AN12393

LPC845 I2C Secondary Bootloader

Rev. 0 — April 2019 Application Note

Contents
1 Introduction 1 Introduction.......................................... 1
® ®
The LPC845 is an Arm Cortex -M0+ based, low-cost 32-bit MCU family 2 SBL functionalities and boot
operating at CPU frequencies of up to 30 MHz. The LPC845 supports up to 64 process with SBL ............................. 1
KB of flash memory and 16 KB of SRAM.
3 Contents of package........................... 6
The LPC845 supports Arm Serial Wire Debug (SWD) mode for Cortex-M0+ 4 Test application................................... 7
core. Device programming can be achieved through the SWD port. In addition,
the LPC845 contains an on-chip boot ROM that supports In-System 5 Programming and updating
Programming (ISP) when the part resides in the end-user board and In- firmware............................................. 9
Application Programming (IAP) as directed by the end-user application code. 6 Conclusion..........................................11
A Secondary BootLoader (SBL) is a piece of code that allows a user application 7 References..........................................11
code to be downloaded using alternative channels other than the standard
UART0 used by the internal bootloader. The following steps describe how SBL boots a program to a flash location.
1. The primary bootloader is the firmware that resides in the microcontroller’s boot ROM block and is executed on power-up
and resets.
2. After the boot ROM’s execution, the SBL is executed. It utilizes the boot ROM’s IAP functionalities and allows
programming the LPC845 flash through I2C slave interface which can be used between the host processor and LPC845.
3. Then SBL executes the end-user application.
Figure 1. on page 1 shows an example of a system setup where the host processor can program the LPC845 via I2C interface
assisted by the SBL code.

Figure 1. SBL for LPC845 application

2 SBL functionalities and boot process with SBL

2.1 Memory map with applications boot with SBL

The flash size of LPC845 is 64 KB, and is divided into 32 sectors. The corresponding address space is 0x0000 0000 - 0x0001
0000. Some IAP and ISP commands operate on sectors and specify sector numbers. In addition, a page erase command is
available. The size of a sector is 1 KB and the size of a page is 64 byte. One sector contains 16 pages.
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SBL functionalities and boot process with SBL

The LPC845 I2C SBL is downloaded to the first eight sectors in flash, so the user application starts from 0x0000 2000 in flash.
Therefore, applications that boot from the SBL must be initially set up with the vector table at the address of 0x0000 2000.
An application that boots from the SBL must meet the following requirements:
• Uses no flash memory in the region of 0x0000 0000 - 0x0000 1FFF.
• Requires an image header at the address of 0x0000 2100 in flash.
Figure 2. on page 2 shows the flash memory allocation of the SBL and the user application.

Figure 2. Flash memory map for application boot with SBL

2.2 Boot process with SBL

Figure 3. on page 3 shows the boot sequence that all LPC845 parts with an SBL flashed.

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SBL functionalities and boot process with SBL

Figure 3. Boot flow of LPC845 with SBL

• After the reset (power-on reset, watchdog reset, external reset, BOD reset, or software system reset), the Boot ROM will
run and pass the control to the SBL.
• To allow proper handshaking between the SBL and the application, an image header is required in the application image
at the offset of 0x100 (0x00002100 absolute flash address). Before booting the application, the SBL checks for the
presence of the image header.
• If the image header is absent, the SBL configures the I2C interface and then enters the state of waiting for the AP
command.
• If the image header is present, the SBL checks the image type.
• Depending on the image type, the SBL either checks the image integrity and boots the image automatically or enters an
AP command processing loop (where the AP controls to boot the application).

2.3 SBL flash IAP programming support

FOr detailed command description, see LPC5410x I2C SPI Secondary Bootloader (AN11610). For detailed information about
IAP command and usage, refer to sections 5.6, 5.7, and 5,8 in LPC84x User manual (UM11029). When working with the SBL, it
is not necessary for the user to check the detailed implementation of these commands. However, you can review Chapter 5 in
LPC84x User manual (UM11029) for a background of the SBL implementation.

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SBL functionalities and boot process with SBL

2.4 Emulated host processor/slave processor communication

2.4.1 Hardware and software environment

The sample test application can be tested using Keil MDK IDE v.5.25 along with LPCXpresso 845 MAX board (#OM13097) and
LPCXpresso 54102 board (#OM13077) used as USB-to-I2C tool. The I2C-Util tool uses I2C protocol in OM13077 board to send
firmware updates to LPCXpresso 845 MAX board.
Figure 4. on page 4 to Figure 6. on page 4 show the hardware platform and the connection between LPCXpresso 845 MAX
board and LPCXpresso 54102 board.

Figure 4. LPCpresso 845 MAX board

Figure 5. LPCpresso 54102 board as USB-to-I2C tool

Figure 6. Connection between LPCpresso 54102 board and LPCpresso 845 board

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SBL functionalities and boot process with SBL

2.4.2 Downloading SBL to LPC845

SBL can be downloaded to LPC845 through many ways depending on the situation. In production, the SBL can be pre-
programmed to the LPC845 via a debugger or UART ISP mode whichever is available. In prototyping, the part can most likely be
programmed after fitted on the board assume the SWD or ISP UART port is accessible.
There are two ways are recommended to users to download SBL to flash:
• Use LPCXresso845 onboard debugger.
• Use the Flash Magic tool.
Users can use the Flash Magic tool to download the SBL to flash by performing the steps as follows if they don’t have an onboard
debugger.
1. Put the LPC845 into ISP mode by pressing down the ISP button (SW1) and then toggle the Reset button (SW3) (Low to
High).
2. Choose the SBL hex file from the application note package and allow Flash Magic to successfully program the SBL.
3. After downloading the SBL hex file, press the Reset button on LPCXpresso845MAXBoard to boot ROM and SBL.

Figure 7. Download SBL to LPC845 with flash magic

2.4.3 System introduction

The windows PC application talks to the SBL through the USB to I2C/SPI Bridge (implemented with LPC43xx) via NXP’s
USBSerialIO library (for more information about LPCUSBSIO library, go to http://www.lpcware.com/search/gss/libusbsio).

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NXP Semiconductors
Contents of package

NOTE
The onboard debugger for the LPCXpresso54102 board is LPC4322, which has been downloaded with the CMSIS-
DAP firmware already. The CMSIS-DAP firmware allows debugging from any compatible toolchain, including IAR
EWARM, Keil MDK and NXP’s MCUXpresso IDE.

Figure 8. on page 6 shows the the high-level block diagram of the system.

Figure 8. Emulated host processor communication with LPCpresso845MAXBoard

As seen from Figure 8. on page 6, running the Emulated Host Processor (I2C-util) from the PC allows the user to communicate
with the LPC43xx and they work together as the host processor.
After successfully downloading the SBL by following instructions in Downloading SBL to LPC845 on page 5 and pressing the
RESET button, you can open the Command prompt as administrator to run the I2C-util.exe to get the options to communicate
with the LPC845 via I2C or SPI. In this example, the I2C interface is chosen to communicate with LPC845.

3 Contents of package
Figure 9. on page 6 shows the extracted contents of the package.

Figure 9. Package contents

A brief description for each of the folders is as follows.

• tool – This folder contains the I2C-util.exe and lpc845_secimgcr.exe.
— I2C-util.exe – This tool is used to interface with the SBL through I2C.
— lpc845_secimgcr.exe – This tool is used to generate and insert a valid CRC.
• Sample binaries – This folder contains sample binary files that can be generated with the image creator tool.
— lpc845_I2C_sbl.bin – Sample application binary that was used to create the sample firmware images with CRC in
this folder
— lpc845_I2C_sbl_crc.bin – Application binary with CRC generated and inserted.
• Keil project – This folder contains two Keil projects for the lpc845_I2C_sbl and test application.

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Test application

4 Test application
The test application is an LED blinky example. It toggles the blue LED on the LPCXpresso845MAXBoard.

4.1 Building app binary file

When generating the binary file of the test application, users can use the firmware1.sct file as the linker file.

Figure 10. Choose firmware1.sct file as linker file for test application

The firmware1.sct file will lead test application to flash at 0x2000. Figure 11. on page 7 shows the linker script.

Figure 11. Linker script of test application

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Test application

4.2 Re-invoking I2C SBL from test application

The SBL supports re-invoke SBL from app. After calling the bootSecondaryLoader(psetup) fucntion in the app, the program
can jump to SBL. Figure 12. on page 8 defines the bootSecondaryLoader() function.

Figure 12. BootSecondaryLoader() function definition

After executing the bootSecondaryLoader() function, the program jump to execution at 0x00001F00.
The indrectAppJump pointer is defined in the SBL project as follows:

__attribute__ ((at(0x00001F00))) const uint32_t * indrectAppJump = (uint32_t *) &secondaryLoaderEntry;

The IndrectAppJump pointer is placed at 0x0001F00 and points to the secondaryLoaderEntry() function. The
secondaryLoaderEntry() function calls the secondaryLoaderAppEntry() function.

4.3 Image creator tool

Before the app's binary file is downloaded to the target board, we need to use the lpc845_secimgcr.exe tool to add the CRC check
code to the app's binary file. The SBL uses the CRC check code to check whether the app is valid. The specific steps are as
follows:
1. Open lpc845_secimgcr.exe: Open the cmd command window as an administrator and switch to the path to
lpc845_secimgcr.exe tool.

2. Enter the following in the command window:

C:\<path>\lpc845_secimgcr.exe <input filename.bin> <output filename.bin>

Figure 13. on page 9 shows the syntax to generate the CRC for the input application binary file of lpc845_I2C_sbl_app.bin
and creates an output file of lpc845_I2C_sbl_crc.bin.

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Programming and updating firmware

Figure 13. Image with CRC header

The CRC can be generated over the image header or over the entire length of the image. The syntax is

C:\<path>\ lpc80x_secimgcr.exe –n[1,2] <input filename.bin>> <output filename.bin>

-n indicates the length of image over which CRC is generated. n1 is the full application image and n2 is just the image header.
If –n[1,2] parameter is not specified, the default value is nl.

5 Programming and updating firmware

For IMG_NORMAL and IMG_NO_CRC image boot, the host processor uses the nHostIRQ line to stop booting the image and reprogram
the part. In this case, the host I/O line connected to the LPC845 first works as an output and pulls low.
The nHostIRQ line on the LPC845 first works as an input to sense that the host has pulled this line low. When the SBL senses
this line being pulled low, it stops proceeding to check the CRC32 of the image.
Then the Host needs to reconfigure the nHostIRQ line to be switched to being an input to allow the nHostIRQ line on the LPC845
to drive it.
With the emulated Android AP/Sensor Hub environment as described in SBL functionalities and boot process with SBL on page
1, the usage of nHostIRQ in IMG_NORMAL image booting is as shown in Figure 14. on page 10.

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Programming and updating firmware

Figure 14. Usage of nHostIRQ and main steps to update firmware in flash

1. Program the sample application image (any of the Keil/IAR or MCUXpresso version).
2. Press the Reset button to boot the application image.
3. Issue the f command to pull nHostIRQ low.
4. Press the Reset button to reset the LPCXpresso845MAXBoard.
5. Issue the g command to program nHostIRQ as input.
6. Issue the 8 command to send GetVerision.
7. Issue the 1 command to update the Firmware, and then input the Firmware anme.
8. Issue the b command to BOOT the current Firmware.
If the newest test application is booted successfully, the BLUE LED will blink.
With the related project attached with this application note, users can understand this handshaking process by following the
procedure shown in Figure 15. on page 11.

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Conclusion

Figure 15. Handshakeing process during field firmware update

6 Conclusion
This application note provides a reference design for firmware updating for bug fixes or product updates using IAP via secondary
bootloader using SBL. The user can refer to this application note to easily customize the host system and application.

7 References
• LPC5410x I2C SPI Secondary Bootloader (AN11610)
• LPC82x I2C secondary bootloader (AN11780)
• LPC84x User manual (UM11029)

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Date of release: April 2019
Document identifier: AN12393