wifi: ext_flash: Add a new partition for storing nRF70 FW patches

Add a dedicated Wi-Fi partition for storing nRF70 firmware patches on external flash. Signed-off-by: Chaitanya Tata <[email protected]>
nrfconnect · Jan 27, 2025 · bdb22f2 · bdb22f2
1 parent 10e197e
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Showing 6 changed files with 29 additions and 34 deletions.
diff --git a/doc/nrf/app_dev/device_guides/nrf70/fw_patches_ext_flash.rst b/doc/nrf/app_dev/device_guides/nrf70/fw_patches_ext_flash.rst
@@ -91,24 +91,7 @@ The following configuration options are available:
 * :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_NRF_WIFI_FW_FLASH_CHUNK_SIZE` - Defines the size of the chunks used to read the firmware patches from the external non-XIP memory.
   The default value is 8192 bytes.
 
-The external memory partition name must be defined in the devicetree or in the partition manager configuration file.
-
-* ``nrf70_fw_partition`` - Defines the name of the external memory partition that stores the firmware patches.
-  This must be defined in the devicetree, for example:
-
-.. code-block:: dts
-
-    &flash0 {
-        partitions {
-            compatible = "fixed-partitions";
-            #address-cells = <1>;
-            #size-cells = <1>;
-            nrf70_fw_partition: partition@0 {
-                label = "nrf70_fw_partition";
-                reg = <0x00000000 DT_SIZE_K(128)>;
-            };
-        };
-    };
+The external memory partition name must be defined in the partition manager configuration file as follows:
 
 * ``nrf70_wifi_fw`` - Defines the name of the external memory partition that stores the firmware patches.
   This must be defined in the partition manager configuration file, for example:
@@ -121,13 +104,16 @@ The external memory partition name must be defined in the devicetree or in the p
         device: MX25R64
         region: external_flash
 
+.. note::
+
+   This feature requires the partition manager to be enabled.
+
 Building
 --------
 
 See :ref:`nrf7002dk_nrf5340` for general instructions on building.
 
-Additionally, you can build the sample either with the ``nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash`` snippet or with Partition Manager (``SB_CONFIG_PARTITION_MANAGER``).
-When using the ``nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash`` snippet, set ``SB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE``, and disable ``SB_CONFIG_PARTITION_MANAGER``.
+Additionally, you can build the sample either with the ``nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash`` snippet and set ``SB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y``.
 
 For example, to build the :ref:`wifi_shell_sample` sample for the nRF5340 DK with the ``nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash`` snippet enabled, run the following commands.
 
@@ -136,14 +122,14 @@ With west
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-    west build -p -b nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp samples/wifi/shell -- -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SHIELD=nrf7002ek -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SNIPPET="nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash" -DSB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y -DSB_CONFIG_PARTITION_MANAGER=n
+    west build -p -b nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp samples/wifi/shell -- -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SHIELD=nrf7002ek -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SNIPPET="nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash" -DSB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y
 
 With CMake
 ^^^^^^^^^^
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-    cmake -GNinja -Bbuild -DBOARD=nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SHIELD=nrf7002ek -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SNIPPET="nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash" -DSB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y -DSB_CONFIG_PARTITION_MANAGER=n samples/wifi/shell
+    cmake -GNinja -Bbuild -DBOARD=nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SHIELD=nrf7002ek -Dnrf_wifi_shell_SNIPPET="nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash" -DSB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y samples/wifi/shell
     ninja -C build
 
 For example, to build the :ref:`wifi_shell_sample` sample for the nRF5340 DK with partition manager enabled, run the following commands:

diff --git a/samples/wifi/shell/sample.yaml b/samples/wifi/shell/sample.yaml
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@ tests:
     extra_args:
       - shell_SHIELD=nrf7002ek
       - shell_SNIPPET=nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash
-      - SB_CONFIG_PARTITION_MANAGER=n
       - SB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y
     integration_platforms:
       - nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp

diff --git a/snippets/nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash/fw-patch-ext-flash.overlay b/snippets/nrf70-fw-patch-ext-flash/fw-patch-ext-flash.overlay
@@ -3,16 +3,8 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Nordic-5-Clause
  */
 
-&qspi {
-	mx25r64: mx25r6435f@0 {
-		partitions {
-			compatible = "fixed-partitions";
-			#address-cells = <1>;
-			#size-cells = <1>;
-			nrf70_fw_partition: partition@0 {
-				label = "nrf70_fw_partition";
-				reg = <0x0 DT_SIZE_K(128)>;
-			};
-		};
+/{
+	chosen {
+		nordic,pm-ext-flash = &mx25r64;
 	};
 };
diff --git a/subsys/partition_manager/CMakeLists.txt b/subsys/partition_manager/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ if (CONFIG_SOC_NRF54L15_CPUFLPR)
   ncs_add_partition_manager_config(pm.yml.vpr_launcher)
 endif()
 
+if (CONFIG_WIFI_NRF70 AND CONFIG_NRF_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE)
+  ncs_add_partition_manager_config(pm.yml.wifi)
+endif()
+
 # We are using partition manager if we are a child image or if we are
 # the root image and the 'partition_manager' target exists.
 zephyr_compile_definitions(

diff --git a/subsys/partition_manager/Kconfig b/subsys/partition_manager/Kconfig
@@ -156,6 +156,13 @@ config PM_PARTITION_SIZE_VPR_LAUNCHER
 	  This to place the flpr app's code at the address found in the devicetree.
 endif
 
+if WIFI_NRF70 && NRF_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE
+partition=NRF70_WIFI_FW
+partition-size=0x20000
+rsource "Kconfig.template.partition_config"
+rsource "Kconfig.template.partition_region"
+endif
+
 endmenu # Zephyr subsystem configurations
 menu "NCS subsystem configurations"
 

diff --git a/subsys/partition_manager/pm.yml.wifi b/subsys/partition_manager/pm.yml.wifi
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#include <zephyr/autoconf.h>
+
+nrf70_wifi_fw:
+  placement:
+    after: [settings_storage]
+  region: external_flash
+  size: 131072