Microchip Technology MPLAB Starter Kit for PIC18F MCU DM180021 DM180021 User Manual
Product codes
DM180021
MPLAB STARTER KIT FOR PIC18F
USER’S GUIDE
© 2009 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS51852A-page 9
Chapter 2. The Demonstration Application
This chapter describes the precompiled demonstration applications that are provided
with the MPLAB Starter Kit for PIC18F, and how various features highlight the device’s
processing power and hardware functionality. These include:
with the MPLAB Starter Kit for PIC18F, and how various features highlight the device’s
processing power and hardware functionality. These include:
• Bootloader from the MicroSD Memory Card
• Interactive Display System (OLED)
• Touch Interface (CTMU)
• USB Device Capabilities
2.1
BOOTLOADER FROM THE MicroSD™ MEMORY CARD
The Flash program memory of Microchip’s PIC18F46J50 device is readable, writable and
erasable during normal operation over the entire V
erasable during normal operation over the entire V
DD
range. This feature gives users the
ability to perform bootloader operations. To demonstrate this feature, the MPLAB Starter
Kit for PIC18F is preprogrammed with a MicroSD bootloader that gives the ability to load,
program and run PIC18 applications from a MicroSD memory card. The bootloader appli-
cation extensively uses, and serves to demonstrate, the Microchip Memory Disk Drive
(MDD) file system.
Kit for PIC18F is preprogrammed with a MicroSD bootloader that gives the ability to load,
program and run PIC18 applications from a MicroSD memory card. The bootloader appli-
cation extensively uses, and serves to demonstrate, the Microchip Memory Disk Drive
(MDD) file system.
The MicroSD bootloader accepts user inputs from the touch pads and scroll bar, uses the
OLED display for user outputs, and uses substantial parts of the Microchip Memory Disk
Drive file system to read files and folders from a MicroSD memory card.
OLED display for user outputs, and uses substantial parts of the Microchip Memory Disk
Drive file system to read files and folders from a MicroSD memory card.
Figure 2-1 summarizes the essential firmware design of the bootloader. At system Reset,
the MicroSD bootloader checks for a user request to run the bootloader (by pressing the
S1 switch within a 10-second window). If this is not the case, the bootloader returns
control to the application currently programmed in the microcontroller’s memory.
the MicroSD bootloader checks for a user request to run the bootloader (by pressing the
S1 switch within a 10-second window). If this is not the case, the bootloader returns
control to the application currently programmed in the microcontroller’s memory.
FIGURE 2-1:
FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM OF BOOTLOADER
Touch Pads and
Scroll Bar
Flash
Program Memory
User
Interface
MDD
File System
HEX File
Parser
OLED
Display
MicroSD™
Flash Card
Flash Card
Firmware