Is there Support for SST’s 16-bit-wide 39 Series Flash Devices in FastChip 2.3.0?

Silicon Storage Technology’s (SST) 39 series Flash devices are available in a 16-bit-wide (x16) data configuration. These x16 Flash memories from SST, as do those from Atmel, require a new FastChip programming algorithm that is not included with the FastChip 2.3.0 release.

Triscend is developing support for these devices for the upcoming FastChip 2.4.0 due approximately mid-2002. Until that time, the associated patch may provide support for your selected SST device. However, this has not been rigorously tested against all x16 SST devices.

Triscend has not thoroughly tested or production qualified these algorithms against a variety of physical SST Flash devices. Use these files at your own risk. However, Triscend believes that this new programming algorithm should work and is interested in any feedback that you might have.

In FastChip 2.4.0, these algorithms will be production qualified.

Use the SST39x160.mr memory registry file, included in the ZIP file attached to this article, as a template for your specific memory device. Check that the timing and sizes match the SST 39 series device that you are using. There is minimal documentation within the *.mr file.

Programming the SST devices in x16 mode requires a new programming algorithm called ATMEL_16. The SST devices use the same programming algorithm as Atmel. Replace the a7flash.hex file shipped with FastChip 2.3.0 with the version attached to this support article.

Save the attached a7flash.hex file to the following directory. This path assumes that you installed FastChip in the default location.

c:\Triscend\FastChip\Data\DownloadDebug

Save the attached SST39x160.mr file to the user memories folder so that this part is visible to FastChip Device Link (FDL) and the csoc config command. The following directory assumes that you installed FastChip in the default location.

c:\Triscend\FastChip\Data\UserMemories

Open the SST39x160.mr and make the changes appropriate for your specific memory device. Save the file in the user memories directory shown above.

In your FastChip design, modify the Memory Interface Unit settings for the specific x16 Flash device. To do so, open FastChip on your project and select Constraints à I/O Editor à MIU.

Constraints --> I/O Editor --> MIU

Select the specific setting for your Flash device. For example, if you are using a 16-bit-wide 16M-bit device, select 1Mx16. Click OK.

For a 16-bit-wide 16M-bit device, select 1Mx16.

Re-Bind your application, if required.

Re-Bind.

Create an initialization file using FastChip Device Link’s Configuration utility. From within FastChip, click Device Link from the tool bar. From within FDL, click Configuration.

Select Flash Memory as the download memory type. Select your new memory device from the Part list. If your select memory does not appear, then the *.mr file was not saved in the proper directory or there were syntax errors in the file. Click Save and Download to program the select Flash device.

FastChip Version: 2.3.0

This solution may or may not apply to other versions of the FastChip development system.