Beginner
10 min

Enhance system performance with high-speed flash storage using IS25LP128 and STM32F091RC

Embrace the future with flash storage

Flash 3 Click with Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU

Published Feb 26, 2024

Click board™

Flash 3 Click

Dev. board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32F091RC

Employ flash memory to boost overall system responsiveness and application loading times

A

A

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Flash 3 Click is based on the IS25LP128, a serial Flash memory with 133MHz multi I/O SPI & quad I/O QPI DTR interfaces from Integrated Silicon Solution. This Flash memory chip supports Serial Flash Discoverable Parameters (SFDP), selectable dummy cycles, SPI modes 0 and 3, and configurable drive strength. The flexible and efficient memory architecture allows chip erase with uniform sector/block erase (4/32/64 KB) and program/erase suspend and resume. The read and program modes consist of low instruction overhead operations, continuous read 8/16/32/64-byte burst wrap, selectable burst length,

and more. There are software and hardware protections, power supply lock protection, a 4x256-byte dedicated security area with OTP user-lockable bits, and the 128-bit Unique ID for each device. The Flash 3 Click communicates with the host MCU through an industry-standard SPI serial interface, supporting the two most common SPI modes, SPI Mode 0 and 3, with a maximum frequency of 133MHz in Fast Read mode. The Flash 3 Click features write-protect ability over the WP pin, with active LOW. The HLD pin is a communication hold pin, and the Flash memory can stay in a hold state with logic LOW, in which

time the device is paused without resetting the serial sequence. The CE pin turns the device’s operation on and off on this Click board™, pulled high for normal operation. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

Flash 3 Click top side image
Flash 3 Click bottom side image

Features overview

Development board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU offers a cost-effective and adaptable platform for developers to explore new ideas and prototype their designs. This board harnesses the versatility of the STM32 microcontroller, enabling users to select the optimal balance of performance and power consumption for their projects. It accommodates the STM32 microcontroller in the LQFP64 package and includes essential components such as a user LED, which doubles as an ARDUINO® signal, alongside user and reset push-buttons, and a 32.768kHz crystal oscillator for precise timing operations. Designed with expansion and flexibility in mind, the Nucleo-64 board features an ARDUINO® Uno V3 expansion connector and ST morpho extension pin

headers, granting complete access to the STM32's I/Os for comprehensive project integration. Power supply options are adaptable, supporting ST-LINK USB VBUS or external power sources, ensuring adaptability in various development environments. The board also has an on-board ST-LINK debugger/programmer with USB re-enumeration capability, simplifying the programming and debugging process. Moreover, the board is designed to simplify advanced development with its external SMPS for efficient Vcore logic supply, support for USB Device full speed or USB SNK/UFP full speed, and built-in cryptographic features, enhancing both the power efficiency and security of projects. Additional connectivity is

provided through dedicated connectors for external SMPS experimentation, a USB connector for the ST-LINK, and a MIPI® debug connector, expanding the possibilities for hardware interfacing and experimentation. Developers will find extensive support through comprehensive free software libraries and examples, courtesy of the STM32Cube MCU Package. This, combined with compatibility with a wide array of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), including IAR Embedded Workbench®, MDK-ARM, and STM32CubeIDE, ensures a smooth and efficient development experience, allowing users to fully leverage the capabilities of the Nucleo-64 board in their projects.

Nucleo 64 with STM32F091RC MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M0

MCU Memory (KB)

256

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

64

RAM (Bytes)

32768

You complete me!

Accessories

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 comes equipped with two proprietary mikroBUS™ sockets, allowing all the Click board™ devices to be interfaced with the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with no effort. This way, Mikroe allows its users to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™, such as WiFi, GSM, GPS, Bluetooth, ZigBee, environmental sensors, LEDs, speech recognition, motor control, movement sensors, and many more. More than 1537 Click boards™, which can be stacked and integrated, are at your disposal. The STM32 Nucleo-64 boards are based on the microcontrollers in 64-pin packages, a 32-bit MCU with an ARM Cortex M4 processor operating at 84MHz, 512Kb Flash, and 96KB SRAM, divided into two regions where the top section represents the ST-Link/V2 debugger and programmer while the bottom section of the board is an actual development board. These boards are controlled and powered conveniently through a USB connection to program and efficiently debug the Nucleo-64 board out of the box, with an additional USB cable connected to the USB mini port on the board. Most of the STM32 microcontroller pins are brought to the IO pins on the left and right edge of the board, which are then connected to two existing mikroBUS™ sockets. This Click Shield also has several switches that perform functions such as selecting the logic levels of analog signals on mikroBUS™ sockets and selecting logic voltage levels of the mikroBUS™ sockets themselves. Besides, the user is offered the possibility of using any Click board™ with the help of existing bidirectional level-shifting voltage translators, regardless of whether the Click board™ operates at a 3.3V or 5V logic voltage level. Once you connect the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with our Click Shield for Nucleo-64, you can access hundreds of Click boards™, working with 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
Data Transfer Pause
PC12
RST
SPI Chip Select
PB12
CS
SPI Clock
PB3
SCK
SPI Data OUT
PB4
MISO
SPI Data IN
PB5
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Write Protect
PC8
PWM
NC
NC
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

Flash 3 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU as your development board.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 front image hardware assembly
Nucleo 64 with STM32F401RE MCU front image hardware assembly
EEPROM 13 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
Nucleo-64 with STM32XXX MCU MB 1 Mini B Conn - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Clicker 4 for STM32F4 HA MCU Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Flash 3 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • flash3_pause - Pause function

  • flash3_unpause - Unpause function

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Flash3 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This applicaion adding more flash memory.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initalizes device, Flash 3 click board and makes an initial log.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * This is an example that shows the capabilities of the Flash 3 click by
   writing into memory array of a Flash 3 click board and reading same data from memory array.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "flash3.h"

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

static flash3_t flash3;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    flash3_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Application Init ----" );

    //  Click initialization.

    flash3_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    FLASH3_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    flash3_init( &flash3, &cfg );

    Delay_ms( 100 );
    log_printf( &logger, "------------------- \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "  Flash  3  Click  \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "-------------------\r\n" );
    flash3_setting( &flash3 );
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    log_printf( &logger, "   Initialized     \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "------------------- \r\n" );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    char val_in[ 8 ] = { 0x4D, 0x49, 0x4B, 0x52, 0x4F, 0x45, 0x00 };
    char val_out[ 8 ] = { 0 };

    log_printf( &logger, "\r\n ____________________ \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "Begin demonstration! \r\n\r\n" );
    
    
    log_printf( &logger, "Writing : %s\r\n", val_in );
    flash3_write( &flash3, 0x000000, &val_in[ 0 ], 6 );
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    log_printf( &logger, "------------------ \r\n" );

    log_printf( &logger, "Reading : %s\r\n", val_in );
    flash3_normal_read( &flash3, 0x000000, &val_in[ 0 ], 6 );
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    log_printf( &logger, "------------------ \r\n" );

    log_printf( &logger, "Erasing... \r\n" );
    flash3_sector_erase( &flash3, 0x000000 );
    Delay_ms( 300 );
    log_printf( &logger, "Erased!" );
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    log_printf( &logger, "------------------ \r\n"  );

    log_printf( &logger, "Reading : %s\r\n", val_out );
    flash3_fast_read( &flash3, 0x000000, &val_out[ 0 ], 6 );
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    log_printf( &logger, "------------------ \r\n" );

    log_printf( &logger, "Demonstration over!" );
    log_printf( &logger, "\r\n ___________________ \r\n" );
    Delay_ms( 5000 );
    
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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