1 Programming the Boot Loader and the Firmware

1.1 Programming the Boot Loader

The controller board needs to be powered up with 3.3V. The 3.3V connection can be established by connecting pin 1 of header P1.

AS3992 – Controller

To program the boot loader to the C8051- MCU the USB Debug Adapter from Silabs is used. The adapter can be purchased at: http://at.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=BJlw7L4Cy7%2fmpVaUa5fvbw%3d%3d

Picture 1: USB Debug Adapter from Silabs

To establish a connection from the USB Debug Adapter to the UHF RFID Controller Board a custom made connection cable is needed. Following picture shows the custom made connection cable pin out:

Picture 2: Custom made Connection Cable - Pin Out

Picture 3: Boot Loader Programming Connections on Controller

1

10 kΩ

C2D C2CK GND

The download process works with the Silabs flash programming utility: Silicon Labs IDE. This software is freely available from the Silabs Webpage (Silicon Labs IDE). To download the boot loader to the UHF RFID System follows the steps below:

1. First power up the controller board by supplying 3.3V at pin 1 of header P1.

2. Connect the Silabs USB Debug Adapter with the computer. 3. Establish a connection between the USB Debug Adapter and

the controller board using the custom made connection cable as shown above.

4. Start the Silicon Labs IDE software. 5. Enter the Connection Options window from the Options menu. 6. Make sure that the Serial Adapter type is set to USB Debug

Adapter and that the Debug Interface is set to C2.Click OK.

Picture 4: Silicon Labs IDE - Connection Options

7. Click on Connect from the Debug menu. 8. Click on Download Object File from the Debug menu. 9. Browse to the *.hex file (e.g. programmer.hex) which can be

found in the “software/boot loader” folder click on Download.

Picture 5: Download the *.hex File

10. When the download process has finished click on Disconnect from the Debug menu.

1.2 Programming the Firmware

The UHF RFID Reader firmware is provided by austriamicrosystems AG. Assuming that the boot loader is already loaded into the flash memory the firmware of the controller board is programmed via USB. To download the firmware to the controller board simply double click the batch file “update Reader_Micro_extPA.bat”. When the programming is completed the message “Successfully written xxxx bytes” appears. The controller board is now completely programmed and the 3.3V supply is not needed anymore.