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msp430f5438a Firmware update using UART port at run time

Jignesh Patel1
Intellectual 275 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F5438A

Hi

In data-sheet of msp430f5438a (http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/msp430f5438a.pdf)

I found following

"The flash memory can be programmed via the JTAG port, Spy-Bi-Wire (SBW), the BSL, or in-system by the CPU. The CPU can perform single-byte, single-word, and long-word writes to the flash memory."

So my question is Can we update firmware of msp430f5438a using CPU at run time ?

My end application will be like the msp430f5438a will receive new firmware bytes (byte by byte) from its UART at run time and flash in to its flash and acknowledge back on UART for next chunk of bytes.

is it possible ?

Regards, Jignesh

  • 0
    TI__Guru 56650 points

    Hi,

    i think you are looking for firmware update solution while the application code is still running (and after new firmware is downloaded to another bank in the memory, the application jumps and execute the new firmware). Is this correct? If yes, you can't use BSL because the application is not executed during BSL mode. You can refer to the implementation of MSPBoot, but it currently only works with I2C.

  • 0
    Guru 227245 points

    Jignesh Patel1 said:
    My end application will be like the msp430f5438a will receive new firmware bytes (byte by byte) from its UART at run time and flash in to its flash and acknowledge back on UART for next chunk of bytes.

    This type of online update has been discussed in the past. There are several threads in the forum that discuss methods, pitfalls and even implementation approaches.

    Basically, the application will receive data by any supported way and store it in an unused portion of flash, ensuring completeness and integrity by any appropriate method. Then it has to shutdown and start a copy function that copies the new firmware to the 'working location'. This should be done in a fail-safe manner. since during update, the old firmware is gone, but the device should be able to recover from a sudden power failure, retrying the copy process (also covered by the said threads). When done, the device is reset and the new firmware will start up like after a power-cycle.

  • 0
    Guru 25210 points

    We do it in our products that contain MSP430's all the time.

    Our solution is to have a separate bootloader stored in high memory (typically E800 to FFFF) that has a reprogramming mode to it. The reprogramming mode receives the data (Xmodem in our case) and reprograms the Flash, with checks that prevent the bootloader region from being overwritten.

    This method has implications though.... you can't overwrite the interrupt vectors. In our case that isn't a problem since our vectors point to RAM and the loaded application installs a jump table there before enabling interrupts.

    The other part about this is that extra steps are required if the bootloader needs to be upgraded in-field, but that is easily solved as well.

  • 0 in reply to Brian Boorman
    Intellectual 275 points

    Thanks all,

    I am able to flash using implementing realloc function, Here is summary

    1) Current running main app will receive packet and copy it to free space say secondary memory (Defined protocol like mem address, data , checksum etc. in packet)

    2) Once all packet of new firmware copied call realloc functions (Note: in this function don't use any function reside in main application even driver lib function also not work)

    3) this realloc function copy secondary memory data to main application area and jump to start application location.

    Regards,

    JIgnesh

  • 0
    Prodigy 160 points
    Hi
    I'm also interested about this implementation .... can I have some more information or details?
    Thanks
    Fabio

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