Boosting Production Line efficiency with FlashRunner HS: Now Compatible with NXP i.MX 8M Mini/Nano Processors

SMH Technologies increased its portfolio again by supporting eMMCs programming through i.MX 8M Mini/Nano microprocessors USB interface.

NXP’s i.MX 8M Mini/Nano family of applications processors provide cost-effective integration and affordable performance for smart, connected, power-efficient devices requiring graphics, vision, voice control, intelligent sensing, and general-purpose processing. Featuring up to 4x Arm® Cortex®-A53 cores and 1x Cortex®-M4 core, the i.MX 8M Mini family may be used in any general purpose industrial and IoT application. The i.MX 8M Nano family is compatible with its predecessor described before from a pins and applications point of view, the only difference is that Cortex®-M4 core has been replaced by Cortex®-M7 core.

FlashRunner HS’ ISP Technology, together with the new active module (AM) USB, supports the i.MX 8M Mini/Nano family to be able to program big size memories connected to its USB interface.

The approach is the same used by the Silicon Producer itself:

-Download an embedded application called uboot into the i.MX 8M Mini/Nano RAM through Serial Download Protocol (SDP) over USB;

-Let it execute to switch to a more straightforward USB protocol called FastBoot;

-Communicate with it to flash the desired big size memory (eMMC, QSPI memory…).

In particular, the first step uses the SDP and its various form (SDPS, SDPV, SDPU) to download embedded applications over USB: that is because being an USB HID protocol, it allows to access USB devices without OS specific drivers.

As a first step into the USB flashing, the algorithm provides means to erase, program and verify the content of the big size memory FlashRunner HS is interacting with through the i.MX 8M Mini/Nano microprocessor. Talking about eMMCs, it can deal with hardware and software partitions a customer would

create inside the eMMC. Some additional commands are also provided to gather information about file IVT structures, partitions size…

This programming flow ensures fast, stable, and low-cycle time flashing, crucial for high-volume production environments. The FlashRunner HS ISP’s compatibility with the i.MX 8M Mini/Nano enhances production line performance, reducing operational costs and time-to-market for new products.

Looking ahead, it seems this programming flow will be widely spread in the market because of its performances and the range applications it could be applied in.