This document describes the known exceptions to the functional specifications (advisories) for the AM437x Sitara Cortex®-A9 Processors. See AM437x Sitara Processors.

This document also contains usage notes. Usage notes describe situations where the device's behavior may not match presumed or documented behavior. This may include behaviors that affect device performance or functional correctness.

For additional information, see the latest version of the AM437x Sitara Processors Technical Reference Manual.

To designate the stages in the product development cycle, TI assigns prefixes to the part numbers of all processors and support tools. Each device has one of three prefixes: X, P, or null (no prefix) (for example, XAM4376ZDN). Texas Instruments recommends two of three possible prefix designators for its support tools: TMDX and TMDS. These prefixes represent evolutionary stages of product development from engineering prototypes (TMDX) through fully qualified production devices and tools (TMDS).

Device development evolutionary flow:

Support tool development evolutionary flow:

X and P devices and TMDX development-support tools are shipped against the following disclaimer:

"Developmental product is intended for internal evaluation purposes."

Production devices and TMDS development-support tools have been characterized fully, and the quality and reliability of the device have been demonstrated fully. TI's standard warranty applies.

Predictions show that prototype devices (X or P) have a greater failure rate than the standard production devices. Texas Instruments recommends that these devices not be used in any production system because their expected end-use failure rate still is undefined. Only qualified production devices are to be used.

The device revision can be determined by the symbols marked on the top of the package. Figure 1-1 provides an example of the device markings.

Figure 1-1 Example of Device Revision Codes for the Device Processor

NOTES:

1. Non-qualified devices are marked with the letters "X" or "P" at the beginning of the device name, while qualified devices have a "blank" at the beginning of the device name.
2. The device shown in this device marking example are two of several valid part numbers for the family of devices.
3. The device revision code is the device revision (A, B, and so on).
4. YM denotes year and month.
5. LLLL denotes Lot Trace Code.
6. 631 is a generic family marking ID.
7. G1 denotes green, lead-free.
8. ZDN is the package designator.
9. S denotes Assembly Site Code.
10. On some "X" devices, the device speed may not be shown.

Silicon revision is identified by a code marked on the package. The code is of the format AM4376x, where "x" denotes the silicon revision. Table 1-1 lists the information associated with each silicon revision for each device type. For more details on device nomenclature, see the device-specific data manual.

Each silicon revision uses a specific revision of TI's ARM® Cortex^®-A9 processor. The ARM Cortex-A9 processor variant and revision can be read from the Main ID Register. The DEVREV field (bits 31-28) of the Device_ID register located at address 0x44E10600 provides a 4-bit binary value that represents the device revision. The ROM code revision can be read from address 0x3BFFC on silicon revision 1.1 and 0x3FFFC on silicon revision 1.2. The ROM code version consists of two decimal numbers: major and minor. The major number is 0x27, and the minor number counts ROM code version. The ROM code version is coded as hexadecimal readable values; for example, ROM version 27.02 is coded as 0x2702. Table 1-2 shows the ARM Cortex-A9 Variant and Revision, Device Revision, and ROM Code Revision values for each silicon revision of the device.

Advisories are numbered in the order in which they were added to this document. Some advisory numbers may be moved to the next revision and others may have been removed because the design exception was fixed or documented in the device-specific data manual or peripheral user's guide. When items are moved or deleted, the remaining numbers remain the same and are not re-sequenced.