Return to Memolist
ALMA MEMO #414
An SPI Bus Implementation of a Bootloader for the PIC16F87x
Dave Brown (University of Manchester, JBO)
2002/03/25
Keywords: PIC, AMBSII, SPI Bus, M&C Bus.
The latest family of PIC microcontrollers are able to write to their own program memory space. This allows a small bootloaader program to receive new program code over the SPI bus (which is normally used to communicate with the M&C bus). This bootloader program resides in the protected area at the top of memory and is invoked by a special form of reset.
This facility is useful in the debug and test phases as only a single connection is required to the test host. It could also be used in the field to allow reprogramming without powering down and removing cards. This would need additional software in the M&C bus controller and the AMBSI and would require rigorous safeguards against accidental programming.
View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #414.
Download a postscript version of ALMA Memo #414.
Last modified: 2002-03-24
alma-memos@nrao.edu