MCUXpresso SDK Release Notes

Overview

The MCUXpresso SDK is a comprehensive software enablement package designed to simplify and accelerate application development with Arm Cortex-M-based devices from NXP, including its general purpose, crossover and Bluetooth-enabled MCUs. MCUXpresso SW and Tools for DSC further extends the SDK support to current 32-bit Digital Signal Controllers. The MCUXpresso SDK includes production-grade software with integrated RTOS (optional), integrated enabling software technologies (stacks and middleware), reference software, and more.

In addition to working seamlessly with the MCUXpresso IDE, the MCUXpresso SDK also supports and provides example projects for various toolchains. The Development tools chapter in the associated Release Notes provides details about toolchain support for your board. Support for the MCUXpresso Config Tools allows easy cloning of existing SDK examples and demos, allowing users to leverage the existing software examples provided by the SDK for their own projects.

Underscoring our commitment to high quality, the MCUXpresso SDK is MISRA compliant and checked with Coverity static analysis tools. For details on MCUXpresso SDK, see MCUXpresso-SDK: Software Development Kit for MCUXpresso.

MCUXpresso SDK

As part of the MCUXpresso software and tools, MCUXpresso SDK is the evolution of Kinetis SDK, includes support for LPC, DSC,PN76, and i.MX System-on-Chip (SoC). The same drivers, APIs, and middleware are still available with support for Kinetis, LPC, DSC, and i.MX silicon. The MCUXpresso SDK adds support for the MCUXpresso IDE, an Eclipse-based toolchain that works with all MCUXpresso SDKs. Easily import your SDK into the new toolchain to access to all of the available components, examples, and demos for your target silicon. In addition to the MCUXpresso IDE, support for the MCUXpresso Config Tools allows easy cloning of existing SDK examples and demos, allowing users to leverage the existing software examples provided by the SDK for their own projects.

In order to maintain compatibility with legacy Freescale code, the filenames and source code in MCUXpresso SDK containing the legacy Freescale prefix FSL has been left as is. The FSL prefix has been redefined as the NXP Foundation Software Library.

Development tools

The MCUXpresso SDK is compiled and tested with these development tools:

  • IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm, version is 9.60.3

  • MCUXpresso IDE, Rev. 24.12

  • MCUXpresso for VS Code v24.12

  • GCC Arm Embedded Toolchain 13.2.1

Supported development systems

This release supports board and devices listed in following table. The board and devices in bold were tested in this release.

Development boards

MCU devices

MCX-W72-EVK

MCXW727AMFTA, MCXW727CMFTA, MCXW727DMFTA

MCUXpresso SDK release package

The MCUXpresso SDK release package content is aligned with the silicon subfamily it supports. This includes the boards, CMSIS, devices, middleware, and RTOS support.

Device support

The device folder contains the whole software enablement available for the specific System-on-Chip (SoC) subfamily. This folder includes clock-specific implementation, device register header files, device register feature header files, and the system configuration source files. Included with the standard SoC support are folders containing peripheral drivers, toolchain support, and a standard debug console. The device-specific header files provide a direct access to the microcontroller peripheral registers. The device header file provides an overall SoC memory mapped register definition. The folder also includes the feature header file for each peripheral on the microcontroller. The toolchain folder contains the startup code and linker files for each supported toolchain. The startup code efficiently transfers the code execution to the main() function.

Board support

The boards folder provides the board-specific demo applications, driver examples, and middleware examples.

Demo application and other examples

The demo applications demonstrate the usage of the peripheral drivers to achieve a system level solution. Each demo application contains a readme file that describes the operation of the demo and required setup steps. The driver examples demonstrate the capabilities of the peripheral drivers. Each example implements a common use case to help demonstrate the driver functionality.

RTOS

FreeRTOS

Real-time operating system for microcontrollers from Amazon

Middleware

Wireless Bluetooth LE host stack and applications

The Bluetooth LE Host Stack component provides an implementation for a Bluetooth LE mandatory and some optional, proprietary, and experimental features. The Bluetooth LE Host Stack component provides application examples, services, and profiles.

Main features supported:

  • Automotive Compliance

  • MISRA Compliance

  • HIS CCM <= 20

  • Advanced Secure Mode

  • Enhanced ATT

  • GATT Caching

  • Bluetooth LE Host GCC Libraries

  • Bluetooth LE Host IAR Libraries

  • Bluetooth LE Host Peripheral Libraries

  • Bluetooth LE Central Libraries

  • Bluetooth LE Host Full Host Features Libraries

  • Bluetooth LE Host Optional Features Libraries

  • Bluetooth LE Host Mandatory Features Libraries

  • Bare-metal and FreeRTOS Support

  • Bluetooth LE Privacy Support

  • CCC Sample Applications

  • Enhanced Notifications

  • Dynamic Database

  • OTA Support - Sample Applications

  • Decision based Advertising Filtering (DBAF) - Experimental feature

  • Advertising Coding Selection (ACS) - Experimental feature

  • Channel Sounding - Experimental feature with controlled access (contact your NXP representative for access)

  • Bluetooth LE Controller main and experimental features and capabilities described below are supported by the Bluetooth LE Host.

    Note: For evaluating DBAF and ACS experimental features, replace the Bluetooth LE Host default example projects libraries with the libraries from the SDK folder ..\middleware\wireless\bluetooth\host\lib_exp and enable the features in the application. The Radio Subsystem (NBU) Firmware with experimental features is required.

Bluetooth LE Controller

  • Main features supported:

    • Peripheral Role

    • Central Role

    • Multiple PHYs (1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, Coded PHY)

    • Asymmetric Connections

    • Public/Random/Static Addresses

    • Network/Device Privacy Modes

    • Extended Advertising

    • Extended Scanning

    • Passive/Active Scanning

    • LE Encryption

    • LE Ping Procedure

    • HCI Test Interface

    • UART Test Interface

    • Randomized Advertising Channel Indexing

    • Sleep Clock Accuracy Update - Mechanism

    • ADI Field in Scan Response Data

    • HCI Support for Debug Keys in LE - Secure Connections

  • Main capabilities supported:

    • Simultaneous scanning 1 Mbps and Long Range

    • Scanning and advertising in parallel

    • 24 connections as a central role

    • 24 connections as a peripheral role

    • Any combination of central and peripheral roles (24 connections maximum)

    • 8 connections with a 7.5 ms connection interval

    • Two advertising sets in parallel

    • 26 Accept List entries

    • 36 Resolvable Private Address (RPA) entries

    • Up to six Chain Packets per Extended Advertising set

    • Enhanced Notification on end of - Scanning/Advertising/Connection events

    • Connection event counters associated to Bluetooth LE packet reception

    • Timestamp associated to Bluetooth LE packet reception

    • RF channel info associated to Bluetooth LE packet reception

    • NXP proprietary Bluetooth LE Handover feature

    • Decision Based Advertising Filtering (DBAF) - Experimental feature. See Note below.

    • Advertising Coding Selection (ACS) - Experimental feature. See Note below.

    • Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR) - Experimental feature. See Note below. Additional features supported for KW47 and MCX W72 devices:

    • Channel Sounding - Experimental feature

      Note: Project configuration enabling Experimental features on KW45 and MCX W71 requires the Radio Subsystem (NBU) Firmware to be reprogrammed with the firmware provided in the SDK under \middleware\wireless\ble_controller\bin\experimental\. For NBU programming steps, see the EVK Quick Start Guide and Secure Provisioning SDK (SPSDK) documentation.

      Project configurations that require usage of the Bluetooth LE controller including all Bluetooth LE examples require the Radio Subsystem (NBU) Firmware to be re-programmed with the firmware provided in the SDK under middleware\wireless\ble_controller\bin.

Wireless zigbee stack

This release of the NXP Zigbee stack supports the following generic Zigbee protocol features:

  • Zigbee Pro R22

  • Zigbee 3.0

  • Zigbee Green Power – Proxy and Combo

  • Base Device Behavior (BDB) 3.1

  • Zigbee Cluster Library (ZCL) 8

The SDK includes the following sample Zigbee 3.0 applications that allow the end user to get quickly up to speed with the development of Zigbee applications on NXP platforms:

  • Zigbee Coordinator

  • Zigbee Router

  • Zigbee End Device

IEEE 802.15.4 MACPHY Software

The IEEE 802.15.4 software includes:

  • The IEEE 802.15.4 PHY supporting Thread 1.3.x and Thread 1.4.0 with OpenThread, and Matter over Thread

  • IEEE 802.15.4 MAC supporting Zigbee

  • Simple MAC (SMAC)

  • Low-level IEEE 802.15.4 radio mode test software

  • Multiprotocol support (Bluetooth LE and IEEE 802.15.4)

  • Experimental support for dual PAN mode (two IEEE 802.15.4 networks on a single channel or two channels)

The IEEE 802.15.4 PHY and MAC software implementation is based on IEEE Standard 802.15.4-2015.

Wireless XCVR

The XCVR component provides a base Transceiver Driver for the 2.4 GHz narrowband radio.

Wireless Connectivity Framework

The Connectivity Framework is a software component that provides hardware abstraction modules to the upper layer connectivity stacks and components. It also provides a list of services and APIs, such as, Low power, Over the Air (OTA) Firmware update, File System, Security, Sensors, Serial Connectivity Interface (FSCI), and others. The Connectivity Framework modules are located in the middleware\wireless\framework SDK folder.

Wireless Low-power reference design applications (central and peripheral)

The Low-Power Reference Design Applications provide reference design source code and projects showcasing how to implement optimized low power functionality based on a Bluetooth LE application. For additional details, see the readme.md.

CMSIS DSP Library

The MCUXpresso SDK is shipped with the standard CMSIS development pack, including the prebuilt libraries.

NXP PSA CRYPTO DRIVER

PSA crypto driver for crypto library integration via driver wrappers

EdgeLock SE050 Plug and Trust Middleware

Secure subsystem library - SSS APIs

Multicore

Multicore Software Development Kit

mbedTLS

mbedtls SSL/TLS library v3.x

mbedTLS

mbedtls SSL/TLS library v2.x

LittleFS

LittleFS filesystem stack

FreeMASTER

FreeMASTER communication driver for 32-bit platforms.

Release contents

Provides an overview of the MCUXpresso SDK release package contents and locations.

Deliverable

Location

Boards

INSTALL_DIR/boards

Demo Applications

INSTALL_DIR/boards/<board_name>/demo_apps

Driver Examples

INSTALL_DIR/boards/<board_name>/driver_examples

eIQ examples

INSTALL_DIR/boards/<board_name>/eiq_examples

Board Project Template for MCUXpresso IDE NPW

INSTALL_DIR/boards/<board_name>/project_template

Driver, SoC header files, extension header files and feature header files, utilities

INSTALL_DIR/devices/<device_name>

CMSIS drivers

INSTALL_DIR/devices/<device_name>/cmsis_drivers

Peripheral drivers

INSTALL_DIR/devices/<device_name>/drivers

Toolchain linker files and startup code

INSTALL_DIR/devices/<device_name>/<toolchain_name>

Utilities such as debug console

INSTALL_DIR/devices/<device_name>/utilities

Device Project Template for MCUXpresso IDE NPW

INSTALL_DIR/devices/<device_name>/project_template

CMSIS Arm Cortex-M header files, DSP library source

INSTALL_DIR/CMSIS

Components and board device drivers

INSTALL_DIR/components

RTOS

INSTALL_DIR/rtos

Release Notes, Getting Started Document and other documents

INSTALL_DIR/docs

Tools such as shared cmake files

INSTALL_DIR/tools

Middleware

INSTALL_DIR/middleware

What is new

The following changes have been implemented compared to the previous SDK release version (25.03.00-pvw2).

  • Bluetooth LE host stack and applications

    Added

    • MCXW72 Extended NBU support and w_uart_host, fsci_bridge and ncp_fscibb sample applications.

    Changed

    • Updated FSCI XML file.

    • Updated Bluetooth LE Host Documentation.

    Fixed

    • EAD - Updated advertising data length check to ensure encrypted data fits inside one AD.

    • Details can be found in CHANGELOG.md.

  • Bluetooth LE controller

    • HADM, PAwR, DBAF fixes and stability improvements.

  • Transceiver drivers (XCVR)

    • Added support for Bluetooth LE Channel Sounding

    • Added API to control PA ramp type and duration.

  • Connectivity framework

    • Minor Changes (no impact on application)

      • General

        • [General] Various MISRA/Coverity fixes in framework: NVM, RNG, LowPower, SecLib and platform files

      • Services

        • [SecLib_RNG] fix return status from RNG_GetTrueRandomNumber() function: return correctly gRngSuccess_d when RNG_entropy_func() function is successful

        • [SFC] Allow the application to override the trig sample number parameter

        • [Settings] Re-define the framework settings API name to avoid double definition when gSettingsRedefineApiName_c flag is defined

      • Platform specific

        • [wireless_mcu] fwk_platform_sensors update :

          • Enable temperature measurement over ADC ISR

          • Enable temperature handling requested by NBU

        • [kw47_mcxw72] Change the default ppm_target of SFC algorithm from 200 to 360ppm

    Details can be found in CHANGELOG.md

  • IEEE 802.15.4

    • API cleanup: remove unmaintained slotted support

    • support for MAC split architecture

      • fix condition to enter low power

    • minor fixes and stability improvements for connectivity_test example application

    • experimental support for mcxw72 NBU core

  • Zigbee

    • NCP Host Updates and fixes

    • R23 fixes

      • Device can’t establish a new TCLK through ZDO Start Key Update procedure

      • Security Start Key Update Request is not relayed to joining ZED in multi hop key negotiation

    • propagate APS ACK to end-user application

    • documentation updates

Known issues

The following are the known issues in this release.

New project wizard compile failure

The following components request the user to manually select other components that they depend upon in order to compile. These components depend on several other components and the New Project Wizard (NPW) is not able to decide which one is needed by the user.

Note: xxx means core variants, such as, cm0plus, cm33, cm4, cm33_nodsp.

Also for low-level adapter components, currently the different types of the same adapter cannot be selected at the same time. For example, if there are two types of timer adapters, gpt_adapter and pit_adapter, only one can be selected as timer adapter in one project at a time. Duplicate implementation of the function results in an error.

Only FreeRTOS is tested for RTOS support

This release only supports the FreeRTOS kernel and a bare-metal non-preemptive task scheduler.

Disabled pairing and bonding for most sensor applications

Most sensor applications have pairing and bonding disabled to allow a faster interaction with mobile applications. These two security features can be enabled in the app_preinclude.h header file.

Bluetooth LE

Most sensor applications have pairing and bonding disabled to allow a faster interaction with mobile applications. These two security features can be enabled in the app_preinclude.h header file.

Bluetooth LE controller:

  • Max number of connections supported : 8

  • Potential instabilities particularly with short Connection Intervals

Channel Sounding (CS) not supported:

  • RTT with Random sequence

  • RTT Random sequence NADM

  • TX SNR

  • LE 2M 2BT PHY

  • More than one CS procedure in parallel

  • Potential instabilities with small CS offset or small subevent interval

  • TQI not accurate

Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR):

  • Incorrect data in Periodic Advertising Response is reported if AUX_SYNC_SUBEVENT_RSP contained an extended header.

  • Sync device cannot synchronize on more than 32 subevents.

  • Connection establishment using PAwR in LE Coded PHY can potentially fail.

  • Data report can potentially be truncated on the first AUX_ADV_IND of an extended advertising train containing an ACAD field.

Other limitations

  • The following Connectivity Framework configurations are Experimental and not recommended for mass production:

    • Power down on application power domain.

    • XTAL32K less board with FRO32K support.

    • FRO32K notifications callback is for debug only. Application shall not execute long processing (such as PRINTF) as it is executed in ISR context.

  • A hardfault can be encountered when using fsl_component_mem_manager_light.c memory allocator and shutting down some unused RAM banks in low power. It is due to a wrong reinitialization of ECC RAM banks. To be sure not to reproduce the issue, gPlatformShutdownEccRamInLowPower should be set to 0.

  • GenFSK Connectivity_test application is not operational with Low Power enabled.

  • Serial manager is only supported on UART (not I2C nor SPI).

  • The --no-warn-rwx-segments cannot been recognized on legacy MCUXpresso IDE versions.

    The --no-warn-rwx-segments option in MCUXpresso projects should be manually removed from the project settings if someone needs to use legacy (< 11.8.0) MCUXpresso IDE versions

  • If the FRO32K is configured as the clock source of the CM33 Core then the debug session will block in both IAR, MCUX CMSIS-DAP while debugging. Use a lower debug wire speed, for example 1 MHz instead of the default one.

    In IAR, the option is in Runtime Checking -> Debugger -> CMSIS DAP -> Interface -> Interface speed.

    In MCUXpresso IDE, the option is in LinkServer Debugger -> Advanced Settings -> Wirespeed (Hz).

  • Low power reference design applications are not supported for the armgcc toolchain from zip archives. Please use MCUXpresso IDE or IAR toolchains for development using these applications.

Latest MCUX IDE 24.9.25 cannot support KW47 multicore compiling

The latest MCUX IDE 24.9.25 cannot support KW47 multicore compiling, users need to upgrade to the Linkserver_24.10.22 or higher version, and change the LinkServer path configuration in the MCUX IDE. Two ways to change the LinkerSever path in the MCUX IDE.

Option 1 (recommended): Using the custom Path

Option 2: Using the command-line to change the settings

  1. Close the MCUXpresso IDE if it is open.

  2. Execute the following command:

    <path_to_MCUXpressoIDE_installation_folder>\ide\mcuxpressoide -application com.nxp.mcuxpresso.headless.application -nosplash -run set.config.preference com.nxp.mcuxpresso.core.debug.support.linkserver:linkserver.path.default_path=<path_to_LinkServer_installation_folder>

    where:

    • <path_to_MCUXpressoIDE_installation_folder> is the folder where the MCUXpresso IDE is installed.

    • <path_to_LinkServer_installation_folder> is the folder where the new/custom LinkServer is installed.

Example:

C:\NXP\MCUXpressoIDE_24.9.25\ide\mcuxpressoide -application com.nxp.mcuxpresso.headless.application -nosplash -run set.config.preference com.nxp.mcuxpresso.core.debug.support.linkserver:linkserver.path.default_path=c:\NXP\LinkServer_24.10.15

Examples hello_world_ns, secure_faults_ns, and secure_faults_trdc_ns have incorrect library path in GUI projects

When the affected examples are generated as GUI projects, the library linking the secure and non-secure worlds has an incorrect path set. This causes linking errors during project compilation.

Examples: hello_world_ns, hello_world_s, secure_faults_ns, secure_faults_s, secure_faults_trdc_ns, secure_faults_trdc_s

Affected toolchains: mdk, iar

Workaround: In the IDE project settings for the non-secure (_ns) project, find the linked library (named hello_world_s_CMSE_lib.o, or similar, depending on the example project) and replace the path to the library with <build_directory>/<secure_world_project_folder>/<IDE>/, replacing the subdirectory names with the build directory, the secure world project name, and IDE name.