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RA2Cortex-A9 implementation
This course covers both Cortex-A9 single and multiple core high-end ARM CPUs
Objectives
  • This course is split into 3 important parts:
    • Cortex-A9(MP) architecture
    • Cortex-A9(MP) software implementation and debug
    • Cortex-A9(MP) hardware implementation
  • MMU operation under Linux is described.
  • Spin-lock implementation in a multicore system is also detailed
  • Interaction between level 1 caches, level 2 cache and main memory is studied through sequences.
  • The exception mechanism is explained, indicating how virtualization enables the support of several operating systems.
  • An overview of the Coresight specification is provided prior to describing the debug related units.
  • The course also describes the hardware implementation and provides some guidelines to design a SoC based on Cortex-A9.
  • Cache coherency is detailed, including cache tag mirrors, the advantage of connecting DMA channels to ACP and the sequences that have to be used to modify a page descriptor.
A more detailed course description is available on request at training@ac6-training.com
  • Knowledge of ARM7/9 or having attended our course ARM fundamentals.
  • This course does not include chapters on low level programming.
  • Related courses:
  • Theoretical course
    • PDF course material (in English) supplemented by a printed version for face-to-face courses.
    • Online courses are dispensed using the Teams video-conferencing system.
    • The trainer answers trainees' questions during the training and provide technical and pedagogical assistance.
  • At the start of each session the trainer will interact with the trainees to ensure the course fits their expectations and correct if needed
  • Any embedded systems engineer or technician with the above prerequisites.
  • The prerequisites indicated above are assessed before the training by the technical supervision of the traineein his company, or by the trainee himself in the exceptional case of an individual trainee.
  • Trainee progress is assessed by quizzes offered at the end of various sections to verify that the trainees have assimilated the points presented
  • At the end of the training, each trainee receives a certificate attesting that they have successfully completed the course.
    • In the event of a problem, discovered during the course, due to a lack of prerequisites by the trainee a different or additional training is offered to them, generally to reinforce their prerequisites,in agreement with their company manager if applicable.

Course Outline

  • Cortex-A9 variants
  • New memory-mapped registers in MPCore
  • The 3 instruction sets
  • Configurable options
  • States and modes
  • Benefit of register banking
  • Exception mechanism
  • Instruction sets
  • Superscalar pipeline operation
  • Branch prediction mechanism
  • Return stack
  • Predicted and non-predicted instructions
  • Secure to non secure permitted transitions
  • L1 and L2 secure state indicators, memory partitioning
  • Interrupt management when there is a mix of secure and non-secure interrupt sources
  • Boot sequence
  • AMP vs SMP
  • Boot sequence
  • Exclusive access monitor
  • Spin-lock implementation
  • Using events
  • Basic concepts of RTOS supporting A9 SMP architecture
  • General points on syntax
  • Branch and control flow instructions
  • Memory access instructions
  • Exception generating instructions
  • If…then conditional blocks
  • Interworking ARM and Thumb states
  • Demonstration of assembly sequences aimed to understand this new instruction set
  • Page access permission, domain and page protection
  • Page attributes, memory types
  • Utilization of memory barrier instructions
  • Format of the external page descriptor table
  • TLB lockdown
  • Abort exception, on-demand page mechanism
  • MMU maintenance operations
  • Using a common page descriptor table in an SMP platform, maintaining coherency of multiple TLBs
  • Virtual indexing, physical tagging for instruction cache
  • Supported maintenance operations
  • Write-back write allocate cache allocation
  • Memory hint instructions PLD, PLI, PLDW, data prefetching
  • Describing transient cache related transactions: line fills and line eviction
  • 4-entry 64-bit merging store buffer
  • Snooping basics: CLEAN, CLEAN & INVALIDATE and INVALIDATE snoop requests
  • Snoop Control Unit: cache-to-cache transfers
  • MOESI state machine
  • Understanding through sequences how data coherency is maintained between L2 memory and L1 caches
  • Accelerator Coherency Port
  • AXI
    • Topology: direct connection, multi-master, multi-layer
    • PL301 AXI interconnect
    • Separate address/control and data phases
    • AXI channels, channel handshake
    • Transaction ordering
    • Read and write burst timing diagrams
    • Cortex-A9 external memory interface, ID encoding
  • APB 3
  • Clock domains
  • Reset domains
  • Wait For Interrupt architecture
  • AXI master interface attributes
  • Exclusive L2 cache
  • AXI sideband information
  • AXI interface characteristics
  • Exclusive mode operation
  • Understanding through sequences how cacheable information is copied from memory to level 1 and level 2 caches
  • TrustZone support
  • Power management
  • Cache event monitoring
  • Describing each maintenance operation
  • Cache lockdown
  • Interrupt management
  • Event counting
  • Selecting the event to be counted for the 6 counters
  • Debugging a multi-core system with the assistance of the PMU
  • Cortex-A9 exception management
  • Interrupt virtualization
  • Integrated timer and watchdog unit in MPCore
  • Interrupt groups: STI, PPI, SPI, LSPI
  • Legacy mode
  • Prioritization of the interrupt sources
  • Distribution of the interrupts to the Cortex-A9 cores
  • Detailing the interrupt sequence
  • Spurious interrupt
  • Voltage domains
  • Cortex-A9 power control
  • Communication to the power management controller
  • SCU power status register
  • Invasive debug, non-invasive debug
  • APBv3 debug interface
  • Connection to the Debug Access Port
  • Process related breakpoint and watchpoint
  • Program counter sampling
  • Event catching
  • Debug Communication Channel
  • PTM interface, connection to funnel
  • Debug registers description
  • Cross-Trigger Interface, debugging a multi-core SoC
Duration
4 days
Inquiry

This course can be scheduled upon request. Click the 'Inquire' button to contact us.

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To book a training session or for more information, please contact us on info@ac6-training.com.

Registrations are accepted till one week before the start date for scheduled classes. For late registrations, please consult us.

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This course can be provided either remotely, in our Paris training center or worldwide on your premises.

Scheduled classes are confirmed as soon as there is two confirmed bookings. Bookings are accepted until 1 week before the course start.

Last update of course schedule: 23 February 2026

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