Sigma Delta Testing V00I

May 29, 2016 by Steve McNeil

Last Week I wrote to and read from the SPI RAM but only verified it with a logic analyzer. I read from the registers and sent them out on the serial line. Like before, I did a hello world test and actually expected to see hello world after the menu. It didn’t work, I forgot to take care of several things in the software. I adjusted the software a little at a time testing with each change until it started working.

Once I saw “Hello World” in my serial console, I decided to start testing the Sigma_Delta output. I want to know if it causes system crashes without the voltage boost circuit having any connection to power. Without R5 or L2 installed, the boost circuit really can’t have much affect on the system. Q5 also isn’t installed so the Sigma Delta output on GPIO4 is driving to high impedance.

I changed the firmware so that GPIO4 is the Sigma Delta output. Then I un-commented out the line in user_init() that configures and enables the Sigma Delta output. Before, I had a very limited range of prescaler I could use for the Sigma Delta signal. I can set the sigma delta prescaler from 0 to 100. I was expecting to get full range which would be 0 to 255. So I went back into the software and looked to see if I made a math error. The math is simple and it looks right so I decided to look at the Sigma Delta register definition. The register definition matches the way the code is written. I checked Kolban’s ESP8266 book, it didn’t have anything useful about the Sigma Delta. I looked for it in Espressif’s SDK programming guide and found nothing. Next I searched using Google. This turned up the page I had originally found on Espressif’s bbs. It describes the prescaler being a value of 0 to 255. So I still don’t know why going bigger than 99 causes the system to crash. It is not clear what is causing this rebooting.

I will look at the Sigma Delta software more next week. I have uploaded the current status of the code to GitHub.

I would love to hear from you readers. The only comments I get are spam!

Switching to SPI from HSPI Firmware V00I

May 21, 2016 by Steve McNeil

I decided to try to use the SPI module instead of overlap mode this week. I went into the code that writes and reads from the SPI and changed the working registers to SPI in place of HSPI. I had to store and restore 6 variables in the writeRam() and readRam() functions. It worked but sent more data than expected. I noticed that I left the overlap init code in place, I removed it and tried again. I still got more data than I expected. I searched for HSPI and found one place that I had forgot to change it to SPI. I fixed that and now it is working. The code is also working without crashing.

Next I added the read function back into the main code to see what would happen. I saw only 4 bytes on the SPI bus. I had missed a value change I needed to make the SPI read 12 bytes. It seems that either the DMA or an Interrupt routine is taking control of the SPI Hardware before i can finish a read. I disabled interrupts and it’s still only sending the command (3) and the address (0) plus 6 more clock cycles.

Since SPI is used for loading code into internal RAM as well as running it directly from flash, it might be difficult to figure out when I can use it for the SPI RAM. I had the HSPI appearing to work in overlap mode. Since I can switch between overlap and normal mode on the fly, maybe the HSPI in overlap mode is the best choice. In the writeRam() and readRam() functions, I changed the all references to SPI Registers to HSPI Registers and I commented out the code to save and restore the SPI Registers. I used find and replace to simplify the changes. I searched on (SPI) and filled in the replace with (HSPI) and then I selectively hit REPLACE/FIND for each instance.

Then I built and tested the code, hopefully back to where I was last week. I got all zeros but I hadn’t done a write since I started working on it this time. So I put the writeRam() just before the readRam() in user_init() and tried again. On the logic analyzer, the write looks exactly like I would expect. The read is still not getting anything but zeros for the data section. Next step is to look at the HOLD and WP lines on the SPI RAM. I had to look at the datasheet to see what state they needed to be in to work correctly. Looking at the datasheet, there is no WP line, but there is a HOLD line. If HOLD is low, the serial interface of the chip doesn’t work. I clipped one more logic analyzer line on to Pin 7 of the SPI RAM. The signal looks identical to MOSI. I should have cut the trace when I was re-wiring this board but I missed it. I proceeded to cut it and add a jumper from the HOLD line to the ESP12E Pin 11. this is my best guess for the pins to use SQI. With Re-testing I got a successful read from the chip.

Next week, I need to verify the SPI working registers have the expected values from the ram. I put the current version of the code up on GitHub.

How do you handle cutting in circuit changes? Do you have any stories about a design change only to find it best to go back to the original plan?

Understanding HSPI Firmware V00H

May 14, 2016 by Steve McNeil

What I wasn’t understanding last week is the definition of HSPI_CS. It is the same as CS0 in the HSPI module. So when I turn on overlap mode, of course, it maps to SPI_CS0. That leaves me with setting the HSPI to use CS1(GPIO1/U0TXD) or CS2(GPIO0). Since I use U0TXD for reprogramming the module, CS1 is unavailable.

I cut the trace going to U2 CS0 and added a jumper wire to GPIO0. I then changed the code to use CS2 to enable the RAM. This included setting the HSPI to use CS2 and setting GPIO0 MUX to be SPICS2. And I got what looks like a successful write to the SPI RAM.

The byte command (2) followed by 24bit address (0) followed by the data. The first four bytes of data are “lleH”. This is backwards to what I was planning, I can change it by setting a bit or changing the bytes I put into the registers. As long as I read them back the same way, it really doesn’t matter as long as I read and write aligned to 4 byte words. The data is one byte short, I had a typo sending only 11 bytes of data.

Note: When data is aligned to 4 bytes, it means you need to read or write only on increments of 4 bytes. So you would only Write or Read to/from addresses that in hexadecimal end in 0, 4, 8, or C. Since this chip is a 32 bit processor, this is required often.

I then decided to implement the hard coded read command. I copied the write code, changed the command from 2 to to 3, set the HSPI to read back and zeroed out the working registers so that I can see if they have been filled with the data I stored in the RAM. Then I commented out the writeRam() call in user_init and added readRam() in it’s place. Doing this without powering down, I should get the data back without having to write it again. I forgot to switch the length to the receive length register; I fixed this then I got back all zeros for the data.

I see the command (3) followed by the address (0) followed by 12 Bytes of data(0). So I have more debugging to do. My first guess is the WP or HOLD lines of the chip are not doing what I need them to do.

I have gotten a better understanding of the SPI hardware on the ESP8266. It looks to me that I can get the same control by just using the main SPI channel to control my RAM chip. This needs testing. I will need to save any registers I change and restore them when I am done accessing the RAM. This will also have to be done from code that runs from internal RAM.

I have put the current state of the code on GitHub. Use the link under the search box on the right side of this page.

Have you used chips with similar SPI configuration? I like that I can have any bit length of data on the SPI bus, this will be useful for JTAG data. Have you worked directly with JTAG data?

HSPI Frustrations

May 8, 2016 by Steve McNeil

I cut the traces going to the SPI RAM that I figured out were wrong last week. On the PCB at U3 Pin3, and Pin5 I cut one trace each and on Pin6 I cut two traces. Most of these cuts are under the chip so I made them before re-soldering the chip to the board. Of course then I added wire jumpers to route the signals to match the schematic. I then added pins to connect the logic analyzer to.

Last week I was looking at the the SPI driver code by MetalPhreak on Github as well as his blog to figure out how to send commands and data out and receive back over SPI. The register SPI_USER is used to configure the SPI, SPI_USER1 sets up data length, SPI_USER2 sets up the command length and Command data. Additionally, there is an SPI_Address Register that I can use to select an address in the RAM. Finally SPI_W0 to SPI_W15 are the data packet working registers — This is where I will put my “Hello World”. I can write or read up to sixteen 4 byte words. My RAM is organized in bytes so I will be putting bytes of data into the working registers.

So for initial setup I think the following should work for writing data.

SET_PERI_REG_MASK(SPI_USER(HSPI), SPI_CS_SETUP|SPI_CS_HOLD|SPI_USR_COMMAND|SPI_USR_ADDR|SPI_USR_MOSI);

CLEAR_PERI_REG_MASK(SPI_USER(HSPI), SPI_FLASH_MODE|SPI_USR_MISO);

The following should work for reading data:

SET_PERI_REG_MASK(SPI_USER(HSPI), SPI_CS_SETUP|SPI_CS_HOLD|SPI_USR_COMMAND|SPI_USR_ADDR|SPI_USR_MISO);

CLEAR_PERI_REG_MASK(SPI_USER(HSPI), SPI_FLASH_MODE|SPI_USR_MOSI);

The CS_SETUP and CS_HOLD parameters affect chip select timing. Setup is before clocking out data, hold is after. Some chips need extra set up or hold time. It will not affect performance significantly so I just turned each on by default so I don’t have to wonder if this RAM chip needs them. USR_COMMAND tells it to send the data in the command register. Likewise USR tells it to send the data in the Address Register. USR_MOSI tells the hardware that there is data in the Working registers to be sent out. USR_MISO tells the hardware that I want to receive data into the working registers.

For the SPI RAM I want to send a command(Write), An Address(0), and 12 Bytes of data(“Hello World”). This totals 16 bytes of data to be sent on the SPI bus:

1 byte for the command: 0x02
3 bytes for the address: 0x000000 and
12 bytes of data: “Hello World” including 1 trailing NULL.

For my first attempt to write to RAM I chose to hard code the instructions.
In my SPIRam.c File I had already created a function called writeRam. I deleted it’s contents, and added the stuff to make this work.
void writeRam(char data[], int length){

WRITE_PERI_REG(SPI_USER1(HSPI), (((12*8-1)&SPI_USR_MOSI_BITLEN)<<SPI_USR_MOSI_BITLEN_S)| //12 Bytes of data out ((7&SPI_USR_MISO_BITLEN)<<SPI_USR_MISO_BITLEN_S)| //Ignored for write ((23&SPI_USR_ADDR_BITLEN)<<SPI_USR_ADDR_BITLEN_S)); //address is 24 bits A0-A8

WRITE_PERI_REG(SPI_ADDR(HSPI),(uint32) 0x000000<<(32-24)); //write 24-bit address

WRITE_PERI_REG(SPI_USER2(HSPI), (((7&SPI_USR_COMMAND_BITLEN)<<SPI_USR_COMMAND_BITLEN_S) | 0x02)); // Write Command

WRITE_PERI_REG(SPI_W0(HSPI),0x48656C6C); //"Hell" WRITE_PERI_REG(SPI_W1(HSPI),0x6F20576F); //"o Wo" WRITE_PERI_REG(SPI_W2(HSPI),0x6C6400); //"rld",NULL,NULL

SET_PERI_REG_MASK(SPI_CMD(HSPI), SPI_USR);// Tell hardware to do it.

}
After fixing my typos, I compiled and loaded the code. The system booted without hanging. then I hooked up the logic analyzer to look for the data being transferred and it didn’t work. The Chip select line(U3 Pin1 ) doesn’t go low for a frame of data. This means the chip never gets selected to write to.

With several hours of tinkering, I finally have it close, but it is still not working correctly. The CS0 pin is being activated when the HSPI CS pin is being activated. So I am getting the correct sequence of bytes when HSPI CS is low, but CS0 is low at the same time.

I have not posted a new copy of the software, I don’t believe it is useful to anyone yet. It isn’t even useful to learn from.

Have you had similar frustrations? Have you gotten the HSPI to work in overlap mode?

Please leave a comment below.

Prototype Iteration

The cycle of design

Monthly Archives: May 2016

Sigma Delta Testing V00I

Switching to SPI from HSPI Firmware V00I

Understanding HSPI Firmware V00H

HSPI Frustrations