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MSP-JTAG support for FRAM device variants?

Chris Yorkey
Genius 14955 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSPDS, MSP-FET, MSPBSL

Team,

Several years ago, we worked together with our customer on getting their COMMS board up and running.

They actually programmed the MSP430 via JTAG (from an external Freescale i.MX processor, which works by the way) by following, at the time, our “MSP-JTAG” – essentially an API that handled the Flash programming from an external Host over JTAG.

 My question is, do the new MSP-FRAM parts support this too?  Reason being, this customer may be very interested in moving to a newer FRAM variant but would still need this support.  We realize the programming mechanism would be different between CMOS Flash technology and our FRAM option.

 Let me know what you think please?

Thanks,
Chris


  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 49692 points

    Hi Chris,

    Thank you for your detailed post.

    From what I could find on the Olimex product folder, it looks like the firmware for the MSP430-JTAG isn't maintained any more due to hardware and timing constraints (e.g SBW), and Version 1.0.4.2 is the latest (last) version of the drivers. However, according to the List of Targets supported by v1.0.42 page, the following FRAM devices are supported.

    Do they need the JTAG interface for programming or also debugging? If they only need a method for programming, they could take advantage of the UART BSL on our FRAM devices, since some i.MX processors have UART interfaces. This would allow the customer to use FRAM devices that are newer and maybe a better fit for their application than the MSP430FR57xx family.

    I would recommend that the customer use (or integrate the design of) the MSP-BSL (or "BSL Rocket") from Olimex. This tool supports UART, I2C, and SPI BSL interfaces over a USB interface and supports several FRAM families, as shown below in Table 1 from the MSP430FR4xx and MSP430FR2xx Bootloader (BSL) User's Guide.

    Here are some additional resources for your reference:

    MSP-BSL Schematic and board design files in Eagle format

    MSP-BSL Drivers

    MSP-BSL Firmware repositories

    Regards,

    James

    MSP Customer Applications

  • 0 in reply to James Evans
    TI__Genius 14955 points
    Hi James,

    Thank you for the detailed response. Truly appreciate that! I'll get with our customer and advise any follow up questions or concerns.

    Regards,
    Chris
  • 0 in reply to Chris Yorkey
    TI__Guru 69356 points

    Chris,

    Was the customer using the MSP Replicator code (code for programming an MSP from another device, like another MSP, over JTAG or SBW)? www.ti.com/lit/zip/slau320  www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slau320 . If so, that DOES include support for FRAM parts, including FR5xx/6xx and FR2xx/4xx.

    However, we do usually recommend people to use the BSL if possible instead of the replicator if they can, because the BSL host is so much easier to implement (just a basic protocol over UART, vs JTAG/SBW used by replicator have some detailed timings that you have to meet in the programming sequences). Sometimes the customer needs the replicator for some reason though (e.g. only having TEST/RST lines available and not being able to connect to the UART lines for BSL for some reason).

    There is now also available the MSP Debug Stack or MSPDS, which you could use to control the MSP-FET programming the device from the PC to do custom things if they need that instead. It all sort of depends on what they are needing: something for field firmware updates, something for production programming, something for testing, etc.
     
    Regards,
    Katie

  • 0 in reply to Katie Pier
    TI__Genius 14955 points
    James and Katie,

    I really appreciate both of your responses to this post. Yes, they were using the "MSP JTAG" (replicator) code for programming an MSP from another device. Now they are also wondering if this same MSP JTAG code works with programming an MSP432? Can you please confirm for the MSP432P401?

    Thank you very much,
    Chris
  • 0
    Guru 25210 points
    Chris,

    If the customer is who I think it is (based on these details), I would be interested in getting a private message with the name of the contact asking the question and the program name. This information is relevant to some work I have going on for a different new product. You can email me via my work email address.
  • 0 in reply to Chris Yorkey
    TI__Guru 69356 points
    Hi Chris,

    Looking at the replicator code and documentation, no I don't think it appears to support MSP432. MSP432 programming is different because it is following an ARM standard. A list of debuggers supporting MSP432 is here: www.ti.com/.../msp432-debuggers I think that XDS100v2 is open source, but may not be what you need.

    If they are just needing field firmware updates, I think that a host for the MSP432 BSL would probably be the easiest to implement. MSP432 by default supports UART, SPI, and I2C for BSL, but it also has 8kB of BSL flash that you can use to create a custom BSL if that is preferable:
    http://www.ti.com/tool/mspbsl
    www.ti.com/.../slau622

    Regards,
    Katie
  • 0 in reply to Katie Pier
    TI__Genius 14955 points
    Hi Katie, team;

    On behalf of the customer, the underlying question would be that if they indeed went that way, is there any tool or source code that TI offers to help on the Host side? For example, they'd prefer to have the compiled output (.bin / s-record /elf) with a tool to open the (.bin / s-record /elf) and send it over an I2C interface to the MSP432.

    In the past (separately from the "MSP JTAG" tool) they have used this type of tool for the TI bq series battery monitor ICs. The tool from TI used was FlashStream.exe for this example.

    Essentially, the customer is looking for the easiest tool that converts the .bin / s-record or elf to a text file that can easily be programmed over an I2C interface, but specifically for the new MSP432 ARM family. As you said, a Host for the MSP432 BSL is in the right direction.

    Any additional thoughts or guidance appreciated!

    Thank you,
    Chris
  • 0 in reply to Chris Yorkey
    TI__Guru 69356 points
    Hi Chris,

    CCS or IAR can generate a TI-txt file binary image - this is what the MSP BSL host examples that we provide all use.
    Generating TI-txt file binary images: processors.wiki.ti.com/.../Generating_and_Loading_MSP430_Binary_Files

    Then for the BSL host, if you want to just use the BSL scripter (which we also provide source code for) along with the MSP-FET to program the device via I2C BSL.
    MSPBSL
    software-dl.ti.com/.../index_FDS.html

    Regards,
    Katie
  • 0 in reply to Chris Yorkey
    Guru 34123 points

    Chris Yorkey said:
    Now they are also wondering if this same MSP JTAG code works with programming an MSP432? Can you please confirm for the MSP432P401?

    Katie Pier said:
    Looking at the replicator code and documentation, no I don't think it appears to support MSP432. MSP432 programming is different because it is following an ARM standard. A list of debuggers supporting MSP432 is here: www.ti.com/.../msp432-debuggers I think that XDS100v2 is open source, but may not be what you need.

    Don't know about XDS100v2, but MSP-FET can program MSP432, and firmware is open source that can be found inside MSP-DEBUG-STACK.

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