Reference/bootloader - Revision history

IHaveADrone: typos

2015-07-14T20:02:18Z

typos

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:02, 14 July 2015
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	Each board can be programmed with a serial number and additional board		Each board can be programmed with a serial number and additional board
	information (board type, board version, hw options like the type of ~~gps~~		information (board type, board version, hw options like the type of GPS
	receiver used, manufacturer, mfd date, ...) in a flash sector. This		receiver used, manufacturer, mfd date, ...) in a flash sector. This
	hardware sector is written once when the board is programmed for the		hardware sector is written once when the board is programmed for the
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	The board serial number can be mentioned in the makefile for the		The board serial number can be mentioned in the makefile for the
	aircraft to make sure that it only runs on that board. The board and		aircraft to make sure that it only runs on that board. The board and
	~~baord~~ version could be in there. It would be ~~alot~~ of work and an		board version could be in there. It would be a lot of work and an
	~~addtional~~ build system to mention the necessary hardware in each .c		additional build system to mention the necessary hardware in each .c
	file, maybe not useful.		file, maybe not useful.

Flixr at 13:42, 7 February 2013

2013-02-07T13:42:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:42, 7 February 2013
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	==Adding a bootloader==		==Adding a bootloader==

	[[Lpc21BootloaderUpload\|If you just want to know how to add a bootloader to the LPC]]]		[[Lpc21BootloaderUpload\|If you just want to know how to add a bootloader to the LPC]]

	==Hardware boot sector==		==Hardware boot sector==

Flixr at 11:57, 7 February 2013

2013-02-07T11:57:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:57, 7 February 2013
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			{\| align=right
			\|-
			\|<categorytree style="float:right; clear:right; margin-left:1ex; border: 1px solid gray; padding: 0.7ex;" mode=pages>Firmware Flashing</categorytree>
			\|}

	==Adding a bootloader==		==Adding a bootloader==

	[~~http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/BootloaderUploadHowTo~~ If you just want to know how to add a bootloader]		[[Lpc21BootloaderUpload\|If you just want to know how to add a bootloader to the LPC]]]

	==Hardware boot sector==		==Hardware boot sector==
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	values or similar. We need a safety procedure what to do then.		values or similar. We need a safety procedure what to do then.

	[[Category:Developer_Documentation]]		[[Category:Firmware Flashing]] [[Category:Developer_Documentation]]

Openuas at 19:17, 8 June 2011

2011-06-08T19:17:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:17, 8 June 2011
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			==Adding a bootloader==

			[http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/BootloaderUploadHowTo If you just want to know how to add a bootloader]

	==Hardware boot sector==		==Hardware boot sector==

Esden at 20:15, 10 March 2011

2011-03-10T20:15:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:15, 10 March 2011
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	software realizes it could not start due to a crc fail, non valid		software realizes it could not start due to a crc fail, non valid
	values or similar. We need a safety procedure what to do then.		values or similar. We need a safety procedure what to do then.

			[[Category:Developer_Documentation]]

Martinmm at 22:51, 15 February 2007

2007-02-15T22:51:54Z

New page

==Hardware boot sector==

Each board can be programmed with a serial number and additional board
information (board type, board version, hw options like the type of gps
receiver used, manufacturer, mfd date, ...) in a flash sector. This
hardware sector is written once when the board is programmed for the
first time and will not be changed (or only if hardware changes are
done, e.g. GPS changed). The bootloader and the autopilot software can
read the hw sector.

==Software boot sector==

The software boot sector is rewritten each time a new autopilot software
is flashed to the device. It contains the hash value for the build,
build date, the aircraft (ID and name) it was built for and other
useful configuration information.

It can contain various ways to protect the software from running on an
incompatible hardware. The simplest way is to give a hardcoded value
for the serial number. The bootloader will at least report a warning if
someone tries to flash a software into a hardware that contains the
wrong serial number. The sw boot sector could contain a specific
hardware type, version and sub information that the software is built
for. The bootloader will refuse to flash if this does not fit.

Another way would be to configure the autopilot software "on the fly" if
possible. Example: The hw sector contains the type, speed and the serial
port (0/1) that the GPS is connected to. The ap software reads this
information and configures itself. That way one software elf image
could run on almost all hardwares of a type, e.g. Tiny. There are still
some hard-to-see limitations, for example if a modem is connected to a
serial LPC port that does not have handshake lines but the software
requires that. Long and buggy lists would be the result...

==Make==

The board serial number can be mentioned in the makefile for the
aircraft to make sure that it only runs on that board. The board and
baord version could be in there. It would be alot of work and an
addtional build system to mention the necessary hardware in each .c
file, maybe not useful.

I think it would be cool to not have any '#ifdef' switches any more. The
software can read the configuration and react to that. If there are
limitations there could be a a minimum board version (e.g. > V1.1)
could be given. If future versions get "too" incompatible, a new board
type or board major version is issued.

==Sectors==

The sectors are "C" structures. All entries are n * 32bit/4bytes long.
They start with the ASCII word for "PPRZ" followed by the 32bit value
for the maximum overall length. The third value points to the last
valid entry in the sector. This value increases each time the structure
is enhanced. Entries can be added but must be downwards compatible - it
is not allowed to remove values. The last valid word of the sector is a
32bit CRC. The meaning of values is defined through a "C" header or XML
file.

==On board software==

The bootloader should make sure that a valid hw sector exists when
flashing new ap software. Nevertheless is could happen that the ap
software realizes it could not start due to a crc fail, non valid
values or similar. We need a safety procedure what to do then.