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27/05/2008 by peter.
Another major bit of code implemented, the bootloader.
“Why does it need a bootloader?” I hear you cry (well I don’t hear that but I suspect you are probably crying it, well at least thinking it. Hmm. Maybee not). Well as this unit has quite a bit of firmware on it it needs to be designed in such a way as to allow the user to update it since it will probably go out of date rather quickly as new features are added and bugs are eliminated. This is a simple process if an engineer with appropriate tools is to hand but no good for your average button pressing computer user. In the latter case the ability to write new firmware to the uC must be built into the device itself, hence a bootloader.
My bootloader is basically a partial rewrite of the Tiny PIC bootloader. A wonderful bit of software which I have modified to sit in a different part of the programme memory, made device specific and tweaked to talk to my VB interface programme.
It just needs a spot of polishing and it will be finished but this is a majour chunk of the programming done. Just have to finish the PC software and write the magic bio-feedback control.
getting there though…
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