File Content: Firmware Version V3.x

General update process

Information on the firmware: Firmware identification and update: AC500 V3 Firmware Update

The main components of the V3 CPU firmware are:

  • BootFW (boot firmware): responsible for the starting of the UpdateFW or the SystemFW
  • UpdateFW (update firmware): responsible for the update of BootFW, UpdateFW, SystemFW, UpdateHook and boot project
  • SystemFW (system firmware, CPUFW): Runtime system of the PLC, additionally responsible for the update of the DisplayFW (display firmware) and the firmware of the coupler
  • DisplayFW (display firmware): firmware of the display

Additionally the update process includes the folowing parts:

  • Coupler (coupler firmware): firmware of the different couplers
  • UpdateHook: Specific patches for the PLC
  • UserProgram: boot project of the application
  • License features: Import and export of license files. The license file for the “ImportLicense” is a Wbb or a WibuCmRaU file. The license file of the “ExportLicense” is a WibuCmRaC file.

The firmware updates are triggered by the command file SDCARD.INI. In addition a result file of the firmware update is generated (SDCARD.RDY, identical path as SDCARD.INI). For the group [FirmwareUpdate] the parameters 0, 11, 12 and 13 are defined. For each firmware update two files are necessary. The firmware file and the corresponding signature file.

For example:

AC500_V3_SystemFirmware_V3.0.1.73.tar.bz2

AC500_V3_SystemFirmware_V3.0.1.73.tar.bz2.sig

AC500_V3_DisplayFirmware_V3.0.0.0.app

AC500_V3_DisplayFirmware_V3.0.0.0.app.sig

For the user program the application file and the application CRC are necessary. For example:

Application.app

Application.crc

If the signature file and the firmware file do not match, no update is performed and the correspondent error result is written to the file SDCARD.RDY.

If the update firmware is running the display shows the text update. The blinking of the RUN and the ERR LED’s indicates the update process.

At the end of the update process a “reboot” is executed and the system firmware is started for the finishing of the update process. The positive result of the update process is signaled by the blinking of the RUN LED (ERR LED is off) and the display shows done. A negative result is signaled by the blinking of the ERR LED (RUN LED is off) and the display shows FAIL. The file “SDCARD.RDY” includes the results of the different updates. After an update of a coupler CODESYS Control is started in safe mode (no download or starting of the application is possible) and the PLC needs a reboot (power down/up; the display shows please and reboot alternately).