Intel has released the source code for the firmware of the Programmable Services Engine (PSE) block, which has begun shipping with processors from the Elkhart Lake family, such as the Atom x6000E, optimized for use in Internet of Things devices. The code is available under the Apache 2.0 license.
The PSE represents an additional ARM Cortex-M7 processor core that operates in a low power consumption mode. It can be used to perform embedded controller functionality, process data from sensors, manage remote control, handle networking operations, and execute specialized tasks separately.
Initially, this core was managed with proprietary firmware, which hindered support for chips with PSE in open projects like CoreBoot. Specifically, there was dissatisfaction due to the lack of information on low-level PSE management and security concerns due to the inability to oversee the firmware’s actions. At the end of last year, developers from the CoreBoot project published an open letter to Intel urging them to open the PSE firmware code, and ultimately, the company responded to the community's needs.
The repository with the firmware for PSE also includes the source tests of tools for developers and application examples that can run on the PSE side, components for launching the Zephyr RTOS, the ECLite firmware implementing embedded controller functionality, a reference implementation of the Out-of-Band (OOB) management interface, and a framework for application development.
Source: opennet.ru
