2011/3/31 Werner Almesberger <[email protected]>: > The ATmega32U2 microcontroller in ATUSB needs to be programmed before > the board can be used. I'm describing here what the process will > ultimately be like (the boot loader still needs a bit of work until > all this will be as planned). > > The firmware consists of two parts: a DFU-capable boot loader and the > actual application. The application implements access to the > registers and memory of the AT86RF231 transceiver. > > The ATmega32U2 apparently comes pre-programmed with Atmel's DFU-like > boot loader, but this one expects an 8 MHz crystal while what we have > is an external 1 MHz clock (provided by the transceiver). To obtain > the 8 MHz clock needed for operating the ATmega32U2, we first have to > send a command to the transceiver. This means we need to flash our > own firmware in any case. > > > The boot loader is flashed via the ICSP protocol using the atusb-pgm > adapter. The adapter is a ribbon cable with a UBB on one end and a > board with pogo pins on the other end: > > http://downloads.qi-hardware.com/people/werner/wpan/tmp/atusb-pgm-20110203.jpg > > The programming is done by plugging atusb-pgm into a Ben, pushing > the board on the ATUSB such that the pogo pins connect to the exposed > ICSP pads, and then running avrdude on the Ben: > > http://downloads.qi-hardware.com/people/werner/wpan/tmp/atusb-programming.jpg > > There is an orange LED on atusb-pgm that happily flickers to indicate > progress. > > > Once the boot loader has been loaded, the application can be flashed > over USB, with dfu-util. (This also tests USB connectivity.) > > > To build avrdude and the firmware, you need the following qi-hardware > projects: ben-blinkenlights and ben-wpan > > avrdude should be built according to the instructions in > ben-blinkenlights/avrdude/README > > This avrdude also includes a patch that makes it fast-forward over > Flash sections that are not being programmed. This way, programming > the boot loader, which is at the very end of the Flash, requires a > bit less patience. > > The instructions end with scp commands to install avrdude on a Ben > with host name "jlime". Change as needed. Xiangfu has made an ipkg > with a recent version of the "enhanced" avrdude for the qi-hw OpenWRT > distribution. > > > The firmware requires very recent versions of the AVR > cross-compilation toolchain. ben-wpan/atusb/fw/README explains how > to build it. > > After that, a simple "make" in ben-wpan/atusb/fw will generate the > boot loader (boot.hex) and the application (atusb.bin). I'll provide > pre-compiled versions when we approach production. > > > To upload the files to the Ben, run "make upload" if your Ben's host > name is "jlime". Otherwise, use "make HOST=name upload" > > To run avrdude, first bring atusb-pgm into position, then run > make prog or make HOST=name prog > > If the programming and verification is successful, the LED will > flicker for a few seconds and then avrdude will thank you for using > it. Otherwise, you'll see an error message and have to try again. > > > The application will be downloaded by plugging atusb into a PC and > running make dfu (if an application has already been flashed, > i.e., if this is an upgrade and not the first programming, then the > make dfu has to be issued within two seconds after plugging the > atusb into the PC.) > > > For (non-production) direct flashing of the application, without > using a boot loader, use make prog-app > > - Werner > > _______________________________________________ > Qi Hardware Discussion List > Mail to list (members only): [email protected] > Subscribe or Unsubscribe: > http://lists.en.qi-hardware.com/mailman/listinfo/discussion >
Werner it should be not better to program bootloader and firmware at once, from the atusb-pgm , instead of having to flash and then upload firmware? -- David Reyes Samblas Martinez http://www.tuxbrain.com Open ultraportable & embedded solutions Ben NanoNote, Arduino, Openmoko Hey, watch out!!! There's a linux in your pocket!!! _______________________________________________ Qi Hardware Discussion List Mail to list (members only): [email protected] Subscribe or Unsubscribe: http://lists.en.qi-hardware.com/mailman/listinfo/discussion
