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TI Loader Applet

The Loader Applet is a small DSP program which, when integrated with ASP’s LDX™ environment, provides robust bootloading of DSP Applications from a flash device and allows users to upgrade a DSP application through a serial interface without the need of a JTAG emulator connection.  It is most useful in environments in which a JTAG connection is not possible due to the physical location of the target hardware.  This method also has the advantage of providing upgrade capabilities without requiring the purchase of emulator software/hardware packages for the PC, laptop or handheld computer that is to be used for the upgrade process.

Design Goals

Most DSP hardware systems include a FLASH memory device which in part holds the DSP application.  After working with many such systems for several years, we found several short comings to available methods for programming and upgrading the DSP application portion of the flash memory.

ASP set out to create a robust and flexible way to upgrade the application code of any target DSP system that overcomes these shortcomings.  We created the following design goals:

  • The method shall not require removal of the FLASH device.

  • The method shall not require direct access to the hardware other than a long serial cable.

  • The method shall use a PC, laptop or handheld device running a stand alone or Matlab based GUI.

  • The method shall gracefully recover from any failed programming attempt.

  • A graceful recovery is defined as the ability to communicate to the controller via the PC and issue new burn commands.

  • The method shall launch only valid applications.

Method Summary

The method shall use an Independent DSP side "Loader Applet" which will load validated DSP application software from FLASH memory and then launch it.  If there is no valid application software in the flash, the loader will wait until the PC/GUI downloads new application software to the FLASH and the PC/GUI issues a "load & run" command.  The method will also allow the FLASH to be programmed while the application code is active.

 

  
 

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