QUADSPI internal peripheral

1. Article purpose[edit source]

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 three runtime contexts and linked to the corresponding software components
explain, when needed, how to configure the QUADSPI peripheral.

2. Peripheral overview[edit source]

The Quad-SPI interface (QUADSPI peripheral) is used to interface 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 agregate two Flash memories into a virtual single one
Dual data rate and memory-mapped modes.

2.1. Features[edit source]

Refer to STM32MP15 reference manuals for the complete list of features, and to the software components, introduced below, to know which features are really implemented.

2.2. Security support[edit source]

QUADSPI is non secure peripheral.

3. Using the peripheral - associated software[edit source]

3.1. Boot time[edit source]

QUADSPI instance is boot device that support serial boot for Flash programming with STM32CubeProgrammer.

3.2. Runtime[edit source]

3.2.1. Overview[edit source]

The QUADSPI instances can be allocated to:

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

or

the Arm^® Cortex^®-M4 to be controlled in STM32Cube MPU Package by QUADSPI HAL driver

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

3.2.2. Software frameworks[edit source]

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

3.2.3. Peripheral configuration[edit source]

The configuration is applied by the firmware running in the context to which the peripheral is assigned. The configuration 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. Peripheral assignment[edit source]

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