TivaC_RemoteUpdater_Demo

Overview

The TivaC_RemoteUpdater_Demo showcases a robust system for remotely updating firmware on Tiva C Series microcontrollers. This project demonstrates:

1. A Python-based remote firmware updater for seamless communication through UART between the host and target.
2. A bootloader for secure and efficient firmware updates.
3. An LED application to demonstrate GPIO functionality.

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Features

Firmware Updater

• Cross-Platform:
  • Python-based, runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
• Command-Based Communication via UART:
  • Reliable transfer with retry mechanisms.
  • Handles commands like PING, DOWNLOAD, SEND_DATA, RUN, and RESET.

Bootloader

• Firmware Update via UART:
  • Handles commands like PING, DOWNLOAD, SEND_DATA, RUN, and RESET.
  • Manages flash programming and erasure.
• Application Switching:
  • Transfers control to the updated application.
• Fault Handling:
  • Validates firmware integrity during updates.

LED Application

• GPIO Demonstration:
  • Toggles an LED to verify functionality.
• Configurable Memory Location:
  • Defined by the bootloader for separation.

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Project Structure

.
├── bootloader             # Source code for the bootloader
│   ├── Debug              # Build artifacts
│   └── targetConfigs      # Target configuration files
├── led_application        # Source code for the LED application
│   ├── Debug              # Build artifacts
│   └── targetConfigs      # Target configuration files
├── firmware_updater       # Python-based host application
│   ├── main.py            # Entry point for the updater
│   ├── packet_handler.py  # Manages communication with the bootloader
│   └── uart_handler.py    # Handles UART communication
└── tools                  # Utilities and setup scripts
    └── ccs_project_setup.sh # CCS environment setup script

Memory Map Explanation

Memory Layout

Address Range	Section	Description
0x0000_0000	Bootloader Vector Table	Initial entry point and ISR table.
0x0000_2800	Application Start	Memory location for the LED application.
0x2000_0000	SRAM	Shared memory for stack and heap.

Bootloader and Application Interaction

• The bootloader checks for update signals in SRAM.
• Upon successful update, control is transferred to the application at 0x0000_2800.

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

Hardware:

• Tiva C microcontroller (e.g., TM4C123GH6PM).

Software:

• Code Composer Studio (CCS)
• TivaWARE
• Python 3.x with pyserial

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/TivaC_Firmware_Update_Demo.git
   cd TivaC_Firmware_Update_Demo

2. Set up the CCS workspace:

   bash tools/ccs_project_setup.sh

3. Build the bootloader and led_application projects in CCS.

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Usage

Running the Firmware Updater

1. Use the main.py script to update firmware:

   python3 firmware_updater/main.py

Observe Behavior

LED Application:

• The bootloader transfers control to the application after a successful update.
• The LED toggles as programmed.

Error Recovery:

• The updater retries commands to ensure robust communication.

System Architecture

The following diagram illustrates the system architecture: