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Fixes for falcon mode for 12.00 LTS migration #655

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praneethbajjuri merged 4 commits into from
Apr 10, 2026
Merged

Fixes for falcon mode for 12.00 LTS migration #655

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8427ff4
fix(linux): U-Boot: Falcon-Mode: drop ti-falcon yocto override
ArchUsr64 Apr 9, 2026
b6d004a
fix(linux): U-Boot: Falcon-Mode: Add link to U-Boot patch
ArchUsr64 Apr 9, 2026
7ffa0b6
feat(linux): U-Boot: Falcon-Mode: Add AM62d support
ArchUsr64 Apr 9, 2026
76769fe
feat(linux): U-Boot: Build: document falcon support for AM62l
ArchUsr64 Apr 9, 2026
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1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions configs/AM62DX/AM62DX_linux_toc.txt
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-UMS
linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-QSPI
linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-UART
linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-RemoteProc
linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-Falcon-Mode

linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/Applications
linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/Apps-SPL-Debug-OpenOCD
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9 changes: 9 additions & 0 deletions source/linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/BG-Build-K3.rst
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Expand Up @@ -458,6 +458,15 @@ All of these binaries are available in the SDK at :file:`<path to tisdk>/board-s
BINMAN_INDIRS=$TI_LINUX_FW_DIR \
TEE=$OPTEE_DIR/out/arm-plat-k3/core/tee-pager_v2.bin

.. note::

The :file:`am62lx_falcon.config` config fragment can be used to enable
falcon mode support.

.. code-block:: console

$ make CROSS_COMPILE="$CROSS_COMPILE_64" am62lx_evm_defconfig am62lx_falcon.config

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant not in ('AM64X', 'AM62X', 'AM62AX', 'AM62LX')

.. note::
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155 changes: 40 additions & 115 deletions source/linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-Falcon-Mode.rst
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Expand Up @@ -16,85 +16,46 @@

* R5 SPL -> ATF -> OP-TEE -> Linux

Falcon boot support is added by the ``ti-falcon`` yocto override which can be
enabled before :ref:`building the SDK <building-the-sdk-with-yocto>` as follows:
The following steps show how to build R5 SPL with falcon mode support:

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{"message": "[RedHat.Definitions] Define acronyms and abbreviations (such as 'SPL') on first occurrence if they're likely to be unfamiliar.", "location": {"path": "source/linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-Falcon-Mode.rst", "range": {"start": {"line": 19, "column": 42}}}, "severity": "INFO"}

.. code-block:: console
.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62AX')

* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/v2026.01/board/ti/am62ax_sk.html#falcon-mode>`__

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praneethbajjuri marked this conversation as resolved.
.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62DX')

* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/v2026.04/board/ti/am62dx_evm.html#falcon-mode>`__

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62PX')

* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/v2026.01/board/ti/am62px_sk.html#falcon-mode>`__

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62X')

$ echo 'DISTROOVERRIDES:append = ":ti-falcon"' >> conf/local.conf
$ # build the SDK
$ MACHINE=<machine> bitbake -k tisdk-default-image

*************************************
Changes made by *ti-falcon* override:
*************************************

ATF:
====

To meet the 2MiB alignment requirement for the Linux kernel's load address,
the ``PRELOADED_BL33_BASE`` *(kernel address)* is modified to ``0x82000000``
and ``K3_HW_CONFIG_BASE`` *(DTB address)* is modified from the K3 default to
``0x88000000``.

TI-SPL:
=======

Falcon mode makes use of a cut down variant of the tispl binary called
:file:`tifalcon.bin` with the Cortex-A SPL and its corresponding device-tree
removed. This file is deployed to the boot directory inside the root filesystem
so it can be picked by the R5 SPL at boot time.

R5 SPL:
=======

The R5 SPL loads the kernel :file:`fitImage` and :file:`tifalcon.bin` file. An
x509 certificate with TIFS keys verifies the :file:`fitImage` for falcon boot
instead of making use of signature nodes and keys present in the DT. This allows
for faster authentication since TIFS uses the security accelerator for
authentication, which is much faster than doing the same on R5 core.

This support is present alongside the standard R5 ``defconfig`` when ``ti-falcon``
is enabled due to U-Boot's :file:`k3_r5_falcon.config` fragment. This updates
the R5 memory map at U-Boot SPL stage to the following:

.. code-block::

0x80000000 +===============================+ Start of DDR
512KiB | ATF reserved memory space | CONFIG_K3_ATF_LOAD_ADDR
0x80080000 +-------------------------------+
31.5MiB | Unused |
0x82000000 +-------------------------------+ PRELOADED_BL33_BASE in ATF
| | CONFIG_SYS_LOAD_ADDR
57MiB | Kernel + initramfs Image | CONFIG_SPL_LOAD_FIT_ADDRESS
| |
0x85900000 +-------------------------------+
| |
| R5 U-Boot SPL Stack + Heap |
39MiB | (size defined by |
| SPL_STACK_R_MALLOC_SIMPLE_LEN)|
| |
0x88000000 +-------------------------------+ CONFIG_SPL_STACK_R_ADDR
| | K3_HW_CONFIG_BASE in ATF
16MiB | Kernel DTB | CONFIG_SPL_PAYLOAD_ARGS_ADDR
| |
0x89000000 +-------------------------------+
331MiB | Device Manager (DM) Load Addr |
0x9db00000 +-------------------------------+
12MiB | DM Reserved |
0x9e700000 +-------------------------------+
1MiB | Unused |
0x9e800000 +-------------------------------+ BL32_BASE in ATF
24MiB | OPTEE |
0xa0000000 +===============================+ End of DDR (512MiB)

fitImage:
=========

The system produces the resulting :file:`fitImage` file in the boot directory
of the root filesystem. This file has its constituent binaries pre-signed with
x509 certificates. At boot time, TIFS authenticates this file, which allows for
a lower boot time compared to authenticating on the R5 core.
* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/v2026.01/board/ti/am62x_sk.html#falcon-mode>`__

.. important::

The following patch is required to enable R5 falcon mode in U-Boot for

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{"message": "[RedHat.PassiveVoice] 'is required' is passive voice. In general, use active voice. Consult the style guide for acceptable use of passive voice.", "location": {"path": "source/linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-Falcon-Mode.rst", "range": {"start": {"line": 39, "column": 24}}}, "severity": "INFO"}
``12.0`` SDK release:

.. code-block:: diff

diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c b/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c
index b93516ff806..b5ced6e713b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ struct ti_sci_handle *get_ti_sci_handle(void)
return (struct ti_sci_handle *)ti_sci_get_handle_from_sysfw(dev);
}

-#ifdef CONFIG_SPL_OS_BOOT
+#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SPL_OS_BOOT) && IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_ARM64)
void *board_spl_fit_buffer_addr(ulong fit_size, int sectors, int bl_len)
{
return (void *)CONFIG_SPL_LOAD_FIT_ADDRESS;

* `Patch in ti-u-boot tree <https://git.ti.com/cgit/ti-u-boot/ti-u-boot/commit/?h=ti-u-boot-2026.01-next&id=ee3048ee0822c35312379b6e24b5c80e9a845110>`__

*******************
Extra Configuration
Expand All @@ -103,7 +64,7 @@
OSPI boot:
==========

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant not in ('AM62AX')
.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant not in ('AM62AX', 'AM62DX')

For OSPI boot, the :file:`tiboot3.bin` file should be flashed to the same
addresses in flash as regular boot flow whereas :file:`tifalcon.bin` and the
Expand All @@ -119,7 +80,7 @@
=> tftp ${loadaddr} tiboot3.bin
=> sf update $loadaddr 0x0 $filesize

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62AX')
.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62AX', 'AM62DX')

This section is not applicable for this platform.

Expand All @@ -145,42 +106,6 @@
For more information check: :ref:`How to flash eMMC and boot with eMMC Boot
<how-to-emmc-boot>`.

.. _u-boot_falcon_mode_fitImage_creation:

Custom fitImage creation:
=========================

The following steps show how to create a falcon compatible :file:`fitImage`:

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62AX')

* `fitImage Creation - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/latest/board/ti/am62ax_sk.html#fitimage>`__

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62PX')

* `fitImage Creation - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/latest/board/ti/am62px_sk.html#fitimage>`__

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62X')

* `fitImage Creation - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/latest/board/ti/am62x_sk.html#fitimage>`__

Non-Yocto Users:
================

The following steps show how to enable falcon mode from the R5 SPL standalone:

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62AX')

* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/latest/board/ti/am62ax_sk.html#falcon-mode>`__

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62PX')

* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/latest/board/ti/am62px_sk.html#falcon-mode>`__

.. ifconfig:: CONFIG_part_variant in ('AM62X')

* `Falcon Mode - U-Boot documentaiton <https://docs.u-boot.org/en/latest/board/ti/am62x_sk.html#falcon-mode>`__

**********************
Boot time comparisons:
**********************
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