AT91-SAM - Flash Programming Solutions

AT91 

SAM7 Flash Based 

MICROCONTROLLERS 

® 

Flash Programming Solutions for… 

… the AT91SAM7S / X & AT91SAM7A3 

Smart ARM Microcontrollers 

AT91 Application Support & Communication Group. 

Version 1.2 December 2005 

Patrick Filippi 


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• Introduction 

- Flash Programming Terms, Definitions and Glossary 

• Flash Programming During Debug Phase 

- with ATMEL Evaluation Boards 

- with Customer Board 

• Flash Programming During Production Phase 

- for Small Volume Programming (Manual Programming) 

- for Medium and High Volume Programming (Automated Programming) 





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Introduction 

Flash Programming Terms, Definitions and Glossary 





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Flash Programming Terms and Definitions 

ISP vs. IAP: 

• ISP (In-System Programming) 

• Applicable to programmable logic and Non-Volatile Memory (NVM). 

• MCU is off-line and/or not involved while memory is being programmed. 

• For Manufacturing (Blank Flash Memory) 

• IAP (In-Application (re)-Programming) 

• Applicable to programmable logic and Non-Volatile Memory (NVM). 

• MCU is on-line and participates in programming the memory. 

•For Field Updates (Firmware upgrade) 

The term In-System Programming (ISP) is used in a general sense by the industry. 





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Flash Programming Terms and Definitions 

• Engineering Programmers: 

• Memory, PLD or MCU Programming Tool for Design Engineering. 

• One device programmed at a time. 

• Concurrent Programming Systems: 

• Same as above but low to mid-volume production. 

• Up to 6 Devices programmed at the same time. 

• Automated/Gang Programming Systems: 

• Same as above but for mid-volume to High-volume programming. 

• Up to 1200 devices per hour 





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Glossary 

• JTAG (1) = Joint Test Action Group 

• TAP = Test Access Port (JTAG Port) 

• ICE (1) = In-circuit Emulator 

• ATE = Automatic Test Equipment (Like Agilent 3070 Tester) 

• BSDL = Boundary-Scan Description Language 

• OBP = On-Board-Programming 

• OFBP = Off-Board-Programming 

(1) 

:JTAG/ICE IEEE Std 1149.1-2001 Standard 





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Flash Programming During Debug Phase 

• with ATMEL Evaluation Boards 

• with Customer Board 





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With ATMEL Evaluation Boards or Customer Board – Debug Phase 

- Environment Setup - 

Development Tool with Flash Downloader Facility + ICE Interface 

Host PC + 

Compiler/linker (1) + 

Debugger (1) 

Power 

Supply 

Or USB 

Cable 

AT91SAM7S-EK or 

Customer’s Board 

SAM7S / SAM7X / SAM7A3 

From PC to ICE Interface 

• USB, 

• RS-232, 

• Parallel Cable, 

• Ethernet 

ICE Interface (1) 

From ICE Interface to Target 

• Standard 20-pins ARM Connector 

JTAG/ICE port 

(1) : See the AT91 Third Party Guide for 

Development Tools Supported by AT91 

Processors. 





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Most of today’s Development Tools like, IAR, KEIL and others, integrate their own Flash 

Programming Tools. The Flash Tool is started like any other function by one “Download and 

Run” Button. 

This is the simplest way to flash your application during debug phase ! 

Advantages: 

- Fast Programming. The Processor is running at Full Speed ! 

- All AT91SAM7 MCU supported. Updates maintained via patches from Tool Vendors. 

Inconvenient: 

- None. 





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…some words about SAM-BA TM 

AT91SAM7S-EK or 

Customer’s Board* 

SAM7S & X Only ! * 

SAM-BA GUI and SAM-BA Boot may be needed in case of a problem of JTAG/ICE connection 

between the Development Tools and the ICE Interface or no ICE interface available for debug. 

For the AT91SAM7S and X Series, SAM-BA is best as Demo & Application Downloader. 

*: See SAM-BA Hardware Constraints 

* : AT91SAM7A3 SAM-BA TM Support 

via JTAG/ICE available Dec. 2005 





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Flash Programming During Production Phase 

• Small, Medium and High Volume Programming 





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Introduction 

How to choose between Manual and Automated Programming 

(Data I/O Source) 

…by calculating the total cost of programming. 

by adding the cost of: 

-direct labor, 

-direct materials, 

-scrap/repair materials, 

-capital expense equipment, 

-indirect labor costs for automated programming versus manual programming, 

…and comparing the two scenarios. 





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Small Production Flash Programming (Manual Programming) 

SAM7S & X 

Only ! * 

For small volume programming (




® 


- Environment Setup - 


Only ! 

Programming Time: 

(With Full Speed USB Port) 

-19 sec for 8 x AT91SAM7S64 

-30 sec for 3 x AT91SAM7S256 

(SAM-BA Boot Recovery Time not 

included – add 10 seconds) 

Not Needed for the SAM7X 





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- Engineering and Concurrent Programmers - 


Only ! 

• Engineering Programmers: 

• Memory, PLD or MCU Programming Tool for Design Engineering. 

• One device programmed at a time. 

• Concurrent Programming Systems: 

• Same as above but low to mid-volume production. 

• Up to 6 Devices programmed at the same time. 

All these Programming Systems use the Parallel Mode of Fast Flash 

Programming Interface (FFPI). 

See Appendix A for Programming Vendor Tools vs. Supported Devices 





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Medium and High Production Flash Programming 

(Automated) 


Only ! 

When Medium and High Volume (1000 dev/hr) Flash Programming is required, the cost 

efficient solution is to use Automated Programming Methods. Automated Programming 

can be split into two categories. 

1 ) On-Board Flash Programming: 

àAutomated Test Equipment (Agilent 3070 

Tester) 

2 ) Off-Board Flash Programming: 

à Automated High-Volume Gang Programmer (BPMicro 

4710) 





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(Automated) 


Only ! 

On-Board Programming 

On-board Programming can be achieved via the Fast Flash Programming Interface 

(FFPI). But depending on the structure of the PCB, i.e. density, size, Mixed SMD/Thru Hole 

Devices, and mainly test method/equipment of the manufactured PCB, serial or parallel 

access of the FFPI will be used. 

• FFPI Serial Access via the JTAG/ICE Port (5 pins). 

‣ Small and High Density PCB (ex. Mobile Phone) where PCB access points 

for bed-of-nails test equipments is not possible. 

• FFPI Parallel Access via dedicated PIO pins (8 to 16 bit data bus + 11 control pins) 

‣ PCB access points for bed-of-nails test equipments is possible, 

‣ On-board FGPA for programming the AT91 





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(Automated) 


Only ! 

Off-Board Programming 

Off-board Programming is done on Automated High-Volume Gang Programmers like the 

BPMicro 4710 Programming Station. The BPMicro 4710 can handle up to 1200 devices per 

hour. All programming tool vendors use the Parallel Mode of the Fast Flash Programming 

Interface (FFPI). 

Some distributors have programming centers equipped with Concurrent and Automated 

High-volume Gang Programmers and offer programming solutions to customers for little 

extra fees per devices programmed. 

BPMicro 4710 Programming Station 





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AT91SAM7A3 Flash Programming 

The AT91SAM7A3 has JTAG/ICE capability for On-board Programming. This is not like the 

SAM7S & SAM7X Series (FFPI). A flash downloader must be pre-loaded into the internal 

SRAM, which then will program the flash memory. 

ü Via any development tools like IAR kick Start (Free version) 

ü Via J-Flash (JTAG FLash Programmer) from Segger 

http://www.segger.com/jlink_flash.html 





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Programming Vendor Tools List 

vs. 

Supported Devices 

(Please note that this list may not be up-to-date) 

Last update: 12/01/05 





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Programming Vendor Tools vs. Supported Devices 

BP Micro 

http://www.bpmicro.com 

Type 

Of 

Products 

Auto Gang Programmer 

(Automated Hi-Volume) 

Gang Programmer 

Engineering Programmer 

Equipment 

supporting 


4710 / 4700 

4600 

3710 / 3700 

3600 

2710 / 2700 

2600 

1700 / 1710 

1600 

1400/84 

1400/240 




S32 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 


Supported AT91SAM7 P/N 

S64 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 

S128 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 

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S256 X128 X256 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

•:Supported 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

Number of 

Sockets 

44 

11 

16 

4 

24 

6 

1 

1 

1 

1 

Max speed 

(devices/h) 

1200 

700 

21 

* :Not Yet Supported 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-




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DATA IO 

http://www.dataio.com 

Type of 

Products 

Equipment 

supporting 


S32 

S64 

Supported AT91 P/N 

S128 S256 X128 

X256 

Number of 

Sockets 

Max speed 

(devices/h) 

Auto Gang 

Programmer 

Gang 

Programmer 

Engineering 

Programmer 

PS288FC 

PS300 

Multisyte Flash 

UniSite / UniSite-xpi 

3980xpi / 3980 / 

3900 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

16 

16 

32 

1 

- 

- 

- 

- 

• : Supported 




* : Not yet Supported 


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System General 

http://www.sg.com.tw/index_E.asp 

Supported AT91 P/N 

Type of 

Products 

Equipment 

supporting 


S32 

S64 

S128 

S256 

X128 

X256 

Number of 

Sockets 

Max speed 

(devices/h) 

Auto Gang 

Programmer 

AP600 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

36 (4) 

Gang 

Programmer 

T9600 

• 

* 

• 

• 

* 

* 

24 (1) 

Engineering 

Programmer 

Power Lab 

* 

* 

• 

• 

* 

* 

1 

• : Supported * : Not yet Supported 





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XELTEK 

http://www.xeltek.com 


Type of 

Products 

Equipment 

supporting 


S32 

S321 

S64 

S128 

S256 

X128 

X256 

Number 

of 

Sockets 

Max speed 

(devices/h) 

Auto Gang 

Programmer 

Superpro 3000U 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

1 

Superpro 9000U 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

4 

High Volume 

Programmer 

Nexrpro 8000 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

8 

1000 

• : Supported 

* : Not yet Supported 





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http://www.hilosystems.com.tw/ 

Type of 

Products 

Auto Gang 

Programmer 

Equipment 

supporting 


AT3-300 

S32 

* 

S321 


S64 S128 S256 

* * * 

X128 

* 

X256 

* 

Number 

of 

Sockets 

32 

Max 

speed 

(devices/h) 

1000 

Gang 

Programmer 

ALL-100 G4 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 

8 

ALL-GANG-08P2 

8 

Engineering 

Programmer 

ALL-100 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 

1 

ALL-11P3 

ALL-11C2 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

* 

* 

* 

* 

1 

1 

• : Supported * : Not yet Supported 





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Left Blank for Notes 





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AT91-SAM - Flash Programming Solutions

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