Can we use the same SPI bus for the External flash memory and nRF7000 communication?

[Roman Veselskyi]

Hello,

We have a custom PCB that includes an nRF9160 and nRF7000. We’re planning a hardware update to add external flash memory and would like to know if we can use the same SPI bus that’s currently being used for the nRF7000’s communication.

Thank you!

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

It is not possible to share the SPI or QSPI peripheral with other devices when it is used for the nRF7002, and it is not something that is planned to come soon either. 

Regards,
Amanda H.

[Roman Veselskyi]

Hi,

Thanks.

Was this information mentioned somewhere, and I missed it? 

[Amanda Hsieh]

See this post; also applied to the SPI and confirmed by the team.

[Roman Veselskyi]

I checked that ticket, and I see that there is mentioned that issue is with QSPI, but we are using SPI. SPI also doesn't work?

[Amanda Hsieh]

Yes. 

[Roman Veselskyi]

Hello Amanda,

I receive the Thingy91X and check it thingy91x_common.dtsi and there are 3 devices on one SPI bus nrf70, external flash and bmi270

&spi3 {
	compatible = "nordic,nrf-spim";
	status = "disabled";

	pinctrl-0 = <&spi3_default>;
	pinctrl-1 = <&spi3_sleep>;
	pinctrl-names = "default", "sleep";

	flash_ext: GD25LE255E@0 {
		compatible = "jedec,spi-nor";
		status = "disabled";
		reg = <0>;
		spi-max-frequency = <8000000>;
		size = <268435456>;
		has-dpd;
		t-enter-dpd = <3000>;
		t-exit-dpd = <20000>;
		sfdp-bfp = [e5 20 f3 ff  ff ff ff 0f  44 eb 08 6b  08 3b 42 bb
			    fe ff ff ff  ff ff 00 ff  ff ff 42 eb  0c 20 0f 52
			    10 d8 00 ff  d4 31 a5 fe  84 df 14 4f  ec 62 16 33
			    7a 75 7a 75  04 b3 d5 5c  19 06 14 00  08 50 00 01];
		jedec-id = [c8 60 19];
	};

	nrf70: wifi@1 {
		compatible = "nordic,nrf7002-spi";
		status = "disabled";
		reg = <1>;
		spi-max-frequency = <DT_FREQ_M(8)>;

		iovdd-ctrl-gpios = <&gpio0 4 (GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH | GPIO_PULL_DOWN)>;
		bucken-gpios = <&gpio0 7 (GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH | GPIO_PULL_DOWN)>;
		host-irq-gpios = <&gpio0 5 GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;

		nordic_wlan0: wlan0 {
			compatible = "nordic,wlan";
		};

		wifi-max-tx-pwr-2g-dsss = <21>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-2g-mcs0 = <16>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-2g-mcs7 = <16>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-5g-low-mcs0 = <9>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-5g-low-mcs7 = <9>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-5g-mid-mcs0 = <11>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-5g-mid-mcs7 = <11>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-5g-high-mcs0 = <13>;
		wifi-max-tx-pwr-5g-high-mcs7 = <13>;
	};

	accelerometer_hp: bmi270@2 {
		compatible = "bosch,bmi270";
		status = "disabled";
		reg = <2>;
		spi-max-frequency = <DT_FREQ_M(10)>;
	};
};

Does this mean that you fix the driver or that if enable nrf70 then we can't use external flash and 

bmi270?

[Amanda Hsieh]

We still only support nRF7002 on its own SPI. The Thingy91X is a bit special in the sense that you can use SPI from either the nRF9151 or nRF5340 side.