User Guide - sdphost¶
This document describes the usage of Serial Download Protocol Host (sdphost), a PC host application.
The sdphost tool is a useful tool in the factory programming and manufacturing process. It can be used to test and develop the automation software and test setups. It can be invoked from other applications too.
This document introduces the serial download protocol, typical factory programming setup, and usage of the tool and description of its sub-command line interface. It also provides a set of example usages of sdphost tool and its sub-command line arguments with a device.
sdphost - Serial Download Protocol¶
Serial Download Protocol is a set of commands supported by NXP i.MX RT devices in the Boot ROM application’s serial download mode.
The purpose of serial download protocol is to provide means to download bootable images from a PC to the device’s internal or external RAM memory. There are a set of commands to read and write to a memory/register unit, read status of the last command, download images to a given address in internal/external memory, and provide the address to jump and execute the downloaded image.
sdphost - Typical setup¶
The sdphost tool is used in the development phase of the device firmware application, manufacturing, and factory programming process.
The sdphost tool would run on the PC host, and the device would run in Boot ROM serial download mode. The MCU has BOOT_MODE pins that can be used to boot the device in serial downloader mode. The device’s reference manual provides the documentation on booting the device in serial downloader mode.
sdphost - Communication¶
The sdphost tool communicates with NXP i.MX RT devices connected on the host PC via USB-HID or UART device.
sdphost - Sub-commands¶
sdphost consist of a set of sub-commands followed by options and arguments. The options and the sub-command are separated with a ‘–’.
sdphost [options] -- [sub-command]
The “help” guide of sdphost lists all of the options and sub-commands supported by the sdphost utility.
sdphost --help
sdphost¶
Utility for communication with ROM on i.MX targets.
sdphost [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...
Options
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-p,--port<COM[,speed>¶ Serial port.
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-u,--usb<VID,PID>¶ USB device identifier. Following formats are supported: <vid>, <vid:pid> or <vid,pid>, device/instance path, device name. <vid>: hex or dec string; e.g. 0x0AB12, 43794. <vid/pid>: hex or dec string; e.g. 0x0AB12:0x123, 1:3451. Use ‘nxpdevscan’ utility to list connected device names.
-
-j,--json¶ Use JSON output
-
-v,--verbose¶ Displays more verbose output
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-d,--debug¶ Display debugging info
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-t,--timeout<ms>¶ Set packet timeout in milliseconds
-
--version¶ Show the version and exit.
sdphost read-register¶
Reads the contents of a memory location or register value.
The address of the register or memory location should be passed in as the first argument. Optional arguments include the data format of the register value in the number of bits and number of bytes to read.
sdphost read-register [OPTIONS] ADDRESS [FORMAT] [COUNT] [FILE]
Options
-
-h,--use-hexdump¶ Use hexdump format
Arguments
-
ADDRESS¶ Required argument
-
[FORMAT]¶ Optional argument
-
COUNT¶ Optional argument
-
FILE¶ Optional argument
sdphost write-file¶
Writes file to the device’s memory address.
sdphost write-file [OPTIONS] ADDRESS FILE [COUNT]
Arguments
-
ADDRESS¶ Required argument
-
FILE¶ Required argument
-
COUNT¶ Optional argument
Note
Typically, write-file is used to program the device with boot image and jump-address is used to start execution of boot image on the device.
sdphost jump-address¶
Jumps to the entry point of the image at the given address.
jump-address will result in the execution of the image once the ROM process the IVT and on successful authentication of the image.
sdphost jump-address [OPTIONS] ADDRESS
Arguments
-
ADDRESS¶ Required argument
Note
IVT can be part of the image or can be downloaded separately. It is a data structure used by ROM that provides information of the boot image entry point and other parameters used for authenticating the image for secure boot. IVT is described in more detail in device’s reference manual.