From: Joel Fernandes <joelagnelf@nvidia.com>

Instances of the Falcon microcontroller appear in modern Nvidia GPUs and
are crucial to the GPU boot process. Document some concepts which will
make nova-core boot code easier to digest. All the information is
derived from public sources such as public documents, OpenRM and Nouveau
code.

Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes <joelagnelf@nvidia.com>
Signed-off-by: Alexandre Courbot <acourbot@nvidia.com>
---
 Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst | 158 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Documentation/gpu/nova/index.rst       |   1 +
 2 files changed, 159 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst b/Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..33137082eb6c14cecda2fbe6fdb79e63ee9ca2e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+==============================
+Falcon (FAst Logic Controller)
+==============================
+The following sections describe the Falcon core and the ucode running on it.
+The descriptions are based on the Ampere GPU or earlier designs; however, they
+should mostly apply to future designs as well, but everything is subject to
+change. The overview provided here is mainly tailored towards understanding the
+interactions of nova-core driver with the Falcon.
+
+NVIDIA GPUs embed small RISC-like microcontrollers called Falcon cores, which
+handle secure firmware tasks, initialization, and power management. Modern
+NVIDIA GPUs may have multiple such Falcon instances (e.g., GSP (the GPU system
+processor) and SEC2 (the security engine)) and also may integrate a RISC-V core.
+This core is capable of running both RISC-V and Falcon code.
+
+The code running on the Falcon cores is also called 'ucode', and will be
+referred to as such in the following sections.
+
+Falcons have separate instruction and data memories (IMEM/DMEM) and provide a
+small DMA engine (via the FBIF - "Frame Buffer Interface") to load code from
+system memory. The nova-core driver must reset and configure the Falcon, load
+its firmware via DMA, and start its CPU.
+
+Falcon security levels
+======================
+Falcons can run in Non-secure (NS), Light Secure (LS), or Heavy Secure (HS)
+modes.
+
+Heavy Secured (HS) also known as Privilege Level 3 (PL3)
+--------------------------------------------------------
+HS ucode is the most trusted code and has access to pretty much everything on
+the chip. The HS binary includes a signature in it which is verified at boot.
+This signature verification is done by the hardware itself, thus establishing a
+root of trust. For example, the FWSEC-FRTS command (see fwsec.rst) runs on the
+GSP in HS mode. FRTS, which involves setting up and loading content into the WPR
+(Write Protect Region), has to be done by the HS ucode and cannot be done by the
+host CPU or LS ucode.
+
+Light Secured (LS or PL2) and Non Secured (NS or PL0)
+-----------------------------------------------------
+These modes are less secure than HS. Like HS, the LS or NS ucode binary also
+typically includes a signature in it. To load firmware in LS or NS mode onto a
+Falcon, another Falcon needs to be running in HS mode, which also establishes the
+root of trust. For example, in the case of an Ampere GPU, the CPU runs the "Booter"
+ucode in HS mode on the SEC2 Falcon, which then authenticates and runs the
+run-time GSP binary (GSP-RM) in LS mode on the GSP Falcon. Similarly, as an
+example, after reset on an Ampere, FWSEC runs on the GSP which then loads the
+devinit engine onto the PMU in LS mode.
+
+Root of trust establishment
+---------------------------
+To establish a root of trust, the code running on a Falcon must be immutable and
+hardwired into a read-only memory (ROM). This follows industry norms for
+verification of firmware. This code is called the Boot ROM (BROM). The nova-core
+driver on the CPU communicates with Falcon's Boot ROM through various Falcon
+registers prefixed with "BROM" (see regs.rs).
+
+After nova-core driver reads the necessary ucode from VBIOS, it programs the
+BROM and DMA registers to trigger the Falcon to load the HS ucode from the system
+memory into the Falcon's IMEM/DMEM. Once the HS ucode is loaded, it is verified
+by the Falcon's Boot ROM.
+
+Once the verified HS code is running on a Falcon, it can verify and load other
+LS/NS ucode binaries onto other Falcons and start them. The process of signature
+verification is the same as HS; just in this case, the hardware (BROM) doesn't
+compute the signature, but the HS ucode does.
+
+The root of trust is therefore established as follows:
+     Hardware (Boot ROM running on the Falcon) -> HS ucode -> LS/NS ucode.
+
+On an Ampere GPU, for example, the boot verification flow is:
+     Hardware (Boot ROM running on the SEC2) ->
+          HS ucode (Booter running on the SEC2) ->
+               LS ucode (GSP-RM running on the GSP)
+
+.. note::
+     While the CPU can load HS ucode onto a Falcon microcontroller and have it
+     verified by the hardware and run, the CPU itself typically does not load
+     LS or NS ucode and run it. Loading of LS or NS ucode is done mainly by the
+     HS ucode. For example, on an Ampere GPU, after the Booter ucode runs on the
+     SEC2 in HS mode and loads the GSP-RM binary onto the GSP, it needs to run
+     the "SEC2-RTOS" ucode at runtime. This presents a problem: there is no
+     component to load the SEC2-RTOS ucode onto the SEC2. The CPU cannot load
+     LS code, and GSP-RM must run in LS mode. To overcome this, the GSP is
+     temporarily made to run HS ucode (which is itself loaded by the CPU via
+     the nova-core driver using a "GSP-provided sequencer") which then loads
+     the SEC2-RTOS ucode onto the SEC2 in LS mode. The GSP then resumes
+     running its own GSP-RM LS ucode.
+
+Falcon memory subsystem and DMA engine
+======================================
+Falcons have separate instruction and data memories (IMEM/DMEM)
+and contains a small DMA engine called FBDMA (Framebuffer DMA) which does
+DMA transfers to/from the IMEM/DMEM memory inside the Falcon via the FBIF
+(Framebuffer Interface), to external memory.
+
+DMA transfers are possible from the Falcon's memory to both the system memory
+and the framebuffer memory (VRAM).
+
+To perform a DMA via the FBDMA, the FBIF is configured to decide how the memory
+is accessed (also known as aperture type). In the nova-core driver, this is
+determined by the `FalconFbifTarget` enum.
+
+The IO-PMP block (Input/Output Physical Memory Protection) unit in the Falcon
+controls access by the FBDMA to the external memory.
+
+Conceptual diagram (not exact) of the Falcon and its memory subsystem is as follows::
+
+               External Memory (Framebuffer / System DRAM)
+                              ^  |
+                              |  |
+                              |  v
+     +-----------------------------------------------------+
+     |                           |                         |
+     |   +---------------+       |                         |
+     |   |     FBIF      |-------+                         |  FALCON
+     |   | (FrameBuffer  |   Memory Interface              |  PROCESSOR
+     |   |  InterFace)   |                                 |
+     |   |  Apertures    |                                 |
+     |   |  Configures   |                                 |
+     |   |  mem access   |                                 |
+     |   +-------^-------+                                 |
+     |           |                                         |
+     |           | FBDMA uses configured FBIF apertures    |
+     |           | to access External Memory
+     |           |
+     |   +-------v--------+      +---------------+
+     |   |    FBDMA       |  cfg |     RISC      |
+     |   | (FrameBuffer   |<---->|     CORE      |----->. Direct Core Access
+     |   |  DMA Engine)   |      |               |      |
+     |   | - Master dev.  |      | (can run both |      |
+     |   +-------^--------+      | Falcon and    |      |
+     |           |        cfg--->| RISC-V code)  |      |
+     |           |        /      |               |      |
+     |           |        |      +---------------+      |    +------------+
+     |           |        |                             |    |   BROM     |
+     |           |        |                             <--->| (Boot ROM) |
+     |           |       /                              |    +------------+
+     |           |      v                               |
+     |   +---------------+                              |
+     |   |    IO-PMP     | Controls access by FBDMA     |
+     |   | (IO Physical  | and other IO Masters         |
+     |   | Memory Protect)                              |
+     |   +-------^-------+                              |
+     |           |                                      |
+     |           | Protected Access Path for FBDMA      |
+     |           v                                      |
+     |   +---------------------------------------+      |
+     |   |       Memory                          |      |
+     |   |   +---------------+  +------------+   |      |
+     |   |   |    IMEM       |  |    DMEM    |   |<-----+
+     |   |   | (Instruction  |  |   (Data    |   |
+     |   |   |  Memory)      |  |   Memory)  |   |
+     |   |   +---------------+  +------------+   |
+     |   +---------------------------------------+
+     +-----------------------------------------------------+
diff --git a/Documentation/gpu/nova/index.rst b/Documentation/gpu/nova/index.rst
index e3650f53ff53113f31f63f67cf26116b5c070693..e39cb3163581ea4ff5b441b82e9efa4282c946f8 100644
--- a/Documentation/gpu/nova/index.rst
+++ b/Documentation/gpu/nova/index.rst
@@ -31,3 +31,4 @@ vGPU manager VFIO driver and the nova-drm driver.
    core/vbios
    core/devinit
    core/fwsec
+   core/falcon

-- 
2.50.0

On Wed, Jul 02, 2025 at 08:00:44PM +0900, Alexandre Courbot wrote:
> diff --git a/Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst b/Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..33137082eb6c14cecda2fbe6fdb79e63ee9ca2e6
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/Documentation/gpu/nova/core/falcon.rst
> @@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
> +.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
> +
> +==============================
> +Falcon (FAst Logic Controller)
> +==============================
> +The following sections describe the Falcon core and the ucode running on it.
> +The descriptions are based on the Ampere GPU or earlier designs; however, they
> +should mostly apply to future designs as well, but everything is subject to
> +change. The overview provided here is mainly tailored towards understanding the
> +interactions of nova-core driver with the Falcon.
> +
> +NVIDIA GPUs embed small RISC-like microcontrollers called Falcon cores, which
> +handle secure firmware tasks, initialization, and power management. Modern
> +NVIDIA GPUs may have multiple such Falcon instances (e.g., GSP (the GPU system
> +processor) and SEC2 (the security engine)) and also may integrate a RISC-V core.
> +This core is capable of running both RISC-V and Falcon code.
> +
> +The code running on the Falcon cores is also called 'ucode', and will be
> +referred to as such in the following sections.
> +
> +Falcons have separate instruction and data memories (IMEM/DMEM) and provide a
> +small DMA engine (via the FBIF - "Frame Buffer Interface") to load code from
> +system memory. The nova-core driver must reset and configure the Falcon, load
> +its firmware via DMA, and start its CPU.
> +
> +Falcon security levels
> +======================
> +Falcons can run in Non-secure (NS), Light Secure (LS), or Heavy Secure (HS)
> +modes.
> +
> +Heavy Secured (HS) also known as Privilege Level 3 (PL3)
> +--------------------------------------------------------
> +HS ucode is the most trusted code and has access to pretty much everything on
> +the chip. The HS binary includes a signature in it which is verified at boot.
> +This signature verification is done by the hardware itself, thus establishing a
> +root of trust. For example, the FWSEC-FRTS command (see fwsec.rst) runs on the
> +GSP in HS mode. FRTS, which involves setting up and loading content into the WPR
> +(Write Protect Region), has to be done by the HS ucode and cannot be done by the
> +host CPU or LS ucode.
> +
> +Light Secured (LS or PL2) and Non Secured (NS or PL0)
> +-----------------------------------------------------
> +These modes are less secure than HS. Like HS, the LS or NS ucode binary also
> +typically includes a signature in it. To load firmware in LS or NS mode onto a
> +Falcon, another Falcon needs to be running in HS mode, which also establishes the
> +root of trust. For example, in the case of an Ampere GPU, the CPU runs the "Booter"
> +ucode in HS mode on the SEC2 Falcon, which then authenticates and runs the
> +run-time GSP binary (GSP-RM) in LS mode on the GSP Falcon. Similarly, as an
> +example, after reset on an Ampere, FWSEC runs on the GSP which then loads the
> +devinit engine onto the PMU in LS mode.
> +
> +Root of trust establishment
> +---------------------------
> +To establish a root of trust, the code running on a Falcon must be immutable and
> +hardwired into a read-only memory (ROM). This follows industry norms for
> +verification of firmware. This code is called the Boot ROM (BROM). The nova-core
> +driver on the CPU communicates with Falcon's Boot ROM through various Falcon
> +registers prefixed with "BROM" (see regs.rs).
> +
> +After nova-core driver reads the necessary ucode from VBIOS, it programs the
> +BROM and DMA registers to trigger the Falcon to load the HS ucode from the system
> +memory into the Falcon's IMEM/DMEM. Once the HS ucode is loaded, it is verified
> +by the Falcon's Boot ROM.
> +
> +Once the verified HS code is running on a Falcon, it can verify and load other
> +LS/NS ucode binaries onto other Falcons and start them. The process of signature
> +verification is the same as HS; just in this case, the hardware (BROM) doesn't
> +compute the signature, but the HS ucode does.
> +
> +The root of trust is therefore established as follows:
> +     Hardware (Boot ROM running on the Falcon) -> HS ucode -> LS/NS ucode.
> +
> +On an Ampere GPU, for example, the boot verification flow is:
> +     Hardware (Boot ROM running on the SEC2) ->
> +          HS ucode (Booter running on the SEC2) ->
> +               LS ucode (GSP-RM running on the GSP)
> +
> +.. note::
> +     While the CPU can load HS ucode onto a Falcon microcontroller and have it
> +     verified by the hardware and run, the CPU itself typically does not load
> +     LS or NS ucode and run it. Loading of LS or NS ucode is done mainly by the
> +     HS ucode. For example, on an Ampere GPU, after the Booter ucode runs on the
> +     SEC2 in HS mode and loads the GSP-RM binary onto the GSP, it needs to run
> +     the "SEC2-RTOS" ucode at runtime. This presents a problem: there is no
> +     component to load the SEC2-RTOS ucode onto the SEC2. The CPU cannot load
> +     LS code, and GSP-RM must run in LS mode. To overcome this, the GSP is
> +     temporarily made to run HS ucode (which is itself loaded by the CPU via
> +     the nova-core driver using a "GSP-provided sequencer") which then loads
> +     the SEC2-RTOS ucode onto the SEC2 in LS mode. The GSP then resumes
> +     running its own GSP-RM LS ucode.
> +
> +Falcon memory subsystem and DMA engine
> +======================================
> +Falcons have separate instruction and data memories (IMEM/DMEM)
> +and contains a small DMA engine called FBDMA (Framebuffer DMA) which does
> +DMA transfers to/from the IMEM/DMEM memory inside the Falcon via the FBIF
> +(Framebuffer Interface), to external memory.
> +
> +DMA transfers are possible from the Falcon's memory to both the system memory
> +and the framebuffer memory (VRAM).
> +
> +To perform a DMA via the FBDMA, the FBIF is configured to decide how the memory
> +is accessed (also known as aperture type). In the nova-core driver, this is
> +determined by the `FalconFbifTarget` enum.
> +
> +The IO-PMP block (Input/Output Physical Memory Protection) unit in the Falcon
> +controls access by the FBDMA to the external memory.
> +
> +Conceptual diagram (not exact) of the Falcon and its memory subsystem is as follows::
> +
> +               External Memory (Framebuffer / System DRAM)
> +                              ^  |
> +                              |  |
> +                              |  v
> +     +-----------------------------------------------------+
> +     |                           |                         |
> +     |   +---------------+       |                         |
> +     |   |     FBIF      |-------+                         |  FALCON
> +     |   | (FrameBuffer  |   Memory Interface              |  PROCESSOR
> +     |   |  InterFace)   |                                 |
> +     |   |  Apertures    |                                 |
> +     |   |  Configures   |                                 |
> +     |   |  mem access   |                                 |
> +     |   +-------^-------+                                 |
> +     |           |                                         |
> +     |           | FBDMA uses configured FBIF apertures    |
> +     |           | to access External Memory
> +     |           |
> +     |   +-------v--------+      +---------------+
> +     |   |    FBDMA       |  cfg |     RISC      |
> +     |   | (FrameBuffer   |<---->|     CORE      |----->. Direct Core Access
> +     |   |  DMA Engine)   |      |               |      |
> +     |   | - Master dev.  |      | (can run both |      |
> +     |   +-------^--------+      | Falcon and    |      |
> +     |           |        cfg--->| RISC-V code)  |      |
> +     |           |        /      |               |      |
> +     |           |        |      +---------------+      |    +------------+
> +     |           |        |                             |    |   BROM     |
> +     |           |        |                             <--->| (Boot ROM) |
> +     |           |       /                              |    +------------+
> +     |           |      v                               |
> +     |   +---------------+                              |
> +     |   |    IO-PMP     | Controls access by FBDMA     |
> +     |   | (IO Physical  | and other IO Masters         |
> +     |   | Memory Protect)                              |
> +     |   +-------^-------+                              |
> +     |           |                                      |
> +     |           | Protected Access Path for FBDMA      |
> +     |           v                                      |
> +     |   +---------------------------------------+      |
> +     |   |       Memory                          |      |
> +     |   |   +---------------+  +------------+   |      |
> +     |   |   |    IMEM       |  |    DMEM    |   |<-----+
> +     |   |   | (Instruction  |  |   (Data    |   |
> +     |   |   |  Memory)      |  |   Memory)  |   |
> +     |   |   +---------------+  +------------+   |
> +     |   +---------------------------------------+
> +     +-----------------------------------------------------+

The wording LGTM, thanks!

Reviewed-by: Bagas Sanjaya <bagasdotme@gmail.com>

-- 
An old man doll... just what I always wanted! - Clara