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In-system programming solutions

Flash EEPROM and serial EEPROM devices can be found on almost every electronics product today. In the past, such devices have most commonly been programmed before being mounted on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), but to help shorten product design cycles and improve flexibility, these devices are increasingly being programmed in-situ after being mounted on the PCBA. Once mounted, the devices must be accessed and programmed from an external source through an interface on the PCBA, such as a JTAG Test Access Port (TAP). The existence of a TAP interface makes access and programming possible but is relatively slow and can be problematic in terms of the amount of time that is required to program the devices.

GOEPEL supports a variety of ways to program devices in-system, including high-speed in-system programming solutions based on VarioTAP and ChipVORX technologies.
CASCON POLARIS, a software package of GOEPEL Electronics' SYSTEM CASCON tool suite, has been configured specifically for in-system programming applications. CASCON GALAXY, also a member of the SYSTEM CASCON tool suite, includes both tools for in-system programming and test.

In-system programming through JTAG / boundary scan

In addition to be tremendously useful for connectivity tests of PCBAs and systems, JTAG / boundary scan can be utilized to program non-boundary scan devices, such as Flash EEPROM and serial EEPROM, as well as programmable boundary scan devices, such as CPLDs, FPGAs, and configuration EEPROMs, on-board and in-system.
Flash and serial EEPROM are programmed through access from a JTAG / boundary scan device, while CPLD devices have a test access port and are programmed directly through their TAP. Some CPLD, FPGA, and configuration PROM devices also support IEEE Std 1532 for in-system programming.

In-system programming through ChipVORX

GOEPEL Electronics' ChipVORX technology enables the control of on-chip intellectual property (IP) of any kind, including IP for test, validation, and in-system programming. First ChipVORX IP has been made available for the high-speed programming of Flash and serial EEPROM devices connected to FPGA devices, providing a programming speed improvement over boundary scan based in-system programming of an order of magnitude.

In-system programming through VarioTAP

A major part of the VarioTAP technology are VarioTAP device models, which have a multi-level architecture with three IP (Intellectual Property) classes. One of these classes is IP for internal and external Flash programming, which includes functions to erase, blank-check, program, and verify Flash memory. Since VarioTAP utilizes the native processor resources, programming Flash devices with VarioTAP is the fastest of the three methods discussed here, getting closest to the theoretical programming speed of the target device.

The diagram below shows a qualitative comparison:

(A and B refer to two different JTAG / boundary scan controller types, x MHz refers to a specific TCK frequency)

Contact us to learn more about in-system programming in general and about tools and services offered by GOEPEL Electronics in particular.