We purchased the following board: MPC5775B BMS Plus VCU Reference Design
We started building a model in MBDT to exercise the inputs and outputs, many of which are driven by chips that communicate over a SPI interface with the MCU.
We noticed a problem where the SPI message frame size is set to a fixed size in the Config block, which implies it becomes hard-coded for the life of the application, see screenshot below.
The problem is that right away, we discover 3 chips that require 3 different frame sizes for SPI messages, and won't accept a set of 8-bit messages as an alternative:
The CD1030 (Multiple Switch Detection Interface) only accepts 32-bit frames.
The MC33996 (16-Oouptut Low-Side Switch) only accepts 24-bit frames.
The MC15XS3400 (Quad High-Side Switch) only accepts 16-bit frames.
Given this limitation, it seems the MBDT lacks the flexibility needed to create a fully functional application for the MPC5775B BMS Plus VCU Reference Design, though designs targeted to one chip at a time are certainly possible for demo or test.
The SPI message frame size needs the same flexibility we have with CAN messages, where the frame size of each message is chosen and can be different for each message sent.
Is this correct? Is there a work-around? I presume it would be hand-written C code.
Hello @rsating
When you want to transfer more than 16 bits on a frame, you should enable the Continuous transfer.
This option will keep the CS low, over the entire frame that you want to send. Let's assume that you have two devices, the first one, connected to CS0, with a 32 bits frame, and the other one connected to CS1 with 24 bits frame.
To initiate a transfer with the first device, CS0, you have to provide to the SPI_Master_Transfer the 32 bits frame as an input of 4 uint8_t elements array. By having the Continuous transfer option checked the CS will remain low for 32 clock cycles, so 32-bit frame.
To transfer data to the second device, CS1, you have to provide to the SPI_Master_Transfer block an array of 3 uint8_T elements array.
In this way, you can address multiple devices with variable frame sizes.
Here you will find a similar question even this handles another MCU https://community.nxp.com/t5/NXP-Model-Based-Design-Tools/SPI-Message-for-32bit-Transfer-MPC5744P-MB...
Hope this helps,
Marius
I found that MBDT does support multiple SPI Slave devices per Master, by specifying a CS pin per Slave as shown below:
Then specifying the Peripheral CS in the SPI_Master_Transfer block:
However, the above block properties need to include a "Frame Size" field, because it is in general different for each slave device, as it is for chips of the MPC5775B Reference Design. Without this change, MBDT is not flexible enough for MPC5775B.
Hello @rsating
When you want to transfer more than 16 bits on a frame, you should enable the Continuous transfer.
This option will keep the CS low, over the entire frame that you want to send. Let's assume that you have two devices, the first one, connected to CS0, with a 32 bits frame, and the other one connected to CS1 with 24 bits frame.
To initiate a transfer with the first device, CS0, you have to provide to the SPI_Master_Transfer the 32 bits frame as an input of 4 uint8_t elements array. By having the Continuous transfer option checked the CS will remain low for 32 clock cycles, so 32-bit frame.
To transfer data to the second device, CS1, you have to provide to the SPI_Master_Transfer block an array of 3 uint8_T elements array.
In this way, you can address multiple devices with variable frame sizes.
Here you will find a similar question even this handles another MCU https://community.nxp.com/t5/NXP-Model-Based-Design-Tools/SPI-Message-for-32bit-Transfer-MPC5744P-MB...
Hope this helps,
Marius
