TIDUFC3 January   2025

 

  1.   1
  2.   Description
  3.   Resources
  4.   Features
  5.   Applications
  6.   6
  7. 1System Description
    1. 1.1 Key System Specifications
  8. 2System Overview
    1. 2.1 Block Diagram
    2. 2.2 Design Considerations
      1. 2.2.1 Power Topology
      2. 2.2.2 PCB and Form Factor
      3. 2.2.3 Antenna
    3. 2.3 Highlighted Products
      1. 2.3.1 AWRL6432BGAMFQ1
      2. 2.3.2 TCAN3404DDFRQ1
      3. 2.3.3 TPS65036x-Q1
  9. 3Hardware, Software, Testing Requirements, and Test Results
    1. 3.1 Hardware Requirements
      1. 3.1.1 Getting Started With Hardware
        1. 3.1.1.1 Power Up Option
      2. 3.1.2 Sense-on-Power (SOP)
      3. 3.1.3 AWRL6432 Initialization: Board Programming
    2. 3.2 Test Setup
    3. 3.3 Test Results
  10. 4Design and Documentation Support
    1. 4.1 Design Files
      1. 4.1.1 Schematics
      2. 4.1.2 BOM
      3. 4.1.3 Layout Prints
      4. 4.1.4 Altium Project
      5. 4.1.5 Gerber Files
    2. 4.2 Tools and Software
    3. 4.3 Documentation Support
    4. 4.4 Support Resources
    5. 4.5 Trademarks
  11. 5About the Author

3.1.3 AWRL6432 Initialization: Board Programming

Once the board is powered with the VBAT (typically 12V) connection, a program must be loaded into the external flash. The radar toolbox provides the application binaries, chirp configuration, and GUI to run the Kick-to-Open demonstration (see Section 3.2 for more details). TI also provides the mmWave low-power Software Development Kit (L-SDK). This is a unified software platform for the AWRLx family of mmWave sensors, which enable evaluation and development. mmWave Radar Visualizer User's Guide covers the use of this design environment. Use the following steps for loading an application image file:

  1. Download and install the UniFlash software, available from UNIFLASH: UniFlash flash programming tool. Proceed to the next step after installation.
  2. Connect the board with the PC using the power-up options mentioned in Section 3.1.1.1.
  3. Open the UniFlash software. Select mmWave from the Category header, select AWRL6432 from the field of available devices, and then click the Start button (see Figure 3-2).
    TIDEP-01037 UniFlash Configuration Figure 3-2 UniFlash Configuration
  4. Click the Browse button and navigate to the application image file to load. The file path and name is
    <RADAR_TOOLBOX_INSTALL_DIR>\radar_toolbox latest version\source\ti
    \examples\InCabin_Sensing\AWRL6432_Life_Presence_Detection_Demo_Capon2D
    \prebuilt_binaries\AWRL6432_LifePresenceDetection_Capon2D.Release.appimage    . After the name of the file populates the field, click on the Settings & Utilities menu on the left side of the program (see Figure 3-3).
    TIDEP-01037 UniFlash Settings Figure 3-3 UniFlash Settings
  5. After connecting the LP-XDS110 into the USB port, open the Microsoft® Windows® Device Manager. Find the XDS110 Class Application/User UART port and note the COM port number. The example in Figure 3-4 shows this COM port to be COM20.
    TIDEP-01037 Determine COM Port Figure 3-4 Determine COM Port
  6. Return to the UniFlash software and enter the noted COM port number from the device manager. Then click the Program menu on the left side of the window to go back to the previous menu (see Figure 3-5).
    TIDEP-01037 Enter COM Port Figure 3-5 Enter COM Port
  7. Reset the AWRL6432 device by pressing the reset button on the LP-XDS110. Then select Load Image. This action loads the program into the flash. To execute the program, change the SOP settings into functional mode. The program then runs.
    TIDEP-01037 Load Image Figure 3-6 Load Image

Alternatively, the AWRL6432 device can be flashed through Visualizer. See details at mmWave Radar Visualizer User's Guide.