Introduction
PEmicro's Cyclone MultiChannel production programmers are fast and feature-rich in-circuit programming solutions that support simultaneous programming on multiple channels. PEmicro offers two models, the Cyclone MultiChannel LC and the more advanced Cyclone MultiChannel FX, each with different features and device support. PEmicro also offers QuadPod Channel Expanders, which may be used with either model to increase the number of programming channels.
Figure: Cyclone MultiChannel FX and 3 QuadPod Channel Expanders (16 Total Channels)
Production Environment Ready
Cyclone MultiChannel programmers are for both fixture and non-fixture use, helpfully designed to be easily integrated into the production environment. The Cyclone and QuadPod units are compact, 4-channel blocks that can be snapped together, mounted, or DIN-railed. They can be integrated into text fixtures, and there are adapters available that simplify target connections.
As such, they are also designed to withstand the demands of a production environment, and their functions can be automated using tools from the included Cyclone Control Suite.
Supported Devices
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The Cyclone MultiChannel LC supports ARM Cortex devices from many manufacturers. Common ARM device families include NXP MCX, Kinetis, LPC, and i.MX devices, as well as STMicroelectronics STM32 devices.
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The Cyclone MultiChannel FX supports the same ARM Cortex device families as the LC model and adds support for additional architectures and device families, including NXP MPC55xx-57xx, S08, S12Z, HC(S)12(X), DSC, S32 Power, and ColdFire V1/V1+ devices. It also supports Infineon TriCoreTM DAP devices (AUDOTM TC1xx and AURIXTM TC2xx/TC3xx) and STMicroelectronics SPC5 devices.
PEmicro’s Supported Devices / Silicon Manufacturers page provides the up-to-date list of supported device vendors and families. Not every device listed on that page is supported by every Cyclone model; use the architecture support information above to determine which entries apply to the Cyclone MultiChannel LC and Cyclone MultiChannel FX.
Programming Images
The Cyclone works with programming images, which are compiled files where the data to be programmed, programming steps, descriptive information, configuration details, and programming algorithms have been preprocessed and packaged so they are ready to program the target.
Programming images help make production programming reliable and repeatable. They are designed to be corruption-resistant, verifiable, and secure, and they provide a stable snapshot of a production configuration. Many users create and version a new production image whenever the production programming setup changes. This makes it easy to return to an earlier production version or program the same image years later, even if the original binary and configuration files used to create it have changed.
Generated image files can be stored on disk for future use or loaded directly onto a Cyclone for programming operations. They are managed via the Cyclone and its accompanying software. They can be encrypted with user-generated ImageKeys and restricted for use only on certain Cyclones.
Cyclone MultiChannel Feature Comparison Table
Cyclone LC and FX MultiChannel offer different feature sets and device support. Whether or not a specific section of the user manual applies to the user's Cyclone will depend on whether their Cyclone supports the corresponding feature. Below is a table which displays the features at-a-glance by Cyclone type.
| Feature | Cyclone MultiChannel LC | Cyclone MultiChannel FX |
|---|---|---|
| Feature | Cyclone MultiChannel LC | Cyclone MultiChannel FX |
| Supports Multiple Channels (up to 16) | yes | yes |
| SDK and Automation Support | yes | yes |
| Dynamic Data and Serialization per Channel | yes | yes |
| Galvanically Isolated Ethernet Signals and USB Port | yes | yes |
| Support Arm Based Devices | yes | yes |
| Support Non-Arm Based Devices | no | yes |
| Channels Simultaneously Program Same Image | yes | yes |
| Channels Simultaneously Program Different Images | no | yes |
| Channels Simultaneously Program Different Dynamic Data | yes | yes |
| Provides Power (Vcc, Vsys) to the Target | no | yes |
| Flash Programming Performance | fast | very fast |
| ProCryption Image Encryption | no | yes |
| Can Restrict Programming Counts in Image | no | yes |
| Support RunTest Test Application | no | yes |
| LCD Display | no | no |
| Integrated Wifi | no | no |
Security and Encryption
Cyclone FX MultiChannel programmers include ProCryption Security features as a standard feature. This allows users to create RSA/AES encrypted programming images that use their own uniquely generated ImageKey. These encrypted images may only be used to program when residing on Cyclones that are pre-configured with the same ImageKey. This keeps the user securely in control of both their IP and the programming process. More info is available in the chapter Programming Image Encryption.