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23. Boot Loader Support – Read-While-Write Self-Programming
The Boot Loader Support provides a real Read-While-Write Self-Programming mechanism for
downloading and uploading program code by the MCU itself. This feature allows flexible applica-
tion software updates controlled by the MCU using a Flash-resident Boot Loader program. The
Boot Loader program can use any available data interface and associated protocol to read code
and write (program) that code into the Flash memory, or read the code from the program mem-
ory. The program code within the Boot Loader section has the capability to write into the entire
Flash, including the Boot Loader memory. The Boot Loader can thus even modify itself, and it
can also erase itself from the code if the feature is not needed anymore. The size of the Boot
Loader memory is configurable with fuses and the Boot Loader has two separate sets of Boot
Lock bits which can be set independently. This gives the user a unique flexibility to select differ-
ent levels of protection.
23.1 Boot Loader Features
• Read-While-Write Self-Programming
• Flexible Boot Memory Size
• High Security (Separate Boot Lock Bits for a Flexible Protection)
• Separate Fuse to Select Reset Vector
• Optimized Page(1) Size
• Code Efficient Algorithm
• Efficient Read-Modify-Write Support
Note:
1. A page is a section in the Flash consisting of several bytes (see Table 25-11 on page 248)
used during programming. The page organization does not affect normal operation.
23.2 Application and Boot Loader Flash Sections
The Flash memory is organized in two main sections, the Application section and the Boot
Loader section (see Figure 23-2). The size of the different sections is configured by the
BOOTSZ Fuses as shown in Table 23-8 on page 239 and Figure 23-2. These two sections can
have different level of protection since they have different sets of Lock bits.
23.2.1
23.2.2
Application Section
The Application section is the section of the Flash that is used for storing the application code.
The protection level for the Application section can be selected by the application Boot Lock bits
(Boot Lock bits 0), see Table 23-2 on page 229. The Application section can never store any
Boot Loader code since the SPM instruction is disabled when executed from the Application
section.
BLS – Boot Loader Section
While the Application section is used for storing the application code, the The Boot Loader soft-
ware must be located in the BLS since the SPM instruction can initiate a programming when
executing from the BLS only. The SPM instruction can access the entire Flash, including the
BLS itself. The protection level for the Boot Loader section can be selected by the Boot Loader
Lock bits (Boot Lock bits 1), see Table 23-3 on page 229.
23.3 Read-While-Write and No Read-While-Write Flash Sections
Whether the CPU supports Read-While-Write or if the CPU is halted during a Boot Loader soft-
ware update is dependent on which address that is being programmed. In addition to the two
sections that are configurable by the BOOTSZ Fuses as described above, the Flash is also
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ATMEL [ ATMEL ]
