BQ40Z50-R2: Production programming and serialization

Andrea Lombardo

Part Number: BQ40Z50-R2
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: BQ40Z50, EV2400, BQSTUDIO

Tool/software:

Hello, I have found several topics on the subject but we couldn't fully understand how to resolve the issue.

During production, we need to serialize each bq40z50 with a different serial number. The software assigning the serial numbers is running on a server, so the ideal solution is to use a command line tool to program the SREC file first and send the serialization command after.

The first question is how to write the SREC file with a command line tool (or writing our own tool, if any documentation is available). On the website we found what looks like the proper tool:

BQ-BATTERY-PROGRAMMER-SW

but it doesn't recognize the hardware (EV2400). We read that the EV2400 is not compatible with this tool.

THe manual procedure of using bqStudio to upload the srec file and then going manually to the datamemory tab changing the serial number and the date, it works but it's very time consuming and prone to errors and duplication.

I have also tried the other tool: bqProgramming, but it crashes with an error that looks common to other users. Probably, also this tool has not been updated for a while.

Do you have any idea / reccomendation?

Thank you

Kind regards

Andrea

7 months ago

0 Anthony 7 months ago

TI__Mastermind 28480 points

Hi Andrea,

We do not have a command line programming tool, this will have to be created by the customer. The document below could be helpful in communicating to the gauge without the usage of bqStudio:

https://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slua801

The link below goes more into depth about how our flash stream files can be interpreted as well:

https://e2e.ti.com/support/power-management-group/power-management/f/power-management-forum/1107256/faq-bqstudio-how-do-i-interpret-the-lines-in-a-bq-fs-file-for-use-with-my-smbus-gauge

Regards,

Anthony

0 Andrea Lombardo 7 months ago in reply to Anthony

Prodigy 185 points

Hi Anthony,

thank you. Actually we already downloaded the application note slua81 and we did think it was the key!

But reading better, we realized that it does not deal with the .srec file, but with the FlashStream format. I got from other sources that the .SREC file is the preferred and complete way to upload everything on the gauge.

If it so, how we can get information to wirte a software to upload the srec file? We have sniffed the SMB communication during an SREC file upload conducted with bqStudio and I should say that it is not a straight forward process.

Alternatively, should we use the filestream format instead of srec? I can't see an option to generate this stream file from bqStudio. The only output I get is the SREC format.

Thank you for clarifying.

Kind regards

Andrea

0 Anthony 7 months ago in reply to Andrea Lombardo

TI__Mastermind 28480 points

Hi Andrea,

Typically for host programming we recommend the use of the bq.fs flashstream file, since when this is used with the FAQ page above it is easier to interpret what the file is trying to program.

The bq.fs can be found by going to the same "Read Srec/FS from device" button on the Firmware page in bqStudio, but when the window appears you can change the file option:

Regards,

Anthony

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BQ40Z50-R2: Production programming and serialization

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