• State Resolved
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 63 subscribers
  • Views 496 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Support feedback
Options
Options
Related

This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

BQ4050: Golden file format confusion

Ian Aherne
Prodigy 200 points
Part Number: BQ4050
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: BQ40Z50, BQSTUDIO,

Hi 

We are evaluating the  BQ40Z50-R4 battery fuel gauge as a potential battery management solution for a product, can you help clearing up some confusion as regards the various file types and terminology in relation to the GOLDEN image file.

I have been reading various reference manuals, app notes and videos but still am unsure of the exact workflow for getting to production for this particular gauge. 

My understanding so far is:

Flash type gauges like the BQ40Z50 are designed to be preprogrammed at production so little or no configuration is required in the software driver on host Microcontroller.

Once the correct Chemistry ID is selected for the cells a charge discharge  learning cycle must be conducted so the gauge will fine tune parameters and store them to flash memory.

These parameters can be extracted from gauge memory using BQStudio this is the golden file that can be used to program other gauges during production.

Questions I have: 

In the gauge communication manual SLUA801 it refers to a FlashStream file and provides code to to write this file to the gauge, is this relevant to the BQ40Z50 as I see no reference to it in BQStudio?

The only export option I have in BqStudio is for a .srec file, this appears to be a different format to the FlashStream file so the sample FlashStream code would not work for writing this file.

For the BQ40Z50 is the .srec file the "golden file" once learning cycle is completed?

If the the BQ40Z50 golden file needs to be updated post production i.e. during firmware updates how is this typically achieved?

Regards

Ian

  • +1
    TI__Guru 57697 points

    Hello Ian,

    bq4050 and bq40z50 are different products. I assume there was a typo and you meant bq40z50

    1. Flashstream support is available in bqStudio from the firmware tab(Select file type in dropdown of file type after clicking Browse). It is one way of reading/writing the golden image.

    2. The .srec can be read out as "golden file" and used for production

    3. bqProduction can be used to write the golden file for bq40z50.

  • +1
    Prodigy 200 points

    Yes I meant to put  BQ40Z50 In the title, but  selected the wrong device.

    thanks that has cleared up all confusion regarding flashstream files. 

    Is it possible to order large quantities of this chip with customer supplied golden image already programmed to the device?

  • 0 in reply to Ian Aherne
    TI__Guru 57697 points

    Hello Ian,

    A preprogrammed golden image would be like a custom product. I recommend that you discuss with a TI sales representative to check if that would be possible.