Firmware Management

Firmware Upgrade Precautions

Reliable power should be used when updating firmware and the update process should be allowed to complete without interruption. An interrupted firmware upgrade process will leave the BrainStem unusable and will require using the firmware recovery process.

Brainstem Firmware

Each BrainStem module uses an Acroname developed firmware which contains a boot loader, the BrainStem OS, the reflex virtual machine, access to the BrainStem protocol, and access to functionality specific to each module. Each module’s firmware is unique to the module type and the specific module serial number.

The firmware is continuously maintained for bug fixes and feature enhancements. Updates to the firmware can be downloaded from Acroname using the tools detailed below. For large volume customers, offline firmware files can be made available under license.

Firmware Update Tools

BrainStem modules can be updated via their link interface (e.g. USB, Ethernet, etc.) by using the “Firmware Management” window within HubTool. Modules may also be updated via the command line interface (CLI) “Updater” tool. The Updater tool is packaged in each BrainStem Development Kit (BDK). The extensive built-in help can be accessed with the “-H” option. Example update processes are shown in the following sections.

• Updating Firmware via HubTool
• Updating Firmware via CLI
• Updating Firmware without an Internet Connection
• Updating a Brainstem Module via the Brainstem Network.
• Recovering BrainStem Firmware via CLI
• Recovering MTM Module Firmware via CLI