Leveraging User Configuration Blocks (UCBs) in Infineon Aurix TC3xx and TC4x devices: A Guide to UCB Sets and Smart UCB Configuration with TASKING winIDEA

March 18, 2024

In the world of Infineon Aurix microcontrollers, User Configuration Blocks (UCBs) stand as indispensable repositories housing critical settings and configurations that dictate the behavior and functionality of System-on-Chip (SoC) features. Understanding and effectively utilizing UCBs are paramount for engineers and developers aiming to harness the full potential of Infineon Aurix TC3xx and TC4x devices.

What are UCBs and why are they important?

UCBs offer to developers the ability to define and configure essential settings crucial for the smooth operation of embedded systems. These settings encompass a wide array of parameters, including the reset vector, RAM initialization, Hardware Security Module (HSM) configuration, Logic Built-In Self-Test (LBIST), FLASH protection, and more. Essentially, UCBs provide a flexible and customizable framework, allowing developers to tailor the behavior of the SoC to specific application requirements.

Configuring UCBs with winIDEA Aurix UCB Checker

winIDEA, a powerful integrated development environment, offers user-friendly support for configuring UCBs. With the Aurix UCB Checker Plugin, developers can efficiently manage and program UCBs, ensuring optimal performance and reliability of their embedded systems.

Understanding UCB Checker

UCB Checker serves as an important component within the Aurix Plugin, offering developers an intuitive interface for inspecting and programming User Configuration Blocks. Accessed via the View menu, this feature provides a comprehensive overview of UCB sets, facilitating effortless configuration and verification.

Key features of UCB Sets

UCB sets, the focal point of UCB Checker, embody a structured data format comprising memory segments essential for configuring UCBs.

Key attributes and functionalities of UCB sets include:

Manual Modification: Developers can manually tweak UCB sets to fine-tune configurations according to specific requirements.
Live Device Programming: UCB sets can be programmed directly onto the live device, streamlining the configuration process.
Automatic Configuration: UCB sets support automatic configuration, simplifying setup and minimizing manual intervention.
Comparative Analysis: Developers can compare different UCB sets to identify discrepancies or inconsistencies, ensuring robustness and reliability.
Inspection and Verification: UCB sets enable thorough inspection to prevent misconfiguration and inadvertent device securing.
File Management: UCB sets can be saved to or loaded from files, facilitating seamless integration with version control systems and collaborative workflows.
Report Generation: UCB sets can be utilized to generate HTML reports, providing comprehensive documentation of configurations and settings.

Modifying UCBs with Extra Commands: Smart Configuration

Efficiency and convenience are paramount. The Extra commands feature, also known as Smart Configuration, within the Aurix UCB Checker Plugin, offers developers an intuitive interface to modify User Configuration Blocks (UCBs). Some dialogs are explained below.

tc4 winidea ucb — Extra commands for TC4x devices

Within the Startup Address dialog developers can define the memory location where the microcontroller boot code is located. This feature enables correct boot-up sequences.

Securing the Debug system within the SoC against unauthorized access is paramount for maintaining data integrity and system security. The Debug Password dialog enables developers to set up a password, safeguarding the Debug system from unauthorized access.

Protecting Program Flash (PFlash) against accidental modifications is essential for maintaining data integrity and system reliability. The PFlash Protection dialog enables developers to configure protection masks on a logical sector granulation, safeguarding critical program code from unauthorized alterations.

Tailoring User Configuration settings is vital for optimizing system performance and functionality. The User (CS) dialog, supported for the 3rd generation of Aurix devices (TC4x), facilitates configuration of LBIST execution, RTC SRAM initialization, LMU initialization, and CS SRAM initialization.

For more details, refer to winIDEA Help.

Conclusion

UCBs play an important role in shaping the behavior and functionality of Infineon Aurix devices, offering developers flexibility and configurability. By leveraging TASKING winIDEA and the Aurix UCB Checker Plugin, developers can ensure optimal performance and reliability of embedded systems.