Introduction This article describes the method to update the Boot ROM patch on MCX N94x / N54x devices to patch version T1.1.5.   Before beginning, note that this process can only be performed via ISP mode of the device and can only be performed using a command line method.  The NXP Secure Provisioning tool uses command line operations in its backend and does make these available to the user.  For directions on how to access the command line interface through the Secure Provisioning tool, consult your Secure Provisioning Tool documentation.  Command line blhost method ISP Pin Method 1) With the device powered off, assert the ISP pin (GPIO P0_6) by pulling this pin low. 2) With ISP pin still asserted, power on the device.   3) After the device has fully powered on (at least as long as the t_POR time quoted in the Power mode transition operating behaviors table of the MCX N94x / N54x datasheet), release the ISP pin.  4) Open a command prompt and set the working directory to your blhost installation. 5) Verify that the current version of ROM patch is not T1.1.5 using this command: blhost <interface> <parameters> -- get-property 24.  a) Where <interface> should be replaced with the code for the interface type and <parameters> should be replaced with the parameters of that interface.  For more information on this syntax, refer to the blhost User's Guide.   6) Execute this command:  blhost <interface> <parameters> receive-sb-file <path_to_file_location>/mcx_n10_a1_prov_fw_rp_v5.0.sb3.  7) Repeat steps 1 - 5 to verify that the ROM version is T1.1.5.  ISP Pin Unavailable - SWD Method 1) Connect to target via SWD 2) Open the secure provisioning tool 3) Select the serial interface window and select the command line button 4) Send the following command: nxpdebugmbox -i pyocd ispmode -m 0 5) Verify that the current version of ROM patch is not T1.1.5 using this command: blhost <interface> <parameters> -- get-property 24.  a) Where <interface> should be replaced with the code for the interface type and <parameters> should be replaced with the parameters of that interface.  For more information on this syntax, refer to the blhost User's Guide.   6) Execute this command:  blhost <interface> <parameters> receive-sb-file <path_to_file_location>/mcx_n10_a1_prov_fw_rp_v5.0.sb3 7) Repeat steps 1 - 5 to verify that the ROM version is T1.1.5.         

MCUXN947 Security Configuration (Secure Boot + Lifecycle)   1. Introduction This application note aims to guide developers on configuring Secure Boot and Lifecycle on the MCXN947 microcontroller. The goal is to ensure security during mass production, prevent code theft and tampering, and allow for secure firmware updates. By following this document, developers can better understand and implement best practices for secure boot and firmware updates. 2. Implementation Overview 2.1 Secure Boot (SB) Introduction The Secure Binary (SB) container brings secure and easy way to upload or update firmware in embedded device during either the manufacturing process or end-customer's device lifecycle. An SB file is a command-based firmware update image. The SB file can be considered a script (commands and data), with the ROM acting as the interpreter. The ROM supports version 3.1 of the SB image format. The SB container in version 3.1 (SB3.1) uses the latest cryptographic algorithms to ensure the authenticity and confidentiality of the carried firmware. The boot time and security level, which fit the best for the required use case, control the various available security configurations. The digital signature based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) ensures the authenticity of the SB3.1 container. The use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode ensures the confidentiality of the SB3.1 container. 2.2 Lifecycle Introduction The lifecycle state of a chip reflects its actual state and is used to guide how the chip protects its hosted assets at specific times. For example, when a project is completed, during mass production, or when the device is in use by the end customer, the chip's access permissions are much more restricted compared to the development stage. The MCXN947 microcontroller supports multiple secure lifecycle states. For detailed information, refer to the "Lifecycle States" chapter in the MCX Nx4x Security Reference Manual. Note that the lifecycle state is monotonic, meaning it can only increase, and access permissions become more restrictive. This document focuses on field configuration (In-field) to ensure security after deployment. 2.3 MCUXpresso Tool Introduction The MCUXpresso Security Configuration Tool is a GUI-based application that simplifies the generation and configuration of bootable executable files on NXP MCUs. This tool can be used to generate SB3.1 files and deploy MCU security configurations. 3. Implementation Steps 3.1 Preparation Software Two image files: frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_red.s19 and frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_green.s19 MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning Tool v9.0 (SPT Tool) Blhost Hardware FRDM-MCXN947 Development Board 2 USB Type-C Cables Computer 3.2 Steps 3.2.1 Restore MCU to Default Configuration Power on MCU with ISP Mode Hold the ISP key and power on the MCU (POR). This document uses the ISP-USB interface, so connect the USB cable to J11 (HS-USB) port. Configure CMPA and CFPA to Default State Open the SPT Tool, create a new workspace, and select the corresponding chip. Configure as follows:   Program CMPA and CFPA OK -> Build image, Write image, to burn the configured default CMPA and CFPA into the MCU. Erase Entire Flash Connect the board's debugging interface MCU-link via USB. Select the debug probe in the SPT Tool. After a successful connection, use Erase to erase the entire flash. The chip is restored to its default state with no enabled security configurations. 3.2.2 Configure Secure Boot and Lifecycle for Field Mode (In-field)  Generate Secure Boot Keys Select the PKI management interface -> Generate Keys... -> Generate   Configure Image File Open the "Build image" interface and configure as follows: Boot: Select Encrypted (PRINCE/IPED) and signed Source executable image: Select the application image file frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_green.s19 Start address: 0x00000000 Firmware version: 1 Authentication key: Choose any one of the 4 options CUST_MK_SK: Click Random to generate a random number OEM seed: Click Random to generate a random number   Configure CMPA and CFPA Open CMPA and CFPA, and configure to enable security: Generate Configuration Files and Image File After configuration, build the image to generate CMPA, CFPA configuration files, and the SB3-formatted image file.   3.2.3 Program Application Program Configuration Files and Image File Open the "Write image" window, click "Write image" to program the configuration files and the SB image file.   Verify Application Power on the board again, and you should see the green LED flashing, indicating that the application is running normally. Then, hold the ISP key and perform a software reset of the board (note that this must be a software reset for the CFPA lifecycle configuration to take effect; a power-on reset will not activate the CFPA configuration). If the development is complete and in the production stage, and OTP is used to manage the lifecycle, any reset will detect the OTP configuration. At this point, secure boot is enabled, and the lifecycle is configured for field mode. Therefore, the chip no longer supports SWD interface debugging or reading flash content via ISP. To update the flash program, only a valid SB3 file can be burned. 3.2.4 Update Application Create a New SB3 File Compile the SDK example frdmmcxn947_led_blinky to generate a .bin file or s19 file. For all supported formats by the SPT tool, refer to the SPT manual. Here, use the s19 file format frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_red.s19. Open the SPT tool and use the workspace created for the first application image file. This will import the necessary keys directly. Then, import frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_red.s19. The Image firmware version should be greater than 0. Since we have not configured Set minimal firmware version, the minimum version is 0. This involves the anti-rollback feature, which will be explained in detail later. After configuration, hold the ISP key and power on the board to restart. Then, build the image to generate frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_red.sb. Program the New SB3 File Use the blhost receive-sb-file command to burn the file: blhost.exe -u 0x1fc9 0x014f receive-sb-file frdmmcxn947_led_blinky_red.sb After burning, restart the MCU. The red LED flashing indicates that the firmware update was successful. 3.2.5 Verify Security Features After enabling secure boot and configuring the lifecycle for field mode, the MCU cannot read the flash via SWD or ISP, ensuring the security of the customer's code against theft and tampering. To test if the configuration is successful, you can use the SWD and ISP interfaces. You should find that the SWD interface cannot connect, and while the ISP interface can connect, it cannot read or write. Note that before testing, you need to hold the ISP key and perform a software reset (not a power-on reset).     4. Notes By following this document, developers can learn how to configure and manage the security lifecycle on the MCXN947 microcontroller, ensuring the security and reliability of the device at different stages. Following the steps in this document can effectively achieve secure boot and operation, as well as firmware updates.  

In most cases, C project is generated and used. But assembly project has it’s own advantage, with assembly project, you can program with assembly language directly, can test assembly instruction with assembly mnemonic. Generally, C language is inefficient, so in order to test the performance of the core, or get peripheral highest performance, the assembly project is required. The doc discusses the procedure to create an assembly language project, in the end, gives an example to toggle a LED, which demos how to initialize the NVIC, CTimer, GPIO with assembly language. It also gives the example of subroutine.   1. The procedure to create an assembly language project based on MCUXPresso tools 1.1 Load MCUXPresso tools and drag SDK to the Installed SDK menu Then click “Create a new C/C++ project”   1.2 Select the board or processor, then clock “Next” software button   1.3 Name the project and Select the driver. In the menu, it is okay to use default configuration, then clock “Finish”   1.4 A New project called MCXN947_project is created with C language   1.5 Delete the MCXN947_project.c and add the main.s Click the “source” group with right mouse button, the click “New”->”source File”   1.6 Add the main.s as the following Fig and click “Finish”   1.7 The final project is like:   2.0 writing the assembly code in the main.s This is the code in main.s /* This assembly file uses GNU syntax */ .equ SYSCON_ANGCLKCTRLSET0,0x40000220 .equ SYSCON_AHBCLKCTRLSET1,0x40000224 .equ SYSCON_AHBCLKCTRLSET2,0x40000228 .equ SYSCON_CTIMER4CLKSEL, 0x4000027C .equ SYSCON_CTIMER4CLKDIV, 0x400003E0   /*PIO3_4 LED blue*/ .equ PORT3_PCR_BASE,0x40119000 .equ PORT3_PCR4,PORT3_PCR_BASE+0x90   .equ GPIO3_BASE,0x4009C000 .equ GPIO3_PDDR,GPIO3_BASE+0x54 .equ GPIO3_PDOR,GPIO3_BASE+0x40     /*PIT configuration*/ .equ CTIMER4_BASE,0x40010000 .equ CTIMER4_IR,CTIMER4_BASE+0x00 .equ CTIMER4_TCR,CTIMER4_BASE+0x04 .equ CTIMER4_MCR,CTIMER4_BASE+0x14 .equ CTIMER4_MR0,CTIMER4_BASE+0x18 .equ CTIMER4_MSR0,CTIMER4_BASE+0x78 .equ CTIMER4_PWMC,CTIMER4_BASE+0x74     /*NVIC configuration*/ /*refer to 4.2 Nested Vectored Interrupt Controller in Cortex-M4 Generic User's Guide.pdf*/ .equ NVIC_ISER0,0xE000E100 .equ NVIC_ISER1,0xE000E104   .equ NVIC_ICPR0,0xE000E284 .equ NVIC_ICPR1,0xE000E288   .equ NVIC_IPR12,0xE000E430 .equ NVIC_IPR14,0xE000E438           .global __user_mem_buffer1,__user_mem_buffer2     .text     .section   .rodata     .align  2     .LC0:       .text     .thumb     .align  2     .global main     .global CTIMER0_IRQHandler     .type main function   main:     push {r3, lr}     add r3, sp, #4     nop     BL peripheralInit     nop     nop     nop     nop     NOP     /*cpsie i*/ loop:     b loop     mov r3, #0     mov r0, r3     pop {r3, pc}     /*subroutine 1*/ /* copy 10 words from one place to another*/     .type MyFunc function     .func MyFunc:     push {r0,r1,r2,lr}     MOV R2,#0x00     LDR R0,=USER_MEM_BUFFER1     MOV R1,#0x00 loop1:     NOP     STR R1,[R0]     ADD R1,#0x10     ADD R0,#4     ADD R2,#1     CMP R2,#0x10     BNE loop1     AND R5,R1,R5 ;     ASR R3,R2,#1     ORR R5,R1,R5     ADD R3,R2,R3     ADC R3,R2,R3     AND R2,R1,R2 ; /*#0x0F*/     LDR R0,=0x1234     /*LDR R0, [R1], #4*/     nop     pop {r0,r1,r2,pc}     .endfunc /***************************************/   /*subroutine 2*/     .type peripheralInit function     .func peripheralInit:    //enable CTimer4 gated clock     LDR R0,=0x400000     LDR R1,=SYSCON_AHBCLKCTRLSET2     nop     STR R0, [R1]       MOV R0,#0x03 //select     LDR R1,=SYSCON_CTIMER4CLKSEL     nop     STR R0, [R1]         MOV R0,#0x09 //select     LDR R1,=SYSCON_CTIMER4CLKDIV     nop     STR R0, [R1]     /*setting CTimer0*/       //set Ctimer0_IR     MOV R3,#0x01     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_IR     Nop     LDR R2,[R1]     ORR R2,R2,R3     STR R2,[R1]     //set CTIMER4_MCR     MOV R3,#0x03     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_MCR     LDR R2,[R1]     ORR R2,R2,R3     STR R2,[R1]         LDR R0,=6000000     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_MR0     STR R0,[R1]       LDR R0,=6000000     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_MSR0     STR R0,[R1]         MOV R0,#00     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_PWMC     STR R0,[R1]       nop     nop //lop1: //  b lop1         /*setting interrupt, Ctimer4 IRQ 56*/     LDR R1,=NVIC_ISER1     LDR R0,[R1]     LDR R3,=0x01000000     ORR R0,R0,R3     STR R0,[R1]       LDR R1,=NVIC_ICPR1     LDR R0,[R1]     LDR R3,=0x01000000     ORR R0,R0,R3     STR R0,[R1]       MOV R0,#0x00     LDR R1,=NVIC_IPR14     STR R0,[R1]       /*pin mux setting*/     /*enable PORT3 and GPIO3 gated clock*/     LDR R0,=0x410000     LDR R1,=SYSCON_ANGCLKCTRLSET0     nop     STR R0, [R1]     /*set the GPIO3_4 as GPIO output mode*/     LDR R0,=#0x1000     LDR R1,=PORT3_PCR4     STR R0,[R1]         LDR R1,=GPIO3_PDDR     LDR R0,[R1]     LDR R3,=0x10     ORR R0,R0,R3     STR R0,[R1]       /*CTimer4 start*/     MOV R3,#0x01     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_TCR     LDR R0,[R1]     ORR R0, R0,R3     STR R0,[R1]     nop     nop     nop     /*cpsid i*/     BX LR     .endfunc /*********************************************/   /*subroutine 3*/     .text     .type testcal function     .func testCal:     LDR R0,=0x12345678     MOV R1,#0x0F     AND R0,R1     /*test saturation function*/     LDR R0,=0x8234     LDR R1,=0x8234     /*ADDS R5,R0,R1*/     QADD16 R6,R0,R1  /*saturation heppen, the R6 will become negative minumum 0x8000*/     nop     /***8888888*/       LDR R0,=0x6234     LDR R1,=0x6234     /*ADDS R5,R0,R1*/     SADD16 R6,R0,R1     nop     QADD16 R6,R0,R1 /*saturation heppen, the R6 will become negative minumum 0x7FFF*/     nop     SMUAD R6,R0,R1     BX LR     .endfunc /*********************************************/   /*interrupt service routine*/     .global CTIMER4_IRQHandler     .text     .align 2     .type CTIMER4_IRQHandler function     .func CTIMER4_IRQHandler:         /*clear interrupt*/     push {R0,R1,LR}     nop     nop     nop     LDR R1,=CTIMER4_IR     LDR R0,[R1] /*dummy reading*/     MOV R4,#0x10;     ORR R0,R0,R4     STR R0, [R1]     /*toggle a LED*/     LDR R1,=GPIO3_PDOR     LDR R0,[R1]     LDR R3,=0x10     EOR R0,R0,R3     STR R0,[R1]     NOP     POP {R0,R1,PC}     .endfunc     /******************************************************/ /*interrupt service routine*/     .global SVC_Handler     .text     .align 2     .type SVC_Handler function     .func SVC_Handler:     push {R0,R1,LR}            NOP     POP {R0,R1,PC} /******************************************************/       .align  2 .L3:     .word       .align 4     .section .contantData HELLO_TXT:     .space 0x100 Hello_END:     .ALIGN 4   /*.lcomm */   .lcomm USER_MEM_BUFFER1  0x100   .lcomm USER_MEM_BUFFER2  0x100     .end   3.0 code explanation   In the code, you have to define the main function, after the core has executed the code ResetISR(void), which is defined in startup_mcxn847_cm33_core0.c, it jump to main() function   The example code implement the function to initialize CTimer, GPIO and NVIC, SYSCON module so that the CTImer can generate interrupt, in the ISR of CTimer, a LED is toggled. After you run the code, you can see that the led is toggled. The peripheralInit Subroutine is used to initialize the CTimer, NVIC, GPIO, SYSCON module so that the CTimer can fire an interrupt and toggle a LED.The CTIMER4_IRQHandler is an ISR of CTimer4, which is defined in startup_mcxn847_cm33_core0.   The MyFunc function and testCal  Subroutines are just for testing a specific assembly instruction, and test how to establish and call a subroutines, they do not have a specific target.

Sometimes connecting things requires a lot of cables because the component you need alone doesn't have the correct connector to mount on an evaluation board.   A few weeks ago, we needed to connect this display Adafruit 1.54" 240x240 Wide Angle TFT LCD Display to some FRDM boards. We started using cables but ended up making a small card to mount the board and plug it directly into the PMOD port of the FRDM board.   We decided to make it available in case you have the same problem 😊   Adafruit 1.54" 240x240 Wide Angle TFT LCD Display PMOD Adapter Gerber files for fabrication are here Final Assembly   3D render     This is how it looks connected to a FRDM-RW612 board  enjoy!    

1. Overview The MCX N947 chip is a highly integrated microcontroller with robust processing capabilities, extensive peripheral support, and advanced security features, making it suitable for various complex applications. One of its critical peripherals is FlexSPI. FlexSPI is an expandable serial peripheral interface mainly used to connect solid-state storage devices such as QuadSPI NOR Flash, QuadSPI NAND Flash, and HyperRAM. FlexSPI is a comprehensive, flexible, high-performance solution that can be configured in different modes to support various storage devices. The NXP FRDM-MCXN947 board is a low-cost design and evaluation board based on the MCXN947 device. NXP provides tools and software support for the MCXN947 device, including hardware evaluation boards, integrated development environment (IDE) software, sample applications, and drivers. By default, the FlexSPI interface on this board connects to an MT35XU512 NOR Flash. In this article, we will explore how to connect HyperRAM to the FlexSPI interface of the MCXN947 board. Hardware environment:   Development Board: FRDM-MCXN947   HyperRAM：W956D8MBYA Software environment:   IDE：MCUXpresso IDE v11.9.0   SDK：SDK Builder | MCUXpresso SDK Builder (nxp.com) 2. HyperRAM Schematic Below is the official eight-line Flash schematic from the FRDM-MCXN947. Since the HyperRAM W956D8MBYA package is a TFBGA 24-Ball 5 x 5 Array, it can be directly replaced. Based on the above schematic, the signal connections for the HyperRAM memory are summarized in Table. HyperRAM Signal Connection Table HyperRAM Chip Pin Function Connected to MCXN947 CS CS Chip Select Signal P3_0/FLEXSPI0_A_SS0_b SCK SCK Clock Signal P3_7/FLEXSPI0_A_SCLK DQS DQS Signal P3_6/FLEXSPI0_A_DQS DQ0 OSPI Data Signal D0 P3_8/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA0 DQ1 OSPI Data Signal D1 P3_9/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA1 DQ2 OSPI Data Signal D2 P3_10/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA2 DQ3 OSPI Data Signal D3 P3_11/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA3 DQ4 OSPI Data Signal D4 P3_12/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA4 DQ5 OSPI Data Signal D5 P3_13/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA5 DQ6 OSPI Data Signal D6 P3_14/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA6 DQ7 OSPI Data Signal D7 P3_15/FLEXSPI0_A_DATA7 3. HyperRAM Configuration Process 3.1 Clock configuration The clock for FlexSPI needs to be correctly configured.   During the programming phase, it is safer to choose a lower frequency; here, we select 75MHz. 3.2 FlexSPI Initialization Configuration Structure Next, we configure the FlexSPI-related settings. We can call FLEXSPI_GetDefaultConfig to obtain some default configurations for the FlexSPI feature structure flexspi_config_t, which has a certain degree of universality and is compatible with most FlexSPI devices. For the W956D8MBYA HyperRAM, on the basis of the default configuration, add the following parameters: config.ahbConfig.enableAHBPrefetch = true; config.ahbConfig.enableAHBBufferable = true; config.ahbConfig.enableReadAddressOpt = true; config.ahbConfig.enableAHBCachable = true; config.rxSampleClock = kFLEXSPI_ReadSampleClkLoopbackFromDqsPad; (1) enableAHBPrefetch: Whether to enable AHB prefetching. When enabled, FlexSPI reads more data than the current AHB burst read. (2) enableAHBBufferable: Whether to enable AHB write buffer access. After executing a write command, it returns without waiting for its completion, allowing subsequent instructions to continue executing, enhancing system concurrency. (3) enableReadAddressOpt: Controls whether to remove the AHB read burst start address alignment restriction. If enabled, burst read addresses are not restricted by byte alignment. (4) enableAHBCachable: Enables AHB bus cacheable reads. If a hit occurs, data is read from the cache, but data consistency must be ensured. (5) rxSampleClock: The clock source used for reading data. For HyperRAM, HyperRAM provides a read strobe pulse and inputs it through the DQS pin. 3.3 Detailed Explanation of FlexSPI External Device Configuration Structure When FlexSPI communicates with external devices, it often needs to coordinate communication timing with the device, such as clock frequency and data validity duration. NXP's software library provides the flexspi_device_config_t structure specifically for configuring these parameters. typedef struct _flexspi_device_config { uint32_t flexspiRootClk; bool isSck2Enabled; uint32_t flashSize; flexspi_cs_interval_cycle_unit_t CSIntervalUnit; uint16_t CSInterval; uint8_t CSHoldTime; uint8_t CSSetupTime; uint8_t dataValidTime; uint8_t columnspace; bool enableWordAddress; uint8_t AWRSeqIndex; uint8_t AWRSeqNumber; uint8_t ARDSeqIndex; uint8_t ARDSeqNumber; flexspi_ahb_write_wait_unit_t AHBWriteWaitUnit; uint16_t AHBWriteWaitInterval; bool enableWriteMask; } flexspi_device_config_t; (1) flexspiRootClk = 75000000, this parameter matches the previously set FlexSPI clock frequency. (2) flashSize = 0x2000, the size of the Flash in kilobytes. For W956D8MBYA, 64Mb = 8MB = 8 * 1024KB. (3) CSIntervalUnit = kFLEXSPI_CsIntervalUnit1SckCycle, this parameter configures the time unit for the interval between CS signal lines. (4) CSInterval = 2, this parameter configures the minimum time interval for switching between valid and invalid states of the CS signal line, measured in the units defined by the above CSIntervalUnit member. (5) CSHoldTime = 3, this parameter sets the hold time for the CS signal line, measured in FlexSPI root clock cycles. (6) CSSetupTime = 3, this parameter sets the setup time for the CS signal line, measured in FlexSPI root clock cycles. According to the MCXNx4x datasheet,T_CK = 6ns，the minimum T_CSS = 8.3ns，and the minimumT_CSH = 9.8ns。The clock period for 75MHz is approximately 13.3 nanoseconds. Therefore, both CSHoldTime and CSSetupTime should be greater than or equal to 1, So they can be configured to 3 (1) dataValidTime=2，Registers DLLACR and DLLBCR are used to configure the valid data time in communication, with the unit being nanoseconds. (2) columnspace = 3，which is the width of the low-order column address. For this HyperRAM, it uses row and column addresses for access, with a column address width of 3 bits. (3) enableWordAddress = true，this parameter is configured whether the 2-byte addressable function is enabled. Once enabled, HyperRAM will be accessed using a 16-bit data format. (4) AWRSeqIndex = 1，this parameter is the index of the write timing sequence in the LUT. (5) AWRSeqNumber =1，this parameter configures the number of sequences for AHB write commands. (6) ARDSeqIndex = 0，this parameter is the index of the read timing sequence in the LUT. (7) ARDSeqNumber =1，this parameter configures the number of sequences for AHB write commands. (8) enableWriteMask = true，this parameter is used to set whether to drive the DQS bit as a mask when writing to external devices via FlexSPI. This feature is used for address alignment when accessing data widths of 16 bits. 3.4 LUT table configuration Below is a code example of the LUT table configuration for HyperRAM read and write timing. const uint32_t customLUT[CUSTOM_LUT_LENGTH] = { /* Read Data */ [4 * PSRAM_CMD_LUT_SEQ_IDX_READDATA] = FLEXSPI_LUT_SEQ(kFLEXSPI_Command_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0xA0, kFLEXSPI_Command_RADDR_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x18), [4 * PSRAM_CMD_LUT_SEQ_IDX_READDATA + 1] = FLEXSPI_LUT_SEQ(kFLEXSPI_Command_CADDR_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x10, kFLEXSPI_Command_DUMMY_RWDS_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x07), [4 * PSRAM_CMD_LUT_SEQ_IDX_READDATA + 2] = FLEXSPI_LUT_SEQ(kFLEXSPI_Command_READ_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x04, kFLEXSPI_Command_STOP, kFLEXSPI_1PAD, 0x00), /* Write data */ [4 * PSRAM_CMD_LUT_SEQ_IDX_WRITEDATA] = FLEXSPI_LUT_SEQ(kFLEXSPI_Command_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x20, kFLEXSPI_Command_RADDR_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x18), [4 * PSRAM_CMD_LUT_SEQ_IDX_WRITEDATA + 1] = FLEXSPI_LUT_SEQ(kFLEXSPI_Command_CADDR_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x10, kFLEXSPI_Command_DUMMY_RWDS_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x07), [4 * PSRAM_CMD_LUT_SEQ_IDX_WRITEDATA + 2] = FLEXSPI_LUT_SEQ(kFLEXSPI_Command_WRITE_DDR, kFLEXSPI_8PAD, 0x04, kFLEXSPI_Command_STOP, kFLEXSPI_1PAD, 0x00), }; (1) We are using an 8-line differential HyperRAM, which is utilized on both edges of the clock, hence the number of data lines used for communication with external memory is kFLEXSPI_8PAD. (2) HyperRAM and HyperFlash are memory products designed based on the HyperBus&#8482; interface specification by Cypress Semiconductor. This operand is defined in the specification, therefore the read operation operand is fixed at 0xA0, and the write data operand is fixed at 0x20. (3) CADDR_DDR column address: Since the number of bytes transferred in one transmission must be a multiple of 8, if the row and column addresses you provide exceed the maximum rows and columns of a specific size HyperRAM, FlexSPI will automatically set the higher bits to 0. The table above shows that the lower 16 bits are the column address, with 3 valid bits, and the upper 13 bits are reserved for compatibility and need to be set to 0. Therefore, the timing parameter for the column address here needs to be filled with 16, i.e., 0x10. (4) RADDR_DDR row address: As shown in the figure, if the FLSHxxCR1[CAS] bit is not zero, then the FlexSPI peripheral will split the actual mapped Flash Address (i.e., the memory's own offset address) into a row address FA[31:CAS+1] and a column address [CAS:1] for transmission during transfer timing. For word-addressable flash devices, the last bit of the address is not needed because the flash is read and programmed in two-byte units. FlexSPI considers one word as two bytes; thus, if alignment to two bytes is required, one less bit address is needed. The sum of row and column addresses should be one bit less. W956D8MBYA has 64Mbit, which is 2^26; with 3 bits for the column address, theoretically, 26-1-3=22 bits are needed for the row address to access the entire HyperRAM. Then, align it to 8 bits; otherwise, FlexSPI will pad zeros at the lower bits, which would not be the address we want to access. Therefore, the parameter is 0x18, i.e., 24 bits. 4. Experimental Verification We can use simple AHB read and write operations to verify whether this HyperRAM is functional. The code is as follows. for (i = 0; i < sizeof(s_psram_write_buffer); i++) { s_psram_write_buffer[i] = i; } memcpy((uint32_t*)(EXAMPLE_FLEXSPI_AMBA_BASE), s_psram_write_buffer, sizeof(s_psram_write_buffer)); memcpy(s_psram_read_buffer,(uint32_t*)(EXAMPLE_FLEXSPI_AMBA_BASE) , sizeof(s_psram_read_buffer)); if (memcmp(s_psram_read_buffer, s_psram_write_buffer, sizeof(s_psram_write_buffer)) == 0) { PRINTF("AHB Command Read/Write data successfully !\r\n"); }   When your serial port prints "AHB Command Read/Write data successfully!", it indicates that your FlexSPI connection to the HyperRAM is functioning properly.

The open source hardware community is please to offer ECAD schematic symbols for the new MCX A153 and MCX N947 microcontrollers.     The MCX A153 schematic library has the QFP32, QFN48 and LQFP64 variants. The MCX N947 schematic library has the BGA184 and LQFP100 variants. The symbols were generated using data from the MCUXpresso Pin Config tool to ensure accuracy. The pin names include all pin mux options to make it easy to see all available peripheral functions and further simplify the symbol for your own design purpose The symbol data is provided in the open source KiCad V7 format and is attached to this post. The symbols can be imported into commercial tools such as Altium Designer. Enjoy!  

An open-source PCB template for creating a custom shield for the FRDM-MCXA153  

An open-source PCB template for creating a custom shield for the FRDM-MCXN947  

FRDM Boards Enclosures (3D Print)   Hi NXP FRDM enthusiasts! we want to share some 3D files that you can use to 3D print your own enclosures for the FRDM-MCX family!    FRDM-MCXN947 case step files are here   FRDM-MCXA153 case step files are here   FRDM-MCXW71 case step files are here

1. RS485 hardware connection RS-485 is a multiple drop communication protocol in which the LPUART transceiver's driver is three-stated unless LPUART is driving. The transmitter can uses the RTS_B signal to enable the driver of a transceiver. The polarity of RTS_B can be configured by firmware to match with the polarity of the transceiver's driver enabling signal. The following figure shows the receiver enabling signal asserted. This connection can also connect RTS_B to both DE and RE_B. The transceiver's receiver is disabled when the uart transmitter is sending char. A pullup can pull RXD to a non-floating value during this time. You can refine this option further by operating LPUART in Single-Wire mode, freeing the RXD pin for other uses.     When the uart transmits character via TXD pin, the RTS_b signal is asserted automatically, after the RS-485 transceiver, the urat transmitter can drive the differential signals Y/Z. When the uart dose not transmit character, the RTS_b signal is unasserted, so the RS-485 transceiver is in tr-state, the differential signal Y/Z is NOT driven by this RS-485 transceiver. For receiver part of the RS-485 transceiver, if the RTS_b sigbal is connected to the RE_b pin of receiver of RS-485 transceiver directly or via an inverter depending on the required logic of the RS-485 transceiver , when the uart transmits character, the receiver of  RS-485 transceiver is disabled, the RO pin of the RS485 is in tri-state, so a pull-up resistor is required on the RO pin and the RXD pin of LPUart can not receive any character from it’s own transmitter.  The RTS_B signal can function as hardware flow control, but note the application uses RTS_b signal to control RS485 enabling instead of hardware flow control. )   2. RTS_b pin assigmnet.   For the uart module of MCXN family, the FCx_P0 is RXD pin of UARTx module, the FCx_P1 is TXD pin of UARTx module, the FCx_P2 is RTS_b of UARTx module. For MCXN94x family, the P1_8 pin can function as FC4_P0 or RXD pin of UART4; the P1_9 pin can function as FC4_P1 or TXD pin of UART4; the P1_22 pin can function as FC4_P2 or RTS_b pin of UART4 with setting up PORT1_PCR22[MUX] bits as decimal 3;   3)software 3.1 pin assignment void BOARD_InitPins(void) {     /* Enables the clock for PORT1: Enables clock */     CLOCK_EnableClock(kCLOCK_Port1);       const port_pin_config_t port1_8_pinA1_config = {/* Internal pull-up/down resistor is disabled */                                                     kPORT_PullDisable,                                                     /* Low internal pull resistor value is selected. */                                                     kPORT_LowPullResistor,                                                     /* Fast slew rate is configured */                                                     kPORT_FastSlewRate,                                                     /* Passive input filter is disabled */                                                     kPORT_PassiveFilterDisable,                                                     /* Open drain output is disabled */                                                     kPORT_OpenDrainDisable,                                                     /* Low drive strength is configured */                                                     kPORT_LowDriveStrength,                                                     /* Pin is configured as FC4_P0 */                                                     kPORT_MuxAlt2,                                                     /* Digital input enabled */                                                     kPORT_InputBufferEnable,                                                     /* Digital input is not inverted */                                                     kPORT_InputNormal,                                                     /* Pin Control Register fields [15:0] are not locked */                                                     kPORT_UnlockRegister};     /* PORT1_8 (pin A1) is configured as FC4_P0 */     PORT_SetPinConfig(PORT1, 8U, &port1_8_pinA1_config);       const port_pin_config_t port1_9_pinB1_config = {/* Internal pull-up/down resistor is disabled */                                                     kPORT_PullDisable,                                                     /* Low internal pull resistor value is selected. */                                                     kPORT_LowPullResistor,                                                     /* Fast slew rate is configured */                                                     kPORT_FastSlewRate,                                                     /* Passive input filter is disabled */                                                     kPORT_PassiveFilterDisable,                                                     /* Open drain output is disabled */                                                     kPORT_OpenDrainDisable,                                                     /* Low drive strength is configured */                                                     kPORT_LowDriveStrength,                                                     /* Pin is configured as FC4_P1 */                                                     kPORT_MuxAlt2,                                                     /* Digital input enabled */                                                     kPORT_InputBufferEnable,                                                     /* Digital input is not inverted */                                                     kPORT_InputNormal,                                                     /* Pin Control Register fields [15:0] are not locked */                                                     kPORT_UnlockRegister};     /* PORT1_9 (pin B1) is configured as FC4_P1 */     PORT_SetPinConfig(PORT1, 9U, &port1_9_pinB1_config);       //* PORT1_22 (pin L4) is configured as FC4_P2 with ALT3*/       const port_pin_config_t port1_22_pinC3_config = {/* Internal pull-up/down resistor is disabled */                                                        kPORT_PullDisable,                                                        /* Low internal pull resistor value is selected. */                                                        kPORT_LowPullResistor,                                                        /* Fast slew rate is configured */                                                        kPORT_FastSlewRate,                                                        /* Passive input filter is disabled */                                                        kPORT_PassiveFilterDisable,                                                        /* Open drain output is disabled */                                                        kPORT_OpenDrainDisable,                                                        /* Low drive strength is configured */                                                        kPORT_LowDriveStrength,                                                        /* Pin is configured as FC4_P1 */                                                        kPORT_MuxAlt3,                                                        /* Digital input enabled */                                                        kPORT_InputBufferEnable,                                                        /* Digital input is not inverted */                                                        kPORT_InputNormal,                                                        /* Pin Control Register fields [15:0] are not locked */                                                        kPORT_UnlockRegister};        /* PORT1_9 (pin B1) is configured as FC4_P1 */        PORT_SetPinConfig(PORT1, 22U, &port1_22_pinC3_config); }   The   //P1_22 function as RTS_b signal void RTS_b_init(LPUART_Type *base) {  base->MODIR |=LPUART_MODIR_TXRTSE(1); //                   (((uint32_t)(((uint32_t)(x)) << LPUART_MODIR_TXRTSE_SHIFT)) & LPUART_MODIR_TXRTSE_MASK)   }   4)uart timing tested by scope   Conclusion: From the above scope screen shot, you can see that when the uart transmitter sends char, the RTS_b signal becomes low, so it can function as RS485 transceiver enabling signal.  

The Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) is ubiquitous in embedded systems for interfacing to external peripherals such flash memories, EEPROMs, analog to digital converters and sensors. SPI controllers are essentially shift registers. When combined with DMA, SPI can be used for interesting use cases. In this paper we will look at an LED lighting application and hint at some other interesting use cases such as PDM audio streams.

When deploying a custom built model to replace the default models in MCUXpresso SDK examples, there are several modifications that need to be made as described in the eIQ Neutron NPU hands-on labs. Here are some common issues and error messages that you might encounter when using a new custom model with the SDK examples and how to solve them. If there is an issue not covered here, then please make a new thread to discuss that issue.    “Didn't find op for builtin opcode ‘<operator_name>’” Need to add that operator to MODEL_GetOpsResolver function found in source\model\model_name_ops_npu.cpp A full list of operators used by a model that can be copy-and-pasted into that file is automatically generated by Neutron Converter Tool with the dump-header-file option. Make sure to also increase the size of the static array s_microOpResolver to match the number of operators   “resolver size is too small” Need to increase the size of the static array s_microOpResolver in MODEL_GetOpsResolver function found in source\model\model_name_ops_npu.cpp to match the number of operators     “Failed to resize buffer” The scratch memory buffer is too small for the model and needs to be increased. The size of the memory buffer is set with the kTensorArenaSize variable found in the model data header file   “Internal Neutron NPU driver error 281b in model prepare!” or “Incompatible Neutron NPU microcode and driver versions!” Ensure the version of the eIQ Neutron Converter Tool used to convert the model is the correct one that is compatible with the NPU libraries used by the SDK project.  eIQ Toolkit v1.10.0 should be used with MCXUpresso SDK for MCX N 2.14.0. The Neutron Converter Tool version is 1.2.0+0X84d37e1f     Camera colors are incorrect on FRDM-MCXN947 board Modify solder jumpers SJ16, SJ26, and SJ27 on the back of board to move them to the left (dashed line side) to connect camera signals properly.             This modification will disable Ethernet functionality on the board due to a signal conflict with EZH D0 and ENET_TXCLK. If your project needs both camera and Ethernet functionality, then only move SJ16 and SJ26 to the left (dashed line side) and then connect a wire from P1_4 (J9 pin 😎 to the left side of R58. Then in the pin_mux.c file in the project, instead of using PORT1_PCR4 for EZH_Camera_D0, use PORT3_PCR0.                           

The NXP MCXA153 is a useful microcontroller for small, embedded USB devices. Combined with the USB stack built into the SDK, or with the open source TinyUSB stack,  it is easy to creak your own USB protocol bridges and test tools. In this paper we showed to how to integrate TinyUSB into an MCUXpresso project and demonstrated  with a USB CDC / WebUSB application for a BLDC Motor controller test application.

The table below contains notable updates to the current release of the Reference Manual. The information provided here is preliminary and subject to change without notice. Affected Modules Issue Summary Description  Date MCXNx4x Pinout xlsx Attachment Defeature PF* pins Erroneous pinouts to PF* signals on ALT11 are removed.  Before:    After:    01 March 2024 System Boot ROM API Missing Boot Modes sections in ROM API chapter of System Boot New sections added: 15.3 Boot modes 15.3.1 Master boot mode Master boot mode supports the following boot devices: Internal flash memory boot FlexSPI NOR flash memory boot SPI 1-bit NOR recovery boot Secondary bootloader boot Table 229. Image offsets for different boot media   Boot media Image offset Internal flash memory boot 0h FlexSPI NOR flash memory boot 1000h SPI 1-bit NOR recovery boot 0h Secondary bootloader boot 0h   15.3.2 Secondary bootloader mode   The Secondary bootloader mode can be enabled by setting the CMPA[BOOT_SRC] as 2, the image loaded in the Bank1_IFR0 region (0x0100_8000 to 0x0100_FFFF) will be set as primary boot mode, and the secondary boot image will boot first after the device reset. The secondary boot image type can be plain, crc or signed image, but cannot set as the SB file.   Based on the CMPA[OEM_BANK1_IFR0_PROT](0x01004004[5:7]) setting, after the secondary boot image boot, the Bank1_IFR0 region will be configured with different MBC setting:   Lifecycle CMPA[OEM_BANK1_IFR0_PROT] Secondary bootloader mode MBC IFR0 recovery boot MBC Develop (0x3) NA GLABC0 GLBAC0 Develop2 (0x7), In-field (0xF), In-field Locked (0xCF), Field Return OEM (1F) 0 GLBAC4 GLBAC4   1 GLBAC4 2 GLBAC2 3 GLBAC6 4 GLBAC4 5 6 7     01 March 2024 Input Multiplexing (INPUTMUX) Clarification to CMP trigger input registers Update to the CMPx_TRIG Register function description for the following registers: CMP0_TRIG (260h), CMP1_TRIG (4EOh), and CMP2_TRIG (500h)  Before:  Function This register selects the CMPx trigger inputs   After: Function This register selects the CMPx SAMPLE/WINDOW input 01 March 2024  

Introduction The MCX N has a Programmable Logic Unit (PLU) capable of creating combinational and sequential logic circuits that operate independently of the cores. The PLU does this by preprogramming look up tables or LUTs that dictate the behavior of designated outputs for all inputs of the PLU. The features of the MCX N PLU module includes: An array of 26 inter-connectable, 5-input look-up table (LUT) elements. 4 flip-flops. Six primary inputs pins. Eight primary output pins. An external clock to drive the four flip-flops if a sequential network is implemented. Capability to generate interrupts and wakeup requests from Sleep and Deep Sleep modes.   Module architecture The PLU is composed of 3 main elements: Look Up Tables (LUTs), Multiplexers and Flip Flops. Look Up Tables are used to create the actual logic of the PLU’s network, while multiplexers route these logic signals to and from other LUTs, as well as the PLU’s input and output pins. Flip Flops provide a method of gating logic signals from LUT elements to a shared clock input, adding a mechanism of synchronization and delay to the logic network.   Look Up Table (LUT) The PLU module has 26 inter-connectable Look Up Tables (LUTs), which can implement any combinational function with up to five inputs at once. The LUTs work by storing a pre-programmed output for every combination of inputs. This allows the look up tables to reproduce a specific output of logical 0 or 1 as soon as the input is changed without any processing required. By interconnecting LUT elements with one another, more complex programmable networks can be achieved, providing functionality of many logic gates at once.   Multiplexers The PLU module includes a variety of multiplexers that select the inputs and outputs for each Look Up Table (LUT) element. Each LUT element has 5 input multiplexers that route a signal to each of its 5 inputs. The available input signals for each LUT include: PLU Input pads. Other LUT element outputs. State Flip Flop outputs.   The PLU also has one output multiplexer for each PLU output pad (eight in total) that selects what Look-Up Table or Flip Flop state will drive each output pad.   Flip Flops The final PLU element is a type D flip flop that allows for retention of data, providing the means for sequential logic circuits and simple state machines.   The PLU module has 4 flip flops that are connected to the outputs of LUTs[3:0] as well as the external PLU_CLKIN signal that is used for timing and synchronization between flip flops. In order to use the flip flop elements, a clock signal must be supplied via the PLU_CLKIN pad. Note that since the flip flops are directly connected to the outputs of the first 4 LUT elements, the corresponding LUT elements must be set up in order to use each Flip Flop element.     PLU Setup The following steps must be done in order to achieve a logic network on the PLU module: Enable clocks for the PLU using the SYSCON_SYSAHBCLKCTRLx register and then toggle the PLU Reset bit from the SYSCON_PRESETCTRLx register. Assign pins using the PORTx_PCRn registers. Create logic network using the following steps: Write the logic behavior in the truth table register for each of the LUT elements that will be used. Program the input multiplexer registers to select the source of up to five inputs presented to each LUT. Program the output multiplexer register to select up to eight primary outputs from the PLU module. (Optional) Set the wakeup behavior by using the WAKEINT_CTRL register to select the outputs to be used as wakeup sources, as well as setting a deglitching method.   Creating logic networks Basic logic gates With a simple configuration of two inputs and one output on a single LUT element, all of the basic logic gates can be achieved. This would be achieved, for example, using a configuration of PLU_IN0 and PLU_IN1 pads as inputs and PLU_OUT0 pad as output for LUT0.   The first step of creating any logic network is to understand the truth table of the desired logic circuit. For a single AND gate using the previous configuration, the truth table would equate to the following: #   PLU_IN1 PLU_IN0 PLU_OUT0 0   0 0 0 1   0 1 0 2   1 0 0 3   1 1 1   The LUT would have to be set up in a way were the output is HIGH only when PLU_IN1 and PLU_IN0 are both HIGH, which is coincidentally the third combination of the LUT inputs for the previous truth table. Therefore, we need to program the LUT to output HIGH for combination #3. We can program this logic gate by writing a '1' on bit number 3 of the LUT’s truth table register. This way, when both LUT0 inputs are HIGH, the LUT element will “look up and find” a ‘1’, so it will output HIGH. On the other hand, for every other combination it will find a ‘0’ and output LOW. Combination # (Input) Truth table register (Output) 0 (0b00) 0 1 (0b01) 0 2 (0b10) 0 3 (0b11) 1   Taking this into account, it is easy to see that all the LUT element does is "look up" each combination of inputs on a predefined table to know what logic to output. This table is programmed via the 32 bit LUTa_TRUTH register for each LUT element. The 32 bit value required for the previous logic gate expressed in hexadecimal would then be as follows: AND gate LUT inputs[1:0] 11 10 01 00     LUT0_TRUTH 1 0 0 0 → 0x00000008 And, for the rest of the basic logic gates: OR gate LUT inputs[1:0] 11 10 01 00     LUT0_TRUTH 1 1 1 0 → 0x0000000E   XOR gate LUT inputs[1:0] 11 10 01 00     LUT0_TRUTH 0 1 1 0 → 0x00000006   NAND gate LUT inputs[1:0] 11 10 01 00     LUT0_TRUTH 0 1 1 1 → 0x00000007   NOR gate LUT inputs[1:0] 11 10 01 00     LUT0_TRUTH 0 0 0 1 → 0x00000001   XNOR gate LUT inputs[1:0] 11 10 01 00     LUT0_TRUTH 1 0 0 1 → 0x00000009   NOT gate LUT inputs[0] 1 0     LUT0_TRUTH 0 1 → 0x00000001   Buffer gate LUT inputs[0] 1 0     LUT0_TRUTH 1 0 → 0x00000002   Note that the truth table value for a NOR gate and a NOT gate is the same in this case, as both require an output of ‘1’ for the first combination of inputs and ‘0’ for the rest. This demonstrates how the PLU does not actually create an array of logic gates but rather, simply outputs predefined values from a table of all possible combinations of inputs. The previous tables show the register values to achieve all of the basic logic gates with the previous setup of LUT0. However, in order to achieve this configuration with input pins PLU_IN0 and PLU_IN1 as well as output pin PLU_OUT0, the multiplexers would have to be set up in the following manner:   In order to achieve this, pin PLU_IN0 must be routed as input[0] of LUT0 and PLU_IN1 as input[1] of LUT0. Additionally, the output of LUT0 will be routed to the PLU_OUT0 pad. This configuration to set up both input sources, route the output source and write the truth table register to result in an AND gate can be achieved with the following code:   /* Select input pin PLU_IN0 as LUT Input 0 (Input MUX0) for LUT0 on module PLU0 */ PLU_SetLutInputSource(PLU0, kPLU_LUT_0, kPLU_LUT_IN_0, kPLU_LUT_IN_SRC_PLU_IN_0); /* Select input pin PLU_IN1 as LUT Input 1 (Input MUX1) for LUT0 on module PLU0 */ PLU_SetLutInputSource(PLU0, kPLU_LUT_0, kPLU_LUT_IN_1, kPLU_LUT_IN_SRC_PLU_IN_1); /* Set Truth Table 0x08 for LUT element 0 on module PLU0 */ PLU_SetLutTruthTable(PLU0, kPLU_LUT_0, 0x08); // This will result in an AND gate /* Select LUT0 output as driver for PLU_OUT0 pin on module PLU0 */ PLU_SetOutputSource(PLU0, kPLU_OUTPUT_0, kPLU_OUT_SRC_LUT_0);   Conclusion The PLU module of the MCX N is modest when it comes to the complexity of the inner components as it is only made up from a series of look-up tables, multiplexers and flip flops. In spite of that, more elaborate and powerful logic networks can be achieved from those basic elements, providing on-chip solutions to many essential digital circuits and avoiding the need of external components for these digital applications. Not only that, but its interruption and wake up capabilities also enable the PLU to be a simple but effective addition to many low power applications. The PLU’s flexibility and built-in features enable this module to be a very effective addition to the MCX N series of MCUs that should not be overlooked. More information as well as example codes for combinational, sequential, and low-power applications can be found on the full article on Application Code Hub.

Ⅰ、Introduction MCXA153 supports Read Out Protection (ROP) to protect code from reading from the device internal flash. This read out protection is a mechanism that allows user to enable different levels of protection in the system. This article explains in detail the configuration of the four ROP levels as well as the relationships between the different levels and the corresponding life cycles. Ⅱ、Four levels of Read Out Protection (ROP) The ROP is controlled by ROP_STATE bits, It is a 32-bit field stored in IFR0. It can be programmed by customer. Below is an introduction to the four ROP levels： 1.ROP_LEVEL0 ROP_STATE = 0xFFFF_FFFF (erased FLASH value), No ROP. Default for blank state. 2.ROP_LEVEL1 ROP_STATE = 0x0000_0003 Debug is disabled and unlocked, however it can be modified by customer, only limited debug mailbox commands are available. 3 .ROP_LEVEL2 ROP_STATE = 0x0000_0001 Debug is disabled and locked, it cannot be modified by customer, only limited debug mailbox commands are available. 4.ROP_LEVEL3 ROP_STATE = 0x0000_0000 Debug is disabled and locked, it cannot be modified by customer, no debug mailbox commands are available NOTE：Anything else = ROP3-like behavior (Debug disabled/Locked, ISP disabled). When the ROP level is 0, we can change the ROP level to 1, 2, and 3 by modifying the value of ROP_STATE in IFR0.When the ROP level is 1 or 2, we can change the ROP level to 0 through the ISP or DM-AP command. ROP level 3 is a one-way trip, so be careful. Below is a diagram of the relationship between the four levels：   Ⅲ、Life cycle and ROP When the chip is delivered to the customer from NXP, the life cycle is “NXP Provisioned”, we can also call it “OEM Open”, ”OEM Field return”, “NXP Field Return”. Because at this point, the chip is completely blank, and ISP and debugging functions are allowed. Of course, the ROP level at this point is 0. In this lifecycle, customers can develop and debug. During customer production, customers can impose certain restrictions on ISP and debugging based on their needs through ROP. Customers can choose between ROP level 1 or ROP level 2. The lifecycle at this point is “OEM Closed”. In this lifecycle, when there are some quality issues, customers can use the ISP or DM-AP command to erase the entire chip, or use the DM-AP command “set FA” to transfer the chip life cycle to the initial state, and return it to NXP’s factory for analysis without storing any IP assets. In some scenarios, customers may need to completely disable ISP and debugging functions. In that case, customers can set the ROP level to 3, and the chip’s lifecycle is “OEM No Return”. Please note that at this point, even NXP cannot restore the chip. So once there are some CQC issues, our factory cannot conduct further analysis. Also, we can transfer the chip to a ‘Bricked’ state in any lifecycle. During “Bricked” lifecycle, the chip will not be booted and will become a brick. The following table shows the relationship between life cycle and ROP: Ⅳ. Impact of different ROP levels on SWD and ISP The supported SWD and ISP commands are different at different ROP levels. From ROP0 to ROP3, fewer commands are supported. The following figure shows the commands supported by SWD and ISP at different ROP Levels. ISP commands supported in ROP0-ROP3:   SWD DM-AP commands supported in ROP0-ROP3:   Ⅴ、Configure ROP with SEC tool We can configure ROP through the MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning( SEC) tool. The MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning Tool is a GUI-based application provided to simplify generation and provisioning of bootable executables on NXP MCU devices. Hardware requirements: FRDM-MCXA153 board、Type-C USB cable Software requirements: MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning (MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning v8_b240110 or later.) Configuration steps: Step1. Create a new workspace After opening the software, click File->New Workspace, select "MCX A14x/A15x" -> MCXA153 -> Click "create". Refer to the following figure: Step2. Connection with Target Processor Enter ISP mode：Press and hold SW3(ISP key) => Press and release SW1 (RESET key) => Release SW3 Go to your workspace and click “Target”->Connection, the Connection with Target Processor window is displayed. Here, we make Connection through UART and select port and baud rate. Refer to the following figure: We can click "Test connection" to check whether the connection is successful. If the connection is successful, the result will display "OK". We can also see the life cycle of the current board: OEM Open. Refer to the following figure: Step3.Select Life Cycle Settings ROP Click on the toolbar "OEM Open" According to the requirements, select the appropriate ROP, in this case ROP 2. NOTE: Use ROP 3 with caution. Refer to the following figure: Step4. Build image After completing the above operations, we need to load the .s19 or .hex file generated by MCUXpresso IDE into the Source executable image. After the file is loaded, the start address is automatically identified. If the start address is not 0x00000000, you cannot "built image". Then click on "built image". Refer to the following figure: After completing the built image, "SUCCECC: built image" will be displayed. Click "close". Refer to the following figure: Step5. Write image We can see that the required .bin file has been generated automatically in "write image", or we can import the corresponding .bin file we wrote by "import". The Image path file will be automatically loaded. Clicking "write image" will pop up to confirm, and then click "ok" to run the script automatically. After the file is successfully written, the message "SUCCESS: write image" is displayed. Refer to the following figure: Step6. Check When we complete the configuration of ROP 2, we can check the status of registers through "PFR configuration". The used registers cannot be read out and unknown is displayed, as shown in the following figure: Finally, by pressing the RESET key on the board to exit ISP mode. At this point, the board has entered ROP 2, debug is disabled. The method of entering other ROP levels is the same. So how do we get back to the other ROP levels? ROP 2 state debugging is disabled, even the IDE cannot operate, we can only use ISP command and SWD command to operate. The SEC tool integrates SWD bulk erase command to return to ROP 0. However, we can also use the Blhost software to use ISP command, enter the ISP mode, enter “blhost -p comxx -- flash-erase-all” and return to ROP 0. Next, we'll look at using the SWD bulk erase command. Click on the toolbar "Dbg": The Select Debug Probe window is displayed. Refer to the following figure: Select “Probe: ”and click “erase”. After the erase succeeds, the following message is displayed: Flash mass erase succeeded! So we've successfully returned to ROP 0. Ⅶ、Summary ROP function protects the security of the chip, users can set different levels of ROP according to the requirements of their own applications. Using MCUXpresso Secure Provisionin simplifies the ROP configuration process. Configuring different ROPs requires modifying the status bits of ROP_STAT and ROP_STAT_DP in CMPA. The SEC tool helps us automate this work through a GUI interface.                               

Developing code for MCXN family from Scratch The MCX family is a newly released MCU family, of course, the SDK package includes almost all the examples of the MCXN modules based on the SDK driver, for example led_blinky which shows the method of toggling GPIO, CTimer interrupt, etc. While the program in this article doesn’t use SDK driver. It focuses on understanding the related module from register level which is friendly to beginners to understand MCX working mechanism. The doc introduces how to toggle a GPIO, how to have CTimer generate interrupt, and in the CTimer ISR, toggle a LED, while it also describes how to initialize the NVIC so that CTimer can generate ISR by writing the module registers without calling the SDK driver. Environment: FRDM-MCXN947 board MCUXPresso IDE v11.9.0 IDE on Win10 OS   1. Toggle a LED On the FRDM-MCXN947 board, the PIO0_10(P0_10) of MCXN947 is connected to a LED. With MCUXPresso IDE with v11.9.0, you can add the code to test the LED toggling and CTimer interrupt function.   1.1 Configure the PIO0_10 pin as GPIO0_10 pin SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[0]=1<<13; PORT0->PCR[10]=0x1000; Before you initialize the PORT0 register to assign the PIO0_10 function, you have to enable the PORT0 gated clock in the SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRL0 reg. Write the PORT0->PCR[10]=0x1000; to configure the PIO0_10 as GPIO0_10 function. 1.2 Configure the GPIO0_10 pin as GPIO output mode and toggle the GPIO pin. SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[0]=1<<19; GPIO0->PDDR|=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; Before you initialize the GPIO0 registers, you have to enable the GPIO0 gated clock in the SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRL0 reg. Set the bit 10 of GPIO0->PDDR so that the GPIO0_10 is in GPIO output mode. Toggle GPIO0_10 pin by writing the bit 10 in GPIO0->PTOR reg   Set a break point in the debugger on the GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; line,and run step by step, you can see that led toggles.   2. Initialize CTimer 2.1 enable Ctimer gated clock and clock source and divider. Before you initialize the CTimer register, you have to enable the CTimer gated clock. For example, enable CTimer4 gated clock with the line： SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[2]=1<<22; You have to also select the CTimer clock source and Ctimer clock divider. For example, set the CTimer4 clock source and divider. SYSCON->CTIMERCLKSEL[4]=0x04; SYSCON->CTIMERCLKDIV[4]=0x02; //P0_10 is LED red void GPIOInit(void) { SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[0]=1<<13; PORT0->PCR[10]=0x1000; //enable gated clock of GPIO SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[0]=1<<19; GPIO0->PDDR|=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; //set break point here GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; } 2.2 Initialize the CTimer register. CTIMER4->CTCR=0x00; CTIMER4->PR=0x00; //set the CTimet4 mode and enable interrupt for match0 CTIMER4->MCR=0x03; CTIMER4->PWMC=0x00; //set the CTimer4 cycle time CTIMER4->MR[0]=2000000; CTIMER4->MSR[0]=2000000; //Start up CTimer4 CTIMER4->TCR=0x01; 2.3 Initialize the NVIC The IRQ number of CTimer4 is 56, so you have to set the bit 24 of both NVIC->ISER[1]|=1<<24; NVIC->ICPR[1]|=1<<24; and set the priority of NVIC->IPR[56] with 0x00; NVIC->IPR[56]=0x00;   //CTimer4 IRQ 56, 56-32=24 void cTimer0Init(void) { //CLOCK_SetClkDiv(kCLOCK_DivCtimer4Clk, 1u); //CLOCK_AttachClk(kFRO_HF_to_CTIMER4); //enable Ctimer4 gated clock SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[2]=1<<22; SYSCON->PRESETCTRLSET[2]=1<<22; SYSCON->PRESETCTRLCLR[2]=1<<22; SYSCON->CTIMERGLOBALSTARTEN|=1<<4; //select CTimer4 clock source SYSCON->CTIMERCLKSEL[4]=0x04; SYSCON->CTIMERCLKDIV[4]=0x02; //init the CTimer0 CTIMER4->CTCR=0x00; CTIMER4->PR=0x00; CTIMER4->MCR=0x03; CTIMER4->PWMC=0x00; CTIMER4->MR[0]=2000000; CTIMER4->MSR[0]=2000000; //CTIMER0->IR=0x01; CTIMER4->TCR=0x01; NVIC->ISER[1]|=1<<24; NVIC->ICPR[1]|=1<<24; NVIC->IPR[56]=0x00; } 2.3 Each interrupt source has unique interrupt service routine in the file startup_mcxn947_cm33_core0.c For the CTimer4 ISR, it is called: CTIMER4_IRQHandler So it is okay to fill the function: void CTIMER4_IRQHandler(void) { //clear flag CTIMER4->IR|=0x01; //toggle LED GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; } In conclusion, the doc gives a snippet which can toggle a LED by writing the register directly. It also give the code to configure CTimer4 so that it can generate interrupt, in the ISR, toggle a LED. Appendix This is the entire source code:   /* * Copyright 2019 NXP * All rights reserved. * * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause */ #include "pin_mux.h" #include "peripherals.h" #include "board.h" /******************************************************************************* * Definitions ******************************************************************************/ void clockOUTInit(void); void GPIOInit(void); void cTimer0Init(void); void MRTInit(void); /******************************************************************************* * Prototypes ******************************************************************************/ /******************************************************************************* * Variables ******************************************************************************/ /******************************************************************************* * Code ******************************************************************************/ /*! * @brief Main function */ int main(void) { /* Board pin init */ CLOCK_EnableClock(kCLOCK_Gpio0); BOARD_InitPins(); BOARD_BootClockFRO12M(); //FlexPWMPinInit(); GPIOInit(); cTimer0Init(); //MRTInit(); __asm("nop"); while (1) { } } //P0_10 is LED red void GPIOInit(void) { SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[0]=1<<13; PORT0->PCR[10]=0x1000; //enable gated clock of GPIO SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[0]=1<<19; GPIO0->PDDR|=1<<10; //set a break point here and run step by step GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; } //CTimer4 IRQ 56, 56-32=24 void cTimer0Init(void) { // CLOCK_SetClkDiv(kCLOCK_DivCtimer4Clk, 1u); // CLOCK_AttachClk(kFRO_HF_to_CTIMER4); //enable Ctimer4 gated clock SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[2]=1<<22; SYSCON->PRESETCTRLSET[2]=1<<22; SYSCON->PRESETCTRLCLR[2]=1<<22; SYSCON->CTIMERGLOBALSTARTEN|=1<<4; //select CTimer4 clock source SYSCON->CTIMERCLKSEL[4]=0x04; SYSCON->CTIMERCLKDIV[4]=0x02; //init the CTimer0 CTIMER4->CTCR=0x00; CTIMER4->PR=0x00; CTIMER4->MCR=0x03; CTIMER4->PWMC=0x00; CTIMER4->MR[0]=2000000; CTIMER4->MSR[0]=2000000; //CTIMER0->IR=0x01; CTIMER4->TCR=0x01; NVIC->ISER[1]|=1<<24; NVIC->ICPR[1]|=1<<24; NVIC->IPR[56]=0x00; } void CTIMER4_IRQHandler(void) { //clear flag CTIMER4->IR|=0x01; //toggle LED GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; } //MRT0 interrupt IRQ is 30 void MRTInit(void) { SYSCON->AHBCLKCTRLSET[1]=1<<0; SYSCON->PRESETCTRLSET[1]=1<<0; SYSCON->PRESETCTRLCLR[1]=1<<0; MRT0->CHANNEL[0].INTVAL=6000000; MRT0->CHANNEL[0].INTVAL|=1<<31; MRT0->CHANNEL[0].CTRL=0x01; NVIC->ISER[0]|=1<<30; NVIC->ICPR[0]|=1<<30; NVIC->IPR[30]=0x00; } void MRT0_IRQHandler(void) { if(MRT0->CHANNEL[0].STAT&0x01) { MRT0->CHANNEL[0].STAT|=0x01; } //toggle LED GPIO0->PTOR=1<<10; }

Ⅰ、Introduction The MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning Tool (SEC) tool is a GUI-based application provided to simplify generation and provisioning of bootable executables on NXP MCU platforms. The latest version of SEC v8 adds FCB configuration function to help users program image to external flash. The MCX N94x family is a typical product series of MCX. A controller with a flexible serial peripheral interface (FlexSPI) that supports external memory. The external flash has a large storage capacity, high flexibility. It is relatively independent of the replacement or upgrade of the main chip, and has high reliability and lifecycle. This article focuses on how to use SEC tools to configure and program MCXN947 external flash quickly and easily. Ⅱ、Configuration steps This article uses the FRDM-MCXN947 board as an example to configure FCB and download an external flash image. Hardware requirements: FRDM-MCXN947 board、Type-C USB cable Software requirements: MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning Tool | NXP Semiconductors Step1. Create new workspace  After opening the software, click File->New Workspace, select "MCX N94x/N54x" -> MCXN947 -> Click "create". Refer to the following figure: Step2. Connection with Target Processor Enter ISP mode：Press and hold SW3(ISP key) => Press and release SW1 (RESET key) => Release SW3 Go to your workspace and click “Target”->Connection, the Connection with Target Processor window is displayed. Here, we make Connection through UART and select port and baud rate. Refer to the following figure: We can click "Test connection" to check whether the connection is successful. If the connection is successful, the result will display "OK". Refer to the following figure: Step3. Boot memory configuration Next we need to configure FCB. Click on "Target"-> Boot Memory… ,The Boot memory configuration window is displayed. First we need to select the Boot memory type, this part allows selection of the boot memory type, and optionally instance. The selection contains all memory types but unsupported types are disabled. FlexSPI NOR flash can be configured in two ways: By using the flashloader/ROM based simple configuration in the Boot Memory Configuration dialog or By using the complete FCB (FCB binary), which can be prepared from the boot device configuration as well, or via MCUXpresso IDE by adding the FCB component into Peripheral Drivers in Peripherals tools, where the full configuration can be specified. Here we use a simple configuration, click "FlexSPI NOR-simplified", on this Predefined template, select W25Q64JW and click apply. Then, corresponding parameters on W25Q64JW will be automatically created on Boot memory configuration parameters. Normally, keep the default value. Refer to the following figure: We use "Test the configuration" to check whether the configuration is correct. After clicking "Test", the script will pop up to run automatically, and "SUCCESS" will be displayed after running. Refer to the following figure: Then click "convert to FCB" and the "convert to FCB" dialog box will pop up. Keep the default position of "FCB file path". Select "Apply the converted FCB as boot device configuration" and click "convert". The script automatically runs and generates "converted_fcb.bin". The FlexSPI NOR-complete FCB window is displayed. Refer to the following figure: The generated converted_fcb.bin file is automatically loaded to FCB file for runtime and FCB File for write. Click "Test" and "SUCCESS" will be displayed. Click "OK" to close the window. Refer to the following figure: Step4. Build image After completing the above operations, we need to load the .s19 or .hex file generated by MCUXpresso IDE into the Source executable image. Note: The start address of the external flash of the project needs to be changed to 0x80001000. This section does not explain how to change the start address. For details, see “How to config booting from external flash”. After the file is loaded, the start address is automatically identified. If the start address is not 0x80001000, you cannot "built image". Then click on "built image". Refer to the following figure: After completing the built image, "SUCCECC: built image" will be displayed. Click "close". Refer to the following figure: Step5. Write image We can see that the required .bin file has been generated automatically in "write image", or we can import the corresponding .bin file we wrote by "import". The Image path file will be automatically loaded. Click "write image" to run the script automatically. After the file is successfully written, "SUCCESS: write image" is displayed. Refer to the following figure: Finally, by pressing the RESET key on the board to exit ISP mode, we completed the configuration and downloaded the external flash image. Ⅲ、Summarize We use SEC Tool to configure FCB and download external flash images via GUI. This is just a simple method, and users can choose different ways according to their requirements.

  This guide helps you to: Get familiar with NPU inside the MCX Know eIQ ML examples included in SDK. Summarize related application notes and demo projects on GitHub Prerequisites: Windows 10 development PC. FRDM-MCXN947 board NXP’s  MCUXpresso IDE is installed on the development PC Generate and download FRDM-MCXN947 SDK package from the web-based MCUXpresso SDK builder. Introduction to NPU The MCXN94x and MCXN54x are based on dual high-performance Arm® Cortex®-M33 cores running at up to 150 MHz, it has 2MB of on-chip Flash with optional full ECC RAM and an integrated proprietary NPU. The integrated NPU delivers up to 40x faster machine learning (ML) throughput compared to a CPU core, enabling it to spend less time awake and reducing overall power consumption. The architecture provides power and performance-optimized NPUs integrated with NXP's very wide portfolio of microcontrollers and applications processors. The eIQ Neutron NPUs offer support for a wide variety of neural network types such as CNN, RNN, TCN, and Transformer networks and more. ML application development with the eIQ Neutron NPU is fully supported by the eIQ machine learning software development environment. The NPU used in MCXN94 is Neutron N1-16, its block diagram is shown in the below figure. The eIQ Neutron N1-16 NPU found inside the MCXN94 has 4 compute pipes and each compute pipe contains 4 INT8 MAC (Multiply Accumulate) blocks for a total of 16 MAC blocks. This means that MCXN94 could execute 4.8G(150MHz * 4 * 4 * 2) INT8 operations per second. The MCUXpresso Software Development Kit (MCUXpresso SDK) provides a comprehensive software package with a pre-integrated TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers (TFLM). The Neutron library is integrated into TFLM as well. The following table shows the operators which are supported by the NPU. Operator Operator input type MCXN947/MCXN548 NPU ADD Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes AVERAGE_POOL_2D Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes CONV_2D Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes DEPTHWISE_CONV_2D Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes FULLY_CONNECTED Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes UNIDIRECTIONAL_SEQUENCE_ LSTM Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) No LOGISTIC (Sigmoid) Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes MAX_POOL_2D Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) Yes MUL Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) No SOFTMAX Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) No SVDF Float No Uint8(PTQ) No Int8(PCQ) No Note: PTQ — Per-tensor quantized (asymmetric 8-bit quantization). PCQ — Per-channel quantized (symmetric 8-bit quantization). For more information please refer to eIQ TensorFlow Lite User's Guide.pdf in middleware/eiq/doc of SDK. eIQ ML examples included in SDK. Download SDK and select FRDM-MCXN947 in MCUxpresso SDK Builder, Remember to select eIQ middleware. Then open MCUXpresso, it’s convenient to install the SDK by dragging and dropping the file into the SDK installation window of the MCUXpresso IDE. Import SDK examples into the workspace: There are 7 ML examples included in SDK: Here are the descriptions of the eIQ examples: eIQ example Description Hardware requirements tflm_cifar10 CIFAR10 example based on TensorFlow Lite Micro, recognizes a static image FRDM-MCXN947 USB type-c cable tflm_kws Keyword spotting example based on TensorFlow Lite Micro recognizes a static WAV audio FRDM-MCXN947 USB type-c cable tflm_label_image Label 1000 classes of images based on TensorFlow Lite Micro FRDM-MCXN947 USB type-c cable mpp_camera_mobilenet_view_tflm Label camera images based on TensorFlow Lite Micro FRDM-MCXN947 LCD: MikroElektronika TFT Proto 5" OV7670 module USB type-c cable mpp_camera_ultraface_view_tflm Face detection using the camera as the source, based on TensorFlow Lite Micro FRDM-MCXN947 LCD: MikroElektronika TFT Proto 5" OV7670 module USB type-c cable mpp_camera_view A simple camera preview pipeline. FRDM-MCXN947 LCD: MikroElektronika TFT Proto 5" OV7670 module USB type-c cable tflm_modelrunner TFLite Model Benchmark example for Microcontrollers. FRDM-MCXN947 RJ45 Network cable For additional information and guidance, kindly refer to the README file located in the doc folder that accompanies each example. Summary of related application notes There are two application notes available that provide information on advanced usage of NPU. How to Integrate Customer ML Model to NPU on MCXN94x Face Detection demo with NPU accelerated on MCXN947. Please find the notes on the NXP website Summary of demo projects on GitHub There are five demos on nxp-appcodehub from GitHub: Multiple Face detection on FRDM-MCXN947 Multiple person detection on FRDM-MCXN947 Label CIFAR10 images on FRDM-MCXN947 Fashion-MNIST recognition on FRDM-MCXN947 NPU vs TensorFLM benchmark on MCX  

Abstract   This Knowledge Base text is intended to be an introduction for the MCX A14x/15x Architecture. Therefore, the content that is presented is described in a simplified way.   Contents 1. Introduction  2. Bus and Memory Architecture  3. MCX N vs MCX A series  4. MCXA SoC Power Domain Configuration 5. Clock Tree  6. Life Cycle and ROP State  7. Closing remarks    1.    Introduction   The MCX is the new MCU for NXP generic-purposes microcontrollers. Its portfolio offers a comprehensive selection of Arm® Cortex®-M based MCUs offering expanded scalability with breakthrough product capabilities simplified system design, and a developer-focused experience thought the widely adopted MCUXpresso suite of software and tools. Particularly, the MCXA series MCUs expands the MCX Arm® Cortex®-M33 product offerings with multiple high-speed connectivity, operating up to 96 MHz, serial peripherals, timers, analog and low power consumption. This device has following target applications: Consumer and industrial IoT Industrial Communications Smart Metering Automation and Control Sensors The following figure shows a top-level organization of the modules within the chip organized by functional category. Figure 1. Features block diagram   2.    Bus and Memory Architecture   The memory system of the device includes SRAM, ROM, internal flash, and external memory. The following figure shows the Bus matrix block diagram of this chip. Where there are three bus initiators (CM33, DMA and USB FS) which to access to different slave ports thought a Multilayer AHB bus matrix. ROM, Flash and RAMX0/1 share the same slave port. RAMA0/1 share a second slave port. And the third slave port is used to access to the peripherals.   Figure 2. Bus matrix block diagram   The Bus matrix block diagram has de following features: CM33 Max speed is 96MHz Does not include MPU, FPU, DSP and Trustzone Cache 4KB LPCAC on CM33 code bus 8-way, 2-set-associative design based on 256-byte superpages. The access to flash can be cached. Write through Flash Up to 128KB flash. Line buffer and prefetch buffer IFR0 sector0 is CMPA region Memory Block Checker (MBC) is used to control the access permission Swap RAM SRAM is divided into Code TCM and System TCM: CTCM: Mapped to CM33 code bus space RAM X0: 8 KB 32-bit RAM RAM X1: 4 KB 32-bit RAM Can only be used as code RAM when LPCAC is disabled. STCM: Mapped to CM33 system bus space: RAM A0: 8 KB 32+7-bit ECC RAM RAM A1: 16 KB 32bit RAM Execute permission is configurable Remap When remap is enabled, the access to RAM X0, will be remapped to the end of system RAM   3.    MCX N vs MCX A series   The MCX N series have feature-rich on-chip accelerators and peripheral sets. Aimed at applications that need higher performance and fast features. The MCX A series have several device options for a wide range of applications. Provides coverage for all applications requiring microcontrollers in entry-level target products. The following table summarizes the main features of the MCX A and the MCX N series to compare their differences. Table 1. Feature Comparison between MCX N and MCX A series Description MCXN94x MCXA14x/15x Comments System 2x DMA3, CRC, 2x WWDT, SPC, SCG, EIM, ERM, INTM, EWM, SYSCON, WUU, CMC, VBAT 1x DMA3, CRC, WWDT, SPC, SCG, CMC, VBAT, EIM, ERM, SYSCON, WUU - MRCC in MCXA SYSCON is used to control peripherals’ clock select, clock divider and clock gating. - SPC and SCG programming model is forward compatible with MCXN. Security S50, PKC, PUF, TRNG, SM3, 2x GDET, Tamper, eFuse, ITRC, 2x CDOG, LVD/HVD, ROP (Read out protection), 1x CDOG, GLIKEY   Clocking 2x PLL, FRO144M, FRO12M, OSC48M, OSC32K, FRO16K FRO192, FRO12M, OSC48M, FRO16K - OSC48M min. frequency is reduced to 8MHz. Communications USB FS, 10x LP_FLEXCOMM,  2x FlexCAN, 2x SAI, 2x I3C, FlexIO, 2x EMVSIM USB FS, 2x LPSPI, 3x LPUART, LPI2C, I3C - LPSPI/LPUART/LPI2C are compatible with LP_FLEXCOMM. FIFO depth in MCXA is 4, and MCXN is 8. - I3C is new version in MCXA. It is compatible with MCXN - USB FS doesn’t support USB DCD in MCXA. High Speed Interface USB HS, FlexSPI, SDHC, ENET, eSPI, SPI Filter LPSPI (LP_FlexCOMM) LPSPI   Timers 2x FlexPWM, 2x QDC, 5x Ctimer, SCT, uTimer, OS Timer, RTC, 2x LPTMR, MRT 1x FlexPWM, 1x QDC, 3x Ctimer, SCT, uTimer, OS Timer, Wakeup Timer,  LPTMR - FlexPWM and Ctimer support up to 192MHz clock - 3 Sub Modules in FlexPWM of MCXA - QDC is a new design, but compatible with MCXN Analog 2x 16bit ADC, 3x DAC, 3x CMP, 3x OPAMP, VREF, TSI 1x 12bit ADC, 2x CMP - The ADC MCXA is single ended ADC, with single sample/hold circuit. Supports up to 4Msps in 12bit mode. Regulators DCDC, SYS_LDO, CORE_LDO, VBAT, SRAM_LDO OD/SD/MD RUN Mode CORE_LDO, SRAM_RET_LDO   Power Mode RUN Mode: OD/SD/MD LP Mode: Sleep/DS/PD/DPD/VBAT RUN Mode: SD/MD LP Mode: Sleep/DS/PD/DPD   IO 6 rails, 124 GPIO, 100M/50M/25M IO 2 rails, ~52 GPIO, 50M/25M IO High Drive IO, 5V Tolerant IO   NEW MODIFIED       New and modified features are highlighted. And as it can be seen, most of the features of the MCX A are compatible with the MCX N.   4.    MCXA SoC Power domain configuration   The following figure introduce in a simplified way the Power Architecture block diagram of the MCX A. Where it can be seen that consist in three power supplies (VDD, VDD_ANA and VDD_USB) to power system and peripherals.   Figure 3. Power Architecture   VDD is the main supply which powers SYSTEM Domain, PMC, LDO_CORE and IO. At the same time CORE_MAIN Domain is supplied by LDO_CORE. VDD_ANA supplies ADC. And VDD_USB supplies USB FS PHY. Power Architecture has the following features: Run Mode SD mode with 1.1V VDD_CORE, 96MHz max. MD mode with 1.0V VDD_CORE, 48MHz max. Low Power Mode Sleep Mode DS Mode PD Mode CORE_MAIN domain and RAM are retained in different voltage DPD Mode. CMC and SPC control the LP mode, which is compatible with MCX N RAM Retention 3 RAM retention groups, which can be retained independently RAM X0 and RAM X1 RAM A0 RAM A1 All RAM can be retained down to DPD mode RAM retention control logic is implemented in SPC Power Sequence VDD and VDD_ANA must be ramp up same time with same level Voltage Monitors POR on VDD LVD and HVD on VDD LVD on VDD_CORE VDD_USB detector The following figure shows the Power Mode Transition block diagram. After POR the chip enters in Reset, when it exits from Reset the chip enters Active Mode. By performing Active Mode, it is able to enter all Low Power Modes. In Sleep and Deep Sleep Modes, it is possible to return directly to Active Mode. Meanwhile, to exit from Deep Power Down Mode, a Reset must be performed. Figure 4. Power Modes Transition   5.    Clock Tree   The following Figure shows a high level of Clock Architecture block diagram. In the left of the block diagram there are the on-chip clock sources, meanwhile in the right there is the distribution of the clock signals that clocking the systems and peripherals of the chip. The SCG controls FRO192M, FRO12M and SOSC clock sources. VBAT implements the 16 kHz internal clock source. And the MRCC provides on-chip modules their own dedicated MRCC bits for clock gating, reset control and configuration options. Figure 5. Clock Architecture The Clock Architecture has the following features: Clock Source FRO192M. Outputs 192/96/48MHz FRO12M. Outputs 12MHz and 1MHz. SOSC. Supports 8~50MHz FRO16K. Output 16.384KHz Clock Management Overall clock architecture is same with MCXN SCG and VBAT control clock generators MRCC in SYSCON controls clock mux and clock divider of the system and peripherals.   6.    Life Cycle and ROP State The following Table summarizes the Life Cycle State model and the Read Out Protection (ROP), which are designed to protect customer code and data from reading from the device internal flash. There are different levels of protection in the system, so that access to the on-chip flash and use of ISP can be restricted. Also, the life cycle state of the device determines the debug access and ISP command availability. Table 2. Life Cycle and ROP Life Cycle State ROP State Debug Port Status Debug Mail Box Command ISP Command NXP_PROVISIONED OEM_OPEN OEM_FIELD_RETURN NXP_FIELD_RETURN ROP0  ROP_STATE = 0xFFFF_FFFF  ROP_STATE_DP = 0xFFFF_FFFF - Disabled by default - Enabled by Bootloader Full command OEM_CLOSED ROP1    ROP_STATE = 0x0000_0003    ROP_STATE_DP = 0x0000_0003 - Disabled by default - Not enabled by Bootloader - Debug configure register is not locked Reduced command ROP2    ROP_STATE = 0x0000_0001    ROP_STATE_DP = 0x0000_0001 - Disabled by default - Not enabled by Bootloader - Debug configure register is locked Reduced command OEM_NO_RETURN ROP3    ROP_STATE = 0x0000_0000    ROP_STATE_DP = 0x0000_0000 - Disabled by default - Not enabled by Bootloader - Debug configure register is locked No command BRICKED Other value - Disabled by default - Not enabled by Bootloader - Debug configure register is locked No command   NXP_BLANK and NXP_FAB are NXP states that are not available for customers. NXP_PROVISIONED, OEM_OPEN, OEM_FIELD_RETURN and NXP_FIELD_RETURN are initial customer development states after leaving NXP manufacturing. OEM_CLOSED is the customer in-field application state, with ROP protection. OEM_NO_RETURN is the customer in-field application state, with ROP protection which prevents use of field return. And finally, BRICKED is the end-of-life state to prevent device use.   7.    Closing remarks   The MCX A series is based on the Arm Cortex-M33 operating at up to 96 MHz. It is scalable and easily migrated between N and A series given that peripherals and memories are very similar. The main on-chip memories are a Non-Volatile Flash memory with ECC and a RAM with ECC and Self-Test. Enhanced peripherals are designed with specific use cases in mind. This gives the applications a lot of focus on what they need. Improved Read Out Protection is built into the hardware designed to protect customer code and data from unauthorized readings. This device provide great flexibility and multiple options for the user to achieve low-power consumption with memory retention. Comprehensive serial communications included in the MCX A allow to interact with various components in customer applications. The analog integration selection within the MCX A also provides real-time response to the outside world, including ADC, CMP and temperature sensor. Utilize MCUXpresso software and tools to optimize, ease and help accelerate your embedded system development with a development suite that includes device configuration tools, drivers and middleware, multiple IDEs and a secure provisioning tool.