bq78PL116 "Error Reading Data", "0 cells found", "LAN is not built"

I have not seen this problem before, so I will have to try to reproduce it. Let me clarify / confirm a few things that you posted.

1) You are using a tmap file setup for 4 cells?

2) You can communicate to some functions on the device?

3) Exactly when do you receive the error message? What command did you send?

Regards

Tom

1) You are using a tmap file setup for 4 cells?

Yes.  Also a  cell simulator with 4 resistors is used.

2) You can communicate to some functions on the device?

I can read and write many of parameters, for example "Manufacturer Name" by manually editing, "Chemistry ID" by loading chemistry data of my choice. "Read this parameter" command works while "Read All Parameters" results in the "Error Reading Data" window. I can switch on and off CFET, DFET, and PFET by changing the value of "Algorithm Enable" parameter.

3) Exactly when do you receive the error message? What command did you send?

By selecting “Connect to Pack” command, the "bqWizard  Evaluation" window shows up with “Initializing communications…”, then “Loading 0%” and counting up to “Loading 100%”, followed by “0 cells found. Starting bqWizard” before this window closes. Then the “Error Reading Data” window appears. Also a popup window of “LAN is not built!” comes up at the bottom right corner of the screen.

When sending “Initialize” or “Relearn/Initialize”, the "bqWizard  Evaluation" window shows up with “Initializing… Please Wait!” and closes. Then the “Error Reading Data” window appears. Also a popup window appears at bottom right corner of the screen, and says “bqWizard Flash Initialized!”.

“Safe Disconnect”: No error.

“Reset fuse” No error.

“Toggle wired bit” No error.

“Update Dynamic Data” No error.

Clicking “Read All Parameters” immediately cause the “Error Reading Data” window to appear. No other message appears. The image below is screen capture right after clicking "Read All Parameters".

Please let me know if you need more info.

Thank you for your support.

Iai

Iai,

Could you send your tmap file, so that I can review it? If you can save a .ppcsv file, then that may be helpful as well.

Thanks

Tom

Tom,

Pasted below is my tmap file. I am going to write about a .ppcsv file in my next post.

Iai

# =============================================
# Pack Configuration File
# Filename: 120222PackConfFile_PCB6001.tmap
# Created: 2012/02/22 10:39:59
# =============================================
# Device: bq78PL116
# Battery Configuration: 4S1P
# Temperature Sensors: 4
# =============================================
# Comments:
# /* Created at 120222-1038.
# For checking PCB6001 */
# =============================================
bqWizard
3.0
1
11
PackConfig
2
136
# =============================================
2        # 0x0002 [00]
0        # 0x0000 [01]
0        # 0x0000 [02]
67        # 0x0043 [03]
1        # 0x0001 [04]
4        # 0x0004 [05]
1        # 0x0001 [06]
10000        # 0x2710 [07]
8192        # 0x2000 [08]
3000        # 0x0BB8 [09]
12288        # 0x3000 [10]
1000        # 0x03E8 [11]
8193        # 0x2001 [12]
10        # 0x000A [13]
63568        # 0xF850 [14]
30780        # 0x783C [15]
14376        # 0x3828 [16]
6164        # 0x1814 [17]
2048        # 0x0800 [18]
0        # 0x0000 [19]
0        # 0x0000 [20]
0        # 0x0000 [21]
0        # 0x0000 [22]
0        # 0x0000 [23]
0        # 0x0000 [24]
0        # 0x0000 [25]
0        # 0x0000 [26]
0        # 0x0000 [27]
0        # 0x0000 [28]
0        # 0x0000 [29]
0        # 0x0000 [30]
0        # 0x0000 [31]
0        # 0x0000 [32]
0        # 0x0000 [33]
0        # 0x0000 [34]
0        # 0x0000 [35]
0        # 0x0000 [36]
0        # 0x0000 [37]
0        # 0x0000 [38]
0        # 0x0000 [39]
0        # 0x0000 [40]
0        # 0x0000 [41]
0        # 0x0000 [42]
0        # 0x0000 [43]
0        # 0x0000 [44]
0        # 0x0000 [45]
0        # 0x0000 [46]
0        # 0x0000 [47]
0        # 0x0000 [48]
0        # 0x0000 [49]
34560        # 0x8700 [50]
129        # 0x0081 [51]
0        # 0x0000 [52]
65280        # 0xFF00 [53]
255        # 0x00FF [54]
257        # 0x0101 [55]
515        # 0x0203 [56]
4        # 0x0004 [57]
0        # 0x0000 [58]
0        # 0x0000 [59]
0        # 0x0000 [60]
0        # 0x0000 [61]
0        # 0x0000 [62]
0        # 0x0000 [63]
0        # 0x0000 [64]
5632        # 0x1600 [65]
80        # 0x0050 [66]
0        # 0x0000 [67]

Tom,

I have attached a .ppcsv file. As you see in that file, some parameters such as "Manufacturer Name" have their value empty.

However, I see the values of those parameters on bqWizard window as you can see in the two figures below.

I first downloaded again the firmware by the bootstrap loader. Then I clicked "Read this parameter" on every empty value. Then I could see the values as shown in Fig 1. Values that drew my attention are "Number of Rebulds" and "Number of Poll Errors" in "Pack Dynamic" tab, which  increment every time I click "Read this parameter" command.

Then I loaded tmap file (the one pasted in my previous post) and chemistry data (ID=225) before capturing the image of Fig 2.

Please take a look at figures below as well.

Iai

---

Figure 1 Right after downloading firmware (Note:Chemistry ID=107, Expected Number of Cells=3 as default value):

Figure 2 After loading tmap file (4cells) and chemistry data (ID=225):

Tom,

I should have mentioned this as well. It seems downloading firmware by bootstrap loader is not 100% error free. Here is  what I see during downloading:

After I click on "Download" button, Status says "Downloading block ### of 484." Number### increments up to 484. At this point, I see "Firmware has been loaded successfully" in the status bar at the bottom of the Bootstrap Loader window. Then Status changes to "Please wait while the hardware resets. ##% complete." Percentage ## increments up to 94%, then progress appears paused. In a few seconds, I see "Unable to read system information" in the status bar. Immediately after that, the "bqWizard evaluation" window pops up with text that reads "Connecting to target... Please wait!", then "Loading 0%" to "Loading 100%", followed by "Connected... Gathering information." At this point, status bar says "Verification completed OK." And Status on the bootstrap loader window indicates "Completed in 61 seconds" (Usually it takes 60s plus or minus a couple of seconds. When I use the evaluation module it takes about 50s. Slight difference here.)

So the downloading process  has some trouble, but it seems downloading succeeds in the end.

Iai

Iai,

I think that we are going to have to fix the download problem. I spent some time trying to replicate the problem. I got the 0 cell problem when I tried to booting up the system when the battery voltage was low. You have a 4 cell setup and I thought that you said that you are using a resistor stack to simulate the batteries. Make sure that the resistors are 10 ohms each and the voltage across the stack is about 15V. 

I have also seen this problem occur and correct itself by disconnecting the GPIO box from the setup and reconnecting everything.

Please try these things and I will continue looking as well.

Regards

Tom

Tom,

Thank you for your suggestion. But setting the voltage across the stack to 15V did not change anything. (I applied 14V before.) I have checked my resistor stack has four 10Ohm resistors. I did connect and disconnect the GPIO box from the setup with no luck.

I also tried with bq78PL11X API Demo v2.0.0.0::API v2.0.0.1. Similar to what I got with bqWizard, I was able to access most of the parameters. But "Actual number of cells" is zero. CellParameterRead() method won't work. Also occasionally, it fails to establish connection with Target Device when I press the "Connect" button. Another try is usually successful.

Iai

Tom,

Could you describe how the value of "actual number of cells" parameter is determined? With my current setup, V1-Vss=3.74V, V2-V1=3.72V, V3-V2=3.73V, V4-V3=3.72V, VLDO2-V2=2.45V, VLDO1-Vss=2.45V when 15V is applied to a resistor stack. I am wondering what are the factors that determine the "actual number of cells" parameter, besides those voltages.

I have currently two boards of my design. They are identical to each other. I found today that my second board has VLDO2-V2=3.07V while VLDO1-Vss=2.49V. Obviously it is out of the specified range (2.425Vmin to 2.575Vmax). Do you think this chip is dead?

Thank you,

Iai

Iai,

The PL116 interrogates the the PL102 devices, and itself, to discover how many cells are attached. This is compared against what you have loaded in the tmap file.

If VLDO2 is measuring 3.07V, then the device is damaged.

Regards

Tom