30.2.3 Definitions

The Flash Controller, Write (FCW) supports programming operations (writes/erases) for on-chip flash memory. This device’s flash memories have 256-bit read data width and 64-bit write data width. There are extra bits which the FCW uses to implement Error Correction Code (ECC) for single error correct (SEC) and double error detect (DED).

A Flash panel is a single flash memory block. This device has a dual panel flash memory system, consisting of two identical 1/4, 1/2, or 1-Mbyte panels. The structure of each flash panel is shown in the following figure.

For the purpose of the Flash Controllers a “Word” is defined as 4-bytes or 32-bits. A Write Word (WW), the native write width of the Flash, is a Double Word, DWord, of 8-bytes. A Read Word, the native read width of the Flash, is a Quad Double Word, QDWord, of four Write Words or 32-bytes. “Flash Words” as described in this section are Read Words.

Figure 30-3. Flash Module Construction

Flash panels contain 16 extra bits per Read Word to support ECC. These bits are among the four Write Words of a Read Word (i.e. 4 extra bits/Write Word). Therefore, a Write Word is really 64 data bits and 4 ECC bits. Referring to DWords, Flash Words, QDWords implies the associated ECC bits also.

A Flash panel is divided into three logical Flash partitions:

  • Program Flash Memory (PFM)
  • Boot Flash Memory (BFM)
  • Configuration Flash Memory (CFM)

The dual panel system provides two sets of logical Flash partitions, of which the PFM and BFM are identical, but CFM usage varies slightly between panels.