Interfacing Parallel NOR Flash (SST39VF040) to AM3352

NOR flash is a type of Non-volatile memory commonly used in Embedded systems as a boot memory. NOR Flash is costly and has faster READ access then NAND flash. So, this memory is used as program memory. The WRITE/ERASE cycles of NOR flash are slower. This meant that any updates to the NOR flash is slower. There are two types of NOR Flash.

• Serial NOR

• Parallel NOR

Parallel Flash SST39VF040 has the below pin out.

The above pin out indicates that NOR Flash has significant Address bits to access bigger memory map.

In the processors, we see DATA/ADDRESS/Multiplexed DATA-ADDRESS lines, the connectivity can be performed in two ways:

• Use the multiplexed ADDRESS-DATA lines, in short called AD to connect to External NOR 
• Use the independent ADDRESS and DATA lines to connect to External NOR.

In the below interfacing, individual DATA and ADDRESS of External Memory Interface/General Purpose Memory Controller (GPMC) pins of AM3352 are connected to SST39VF040 NOR flash. 

The Bill of Material (BoM) for the above circuit is,