programmer (hardware)

Engineering Universal Programmer with two socket.

Pocket Programmer Galep-5 with a ZIF socket

Universal Gang Programmer with 16 sockets

The 3928, with up to seven sites,  is made for programming large data devices, such as  MCUs, eMMC HS400, NAND, NOR and Serial Flash devices.  High-speed signals support devices up to 200 Mhz and the latest eMMC HS400 modes with data transfer rates of 2.5 nanoseconds per byte.

A programmer, device programmer, chip programmer, device burner,^[1]:364 or PROM writer^[2] is a piece of electronic equipment that arranges written software or firmware to configure programmable non-volatile integrated circuits, called programmable devices.^[3]:3 The target devices include PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash memory, eMMC, MRAM, FeRAM, NVRAM, PLDs, PLAs, PALs, GALs, CPLDs, FPGAs, and microcontrollers.

Function

JTAG Connector-based
On-Board Programmer
for AVR microcontroller
with USB Port interface

Programmer hardware has two variants. One is configuring the target device itself with a socket on the programmer. Another is configuring the device on a printed circuit board.

In the former case, the target device is inserted into a socket (usually ZIF) on top of the programmer.^{[4]:642, pdf15} If the device is not a standard DIP packaging, a plug-in adapter board, which converts the footprint with another socket, is used.^[5]:58

In the latter case, device programmer is directly connected to the printed circuit board by a connector, usually with a cable. This way is called on-board programming, in-circuit programming, or in-system programming.^[6][7][8]

Afterwards the data is transferred from the programmer into the device by applying signals through the connecting pins. Some devices have a serial interface^{[9]:232, pdf3} for receiving the programming data (including JTAG interface).^{[4]:642, pdf15} Other devices require the data on parallel pins, followed by a programming pulse with a higher voltage for programming the data into the device.^[10]:125

Usually device programmers are connected to a personal computer through a parallel port,^[1]:364 USB port,^[11] or LAN interface.^[12] A software program on the computer then transfers the data to the programmer,^{[1]:364 [13]:430} selects the device and interface type, and starts the programming process to read/ write/ erase/ blank the data inside the device.^[14][15]

Types

A Gang Programmer with a Set of 4 Sockets.

There are four general types of device programmers:

1. Automated programmers (multi-programming sites, having a set of sockets)^[16] for mass production.^[4] These systems utilize robotic pick and place handlers with on-board sites. This allows for high volume and complex output (such as laser marking, 3D inspection, Tape input/output, etc.)
2. Development programmers (usually single-programming site) for first article development and small-series production.^[17]
3. Pocket programmers for development and field service.^[17][18]
4. Specialized programmers for certain circuit types only, such as FPGA,^[19] microcontroller,^{[4]:642, pdf15} and EEPROM programmers.^[14]

History

Historical Programmer;
A shoebox size

Pocket-sized & USB Port interfaced "ICE for MCU" &
Flash memory Programmer

Regarding old PROM programmers, as the many programmable devices have different voltage requirements, every pin driver must be able to apply different voltages in a range of 0–25 Volts.^{[20]:651[21]:40} But according to the progress of memory device technology, recent flash memory programmers do not need high voltages.^[22][23]

In the early days of computing, booting mechanism was a mechanical devices usually consisted of switches and LEDs. It means the programmer was not an equipment but a human, who entered machine codes one by one, by setting the switches in a series of "on" and "off" positions. These positions of switches corresponded to the machine codes, similar to today's assembly language.^{[24]:261–262[25][26]} Nowadays, EEPROMs are used for bootstrapping mechanism as BIOS, and no need to operate mechanical switches for programming.^[27]:45

Manufacturers

For each vendor's web site, refer to "External links" section.

• Batronix
• BPM Microsystems
• DiagProg4: CodiProg
• Xeltek Inc.
• Conitec Datasystems
• MCUmall Electronics Inc.
• Data I/O
• Elnec
• DediProg Technology Co., Ltd
• Minato Holdings (ja)
• Hi-Lo System Research
• Phyton, Inc.

See also

• Off-line programming
• In-system programming
• Debug port
• JTAG interface
• Common Flash Memory Interface
• Open NAND Flash Interface Working Group
• Atmel AVR#Programming interfaces
• PIC microcontroller#Device programmers
• Intel HEX – ASCII file format
• SREC – ASCII file format
• ELF – Binary file format
• COFF – Binary file format
• Hardware description language

References

External links

• Technical information
  • JEDEC - Memory Configurations: JESD21-C
  • JEDEC - Common Flash Interface (CFI) Specification, JESD68.01, September 2003.
  • Intel - Common Flash Interface (CFI) and Command Sets
  • IEEE Std 1532-2002 (Revision of IEEE Std 1532-2001) - IEEE Standard for In-System Configuration of Programmable Devices
  • What is the IEEE 1532 Standard? | Keysight Technologies
  • JEDEC - STANDARD DATA TRANSFER FORMAT BETWEEN DATA PREPARATION SYSTEM AND PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE PROGRAMMER: JESD3-C, Jun 1994
  • JEDEC - JC-42 Solid State Memories
• Manufactures
  • BPM Microsystems
  • Batronix GmbH & Co. KG
  • Xeltek Inc.
  • Conitec Datasystems Inc.
  • Data I/O Corporation
  • Elnec s.r.o.
  • Dediprog
  • Minato Holdings Inc.
  • Hi-Lo System Research Co. Ltd.
  • Phyton, Inc.
  • halec

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