Handbook "beekeeper" or answer questions on microcontrollers EFM8 Bee
Microcontrollers of the EFM8 Bee family are becoming more popular every day and there is already a list of common questions that you have to regularly answer. I decided to place them here so that people who are shy about asking questions to the ETF engineers can find answers through a search engine.
For readers who are not familiar with the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers, I will briefly outline the main features of these crystals, answering the question that has already arisen: What are the features of the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers?
EFM8 Bee microcontrollers are represented by four bee families: Busy Bee, Sleepy Bee, Universal Bee and Laser Bee, each of which has its own distinctive features. Basis
EFM8 Bee laid the CIP-51 processor core with the 51st processor instruction system, in contrast to which more than 70% of the instructions are executed in 1-2 cycles of the system clock frequency - the same as in the well-known C8051Fxxx microcontrollers.
Without going into the intricacies of branding and the analogy with bees, we consider the key features of these crystals and their technical characteristics:
The most budgetary series of crystals, where the key emphasis is on the cost of chips. The cost of the cheapest microcontroller is $ 0.21 without VAT ($ 0.25 including VAT) for projects with an annual volume of 10 thousand or more.
The series is divided into three lines, summing up which the following characteristics can be distinguished:
A series of crystals focused on battery powered applications. It has similar power consumption parameters with 32-bit EFM32 microcontrollers of the same manufacturer, but “intelligent” operating modes and significantly less peripherals are not implemented. The benefit of the EFM8 Sleepy Bee is the lower cost of the crystals and their easier development.
The series is divided into two lines and has the following distinctive features:
The analog and digital peripherals are similar to the EFM8 Busy Bee.
The EFM8 Laser Bee series of crystals is oriented towards applications with analog measurements - the crystals of this series are equipped with a 14-bit ADC, which provides a typical signal-to-noise + distortion (SNDR) level of 72 dB, total harmonic distortion (THD) -74 dB and dynamic range harmonic free (SFDR) 74 dB. In addition, the EFM8 Laser Bee crystals are applicable in applications where an inexpensive microcontroller with a high operating clock frequency is required.
The dry crystal EFM8 Laser Bee crystals are as follows:
And the uniqueness of this series lies in the combination of the presented characteristics and prices.
The name of the series comes from the name of the USB interface with which the crystals of this series are equipped.
Among the features of the line can be identified:
The low-power mode of the USB interface in the EFM8 Universal Bee is necessary for working with stand-alone devices, the exchange of data with which should take place without a mutual load on power.
If we talk about all the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers, then in general it can be noted that the "filling" of crystals of all series is quite saturated, as you can clearly see in the summary table under the spoiler.
And there are a number of important features inherent in microcontrollers of all series:
The microcontrollers of the Busy Bee and Sleepy Bee series are presented both in the industrial temperature range and in the automotive version, meeting the requirements of the AEC-Q100 standard.
The cases are very compact - the largest crystal is available in a 48-pin QFP package:
Well, perhaps, the answer to the first question “What are the features of the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers?” Was formed, and we can begin to answer the typical questions of the developers who decided to use the crystals of this family in their designs.
Architecturally, the EFM8 continues the C8051Fxxx line, but they are manufactured according to design standards - 0.18 microns, i.e. smaller than C8051Fxxx, most of which are produced using 0.35 micron technology. Nevertheless, under the new design standards, the C8051F7xxx, C8051F8xx, C8051F9xx series are available, prices for which are lower than the similar ones in this family.
Also, the low price of EFM8 crystals is part of the manufacturer’s strategy, which positions this family for budget tasks.
You can start mastering the EFM8 Bee from the stage of evaluating the key features of the selected microcontroller. This can be done on a proprietary debug board that is available for each EFM8 series. The cost of these boards ranges from $ 45 to $ 55 including VAT.
On each board, a senior microcontroller from the family is soldered and an emulator / programmer is implemented that provides full access to all the resources of this microcontroller.
As a software tool for most development stages using EFM8 and their proprietary debug boards, it is optimal to use the integrated development platform Simplicity Studio. An overview of its components is presented in the video materials on YouTube .
To evaluate the selected crystal, you can use any of the available resources in Simplicity Studio:
The tool offered by the manufacturer is the Simplicity Studio development platform mentioned above. After watching the video demonstrations, it’s much easier to start its development.
On the day of writing, two versions of Simplicity Studio are available for download on the manufacturer’s website: version 3 and the new version 4 . Version 3 is less difficult to learn, but its components are no longer updated, and version 4 integrates all new software components and documentation. With each new release of Simplicity Studio version 4, there are fewer and fewer difficulties in working.
After installing Simplicity Studio of any version, you need to reinstall the required components as shown in the videos for version 3 and forversion 4 .
As a result, Simplicity Studio will be installed with all the components necessary for work. For EFM8, this will include the Keil professional compiler, which is the de facto standard for the 8051 architecture, whose command system is embedded in the core of the CIP-51 EFM8 microcontrollers. An unlimited license for EFM8 Bee microcontrollers is available for free upon registration on the Keil website.
To obtain a license in Simplicity Studio version 3, you must go to the registration form after installing the components for EFM8 Bee in the “Setup tasks” dialog box. This may not be necessary if, prior to installing Simplicity Studio, the licenses for Keil were already installed and they were successfully “pulled up” by the Simplicity Studio environment. As a test, you can start compilation of any project and see the compiler's output - a license is not required if the entry “C51 COMPILER V9.53.0.0 - SN: xxxxx-xxxxxx” is displayed in the Output window.
In Simplicity Studio version 4, a dialog box for obtaining a license will appear when the project is first compiled, in case the compiler as part of Simplicity Studio does not find an existing license, which will be enough to work.
As an alternative approach to project implementation, Silicon Labs also offers the use of the mbed platform, the capabilities of which were described earlier in our corporate blog .
For all EFM8 Bee line of crystals, a set of libraries is offered that includes drivers for the internal periphery of the crystals and BSP to support components placed on proprietary debug boards.
When creating a project from scratch or loading it from an example in Simplicity Studio, you need to select the latest version SDK (if there are already several), then in the future, to add the necessary modules to the project, you can use the capabilities of the Simplicity Studio graphical shell - by checking the boxes next to the required components in the properties project in the section [C / C ++ Build]> [Project Modules] - as shown in the figure under the spoiler.
The documentation for the EFM8 SDK is available online at devtools.silabs.com .
The most complete and up-to-date list of documentation with filtering is available on the manufacturer’s website . Here, the list includes documentation created not only for crystals of the EFM8 series, but also for microcontrollers C8051Fxxx similar in internal organization.
To facilitate the search for documentation on the chip and debug kit used, the manufacturer also arranged access to them directly from the Simplicity Studio shell. But at the time of writing, there are some reservations about this:
Debugging a project on your own layout is possible using a proprietary debugging board for any EFM8 series or using an in-circuit emulator / programmer USB Debug Adapter , worth $ 55, which has been produced for many years for C8051Fxxx crystals and some even have it in bins.
Correct connection of signal lines must be done according to the application manual AN124 .
Here, for debugging the external processor, the signals of the C2 debugging interface are needed - the C2D, C2CK and GND lines. The Reset pin in the EFM8 is always the C2CK signal line at the same time - this is how the C2 interface was designed for reasons of saving I / O ports. For stable operation of the interface, the connecting wires should be made as short as possible.
In order not to reinvent the power for your own layout, you can use the power lines of the debuggers - the USB Debug Adapter has 5V from the 10th pin of the connector, and the debug board has 3.3V and 5V from the EXP connector.
When debugging your own layout using a proprietary debugging board, you need to configure it to work with an external processor - for this, you need to set the OUT mode in the Kit Manager utility in Simplicity Studio version 3 or in the main window of Simplicity Studio version 4 in the Debug Mode section - the LED should light up next to the DBG connector.
There is another, non-standard way to work with EFM8 microcontrollers on your own layout - for debugging use a proprietary debug board for EFM32 microcontrollers by connecting the C2D and C2CK signals of the microcontroller to the 7 and 9 pins of the Debug Out connector on the debug board, as well as connecting the power line and the common wire with VTARGET and GND line of this connector. Next, you need to configure the debug board in Debug: OUT mode and manually specify the target microcontroller in the connection properties.
The primary cause of any problems in the work of debug boards for EFM8 is the outdated "firmware" of the debug board. To update it you need:
Lack of communication with the board may indicate a violation of its firmware. In this case, it is necessary to initialize the board and update the firmware in accordance with the instructions for the "revitalization" of branded boards for EFM8 and EFM32 microcontrollers .
If there is a connection with the board, but it is not possible to establish a connection with the microcontroller on the board, then the cause may be the program in the microcontroller, which immediately after turning on the power puts it in a state in which the processor cannot respond to debugger requests. For example, putting the microcontroller into deep sleep mode or incorrect clock settings leads to failure of the debugger with the processor. To revitalize the microcontroller in this case, you need a USB Debug Adapter. The algorithm of actions is described in the knowledge base on community.silabs.com .
If Simplicity Studio fails to erase using the USB Debug Adapter, you can do this in the Flash Programming Utilities application , where on the Flash Erase tab you need to perform an operation to erase the entire contents of the Flash memory . The algorithm of the erase function in this program is more reliable than in other applications for EFM8 and C8051Fxxx, and allows you to remove the microcontroller from a deep "coma" state.
For EFM8 microcontrollers, the largest amount of information can be found on the community website organized by the manufacturer at community.silabs.com. Here there is both a knowledge base from the manufacturer, and answers to questions from users about microchips and software , which are answered, among other things, by the technical support staff of the manufacturer.
With the release of devices in a small series of microcircuits, you can program in the finished product using the in-circuit emulator / programmer DEBUGADPTR1-USB , costing $ 55. As a software shell, you can use the Flash Programming Utilities or Production Programmer . Flash Programming Utilities can work in graphical mode in the finished shell or in command line mode, which is useful in cases of creating programming scripts that are placed in a .bat file.
As a cheaper version of the programmer, you can use the unpacked version of the above programmer, called ToolstickBA, which can be bought at a price of $ 30 including VAT. With it, you can even more economically perform a detachable connection, because this programmer has an end connector, the counterpart for which can be provided on a printed circuit board without additional connectors.
For batch production volumes, when labor and programming overhead costs exceed reasonable values, you can use the silicon programming service at Silicon Labs. Cost of services in batches from 5000 pcs. is 0.06 $ / pcs. - 0.1 $ / pcs. including VAT, depending on the amount of flash memory.
You also need to remember that the EFM8 microcontrollers have a built-in bootloader, and if the product has a connector for connecting an interface that is supported by the bootloader, you can organize the programming of the microcontroller before the final testing phase of the assembled product - without a programmer. More information on the operation of the bootloader can be found in the application manual for AN945 and its software .
And the classic way remains - using a parallel programmer to program microchips before installing it on the board. Fiton ChipProg series programmers support the entire line of EFM8 microcontrollers.
This, perhaps, is the whole list of the main questions that most developers have who start working with EFM8 Bee microcontrollers. Other questions can be addressed to us - specialists of the ETF company or to find answers yourself on the website community.silabs.com .
For readers who are not familiar with the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers, I will briefly outline the main features of these crystals, answering the question that has already arisen: What are the features of the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers?
EFM8 Bee microcontrollers are represented by four bee families: Busy Bee, Sleepy Bee, Universal Bee and Laser Bee, each of which has its own distinctive features. Basis
EFM8 Bee laid the CIP-51 processor core with the 51st processor instruction system, in contrast to which more than 70% of the instructions are executed in 1-2 cycles of the system clock frequency - the same as in the well-known C8051Fxxx microcontrollers.
Without going into the intricacies of branding and the analogy with bees, we consider the key features of these crystals and their technical characteristics:
1. EFM8 Busy Bee Series
The most budgetary series of crystals, where the key emphasis is on the cost of chips. The cost of the cheapest microcontroller is $ 0.21 without VAT ($ 0.25 including VAT) for projects with an annual volume of 10 thousand or more.
The series is divided into three lines, summing up which the following characteristics can be distinguished:
- maximum performance up to 50 MIPS at a clock frequency of up to 50 MHz;
- Flash memory: up to 64 kB;
- RAM: up to 4352 Bytes;
- general-purpose input / output lines: up to 29;
- ADC: 12 bits with a maximum sampling rate of up to 350 thousand samples per second .;
- up to four 12-bit DACs;
- 5V step-down voltage regulator> 3.3V.
And what is offered for the declared $ 0.21?
At the price of $ 0.21 (excluding VAT), the EFM8BB10F2G-A-QFN20 chip is offered, which includes:
At the price of $ 0.21 (excluding VAT), the EFM8BB10F2G-A-QFN20 chip is offered, which includes:
- processor core with a performance of up to 25 MIPS at a clock frequency of 25 MHz;
- Flash memory 2 kB;
- RAM 256 Bytes;
- two built-in clock generators at 24.5 MHz and 80 kHz;
- SMBus / I2C interface
- SPI interface
- UART interface
- 16 general-purpose input / output lines;
- 3-channel programmable array of counters;
- four 16-bit timers / counters;
- two analog comparators with integrated DAC for flexible threshold setting;
- 12-bit ADC with a 15-channel multiplexer, a voltage reference and a temperature sensor;
- 16-bit CRC;
- built-in bootloader for UART.
2. EFM8 Series Sleepy Bee
A series of crystals focused on battery powered applications. It has similar power consumption parameters with 32-bit EFM32 microcontrollers of the same manufacturer, but “intelligent” operating modes and significantly less peripherals are not implemented. The benefit of the EFM8 Sleepy Bee is the lower cost of the crystals and their easier development.
The series is divided into two lines and has the following distinctive features:
- maximum performance up to 25 MIPS at a clock frequency of up to 25 MHz;
- hardware controller for touch keyboards;
- active current consumption: 88 μA / MHz at clock frequencies from 14 MHz;
- current consumption in sleep mode with a real-time clock (clocking from an internal generator): 0.3 μA at 1.8 V and 0.5 μA at 3.6 V;
- current consumption in sleep mode with waking up from the touch button: 1 μA (average value);
- wake-up time does not exceed 2 μs when using an internal generator.
The analog and digital peripherals are similar to the EFM8 Busy Bee.
About the prices.
The smallest microcircuit EFM8SB10F2G-A-QFN20, similar in “filling” to the minimum crystal from the EFM8 Busy Bee series, is offered at a price of $ 0.32 + VAT.
A more functional and in a more convenient for many QSOP24 package, the EFM8SB10F8G-A-QSOP24 chip with 8 kB of Flash memory and 512 bytes of RAM is offered at a price of $ 0.48 + VAT.
Prices are valid for projects with annual consumption of about 10 thousand pcs. in year.
A more functional and in a more convenient for many QSOP24 package, the EFM8SB10F8G-A-QSOP24 chip with 8 kB of Flash memory and 512 bytes of RAM is offered at a price of $ 0.48 + VAT.
Prices are valid for projects with annual consumption of about 10 thousand pcs. in year.
3. EFM8 Laser Bee Series
The EFM8 Laser Bee series of crystals is oriented towards applications with analog measurements - the crystals of this series are equipped with a 14-bit ADC, which provides a typical signal-to-noise + distortion (SNDR) level of 72 dB, total harmonic distortion (THD) -74 dB and dynamic range harmonic free (SFDR) 74 dB. In addition, the EFM8 Laser Bee crystals are applicable in applications where an inexpensive microcontroller with a high operating clock frequency is required.
The dry crystal EFM8 Laser Bee crystals are as follows:
- maximum performance up to 72 MIPS at a clock frequency of up to 72 MHz;
- 14-bit sequential approximation ADC with a sampling frequency of up to 900 thousand samples per second with the ability to organize continuous data collection on all ADC channels without the participation of the processor core;
- two or four 12-bit DACs with the ability to generate complementary sinusoidal signals and arbitrary waveforms;
- two analog comparators with a tunable “reaction time” / “power consumption” ratio and a flexible input signal selection circuit;
- built-in calibrated temperature sensor that provides basic measurements with an error within ± 3 ° C, and using the methods described by the manufacturer within ± 0.2 ° C;
- operating temperature range of all crystals in the series from -40 ° C to + 105 ° C.
And the uniqueness of this series lies in the combination of the presented characteristics and prices.
For example
In the "minimum configuration" presented chip EFM8LB10F16E-B-QFN24, which has 16 kB of Flash memory and 1.25 kB of RAM. Its price is $ 0.54 + VAT. A more versatile version of the EFM8LB10F16E-B-QFP32 in the QFP32 package is priced at $ 0.70 + VAT.
The most functional version of the series - EFM8LB12F64E-B-QSOP24 - with 64 kBytes of Flash memory, 4.25 kBytes of RAM and four DACs is available at a price of $ 0.94 + VAT.
Prices based on 10 thousand units. in year.
The most functional version of the series - EFM8LB12F64E-B-QSOP24 - with 64 kBytes of Flash memory, 4.25 kBytes of RAM and four DACs is available at a price of $ 0.94 + VAT.
Prices based on 10 thousand units. in year.
4. EFM8 Universal Bee Series
The name of the series comes from the name of the USB interface with which the crystals of this series are equipped.
Among the features of the line can be identified:
- USB device interface with low power mode;
- a stable clock generator that provides USB without an external quartz over the entire range of operating temperatures and supply voltages;
- 5 V voltage regulator> 3.3 V to ensure operation of the device from the USB bus without using an additional voltage regulator;
- Recognition function for connecting to the charger according to the USB-BCS 1.2 specification.
The low-power mode of the USB interface in the EFM8 Universal Bee is necessary for working with stand-alone devices, the exchange of data with which should take place without a mutual load on power.
Prices are pleasing
A device with a minimum of external components (without an external quartz and voltage regulator) can be built on the EFM8UB10F8G-C-QFN20 chip priced at $ 0.43 + VAT, which in addition to the USB interface is equipped with 8 kB of Flash memory, 2304 Bytes of RAM, 12-bit ADC and typical microcontroller units, which are also in other EFM8 series.
If we talk about all the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers, then in general it can be noted that the "filling" of crystals of all series is quite saturated, as you can clearly see in the summary table under the spoiler.
EFM8 PivotTable
EFM8 PivotTable
And there are a number of important features inherent in microcontrollers of all series:
- the presence of a digital switch (crossbar), which provides some flexibility in the design of the printed circuit board by changing the purpose of switching the internal peripherals to external terminals;
- the presence of blocks of configurable logic, each of which provides the possibility of implementing up to 256 functions of combinatorial logic with the connection of external signals and signals of the internal periphery;
- unique 128-bit ID of each processor, simplifying the task of serializing products using EFM8 Bee;
- a bootloader programmed into Flash-memory, working on one of the interfaces available on the chip.
The microcontrollers of the Busy Bee and Sleepy Bee series are presented both in the industrial temperature range and in the automotive version, meeting the requirements of the AEC-Q100 standard.
The cases are very compact - the largest crystal is available in a 48-pin QFP package:
Breakdown of housing by family and article number
Cases with the same name (QFN24 and QFN32) are presented in different sizes - marked in separate colors.
Well, perhaps, the answer to the first question “What are the features of the EFM8 Bee microcontrollers?” Was formed, and we can begin to answer the typical questions of the developers who decided to use the crystals of this family in their designs.
Why is EFM8 significantly cheaper than C8051Fxxx, which EFM8 crystals are a continuation of?
Architecturally, the EFM8 continues the C8051Fxxx line, but they are manufactured according to design standards - 0.18 microns, i.e. smaller than C8051Fxxx, most of which are produced using 0.35 micron technology. Nevertheless, under the new design standards, the C8051F7xxx, C8051F8xx, C8051F9xx series are available, prices for which are lower than the similar ones in this family.
Also, the low price of EFM8 crystals is part of the manufacturer’s strategy, which positions this family for budget tasks.
Where to begin?
You can start mastering the EFM8 Bee from the stage of evaluating the key features of the selected microcontroller. This can be done on a proprietary debug board that is available for each EFM8 series. The cost of these boards ranges from $ 45 to $ 55 including VAT.
On each board, a senior microcontroller from the family is soldered and an emulator / programmer is implemented that provides full access to all the resources of this microcontroller.
As a software tool for most development stages using EFM8 and their proprietary debug boards, it is optimal to use the integrated development platform Simplicity Studio. An overview of its components is presented in the video materials on YouTube .
To evaluate the selected crystal, you can use any of the available resources in Simplicity Studio:
- upload to the board any of the ready-made demo examples created to demonstrate individual peripheral blocks and crystal operating modes;
- use the finished example in the source code, modifying it as required;
- Create your own project with or without a graphical configurator.
What development environment to use? Is there a free C compiler?
The tool offered by the manufacturer is the Simplicity Studio development platform mentioned above. After watching the video demonstrations, it’s much easier to start its development.
On the day of writing, two versions of Simplicity Studio are available for download on the manufacturer’s website: version 3 and the new version 4 . Version 3 is less difficult to learn, but its components are no longer updated, and version 4 integrates all new software components and documentation. With each new release of Simplicity Studio version 4, there are fewer and fewer difficulties in working.
After installing Simplicity Studio of any version, you need to reinstall the required components as shown in the videos for version 3 and forversion 4 .
As a result, Simplicity Studio will be installed with all the components necessary for work. For EFM8, this will include the Keil professional compiler, which is the de facto standard for the 8051 architecture, whose command system is embedded in the core of the CIP-51 EFM8 microcontrollers. An unlimited license for EFM8 Bee microcontrollers is available for free upon registration on the Keil website.
To obtain a license in Simplicity Studio version 3, you must go to the registration form after installing the components for EFM8 Bee in the “Setup tasks” dialog box. This may not be necessary if, prior to installing Simplicity Studio, the licenses for Keil were already installed and they were successfully “pulled up” by the Simplicity Studio environment. As a test, you can start compilation of any project and see the compiler's output - a license is not required if the entry “C51 COMPILER V9.53.0.0 - SN: xxxxx-xxxxxx” is displayed in the Output window.
In Simplicity Studio version 4, a dialog box for obtaining a license will appear when the project is first compiled, in case the compiler as part of Simplicity Studio does not find an existing license, which will be enough to work.
As an alternative approach to project implementation, Silicon Labs also offers the use of the mbed platform, the capabilities of which were described earlier in our corporate blog .
What are the software libraries?
For all EFM8 Bee line of crystals, a set of libraries is offered that includes drivers for the internal periphery of the crystals and BSP to support components placed on proprietary debug boards.
When creating a project from scratch or loading it from an example in Simplicity Studio, you need to select the latest version SDK (if there are already several), then in the future, to add the necessary modules to the project, you can use the capabilities of the Simplicity Studio graphical shell - by checking the boxes next to the required components in the properties project in the section [C / C ++ Build]> [Project Modules] - as shown in the figure under the spoiler.
Adding EFM8 SDK components to the project.
All available components in the selected version of the SDK are displayed in a list and are added / removed by checkmarks.
All available components in the selected version of the SDK are displayed in a list and are added / removed by checkmarks.
The documentation for the EFM8 SDK is available online at devtools.silabs.com .
Where can I find documentation for microcircuits, debugging tools, software?
The most complete and up-to-date list of documentation with filtering is available on the manufacturer’s website . Here, the list includes documentation created not only for crystals of the EFM8 series, but also for microcontrollers C8051Fxxx similar in internal organization.
To facilitate the search for documentation on the chip and debug kit used, the manufacturer also arranged access to them directly from the Simplicity Studio shell. But at the time of writing, there are some reservations about this:
- in Simplicity Studio version 3, access to documentation and its search is organized conveniently, and the documentation itself is located locally - on the computer’s hard drive. To access the documentation for the selected chip and debugging kit, application guides and sample programs, the corresponding buttons are provided in the main window of Simplicity Studio. There is only one minus in this way of access - the documentation in the third version has not been updated since the fourth version of Simplicity Studio;
- in Simplicity Studio version 4, any documentation is searched through the search bar at the top of the main window of Simplicity Studio. It would seem a simple way, but for many it is not obvious - the search window is weakly distinguished from the rest of the components. This can be seen in more detail in the video from the manufacturer . When you first open the required document, it is downloaded from the Internet, and with subsequent access, the local version.
How to debug a project on your layout?
Debugging a project on your own layout is possible using a proprietary debugging board for any EFM8 series or using an in-circuit emulator / programmer USB Debug Adapter , worth $ 55, which has been produced for many years for C8051Fxxx crystals and some even have it in bins.
Correct connection of signal lines must be done according to the application manual AN124 .
Here, for debugging the external processor, the signals of the C2 debugging interface are needed - the C2D, C2CK and GND lines. The Reset pin in the EFM8 is always the C2CK signal line at the same time - this is how the C2 interface was designed for reasons of saving I / O ports. For stable operation of the interface, the connecting wires should be made as short as possible.
In order not to reinvent the power for your own layout, you can use the power lines of the debuggers - the USB Debug Adapter has 5V from the 10th pin of the connector, and the debug board has 3.3V and 5V from the EXP connector.
When debugging your own layout using a proprietary debugging board, you need to configure it to work with an external processor - for this, you need to set the OUT mode in the Kit Manager utility in Simplicity Studio version 3 or in the main window of Simplicity Studio version 4 in the Debug Mode section - the LED should light up next to the DBG connector.
There is another, non-standard way to work with EFM8 microcontrollers on your own layout - for debugging use a proprietary debug board for EFM32 microcontrollers by connecting the C2D and C2CK signals of the microcontroller to the 7 and 9 pins of the Debug Out connector on the debug board, as well as connecting the power line and the common wire with VTARGET and GND line of this connector. Next, you need to configure the debug board in Debug: OUT mode and manually specify the target microcontroller in the connection properties.
The proprietary debug board does not work correctly. I am unable to communicate with the processor. What to do?
The primary cause of any problems in the work of debug boards for EFM8 is the outdated "firmware" of the debug board. To update it you need:
- in version 3 of Simplicity Studio run Kit Manager and after the offer to update the firmware of the board agree;
- in version 4 of Simplicity Studio, in the main window, the current firmware version will be displayed at the top and a link to download the latest version next to it - after downloading it, if there is a new firmware version, it will be offered to update it on the board.
Lack of communication with the board may indicate a violation of its firmware. In this case, it is necessary to initialize the board and update the firmware in accordance with the instructions for the "revitalization" of branded boards for EFM8 and EFM32 microcontrollers .
If there is a connection with the board, but it is not possible to establish a connection with the microcontroller on the board, then the cause may be the program in the microcontroller, which immediately after turning on the power puts it in a state in which the processor cannot respond to debugger requests. For example, putting the microcontroller into deep sleep mode or incorrect clock settings leads to failure of the debugger with the processor. To revitalize the microcontroller in this case, you need a USB Debug Adapter. The algorithm of actions is described in the knowledge base on community.silabs.com .
If Simplicity Studio fails to erase using the USB Debug Adapter, you can do this in the Flash Programming Utilities application , where on the Flash Erase tab you need to perform an operation to erase the entire contents of the Flash memory . The algorithm of the erase function in this program is more reliable than in other applications for EFM8 and C8051Fxxx, and allows you to remove the microcontroller from a deep "coma" state.
Something [everything, nothing, I don’t understand what] is working for me. Where to look for answers to questions?
For EFM8 microcontrollers, the largest amount of information can be found on the community website organized by the manufacturer at community.silabs.com. Here there is both a knowledge base from the manufacturer, and answers to questions from users about microchips and software , which are answered, among other things, by the technical support staff of the manufacturer.
How to program EFM8 microcontrollers in mass production?
With the release of devices in a small series of microcircuits, you can program in the finished product using the in-circuit emulator / programmer DEBUGADPTR1-USB , costing $ 55. As a software shell, you can use the Flash Programming Utilities or Production Programmer . Flash Programming Utilities can work in graphical mode in the finished shell or in command line mode, which is useful in cases of creating programming scripts that are placed in a .bat file.
As a cheaper version of the programmer, you can use the unpacked version of the above programmer, called ToolstickBA, which can be bought at a price of $ 30 including VAT. With it, you can even more economically perform a detachable connection, because this programmer has an end connector, the counterpart for which can be provided on a printed circuit board without additional connectors.
For batch production volumes, when labor and programming overhead costs exceed reasonable values, you can use the silicon programming service at Silicon Labs. Cost of services in batches from 5000 pcs. is 0.06 $ / pcs. - 0.1 $ / pcs. including VAT, depending on the amount of flash memory.
You also need to remember that the EFM8 microcontrollers have a built-in bootloader, and if the product has a connector for connecting an interface that is supported by the bootloader, you can organize the programming of the microcontroller before the final testing phase of the assembled product - without a programmer. More information on the operation of the bootloader can be found in the application manual for AN945 and its software .
And the classic way remains - using a parallel programmer to program microchips before installing it on the board. Fiton ChipProg series programmers support the entire line of EFM8 microcontrollers.
This, perhaps, is the whole list of the main questions that most developers have who start working with EFM8 Bee microcontrollers. Other questions can be addressed to us - specialists of the ETF company or to find answers yourself on the website community.silabs.com .