OTA using external flash

Tip / Sign in to post questions, reply, level up, and achieve exciting badges. Know more

cross mob
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hello,

I am using SDK 3.3.1, my application size is 770kb. my flash size is 1MB. so only way i can do OTA upgrades is through external flash, can anybody please tell me how can achieve OTA using SPI serial flash?

Thanks,

Raghu

0 Likes
1 Solution
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi,

As already mentioned above, OTA and multip-app file system reside in external flash. The size of external flash for your platform is 1MB as well. so with the size of your application reaching 850KB, there is no way you can put factory reset application and an upgradable version of your application in external flash. There are couple of options that you can try:

- Move the WiFi firmware to the external flash. The WICED SDK, can now support putting the WiFi firmware as part of the multi-app file system in the external flash. This will make your application smaller and  each application (the one in internal flash, the factory reset and the upgraded version) use the same copy (rather than each have it's own copy). To see how to do this have a look at apps/snip/firmware_external

I'm not sure if Wiced SDK 3.1.2 have this feature, but you can try upgrading to later version and this should be there.

- increase your external flash size. The road blocker is your external flash size, not your internal flash. if you replace your external flash chip with a bigger one, your system should work seamlessly.

Regards,

Bassem

View solution in original post

3 Replies
MichaelF_56
Moderator
Moderator
Moderator
250 sign-ins 25 comments on blog 10 comments on blog

I spoke with the developers and they said to take a look at the OTA blog: WICED OTA Upgrade and Factory Reset (SDK 3.1.2)

Specifically, have a look at the last part regarding WICED Multi-Application Support.


You will find that it is mentioned here that multi applications are stored in the external serial flash.

It is also mentioned in the /apps/snip/ota/ota_fr.c file.

0 Likes
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi abirjepatil

Sorry for the delayed response. Am using BCM9WCDPLUS114. I believe it has internal flash of 1MB. Now my application has reached the size of 850KB, which will have built-in OTA capability. Here is what i want to achieve, want to have ota_fr as default app(FR app, so that device can be recovered at any point) and also i should be able to upgrade to new app which will be again 850KB. Please suggest the possibilities with detailed steps.

Thanks in advance.

-Raghu

0 Likes
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi,

As already mentioned above, OTA and multip-app file system reside in external flash. The size of external flash for your platform is 1MB as well. so with the size of your application reaching 850KB, there is no way you can put factory reset application and an upgradable version of your application in external flash. There are couple of options that you can try:

- Move the WiFi firmware to the external flash. The WICED SDK, can now support putting the WiFi firmware as part of the multi-app file system in the external flash. This will make your application smaller and  each application (the one in internal flash, the factory reset and the upgraded version) use the same copy (rather than each have it's own copy). To see how to do this have a look at apps/snip/firmware_external

I'm not sure if Wiced SDK 3.1.2 have this feature, but you can try upgrading to later version and this should be there.

- increase your external flash size. The road blocker is your external flash size, not your internal flash. if you replace your external flash chip with a bigger one, your system should work seamlessly.

Regards,

Bassem