Atmel AVR1605 User manual

AVR1605: XMEGA™ Boot Loader Quick Start

Guide

Features

• XMEGA boot loader

• AVROSP compatible

• Example application

• C-code sample application for Self Programming

• Read and Write Both Flash and EEPROM Memories

• Read and Write Lock Bits

• Read Fuse Bits

1 Introduction

This application note describes how to use a boot loader application with one of the

XMEGA family devices (i.e. ATxmega128A1) and how an AVR®with the Store

Program Memory (SPM) instruction can be configured for Self-programming. The

sample application communicates via the UART with a PC running the AVR Open

Source Programmer (AVROSP) from Application note AVR911. This enables the

user to download Applications into Flash, Data to EEPROM and to read/write fuses

without the need for an external programmer. The example software is using the

ATxmega128A1 device with STK®600 as a target board.

Electronic designs including a microcontroller always need to be equipped with a

firmware, be it a portable music player, a hairdryer or a sewing machine. As many

Electronic designs evolve rapidly there is a growing need for being able to update

Products, which have already been shipped or sold. It may prove difficult to make

changes to the hardware, especially if the product has already reached the end

customer. But the firmware can easily be updated on products based on Flash

microcontrollers, such as the AVR family.

Many AVR microcontrollers are configured such that it is possible to create a boot

loader able to receive firmware updates and to reprogram the Flash memory on

demand. The program memory space is divided in two sections: the Boot loader

Section (BLS) and the Application Section. A Boot Loader program is placed inside

the Boot Section of the Flash memory. This program handles communication with

the host PC, and facilitates programming of both Flash and EEPROM. Once

programmed, different levels of protection can be individually applied to both the

boot and application portion of the Flash memory. The AVR thus offers a unique

flexibility, allowing the user extensive degrees of memory protection.

For general information about self programming please refer to application note

AVR109: Self programming.

8-bit

Microcontrollers

Application Note

Preliminary

Rev. 8242A-AVR-05/09

2 AVR1605 8242A-AVR-05/09

Figure 1-1. Purpose of Bootloader

AVR1605

8242A-AVR-05/09

2 Getting up and running

This section walks you through the basic steps for getting up and running, by setting

up the hardware. The necessary setup and requirements are described along with

relevant information.

2.1 Hardware Setup

This section gives the step by step procedure to setup the hardware for the

experiment.

The Boot Loader software presented in this application note uses the AVR Open

Source Programmer (AVROSP) as the user interface. The example application

implements functions to read or update the Flash and EEPROM memories on the

target device. It is also possible to read and update the Lock bits and read the Fuse

bits of the device using the ATxmega128A1 AVR device with STK600.

On the STK600, connect the PD2/PD3 pins to the RXD/TXD pins to route the USART

signals to the RS-232 output.

The STK600 has got two RS232 ports marked CAN (Male Type) and RS232 (Female

Type). Connect a serial cable between the PC and the RS232 (Female Type) port of

STK600.

On STK600, connect the PD4 pin to the SW0 pin to use micro switch SW0 to enable

boot loader mode.

Please refer STK600 User Guide, available in AVR Studio®Help to connect it with PC

and to mount the device with correct routing and socket cards combination.

2.2 System Configuration

This section gives the information about setting up your PC prior to start the

implementation.

Include the xml_dev_files directory path (found in code\AVROSP_Test) to the

windows PATH by creating a variable name and value. This is set because the

system will search the default locations for the AVROSP.exe file to run from any

location of the directory. If this is not done, then you can use AVROSP.exe in the

folder where it is and you can not call it anywhere else. It can be set by right clicking

My Computer icon and selecting the Properties option as demonstrated in the Figure

2.2-1, 2, 3 below. (You may need to restart the computer to enable the changes).

4 AVR1605 8242A-AVR-05/09

Figure 2.2-1. PATH Configuration 1

Figure 2.2-2. PATH Configuration 2

AVR1605

8242A-AVR-05/09

Figure 2.2-3. PATH Configuration 3

2.3 Starting a debug session

This section gives the step by step procedure to start the debugging session on the

device.

Start IARTM (v5.12C or later) and select the option “Open existing workspace”. Browse

for the folder downloaded along with this Application note (hereafter called as target

folder) and select bootloader.eww for debugging. Verify that there are no errors or

warnings by build and compilation.

Start AVR Studio and create a new project using bootldr.dbg. Select the device as

ATxmega128A1 and the platform as JTAGICE mkII.

Make sure that both the STK600 and JTAGICE mkII is Powered ON.

In AVR studio open the programming dialog and connect to the ATxmega128A1

using the JTAG or the PDI interface. Select the fuses tab and set the BOOTRST fuse

to Boot loader Reset and program the fuses.

Start a debugger session in AVR Studio and run the application while keeping SW0

pressed on the STK600 (Check the LED status of the Tool).

In Programming mode, the program receives commands from AVROSP via the

UART. Each command executes an associated task. Any command not recognized

by the boot loader program results in a “?” being sent back to AVROSP.

Through explorer, open the folder AVROSP_Test where several command line

examples, example hex files for FLASH and EEPROM, the AVROSP.exe and the

XML part description file for the ATxmega128A1 are available.

NOTE: Default PC’s RS232 port is set to COM1, if the STK600 is connected to

another port the following batch programs need to be modified. The batch files are as

follows:

x128A1_chip_erase.bat

x128A1_eeprom_dump.bat

x128A1_eeprom_write_file.bat

x128A1_flash_dump.bat

x128A1_flash_write_file.bat

In all the batch files the port name COM1 in the first line have to be modified/replaced

with COMx. Where x is the RS232 port number where the STK600 is connected.

The first line of the batch file is shown below which can be viewed by drag-drop of

batch file into notepad application:

6 AVR1605 8242A-AVR-05/09

The following command will set up the COM1 in Windows when given in MSDOS

command line:

mode com1 Data=8 Parity=n Baud=9600 DTR=OFF RTS=OFF to=off

3 Communication with the bootloader

This section walks you through the basic steps for communicating with the bootloader

through the hardware setup. The necessary setup and requirements are described

along with relevant information.

3.1 Chip Erase

This section explains how to implement the ‘Chip Erase’ command.

Ensure that the steps to make the device wait in bootloader section are done [Press

both External RESET and SW0 on STK600 and release the RESET first and then the

SW0].

In the current working folder, double-click (run) the batch program called

x128A1_chip_erase.bat

The batch file runs the following command to erase the flash and the EEPROM when

using AVROSP:

AVROSP -dATxmega128A1 -e

Figure 3.1-1 Chip Erase

The command window shown in Figure 3.1-1. Chip Erase should appear: After

connecting to COM1, the device specific file is parsed for the ATxmega128A1 by

AVROSP and the output file is placed in the AVROSP_Test directory. Further, the

signature is matched and a chip erase is performed by the following operations:

1) Given COM port number is scanned

AVR1605

8242A-AVR-05/09

2) Communicates with AVRBOOT

3) Enters programming mode

4) XML file is parsed and new XML file is generated in the current working folder

5) Signature is checked to match

6) Chip erase is performed

7) Leaves the programming mode

3.2 Write a file to flash

This section explains how to write/download a file to the flash.

Ensure that the steps to make the device wait in bootloader section are done [Press

both External RESET and SW0 buttons on STK600 and release the RESET first and

then the SW0].

In windows explorer, run the batch file x128A1_flash_write_file.bat. The batch file

runs the following command to program and verify the flash memory:

AVROSP -dATxmega128A1 -e -ifflash.hex -pf -vf

Table 3.2 -1. Command Description

Command Description

-e This command will erase the flash the device.

-ifflash.hex This command will give the ‘flash.hex’ file as an input file for programming the

flash

-pf This command will program the flash

-vf This command will verify the flash content after programming

After comparing, by the verification command, “Equal!” string in the command window

is to be noted which ensures that the programming of flash memory with the given

input file is performed without any error.

Refer Figure 3.2-1 Downloading to Flash where you can see the “Equal!” string.

8 AVR1605 8242A-AVR-05/09

Figure 3.2-1. Downloading to Flash

3.3 Run the uploaded application from address 0

The flash.hex is a program that writes the string “Congratulations!” when it gets the

character ‘E’ through serial/RS232 port.

The program will jump to the application section after RESET, provided the micro

switch SW0 in not pressed at the time of RESET. Alternatively, the application can be

run by setting the BOOTRST fuse to Application Boot and restart the part. (Note that

a start of another debugging session will perform a chip erase).

Now the application will wait for the letter ‘E’ through USART0. To verify the

application that was downloaded to the flash in the previous chapter, we must write

the character ‘E’ through terminal software (e.g. HyperTerminal) as described below:

Open HyperTerminal program available in all the Windows based system by following

the path StartÆAll ProgramsÆAccessoriesÆCommunicationsÆHyper Terminal

Give any name(eg:Test) for that session and configure the COM port settings to 9600

baud, 8bit Data, no parity, 1 stop bit and no Handshaking. Please refer Figure 3.3-

1.Hyperterminal Name and Figure 3.3-2.COM port Settings for more information.

Figure 3.3-1 HyperTerminal Name

AVR1605

8242A-AVR-05/09

Figure 3.3-2 COM port Settings

Enter the character ‘E’ in the transmission blank space.

In return you will receive a string “Congratulations!” from the device ensuring the

proper operation of the application loaded in the device through boot loader.

3.4 Write a file to EEPROM

Ensure that the steps to make the device wait in bootloader section are done [Press

both External RESET and SW0 buttons on STK600 and release the RESET first and

then the SW0].

In the AVROSP_Test directory, run the batch file x128A1_eeprom_write_file.bat. The

file eeprom.hex containing the ASCII string “This is a test string to the XMEGA

eeprom!” is written to EEPROM by using this AVROSP command:

AVROSP -dATxmega128A1 -e -ieeeprom.hex -pe –ve

10 AVR1605 8242A-AVR-05/09

Figure 3.4-1 writing a file to EEPROM

In AVR Studio start a debug session, select memory view from the View menu. Select

EEPROM and verify that the string is located at address 0x00 as in Figure 3.4-2

EEPROM visual verification to verify that the string from eeprom.hex was written

correctly.

Figure 3.4-2 EEPROM visual verification

3.5 File dump from memory

3.5.1 EEPROM

Ensure that the steps to make the device wait in bootloader section are done [Press

both External RESET and SW0 buttons on STK600 and release the RESET first and

then the SW0].

Run the batch file x128A1_eeprom_dump.bat which has the AVROSP command

given below to dump the contents of the EEPROM to the file edump.hex

AVROSP -dATxmega128A1 -re -oeedump.hex

3.5.2 FLASH

Ensure that the steps to make the device wait in bootloader section are done [Press

both External RESET and SW0 buttons on STK600 and release the RESET first and

then the SW0].

Run the batch file x128A1_flash_dump.bat which has the AVROSP command given

below to dump the contents of the FLASH to the file fdump.hex

AVROSP -dATxmega128A1 -rf -offdump.hex

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