NovAtel Firmware and Software
Chapter 8
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 12
109
8.4.4
SoftLoad Update Method
This section describes the sequence of commands that are issued to the receiver when updating using a
*.hex or *.shex file.
1. Open a connection to any port on the receiver (COM, USB, ICOM or XCOM) with the input and output
INTERFACEMODE set to NOVATEL.
2. Request the SOFTLOADSTATUS log using the following command:
LOG SOFTLOADSTATUSA ONCHANGED
3. Initialize SoftLoad with a
SOFTLOADRESET
command. This command stops all tracking on the receiver to
ensure sufficient memory is available for the loading process. An RXSTATUSEVENTA log reports a
SoftLoad In Progress status.
4. Open the *.hex or *.shex firmware file.
5. Read each line of the *.hex or *.shex firmware file.
a. Send S0, S5 and S7 S-Records directly to the receiver using the
SOFTLOADSREC
command. The
S-Record must be enclosed in quotation marks:
SOFTLOADSREC "<S-RECORD>"
Data within S0 records can also be sent to the receiver by converting them to
SOFTLOADSETUP
commands. Refer to the
OEM6 Family Firmware Reference Manual
(OM-20000129) for details on
how to convert from S0 S-Records to
SOFTLOADSETUP
commands.
b. S3 S-Records should be parsed and packaged into a
SOFTLOADDATA
command.
6. Send the
SOFTLOADCOMMIT
command after all data from the *.hex or *.shex file has been transferred to
the receiver. The SOFTLOADSTATUS log reports the status of the loading process. Wait for a
SOFTLOADSTATUS log to indicate the status is COMPLETE. The COMPLETE status or an error is
guaranteed to be output from the receiver within 300 seconds from the time the
SOFTLOADCOMMIT
command was received by the receiver.
7. Send the auth code for the newly downloaded image using the
AUTH
command. This is only required if
there is not already a signature auth code on the receiver as signature auth codes are maintained
through a SoftLoad update. See
Section 8.2, Authorization Code
on page 103 for details on Auth Codes.
AUTH ADD_DOWNLOAD <AUTH CODE>
8. Reset the receiver using any of the following methods:
a. Enter the
RESET
command
b. Enter the
FRESET
command
c. Power-cycle the receiver
Once the receiver resets, the new version of firmware is active.
The response for each command must be processed before sending the next command so as
to determine if the command was accepted or rejected, and to wait for the receiver to complete
the operation. Responses to SoftLoad commands are guaranteed to be output from the receiver
within a specific time, which varies by command. Refer to the
(OM-20000129) for more information on responses, and the timeout values
for SoftLoad commands.
