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MSP430FR6972: flashing programs without using MSP-FETT flash device

Shane Deng
Prodigy 30 points

Part Number: MSP430FR6972
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: TUSB3410

Currently, we are using MSP-FETT flash device to burn programs into MSP430FR6972 through SBW port on the board. But we want to make it more accessible for customers by getting rid of the flash device so that customers can flash programs into it by themselves without buying a flash device. I am just wondering if it is possible to directly connect the same SBW pins on the board with a computer through an USB cable to flash programs into the micro controller by using a bootloader program? Thank you!

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 46455 points
    Hello Shane,

    There is a bootloader available for this device through UART or I2C. If you could include a USB to UART translator on your board, the user would only need a USB cable to load new programs via UART bootloader. Section 6.5 of the datasheet shows the pins required for BSL.

    www.ti.com/.../msp430fr6972.pdf

    Also, you will want to reference the BSL users guide below for details.

    www.ti.com/.../slau550
  • 0 in reply to Eddie LaCost
    Prodigy 30 points
    Hello Eddie,

    Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I am sorry but I am not an electrical engineering so it is a little bit difficult for me to gather information around. When I was reading the datasheet, it was not very clear to me that where BSL_TX, BSL_RX, VCC, VSS should go into the micro controller. Could you please tell me the connection between the translator and the controller?

    Also, which USB to UART translator would you recommend?

    Thank you very much for your time!

    BEST,

    Shane
  • 0 in reply to Shane Deng
    TI__Mastermind 46455 points
    BSL_TX, BSL_RX are pins on the MSP430FR6972. These would connect to the USB to UART translator. VCC is power and VSS is ground. You would want to share the same VCC and VSS between the MSP430 and USB to UART chip.

    We offer the TUSB3410, which could work.

    www.ti.com/.../tusb3410

    One thing I forgot about is the that you would also need to provide the entry sequence on RST and TEST lines. The USB cable would not provide these lines.

    You may actually be better off just adding the eZ-FET lite circuit to your PCB. link below includes the design files and firmware required for this circuit. All of this will, of course, require making modifications to your PCB, so hopefully you have a resource available that can perform PCB layout.

    software-dl.ti.com/.../index_FDS.html
  • 0 in reply to Eddie LaCost
    Prodigy 30 points
    Hello Eddie,
    Where could I download this bootloader for this MCU?

    Thank you

    Best,

    Shane Deng
  • 0 in reply to Shane Deng
    TI__Mastermind 46455 points
    Shane,

    The bootstrap loader is already inside the MCU. You would need to implement code to utilize it in your system. To enter BSL mode, you apply the proper entry sequence on TEST and RST pins(section 3.3.2 of BSL user guide). This also mentions using the DTS and RTS lines on TEST and RST to invoke BSL with the entry sequence. DTS and RTS are additional UART lines that would be available on the USB to UART device.
  • 0 in reply to Shane Deng
    Genius 4350 points

    I have a Github repository that deals with this issue:

    https://github.com/gbhug5a/CP2102-with-BSL-Scripter-for-MSP430

    The PDF file there offers a couple possible solutions.  But TI does not make this easy.  It would be a simple matter to add the hardware invoke sequence option to BSL-Scripter, but so far they have shown no interest in doing so.

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