBR value is 1B, the user needs to use Simplicity Commander CLI and update the MBR per the following section starting from Simplicity Commander CLI.
• Note: After the MBR is updated, it is mandatory to follow Configuring the M4 Application section and flash the application.
• If the above step is skipped, the device will be corrupted and may be difficult to recover in certain scenarios.

Prerequisites

Hardware

• BRD4338A with BRD4002A.
• USB Type C cable to connect to the PC.

Software

• Simplicity Commander CLI (1v16p1 and above versions)
• Note: To check commander version open the cli mode (To open the commander cli mode follow Section 3.1 from step 1 to step 3) and give the following.
• command: commander –version

MBR Version check

Using Simplicity Commander CLI

• This section will guide the user to read the address location “0x4000194”.
• Depending on the output the user will know what MBR version is loaded in the board/IC.

Steps to follow:

1. Connect the device to the PC using a USB cable (type C).
2. Traverse to the path where Simplicity Studio is installed
   • For our case, the path (default path) is: C:\SiliconLabs\SimplicityStudio\v5\developer\adapter_packs\commander
3. Type “cmd” in highlighted part section in the above picture and hit enter. It will open the command prompt CLI in that path.
4. Enter the following command in the command prompt CLI to read the MBR from the memory location address “0x4000194”. Command: commander readme –range 0x4000194:+0x4
5. The user would get output similar to below after executing the above command.
6. If the output contains “1B”(as marked in a red box in the image above) then the device has 1.6 MB MBR flashed in it Go to the section “Programming the MBR”
   • If the output contains “1F” (same place where the red box is in the image above) then the device has 1.8 MB MBR flashed in it.
   • Users can use the GA release to proceed or Go to the section “Configuring the M4 Application” if using a release earlier than the GA release to find out linker changes.
   • Note: If the output (after executing the command: commander readme –range 0x4000194:+0x4 ) is like the below figure: Having all “CC”s(marked inside red box) , then the board is corrupted. Please go to Section 6 to reflash 1.8v MBR in it.

Programming the MBR

The following steps are for Programming the MBR in the Common Flash Device(s).

Backup the original TA, M4, and efuse contents

• This step is recommended before doing any update.
• TAMBR: commander manufacturing read tambr –out <filename.bin>
• Example: commander manufacturing read tambr –out tambr.bin
• M4 MBR: commander manufacturing read m4mbrcf –out <filename.bin>
• Example: commander manufacturing read m4mbrcf –out m4mbr.bin
• eFusecopy: commander manufacturing read efusecopy –out <filename.bin>
• Example: commander manufacturing read efusecopy –out efusecopy.bin

MBR File(s)

The file that shall be used to update the MBR to support the 1.8MB Wireless Image.

Board Number	MBR File Link
BRD4338A	ta_mbr_SiWG917M1xxMGTBA.bin

• Note: PSRAM support is disabled in the above-mentioned MBR file, if PSRAM support is needed, please contact Silicon Labs support.
• Download this file and copy it to the commander folder. E.g. In this case default path C:\SiliconLabs\SimplicityStudio\v5\developer\adapter_packs\commander

Flashing Procedure

Following is the sequence to program the device(s).

1. Write TA MBR
2. Write M4 MBR
3. Write the calibration data to the M4 Flash

Write TA MBR

• Use the below command to update the TA MBR.
• Command: commander manufacturing provision –mbr <filename.bin> -d <full opn>
• Example: commander manufacturing provision –mbr ta_mbr_SiWG917M1xxMGTBA.bin -d SiWG917M111MGTBA
• Note: User might see failure multiple times while updating the TA MBR(refer to below image). “Reset” the board and try again.

Write M4 MBR

• TA and M4 regions have the same data in both their MBR regions. Pick the relevant binary files from section “5.2 MBR File(s)” and use the below command to update the M4 MBR
• Note: User needs to use the same MBR for both TA and M4 thus in this case use ta_mbr_SiWG917M1xxMGTBA.bin
• Command: commander manufacturing write m4mbrcf –data <filename.bin> -d <full opn>
• Example: commander manufacturing write m4mbrcf –data ta_mbr_SiWG917M1xxMGTBA.bin -d SiWG917M111MGTBA

Write the calibration data to the M4 Flash

1. Step 1: Copy the calibration data from TA to a bin file.
2. Step 2: Write the copied data to M4 Flash (the same bin file will be given as input).
   • Note: In case the above procedure fails please reset the board a few times and retry the steps.

Copy the Calibration data from TA to a bin file

• Command: commander manufacturing read taipmu –out <filename.bin>
• Example: commander manufacturing read taipmu –out ipmu.bin

Write the copied data to M4 Flash

• Command: commander manufacturing write m4ipmucf –data <file.bin> -d <full opn>
• Example: commander manufacturing write m4ipmucf –data ipmu.bin -d SiWG917M111MGTBA
• Note: After the flashing is done, read the location 0x4000194. It should return 1F. Refer to section MBR Version check for steps to read the MBR version
• Update the TA firmware. Refer to Upgrade SiWx91x Connectivity Firmware. Else use the TA firmware image that is included in the SDK that you are using.
• Note: In case the above procedure fails please reset the board a few times and retry the steps.

Configuring the M4 Application

• Note: This is a mandatory section to follow. If not followed, the device will be corrupted and is irrecoverable.
• Wi-Fi SDK 3.1.0 is the latest release that is out when this document is made. Users using 3.1.0 or older release(s) need to make some configuration changes to their projects.
• Unless this is done, the applications will not work with the updated MBR. The next release is GA 3.1.1 will have this addressed by default.
• Here are the configuration changes that shall be made in the Application projects.
  1. In the rsi_ipmu.h file, update the following Macros with the corresponding addresses given below.
     • #define PACKAGE_TYPE_VALUES_OFFSET_COMMON_FLASH 0x81F0292
     • #define SILICON_REV_VALUES_OFFSET_COMMON_FLASH 0x81F0293
     • #define COMMON_FLASH_IPMU_VALUES_OFFSET 0x81F0258
     • Path to rsi_ipmu.h file: wiseconnect3_sdk_3.1.0 > siwx917_soc > drivers > systemlevel > inc > rsi_ipmu.h
  2. Change the origin address of rom to 0x8202000 in the linker_SoC.ld file of the project. The linker file is available under the “autogen” folder.
     • Note: For POWER SAVE-related applications the following address needs to be changed in the preprocessor defines -IVT_OFFSET_ADDR = 136323072
  3. Clean and build the project and flash it in the device. The application should work as mentioned in its readme file.

Note Older addresses:

• #define PACKAGE_TYPE_VALUES_OFFSET_COMMON_FLASH 0x81B0292
• #define SILICON_REV_VALUES_OFFSET_COMMON_FLASH 0x81B0293
• #define COMMON_FLASH_IPMU_VALUES_OFFSET 0x81B0258
• rom (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x81c2000, LENGTH = 0x6e000

SiWx917 Board recovery

• Due to 2 variants of boot loaders shipped to our customers as part of the alpha program, there is a possibility of MBR corruption that results in board failure.
• The following two instances would result in MBR corruption on the SiWx917 Board.
  1. The BRD4338A board with 1.8v MBR, if the user tries to flash any matter application from https://docs.silabs.com/matter/2.1.1/matter-wifi-getting-started/ or any example from matter extension release version(2.1.1) and SMG release(2.2.0-1.2)
  2. The BRD4338A board with 1.6v MBR, if the user tries to update/flash the firmware from version 2.9.0.0.30 or later.

Steps to follow to reflash the 1.8v MBR(recovery steps):

• Download the MBR file: ta_mbr_SiWG917M1xxMGTBA.bin
• Execute the below commands sequentially to reflash the MBR.
  1. Commander manufacturing provision –mbr ta_mbr_SiWG917M1xxMGTBA.bin -d SiWG917M111MGTBA Example: commander manufacturing provision –mbr ta_mbr_SiWG917M111MGTBA.bin -d SiWG917M111MGTBA
  2. commander manufacturing write m4mbrcf –data <filename.bin> -d SiWG917M111MGTBA
     • Example: commander manufacturing write m4mbrcf –data ta_mbr_SiWG917M111MGTBA.bin -d SiWG917M111MGTBA
  3. commander manufacturing read taipmu –out filename.bin
  4. commander manufacturing write m4ipmucf –data filename.bin

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Disclaimer

Silicon Labs intends to provide customers with the latest, accurate, and in-depth documentation of all peripherals and modules available for system and software implementers using or intending to use the Silicon Labs products. Characterization data, available modules and peripherals, memory sizes, and memory addresses refer to each specific device, and “Typical” parameters provided can and do vary in different applications. Application examples described herein are for illustrative purposes only. Silicon Labs reserves the right to make changes without further notice to the product information, specifications, and descriptions herein, and does not give warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the included information. Without prior notification, Silicon Labs may update product firmware during the manufacturing process for security or reliability reasons. Such changes will not alter the specifications or the performance of the product. Silicon Labs shall have no liability for the consequences of the use of the information supplied in this document. This document does not imply or expressly grant any license to design or fabricate any integrated circuits. The products are not designed or authorized to be used within any FDA Class III devices, applications for which FDA premarket approval is required or Life Support Systems without the specific written consent of Silicon Labs. A “Life Support System” is any product or system intended to support or sustain life and/or health, which, if it fails, can be reasonably expected to result in significant personal injury or death. Silicon Labs products are not designed or authorized for military applications. Silicon Labs products shall under no circumstances be used in weapons of mass destruction including (but not limited to) nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, or missiles capable of delivering such weapons. Silicon Labs disclaims all express and implied warranties and shall not be responsible or liable for any injuries or damages related to the use of a Silicon Labs product in such unauthorized applications.
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Documents / Resources

SILICON LABS SiWG917 TA Flash Memory Map [pdf] User Guide SiWG917 TA Flash Memory Map, SiWG917, TA Flash Memory Map, Memory Map, Map

References

• User Manual