nRF5340 multi image build APP + NET core

[Tamas Selmeci]

Hello!

I need to create the following kind of application to nRF5340:

• APP core: various peripherals (modem, I2C ICs etc) + business logic;
• NET core:
  • BLE stack (from BLE beacon to more sophisticated solutions);
  • my custom code;

I've spent some time investigating both Zephyr and NRF multicore/child image samples, but none of them covered my needs.

To start with a small leap, I tried to refactor zephyr/samples/hello_world to compile to APP and NET cores with a single command, to have a merged hex and finally to print some text on both cores. I've followed the nrf/samples/nrf5340/multicore sample, but aci dir never gets executed, so the child image is never compiled.

I've attached the modified hello_world. The command was west build -b nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp

(I've seen in some samples the child_image directory holding config fragments for the child image. It's again not appropriate to me, because I want to be able to specify the config with full path, like it's possible for APP core with the -DCONF=... CMake option).

Please help me implementing a one-command-buildable multi-image hello world for APP+NET ;)

Thanks, regards,

5584.hello_world_multicore.zip

---

Here's my second attempt based on this page:

doesn't find CPUNET domain, but nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp board dir features one...

2845.hello_world2.zip

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

For your first project, if you want to add it as a Zephyr module (as you are doing with aci), then ZEPHYR_EXTRA_MODULES must be set in the project CMakeLists.txt. For example:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20.0)

set(ZEPHYR_EXTRA_MODULES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR})

find_package(Zephyr REQUIRED HINTS $ENV{ZEPHYR_BASE})
project(hello_world)

target_sources(app PRIVATE src/main.c)

For the second project, the board must be specified with ${CONFIG_DOMAIN_CPUNET_BOARD}. You should also be aware that if you provide a relative path without ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}, then the path will be relative to the build directory. For example, SOURCE_DIR net-src will make the path "hello_world/build/hello-world-net/net-src" in this case.

add_child_image(
  NAME hello-world-net
  SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/net-src
  DOMAIN cpunet
  BOARD ${CONFIG_DOMAIN_CPUNET_BOARD}
  )

The child image will also need CMakeLists.txt and prj.conf files.

Best regards,
Marte

[Tamas Selmeci]

Thanks, I could move on with your help.

I've created a static Partition Manager config for NET core (pm_static.yml):

hello-world-net:
 address: 0x1000000
 size: 0x3F000
 region: flash_primary

otp_partition:
 address: 0x103F000
 size: 0x800
 region: flash_primary

cfg_partition:
 address: 0x103F800
 size: 0x800
 region: flash_primary

And this seems to be correct, because the the partitions_cpunet.yml is generated and reflects to my static config. However, compilation fails, because pm_config.h isn't found. How can I fix this?

Additionally, I think another pm_static.yml shall be defined for the APP core too. I want the 'app' partition occupy the entire APP flash (start from 0x0), because momentarily no MCUboot/b0n is to be used. So I want to burn the generated APP image at 0x0 and run without any boot manager. This stands for NET image too (running without boot manager from 0x1000000). Is it possible at all?

thanks, regards,

PS: I've attached the current app + build log, hope it helps.hello_world_dualcore.zip

[li tong]

Hi,

The your folder structure is very clear and understandable. I got the same err -5 as yours.

Did you find the solution?

best regards

[SvenDufva]

I believe Marte's solution should work but I haven't tried it yet as the end of the year hassle kicked in with my customers. I'll plan to get back to this during my Christmas break. I definitely want to find out how this is done proper. Please, try Marte's solution of flashing things separately and report back your results.

[Tamas Selmeci]

This is how I'm doing it for a while:

• a program is compiled for the APP core with MCUboot enabled;
• another program is compiled for the NET core with MCUboot enabled;
• so APP and NET images are produced in two steps, both resulting in a merged.hex;
• two calls to nrfjprog with the aformentioned merged.hex files burn APP and NET core flash areas;
  • naturally, you can reburn only either APP or NET core areas, it's not always mandatory to upgrade both cores;

This is the best I could find. Using multi-images, child images and other magic was a pain to me, and it didn't work either.

[li tong]

I did the test in the flowing step:

1. download https://github.com/mjaakkol/multicore
2. in vscode nerf connect extensions, create build configuration for board nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp, use prj.conf, enable "Use sysbuild"
3. west flash --recover 
4. west flash --domain netcore
5. west flash --domain multicore
6. connect to VCOM0 and VCOM1
7. push reset button

after device reset, I see flowing information. the net core report the same error information "[00:00:00.021,362] <wrn> bt_hci_core: opcode 0x0c33 status 0x11
Bluetooth init failed (err -5) "as yours.

Did I missed some step?

[caeg]

 SvenDufva  and li tong Thank you for sharing this repo and build steps. They are helpful for my current project. I too found the same Bluetooth init error you described.

For the record, I built on the command line:

west build --board nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp --sysbuild

I noticed that multicore/netcore/prj.conf includes some config options which are absent from multicore/prj.conf. (I hit the same problem when working with hci_rpmsg as an ordinary child app a few months ago.)

CONFIG_BT_CTLR_DATA_LENGTH_MAX=251
CONFIG_BT_BUF_ACL_RX_SIZE=255
CONFIG_BT_BUF_ACL_TX_SIZE=251

After adding those three lines to multicore/prj.conf I see the device shown in the nRF Connect mobile app scan list. Following is the output from the app core console.

*** Booting nRF Connect SDK v2.5.0 ***
I: Starting bootloader
I: Primary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Secondary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
I: Boot source: none
I: Image index: 0, Swap type: none
I: Bootloader chainload address offset: 0xc000
*** Booting nRF Connect SDK v2.5.0 ***
[00:00:00.025,299] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Platform: Nordic Semiconductor (0x0002)
[00:00:00.025,329] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Variant: nRF53x (0x0003)
[00:00:00.025,360] <inf> bt_hci_core: Firmware: Standard Bluetooth controller (0x00) Version 197.47763 Build 2370639017
[00:00:00.025,939] <inf> bt_hci_core: No ID address. App must call settings_load()
[00:00:00.027,069] <inf> bt_hci_core: Identity: D8:E8:22:22:62:A0 (random)
[00:00:00.027,099] <inf> bt_hci_core: HCI: version 5.4 (0x0d) revision 0x2102, manufacturer 0x0059
[00:00:00.027,130] <inf> bt_hci_core: LMP: version 5.4 (0x0d) subver 0x2102
[00:00:00.029,022] <err> bt_gatt: Failed to save Database Hash (err -2)
Bluetooth initialized
Advertising successfully started

[SvenDufva]

Thanks for looking it this and sorting it out. I'll add the changes into the code and play around with it a bit more after Christmas.

I believe per documentation all BT parameters should be duplicated in both projects so test this a bit more.

[SvenDufva]

I updated https://github.com/mjaakkol/multicore repository and it seems to work now. It can build and flash both images to the development board through VS so there is no need to flash through command-line unless one wants to do so.

I didn't add extra proprietary message passing example into this as multicore example a has nice example about using IPC. Adding another type of message interface would just mean spinning different IPC configuration so nothing magical about it.

Let know if you have any issues with the latest changes.