SK-S12XDP512-A Quickstart Guide

by Alessandro Trevisan (alessandro.trevisan@softecmicro.com)
SofTec Microsystems Technical Marketing Support
web: www.softecmicro.com

Contents

1. Overview
   • Features
   • About CAN, LIN and FlexRay implementations
   • About XGATE Coprocessor
2. Installing the software
   • Installing CodeWarrior Development Studio
   • Installing SofTec Microsystems' Additional Components
   • Installing the Hardware
3. Running the Example
   • Starting a Debugging Session
   • Run the Example
4. References

1. Overview

The SK-S12XDP512-A Starter Kit is a full-featured, ready-to-use evaluation board for the MC9S12XDP512 microcontroller. The SK-S12XDP512-A Starter Kit has been designed for the evaluation of the MC9S12XDP512 microcontroller and the debugging of user applications, simply connecting it to the host PC through a USB port (the SK-S12XDP512-A implements a true BDM interface based on USB 2.0). 

This Starter Kit is targeted at automotive multiplexing applications, featuring five CAN connectors (with five CAN transceivers) and six LIN connectors (with six LIN transceivers). Furthermore, the board comes FlexRay ready, with two connectors for FlexRay expansion (it needs an additional daughter board).

 

 

1.1 Features

 

1.2 About CAN, LIN and FlexRay implementations

Two fault-tolerant (up to 125 Kbaud) CAN transceivers and three high-speed (up to 1 Mbaud) CAN transceivers are at the heart of the Starter Kit, for a total of five CAN nodes. Two additional high-speed transceivers (PCA82C250) can be soldered on the PCB. 

Six LIN transceivers are used to handle six LIN nodes, each capable of a speed of up to 100 Kbps in fast mode. Three LIN nodes use a 3x1 header connector, while the other three nodes use a 4-way box connector.

The board contains two 50-way connectors that can be used for FlexRay expansion. The layout of these two connectors is compliant with the IP Modules ANSI/VITA 4-1995 standard. A JTAG connector allows the interfacing of optional JTAG peripherals mounted on the FlexRay expansion board.

1.3 About XGATE Coprocessor

The HCS12X microcontroller family offers many enhancements over the HCS12 family; principal among these is the XGATE peripheral processor. The XGATE module is a peripheral co-processor that allows autonomous operation using on-chip RAM and peripherals, with zero load on the main MCU’s core. The XGATE module is an event-driven RISC core machine. It has its own instruction set and runs its own code. The code and data for the XGATE module are stored in the on-chip RAM. Memory sharing is the main method for exchanging data between different threads running on XGATE and also between threads running on XGATE and the MCU’s core. From a user’s perspective, the HCS12X family devices appear to be a multiprocessor environment and hardware semaphores are provided for synchronization of tasks and resource management between threads running on different cores. The XGATE executes its threads in response to events. These events are issued by the interrupt module, based on its configuration and signals from the on-chip peripherals and MCU core.

2. Installing the Software

2.1 Installing CodeWarrior Development Studio

The Starter Kit comes with a free version of CodeWarrior Development Studio for HCS12X/XGATE Microcontrollers, Special Edition. It includes:

• CodeWarrior integrated development environment (IDE);
• 32 KB code-size limited C compiler and C source-level debugger
• macro assembler and Assembly-level debugger.

The Special Edition allows you to evaluate CodeWarrior Development Studio for HCS12X/XGATE Microcontrollers at no cost.

To install the CodeWarrior IDE, insert the CodeWarrior CD-ROM into your computer's CD-ROM drive. A startup window will automatically appear. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: the Starter Kit requires that a CodeWarrior version equal to or greater than 4.1 is present on your system. If you have an earlier version on your system, you must uninstall it and install the new CodeWarrior version which comes with the Starter Kit. If you purchased an earlier CodeWarrior version, we advise you to contact Metrowerks to have your license extended to the new version.

2.2 Installing SofTec Microsystems' Additional Components

The SofTec Microsystems' additional components install all of the other required components to your hard drive. These components include:

• Starter Kit USB driver;
• software plug-in for CodeWarrior (examples are also provided);
• Documentation in PDF format.

To install the SofTec Microsystems Additional Components, insert the SofTec Microsystems "System Software" CD-ROM into your computer's CD-ROM drive. A startup window will automatically appear. Choose "Install Instrument Software" from the main menu. A list of available software will appear. Click on the "SKS12XDP512-A Additional Components" option. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Note: to install the SK-S12XDP512-A Starter Kit Additional Components on Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you must log in as Administrator.

2.3 Installing the Hardware

Power up the Board

The power connector accepts a 12 V DC, wall plug-in power supply with a 2.1 mm pin and sleeve plug with positive in the center and sleeve as ground.

Make sure the “VDD ENA” jumper is inserted. The voltage is internally regulated to 5.0 V DC.

The green “POWER” LED on the board should turn on.

Connect the Board to the PC

Insert one end of the USB cable into a free USB port.

Insert the other end of the USB cable into the USB connector on the Starter Kit board.

Found New Hardware Wizard

The first time the Starter Kit is connected to the PC, Windows recognizes the instrument and starts the “Found New Hardware Wizard” procedure, asking you

to specify the driver to use for the instrument. The procedure is slightly different on each version of Windows. On Windows XP, select the “Install the software automatically” option and click on the “Next” button. Be sure not to specify any drive or optional location where to look for the driver, since it has already been installed on your hard disk by the SK-S12XDP512-A Starter Kit Additional Components setup.

Note: both Windows 2000 and Windows XP may issue a warning during the “Found New Hardware Wizard” procedure. This warning is related to the fact that the USB driver used by the Starter Kit is not digitally signed by Microsoft, and Windows considers it to be potentially malfunctioning or dangerous for the system. However, you can safely ignore the warning, since every kind of compatibility/security test has been carried out by SofTec Microsystems.

3 Running the example

3.1 Start a Debugging Session

From the main menu, choose “Project > Debug”. This will compile the source code, generate an executable file and will download it to the demo board. A new debugger environment will open.

3.2 Run the Example

From the main menu, choose “Run > Start/Continue”. The program will be executed in real-time.

Press the “PB4” push-button. The output of the light sensor will be displayed on the two dot-matrix displays, in a graphic way. The light sensor is placed on the right of the “PB4” push-button. Cover the sensor with a finger and see the effect on the displays.

4. References

Further information about how to use SofTec Microsystems tools can be found in the specific User's Manuals or Quick Start Tutorial Posters, available in all of the SofTec Microsystems software installation packages. You can also visit our online discussion forums (http://www.softecmicro.com/forum) to share ideas with and post questions to an ever-growing community of embedded engineers.