RTS5420 USB3 SuperSpeed not working with blank SPI flash on custom Jetson Orin Nano carrier board

Robotics & Edge Computing Jetson Systems Jetson Orin Nano
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1

Hello,

We are developing a custom carrier board based on Jetson Orin Nano and using the RTS5420 USB hub.

The external SPI flash for the RTS5420 is mounted on our board, but no firmware/configuration has been pre-programmed into it. Currently, the hub appears to enumerate only as USB 2.0, and USB 3.x SuperSpeed operation does not work.

We also checked the downstream USB Type-A port power switches. The enable signals for the AP22811 load switches remain Low, so USB_VBUS_A/B/C are all measured as 0V. Therefore, VBUS power is not being supplied to the downstream USB ports.

We would like to ask the following questions:

  1. Is firmware/configuration data in the external SPI flash required for the RTS5420 to enable USB 3.x SuperSpeed operation and downstream port power control?

  2. If the SPI flash is blank, is it expected that the hub only enumerates as USB 2.0 or does not assert the downstream port power enable signals?

  3. Does the JetPack flashing process on the Jetson Developer Kit automatically program or configure the RTS5420 SPI flash?

  4. For a custom carrier board, do we need to program the RTS5420 SPI flash separately?

  5. Is there any reference firmware/configuration file or official programming procedure available for the RTS5420 on Jetson-based carrier boards?

  6. Could the AP22811 enable signals staying Low be related to the RTS5420 configuration or blank SPI flash?

  7. Is there any way to operate the RTS5420 at least in USB 2.0 mode without programming the SPI flash? If so, what is the required hardware or software configuration?

Thank you.

2

*** Please note that this reply is generated by LLM automatically ***

To address the questions regarding the RTS5420 USB hub on a custom carrier board based on Jetson Orin Nano, I’ll provide detailed answers:

  1. Is firmware/configuration data in the external SPI flash required for the RTS5420 to enable USB 3.x SuperSpeed operation and downstream port power control?

Yes, the RTS5420 requires firmware/configuration data in the external SPI flash to enable USB 3.x SuperSpeed operation and downstream port power control. The firmware stored in the SPI flash configures the hub’s operation, including the USB version and power management.

  1. If the SPI flash is blank, is it expected that the hub only enumerates as USB 2.0 or does not assert the downstream port power enable signals?

If the SPI flash is blank, the RTS5420 will likely default to USB 2.0 operation, and the downstream port power enable signals (AP22811 enable signals) might not be asserted. This is because the hub requires the firmware to configure its operation, including power management.

  1. Does the JetPack flashing process on the Jetson Developer Kit automatically program or configure the RTS5420 SPI flash?

The JetPack flashing process on the Jetson Developer Kit does not automatically program or configure the RTS5420 SPI flash. The flashing process primarily focuses on updating the Jetson module’s firmware and software. The RTS5420 SPI flash configuration is typically done separately, either through a dedicated programming process or by using a pre-configured SPI flash.

  1. For a custom carrier board, do we need to program the RTS5420 SPI flash separately?

Yes, for a custom carrier board, you will need to program the RTS5420 SPI flash separately. This involves obtaining the correct firmware/configuration file for the RTS5420 and using a suitable programming tool to write the data to the SPI flash.

  1. Is there any reference firmware/configuration file or official programming procedure available for the RTS5420 on Jetson-based carrier boards?

You should consult the RTS5420 datasheet and the manufacturer’s website (Realtek) for reference firmware/configuration files and programming procedures. Additionally, NVIDIA might provide guidance or recommendations for configuring the RTS5420 on Jetson-based carrier boards, but this information might not be publicly available.

  1. Could the AP22811 enable signals staying Low be related to the RTS5420 configuration or blank SPI flash?

Yes, the AP22811 enable signals staying Low could be related to the RTS5420 configuration or blank SPI flash. The RTS5420 firmware/configuration data in the SPI flash configures the hub’s power management, including the downstream port power enable signals. If the SPI flash is blank or not properly configured, the AP22811 enable signals might not be asserted, resulting in the downstream port power (VBUS) not being supplied.

  1. Is there any way to operate the RTS5420 at least in USB 2.0 mode without programming the SPI flash?

It might be possible to operate the RTS5420 in USB 2.0 mode without programming the SPI flash, but this would depend on the specific RTS5420 configuration and the Jetson module’s USB configuration. However, this is not a recommended or supported configuration, as the RTS5420 firmware/configuration data is required for proper operation.

To resolve the issue, you should:

  • Obtain the correct firmware/configuration file for the RTS5420.
  • Use a suitable programming tool to write the data to the SPI flash.
  • Verify that the RTS5420 is properly configured and the downstream port power enable signals are asserted.

If you are still experiencing issues, you may want to consult with Realtek (the manufacturer of the RTS5420) or NVIDIA (the manufacturer of the Jetson module) for further guidance and support.

*** Please give the thumbs up if you get answers you like. Or provide feedback to help us improve the answer. ***

4

Thank you for your reply.

Regarding question 5, even if the RTS5420 firmware/configuration file is not publicly available, could NVIDIA provide any guidance or recommendation for configuring the RTS5420 SPI flash on a Jetson Orin Nano custom carrier board?

In particular, we would like to know whether there is a reference SPI flash image/configuration for the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit carrier board, and if not, whether we should contact Realtek directly to obtain the RTS5420 programming tool and configuration data.

Any guidance on the required configuration to enable USB 3.x SuperSpeed operation and downstream VBUS power switch control would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

5

Additionally, we could not find any public download link for the RTS5420 ISP/download tool mentioned in the Realtek documentation.

Could you please let us know:

  • how developers are expected to program/configure the RTS5420 SPI flash on custom carrier boards,

  • whether the ISP/download tool is publicly available,

  • and if there is any reference firmware/configuration package available for Jetson-based designs?

6

please contact with Realtek. We don’t have the guidance for flashing that SPI flash.

It won’t get flashed through our flash tool.