APPLICATION NOTE

AT04189: UART Based SAM-BA Bootloader for SAM D20

Atmel SAM D20

Description

Atmel SAM Boot Assistant (Atmel SAM-BA ) allows In-System Programming

(ISP) from UART host without any external programming interface. Unlike existing
SAM products, ROM monitor is not available in Atmel SAM D20 and SAM-BA will
be loaded in Flash memory.
This SAM-BA version is compatible with existing SAM-BA software tools but has
some differences compared to other SAM devices. These differences are
explained in this document.
This application note complements the SAM-BA user guide and explains how the
SAM-BA should be used on a SAM D20 design.

Features
Allows to program, verify, and secure a SAM D20 device without debugger
UART connection (RS232)
Allows the end user to update firmware in application
Configurable I/O start condition
Source code available, can be customized to users needs
Compatible with SAM-BA v2.12 with patch 7 or above

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Requirements

1.1

Hardware Requirements
The Atmel SAM D20 SAM-BA Boot Assistant supports serial communication via the UART interface.
Table 1-1.

UART Mode Requirements

Signal name

Recommended pin connection

Description

PA25

Connect to host: (115200 8,N,1)

SERCOM3 PAD3 (UART RXD)

PA24

Connect to host: (115200 8,N,1)

SERCOM3 PAD2 (UART TXD)

Table 1-2.

Hardware Bootloader Entry

Signal name

Recommended pin connection

Description

PA15

Connect to host or Bootloader

access switch

The bootloader will check PA15 on reset to determine if the

bootloader monitor shall start. This feature allows the end user to
reprogram the device even if the application is corrupted or unable
to start the SAM-BA monitor

1.2

Software Requirements

1.2.1

Application Constraints
Unlike existing SAM products using a ROM monitor, on the Atmel SAM D20 SAM-BA is stored in flash memory at
[0x0 0x800] and started on reset.
Since SAM-BA is stored in flash memory, if the application requires the entire flash space and does not need the
bootloading feature, SAM-BA can be erased using a SWD debugger.
To use SAM-BA together with an application, the user needs to link the application starting at 0x800. The below
procedure explains how to modify the start address in an IAR project and an Atmel Studio project.

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Figure 1-1.

Changing .intvect start in IAR

Figure 1-2.

Changing ROM Start and Length in IAR

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To change the linker script under IAR project:

Menu Project, Options

Go to linker tab -> Config

Select Edit

Set .intvect start in Vector Table tab to 0x00000800 as in Figure 1-1

Set ROM start in Memory Regions tab to 0x00000800 and end to original ROM length minus 0x800.
Figure 1-2 shows modified example for ATSAMD20J18

Rebuild the project

Figure 1-3.

Changing Start Address in Atmel Studio

To change the linker script under Atmel Studio:

Menu Project, Properties

Toolchain Tab, ATM/GNU Linker, Miscellaneous

Include -Wl,--section-start=.text=Desired start address

(For e.g., -Wl,--section-start=.text=0x800)

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Figure 1-4.

Memory Map of ATSAMD20J18 Device with an Application and SAM-BA

When loading the application binary image to the device, only the part of flash starting from 0x800 address
should be programmed.
Any attempt to write to the SAM-BA region using SAM-BA commands will be aborted and will throw an error.

Using the Bootloader

2.1

Programming the Bootloader

Programming the Atmel SAM Boot Assistant can be done using SWD debugger:
a. In Atmel Studio, open Tools\Device Programming, select debugger and Apply.
b. From the memories tab, launch a chip erase.
c.
Note:

Fill the path to samd20_sam-ba_image.hex in the Flash box and program.

The samd20_sam-ba_image.hex file in folder load sam-ba in AT04189.zip is built for ATSAMD20J18
device. For other devices the SAM-BA monitor has to be re-built. Refer Chapter 4 for more details.

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Figure 2-1.

Device Programming

Alternatively command-line programming tool atprogram can also be used for programming the hex file.
Example:

2.2

atprogram t edbg i swd d atsamd20j18 program f samd20_sam-ba_image.hex.

Entering the Bootloader

Like other Atmel SAM devices, the SAM D20 SAM-BA relies on a monitor; this monitor is entered according to
the boot process conditions described in Figure 2-2.
SAM-BA monitor activation can be requested in one of the following ways:

External condition: Reset the part and make sure the Hardware Bootloader Entry pin (PA15) is pulled low
when reset is released. A common usage is to use a push button accessible by the user as a bootloader
trigger. The user simply has to hold the push button when powering up the device.

Internal condition: On erased devices or when the application reset vector (@0x804) is blank
(0xFFFFFFFF)

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Figure 2-2.

Boot Process of Atmel SAM-BA

Code security concerns: When SAM-BA monitor is entered, it allows read and write access to the entire memory
map of the device. It also allows the host to upload and execute software (applets) on the device.
After these preliminary steps, the monitor will enter a loop and test whether a # (sharp) character is received on
PA25 (SERCOM3 PAD3) line. PA24 (SERCOM3 PAD2) becomes an output driven by the SAM D20 device
according to the MUX setting.

2.3

Using the Bootloader with SAM-BA GUI

2.3.1

Connecting from SAM-BA PC Application

Connect SAM D20 Xplained Pro to the PC to USB DEBUG port using the micro-USB cable as the UART pins are
connected to it.

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Figure 2-3.

2.3.2

Connecting from SAM-BA PC Application

Flash Loading
Loading the flash content is done by using the Flash tab. When uploading a program to flash memory, the start
address needs to be above 0x800, otherwise the transfer will abort.
Figure 2-4.

Flash Programming

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2.3.3

Scripts
Atmel SAM-BA application comes with the following predefined scripts (see Table 2-1):
Table 2-1.

Predefined Scripts

Script name

Description

Set Security Bit

Set the security bit to secure the device (Refer to NVMCTRL chapter in the device datasheet
for more information)

Read Security Bit

Read the current security state

Erase application area

Erase all application code (SAM-BA part wont be erased)

Invalidate application

Erase first page of application

Read Fuses

Returns the values of fuse settings (Refer to NVM User Row Mapping section in the device
datasheet for more information)

Read Lock fuses

Read the current lock settings

Read DeviceID

Read the Device Identification register

Set Lock Bit [0:15]

Set the specified lock bit to prevent any erasure of flash memory region (Refer to NVMCTRL
chapter in the device datasheet for more information)

Unlock all

Unlock all flash memory regions

Software Package Contents

The software package with this application note contains the following:
1.

Source code of SAM D20 SAM-BA monitor and the associated IAR project.

2.

Example binary image of an application which starts at 0x800 The application continuously toggles LED0
on SAM D20 Xplained Pro.

3.

SAM-BA monitor image in hex format.

Note:

To ensure minimal size for the bootloader, the source code as well as the project file is available only for
the IAR compiler.

Re-building SAM-BA Monitor

The SAM-BA monitor IAR project in AT04189.zip uses ATSAMD20J18 device by default. To use the SAM-BA
monitor with other SAM D20 devices, the monitor IAR project has to be re-built with following changes to be done
in the project settings.
1.

Open SAM-BA monitor IAR project and go to Project -> Options -> General Options -> Target tab ->
Processor Variant -> select the required SAM D20 device.

2.

Now go to C/C++ Compiler -> Preprocessor tab -> under Defined Symbols box, edit the device name
macro. For example, for ATSAMD20G18 device, change the macro to __SAMD20G18__
(Note: Double underscores should be used).

3.

Now go to Linker -> Config tab -> Linker Configuration File -> change the file name to required device. For
example, for ATSAMD20G18 device, use $PROJ_DIR$\linker\samd20g18_flash.icf.

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Supported Devices
Following devices in SAM D20 family are supported by the SAM-BA version 2.12 patch 7 or above.
1.

ATSAMD20E15

2.

ATSAMD20E16

3.

ATSAMD20E17

4.

ATSAMD20E18

5.

ATSAMD20G15

6.

ATSAMD20G16

7.

ATSAMD20G17

8.

ATSAMD20G18

9.

ATSAMD20J15

10. ATSAMD20J16
11. ATSAMD20J17
12. ATSAMD20J18
ATSAMD20E14/G14/J14 devices are not supported by SAM-BA.

References

6.1

Device Datasheet
The device datasheet contains the block diagrams of the peripherals and details about implementing firmware for
the device. It also contains the electrical specifications and expected characteristics of the device.
Datasheet is available on www.atmel.com in the Documents section of Atmel SAM D20 product page.

6.2

Atmel SAM-BA User Guide

The SAM-BA User Guide contains detailed reference information on how to use SAM-BA.
This user guide comes with the SAM-BA package available on www.atmel.com.

6.3

6.4

ARM Documentation on Cortex-M0+ Core

Cortex -M0+ Devices Generic User Guide revision r0p1

Cortex-M0+ Technical Reference Manual revision r0p1

Atmel SAM-BA In-system Programmer

Latest Atmel SAM-BA In-system Programmer and related patches can be downloaded from
http://www.atmel.com/tools/ATMELSAM-BAIN-SYSTEMPROGRAMMER.aspx.

6.5

Atmel Studio
The latest version of Atmel Studio can be downloaded from http://www.atmel.com/tools/atmelstudio.aspx.

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Revision History
Doc Rev.

Date

42238B

06/2014

42238A

01/2014

Comments
1.
2.
3.
4.

Changed all entries of application start address from 0x2000 to 0x800

Modified Figures 1-1, 1-2, 1-4, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-4
Section 2-1: elf has been changed to hex
Chapter 4 Re-building SAM-BA Monitor and Chapter 5 Supported Devices are
added
5. New template.
Initial document release.

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AT04189: UART Based SAM-BA Bootloader for SAM D20 [APPLICATION NOTE]