Intel® Stratix® 10 Hard Processor System Remote System Update User Guide

ID 683021
Date 4/05/2023
Public

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Document Table of Contents

3.1.2. RSU Image Layout in Flash – SDM Perspective

In the RSU case, decision firmware replaces the standard firmware. The decision firmware copies have pointers to the following structures in flash:

  • Decision firmware data
  • One factory image
  • Two configuration pointer blocks (CPBs)
Figure 4. RSU Image Layout in Flash—SDM PerspectiveIn this figure:
  • Each of the Decision Firmware copies point to the Factory Image and both Pointer Block 0 and Pointer Block 1.
  • Both Pointer Block 0 and Pointer Block 1 point to Application Images.
Note: When the PUF feature is used, two more 32 K blocks are required for storing PUF data. For more information about PUF and the detailed flash layout, refer to the Intel® Stratix® 10 Device Security User Guide.

The decision firmware data stores basic settings, including the following:

  • The clock and pins that connect to quad SPI flash memory
  • The Direct to Factory Image pin that forces the SDM to load the factory image
    Note: You can set this pin on the following menu in the factory image project: Assignments > Device > Device and Pin Options > Configuration > Configuration Pin Options
  • The max_retry parameter value.

The pointer blocks contain a list of application images to try until one of them is successful. If none is successful, the SDM loads the factory image. To ensure reliability, the pointer block includes a main (CPB0) and backup copy (CPB1). The decision firmware first uses the CPB0 pointer block. If SDM detects content corruption, then it uses CPB1 backup copy. You may execute the RSU_STATUS command to identify the CPB0 corruption; in the case of CPB0 corruption, the minor error code of RSU_STATUS displays 0xD010. To recover the CPB0 corruption, you may erase the CPB0 and copy the content from CPB1.

Both the factory image and the application images start with firmware. First, the decision firmware loads the firmware. Then, that firmware loads the rest of the image. These implementation details are not shown in the figure above. For more information, refer to the Application Image Layout section.