I/O Expander firmware update

The I/O Expander is an integrated circuit on the ConnectCore 6UL SBC Pro carrier board. Digi programs firmware inside this chip on the ConnectCore 6UL SBC Pro boards, but if you decide to assemble this chip on your own carrier board the chip will initially be blank.

To program a blank I/O Expander for the first time, see Program I/O Expander firmware with JTAG debugger.

If the I/O Expander already has programmed firmware, check the firmware version using the sysinfo command.

Note Before updating the firmware, verify the file you are going to program is a more recent version than the one you have already programmed.

Check the latest I/O Expander firmware version on the Digi ConnectCore 6UL product support web page.

Firmware update application

Use the application ioexp_fw_updater to update a new *.bin firmware file. The syntax is:

~# ioexp_fw_updater -h
Update the firmware of the I/O Expander.
 
Copyright(c) Digi International Inc.
 
Version: 1.10
 
-f FILE, --file    Update firmware from binary FILE (Flash is fully erased).
-h, --help         Show this message.
-v, --version      Show current version of the tool.
 
The update process takes about 20 seconds to complete. Do not power off
the device during this time.

For example:

~# ioexp_fw_updater -f ioexp_fw_file.bin
The update process may take 20 seconds or more - DO NOT POWER OFF OR RESET
\

Do not abort the firmware update process
If the process is interrupted during the write phase, the I/O Expander may be left in an inconsistent state. If the process fails, you can retry manually but success is not guaranteed. In this case, you can only recover the firmware with the JTAG debugger. See Program I/O Expander firmware with JTAG debugger.

After a few seconds, the application finishes and returns to the prompt. After updating the firmware of the I/O Expander, the ConnectCore 6UL does not restart automatically. Digi recommends a manual reboot to re-synchronize the device settings with its Linux driver.