User manual

A630/A631/A632 Printer Series User Manual Page 52 / 63 Reference: FDE 3106894 Issue F

5.3.10 Flash Firmware Download Commands (RS232 and Bluetooth

models only)

These commands are used to load firmware into the printer.

There are two ways to enter the download mode.

1. While the printer is running normally, send the command, “Switch to Flash Download Mode (1B

5B 7D)” to leave normal operation and enter the download mode.

2. If the Flash if found corrupted during Level 0 diagnostics the download mode is automatically

entered after the printer has reset.

The printer never goes directly from the download mode to normal printer operation. To return to normal

printer operation either the operator must turn the power off and then on to reboot or the application must

send a command to cancel download mode and reboot.

When each flash download command is received, the printer returns either ACK or NAK to the host

computer when each command is received:

ACK (hexadecimal 06)

Sent when the printer has received a host transmission and has completed the request successfully.

NAK (hexadecimal 15)

Sent when a request is unsuccessful.

The commands are listed in numerical order according to their hexadecimal codes. Each command is

described and the hexadecimal, decimal, and ASCII codes are listed.

Communicates to the printer information downloaded from applications. Data is downloaded to flash

memory to query the state of the firmware, calculate the firmware CRC and other functions.

5.3.10.1 Firmware Download Sequence

By providing a set of low level commands, great freedom of implementation is given to customer

application to customize the sequence to match its specific requirements.

Following is the description of a typical Firmware download sequence.

Only the main steps are mentioned. Error checking and error recovery is not described:

1) Switch to Flash Download Mode

2) Check Flash Memory Size

3) Erase all Flash Memory sectors, except Boot Sector

4) Download Code to Active Flash Sector

4.1) Select Flash memory sector #n (each sector contains 64 Kbytes)

4.1.1) Program segment of N bytes

4.1.2) if more segments, loop back to 4.1.1)

4.2) if more sectors to program, loop back to 4.1)

5) Check Flash CRC

6) Reboot Printer