MultiWriter technology is available on CheckSum Analyst low cost in-circuit testers or in the standalone MultiWriter pps™ On-board Gang Programming System.
MultiWriter Part Programming Families
MultiWriter has a comprehensive library of supported parts families, which is being updated and expanded on an ongoing basis. The figure below shows the part manufacturers with currently supported devices in the Library. You can download an up-to-date list of supported parts by manufacturer.
Please contact CheckSum to inquire if the parts family you need is planned or currently in development.
Part Programming
The throughput of simultaneous programming with the flexibility of custom programming. MultiWriter allows unique data such as a date code or serial number for the parts to be programmed with minimal impact on programming time. The part serial number or other data such as an assembly serial number entered via bar code can be stored in a file or provided at run-time. Calibration or other measurement data can be programmed into each part separately as illustrated in the diagram below.
Smart ISP™
MultiWriter’s Smart ISP (In-System Programming) technology ensures that the ISP programming phase follows a defect-free in-circuit test of the board. The test system programs only boards that have passed the in-circuit tests. Only assemblies that have passed the opens/shorts and other component tests are powered-on. For example, if a panel has seven tested-good assemblies out of eight total, then only those seven will be powered-on for ISP device programming.
Using the Data Encryption Protection option insures your IP (Intellectual Property) is not at risk anywhere in the world. Unique data (e.g. serial number, date code, MAC address, calibration data, etc) can be written to individual chips, as they are being gang-programmed.
Board Design Considerations
As is the case in most designs, the circuit design must allow in-system programming such that the device can be programmed without the requirement to overdrive other signals. The ISP device programming pins must be accessible via a bed-of-nails fixture—just like any other in-circuit test point.
The board or multi-board panel assembly layout should provide electrical access to the programming pins that are as physically close as possible to the device being programmed in order to minimize crosstalk and noise.
Device Programming Considerations
MultiWriter allows unique data such as a date code or serial number for the parts to be programmed with minimal impact on programming time. The part serial number or other data such as an assembly serial number entered via bar code can be stored in a file or provided at run-time. Calibration or other measurement data can be programmed into each part separately. Since unique data is typically a very small portion of the overall part memory, the programming time for chip-unique data will be minimal. A standard data file format (INTEL hex, Motorola S-Record, SVF, STAPL) is used for storage of unique data that is accessed during the ISP programming process.
The MultiWriter Controller board has two operating modes: Program and Verify. In Program mode, the controller places the ISP chip in the “program” state and code appropriate to the device is retrieved from the computer memory and applied via the fixture-based buffer boards. Once chip programming is complete, the MultiWriter controller places the chip in the “read” state and the code just programmed is verified. The Program and Verify operations can occur on a Test Step basis.
The board assembly (or individual panel in a multi-up assembly) will be powered-up to program the part, so some test system power source must be available and sufficient.
* Up to 16 MultiWriter control modules with up to 24 buffer modules each for 384 maximum devices. One MultiWriter control module required for each different device type.
† MultiWriter Technology is protected under U.S. Patent No. 7,802,021.
