[avr-gcc-list] FREEICE project

[Armand ten Doesschate]

Hi all,

At this moment I know that there is some fuzz about the freeice
project but I can explain more :
the freeice project should implement at least 2 synchronous
protocols : jtag and bdm.

The jtag is used - amongst others - by ARM7/9 and AVR. The 
freeice project will support these 2 types of microcontrollers. 
The bdm protocol is -like jtag - a synchronous protocol
and is used -amongst others - by the Coldfire and 683xx series.
The freeice project will support these microcontrollers too. 
I worked before with the ARM7, 683xx and Coldfires series
but I wasnot happy with the solution the way that the parallel
port had to be used.
Take into account that these protocols are synchronous means
that it is somewhat difficult to put in it a system based
on events (I can send some details if you like).
I wanted to use a more practical and modern use of communication
so the freeice project with the gdb_serializer has been born.
Therefor the gdb_serializer should have a more modular setup.

And to be clear : the gdb_serializer (what is in a name ?) will
be placed under GPL.


Status :

Hardware

The hardware (pcb) is almost finished except for very small
details (the pcb has been made in Eagle). I was contacted by Harald
Kipp (sorry if I mispelled your name) who is willing to put it
into production. He is the person behind ethernut amongst others.

Harald gave me some hints to improve the design. If all is well,
then we have to do some EMC tests which *is* required if you want to
sell these boards in Europe.
At least the schematic diagram and pcb layout has been put on the
freeice project. 

I have choosen the hardware such that it shouldnot be a problem
to get it. Currently I have an experimental board based on this
design : I can put some pictures of my experimental board on the
freeice site.


Software

I wrote some documents and flowcharts but they are still heavily
under construction.
The cooperation with GDB is also defined but this might also change.

The communication host <-> gdb_serializer is AFAIK ready and is
based on parallel port and usb :
usb is working finally right now after having lots of problems.
The parallel port should be expanded and tested. At this moment the
parallel port has low priority.
I made some preliminary host software to talk to this board but
the software is only based on Linux (it uses libusb). The software
isnot finished so expect some bugs, frankly I found 2 minor ones
(but not critically) yesterday dough ...  Updates will follow.


The beginning of this year we did lots of reversed engineering
on the AVR jtag and at this moment we think that we have sufficient
info to implement this protocol into the gdb_serializer. 
The lowlevel documentation of the jtag protocol is more or less
ready and currently I am implementing this in in my experimental
board. So the AVR will be the first one to be implemented.

Feel free to ask if you are interested.


Armand


*******************************************
* choose GNU/Linux : GNU/Linux is Freedom *
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Armand ten Doesschate
Welschapsedijk 141
5652 XL Eindhoven
the Netherlands
tel : (++31) 40 2571 274
e-mail : address@hidden