ETC 27384A

Increased Clock Speeds and
Faster Initial Burst Access on
Am29BDD160G
Application Note
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Publication Number 27384 Revision A
Amendment 0 Issue Date December 12, 2002
Increased Clock Speeds and Faster Initial Burst Access
Modification to Burst Initial Access Delay Control and CFI Device Geometry Definition–
Revision 4a versus Revisions 4 and Earlier
Application Note
INTRODUCTION
This Application Note discusses design improvements
to the Am29BDD160G. Technology and application
developers are increasingly requiring Flash memory
with higher clock speeds and faster access times. This
is particularly true for the automotive market in anti-lock
braking, engine control, and transmission control applica t ion s. On e of th e fa ct o rs a ff e ct in g syst e m
performance is the interface between the Flash memory and the microprocessor. Flash memory in burst
mode (synchronous) requires a longer access time for
the initial access than subsequent accesses (as fast as
one clock cycle at 66 MHz). Flash burst initial access
delay is therefore an important factor influencing system performance.
AMD is the world leader in Flash memory design, development and production, and is committed to
continuous improvement of Flash memory capability.
The Am29BDD160G 16 megabit Flash memory is a
prime example of how this commitment is driving design modifications. Improvements to the
Am29BDD160G have resulted in significantly decreased the burst initial access delay. The number of
wait states associated with the burst initial access in
Revision 4a (versus all previous revisions) has been
decreased by one state across all frequencies. The
Am29BDD160G now provides for a 66 MHz operation
with a burst initial access time of five clock cycles and
subsequent burst access time of one clock cycle (also
known as 5-1-1-1… at 56 MHz and 66 MHz).
Publication# 27384
Rev: A Amendment/0
Issue Date: December 12, 2002
Design improvements require changes to both the silicon revision level (incremented from 4 to 4a) and the
Am29BDD160G datasheet revision level (incremented
from B to C). There are three areas of discussion:
■ Initial Access Delay Control
User Configurable Control Register determines the initial access delay in burst mode i.e., Initial Access Delay
Control (Burst Control Configuration). Allows for proper
configuration of the Flash memory to match the microprocessor interface.
■ CFI Device Geometry Definition
Fixed configuration information in Common Flash
Memory Interface i.e., CFI Device Geometry Definition
containing details about memory size, word–size, and
erase block configuration.
■ Summary of Silicon Revision 4 and 4a Differences
Discussion of differences between silicon revision 4
from 4a with respect to external attributes (such as part
number, part marking) and internally through interrogation of Flash configuration registers (software). This
third section also discusses issues that should be considered when different revision level devices are used.
1
BURST INITIAL ACCESS DELAY CONTROL
(BURST CONTROL CONFIGURATION)
Design modifications have decreased the Burst Initial
Access Delay by one clock cycle for all control register
configuration values and for frequencies up to 66 MHz.
Configuration Registers CR13 through CR10 determine the Burst Initial Access Delay. The Burst Initial
Access Delay is defined as the number of CLK cycles
that must elapse from the first valid clock edge after
ADV# assertion (or the rising edge of ADV#) until the
first valid CLK edge when the data is valid. Figure 1
and Table 1 are valid for the majority of applications,
and have the following operating conditions:
1. Burst initial access starts with the first CLK rising
edge after ADV# assertion.
2. Configuration Register 6 is set to 1 (CR[6] = 1).
Burst starts and data outputs on rising CLK edge.
For a complete discussion of this and other operating
conditions see the Am29BDD160G datasheet (Publication# 24960 Rev: C or later).
For example, Revision 4 control register setting CR[1310] = 0010 results in a Burst Initial Access Delay of five
clock cycles; while Revision 4a the same control register setting results in a Burst Initial Access Delay with
four clock cycles.
.
Burst Initial Access Delay
1
3
2
CLK
ADV#
Valid
A18-A0
DQ31-DQ0
D1
D0
D3
D2
3 CLK cycles
Burst Initial Access Delay
Notes:
1. Burst access process starts when rising CLK edge after ADV# assertion.
2. Configuration register 6 is set to 1 (RC[6] = 1). Burst starts and data outputs on Rising CLK edge.
Figure 1.
Burst Initial Access Delay Control
Table 1.
Burst Initial Access Delay Control
Burst Initial Access Delay
(CLK cycles)
Configuration Register Setting
CR13
2
CR12
CR11
CR10
Rev. 4
Rev. 4a
0
0
0
0
3
2
0
0
0
1
4
3
0
0
1
0
5
4
0
0
1
1
6
5
0
1
0
0
7
6
0
1
0
1
8
7
0
1
1
0
9
8
0
1
1
1
10
9
Increased Clock Speeds and Faster Initial Burst Access
December 12, 2002
CFI DEVICE GEOMETRY DEFINITION
The Am29BDD160G datasheet (Publication number
24960) Table 13 through Table 16 details the CFI device information. These tables outline the Flash device
and host system software interrogation handshake that
allows specific vendor-specific software algorithms to
be used for entire families of devices. Table 15 details
the CFI Device Geometry such as memory size (capacity), interface description (8,16, 32 bit word size),
and erase block region information. The quantity of
erase blocks regions is stored in memory location 2Ch
for a 32 bit wide word (or 58h for a 16 bit wide word).
Revision 4 has a value of 4h while for Revision 4a has
Table 2.
Address
(x32 Mode)
Address
(x16 Mode)
2Ch
a value of 3h. A query returns a correct result in both
cases. Table 2 shows the valid configuration information for the number of erase block regions within the
device.
All devices have three usable Erase Blocks. Revisions
4 and earlier have a fourth Erase Block; however, that
Erase Block has a size of 0 x 0 Kb. This is a zero length
block and is effectively not present. Revision 4a removed the fourth Erase Block and modified the CFI
Device Geometry Definition accordingly. See Table 3.
This change allows for a distinction of the two revisions
by querying the CFI information table.
CFI Geometry Data
Data
Description
3h or 4h
Number of Erase Block Regions within device
3h
For Flash Part Numbers: Am29BDD160GX54CYZ,
Am29BDD160GX65DYZ, Am29BDD160GX64CYZ, and
Am29BDD160GX65AYZ, where X, Y, and Z reflect user
selectable options, i.e.
X = Boot Sector, Y = Package, Z = Temperature
4h
For Flash Part Numbers: Am29BDD160GX80CYZ,
Am29BDD160GX90AYZ, and Am29BDD160GB–
DS3/4/5/6/7, where X, Y, and Z reflect user selectable
options, i.e. X = Boot Sector, Y = Package, Z = Temperature.
These part numbers are obsolete and are replaced by the
above parts
58h
Table 3. Erase Block Region Configurations
Erase Block
Region
Revisons 4
and Earlier
Revision 4a
Description
1
8 x 8 Kb
8 x 8 Kb
Same size
2
30 x 64 Kb
30 x 64 Kb
Same size
3
8 x 8 Kb
8 x 8 Kb
Same size
4
0 x 0 Kb
None
Block of 0 x 0 is unusable and is effectively not present
December 12, 2002
Increased Clock Speeds and Faster Initial Burst Access
3
SUMMARY OF SILICON REVISION 4 AND
4A DIFFERENCES
Hardware/Physical Considerations
Burst Initial Access Delay Control
Revision 4 and 4a differ by one clock cycle for a particular setting. See burst initial delay access discussion
above for details.
CFI Device Geometry Definition, Number if Erase
Block Regions, memory location 2Ch while in x32
mode)
Revision 4 has a value of 4h while Revision 4a has a
value of 3h.
Software Considerations
CFI Device Geometry Definition
The CFI Device Geometry Definition change between
revisions provides software/firmware to determine of
the revision level of a given Flash device by interrogating the CFI information. Software/firmware can then
program the device appropriately for proper operation
by programming the Burst Initial Access Delay. This
assumes that the Flash device has a speed rating (D,
C, or A) compatible with the microprocessor.
Datasheet/Part Number Considerations
Device Speed and Clock Rate Information
The Product Selector Guide and Ordering Information
sections in the Datasheet have details on device speed
and clock rate.
Revision 4a has the following valid combinations:
Am29BDD160GX54DYZ, Am29BDD160GX64CYZ,
Am29BDD160GX65AYZ,and Am29BDD160GY65DYZ
Note:
X, Y, and Z reflect user selectable options, i.e. X = Boot Sector, Y = Package, Z = Temperature
Additional Considerations
It is important that each user understand that the microprocessor of choice must be paired to a Flash device
with a compatible speed and clock rate. Achieving intended operation of the system is not just a matter of
interrogating the CFI Device Geometry Definition to determine the revision level and configuring the Flash
device. For example:
A Flash Device must meet or exceed the microprocessor clock speed. Assume that a Revision 4 (or earlier
revision) Flash device with a Device Speed and Clock
Rate of 80C (80 ns, 56 MHz) is used. Then later, when
a revision 4a device replaces the Revision 4 device, a
Flash Device Speed and Clock Rate 65A (65 ns, 40
MHz) cannot be used. The reason is the 65A part has
a maximum clock rate of 40 MHz, which is less than the
80C Revision 4 device.
The example above demonstrates that simply interrogating the CFI Device Ge ometry Definition to
determine the revision level is not sufficient. There is
no way to determine that an A (40 MHz) device is in a
system clocked at a C speed (56 MHz). The device
must be capable of operating properly at the microprocessor clock speed.
Revisions 4 and earlier have options for 80C and 90A
while Revision 4a has options for 54D, 64C, and 65A.
The 80C and 90A options for Revisions 4 are obsolete
with Revision 4a.
Ordering information (Part Number)
Revisions 4 and earlier have the following valid combinations, which are obsolete with Revision 4a:
Am29BDD160GX80CYZ, Am29BDD160GX90AYZ,
and AM29BDD160GB-DS3/4/5/6/7
Trademarks
Copyright © 2002 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved.
AMD, the AMD logo, and combinations thereof are registered trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Product names used in this publication are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies.
4
Increased Clock Speeds and Faster Initial Burst Access
December 12, 2002