How to Update the Firmware of Multiple MP300 Devives in Production?

MP300 production testers are widely used in manufacturing context for smartcard personalization or test.

In production, multiple couplers or testers need to be inserted in production racks.
Depending on the numbers of sites to be addressed per cycles, 16, 32 or even more than 64 MP300 devices could be inserted into production racks mounted in machine handlers.

When desire, the end-user may want to update the firmware used by all the couplers or testers.

Thanks to MPUpdate application for MP300 devices, the same firmware can be applied in an automated way on a range of MP300 devices sharing the same IP network.

MPUpdate is a software that has been designed to help the user to easily update MP300 devices.

It allows the end-user to :
- update the boot software (initialization of the hardware, emergency reprogramming of the system)
- update the core system
- update the modules drivers
- update the FPGAs (communication between the system and the hardware)
- store applications in the flash memory

A physical link must be established between the product and the computer on which one MPUpdate is running.
In the manufacturing context, TCP/IP communication is mainly used.

Step 1: Launch MPUpdate (a link to download MPUpdate 5.09 is available at the bottom of the page)

Step 2: Fill in the IP address of the first tester you would like to update and tick the box "To" to indicate the IP address of the last tester to be updated.  In this case the FW will be applied to all the testers from the first IP address indicated to the last one.
Depending on your IP mapping, it's possible that Contact or Contactless tester have been set in such a way that 
they all have even or odd addresses. "Even addresses" or "Odd addresses" boxes can be ticked if necessary to apply a FW to testers 
with a range of even or odd addresses. 

Step 3: Click on "Connect" and then go to "Firmware + config"
 

Step 4: Click on "Browse" and locate the FW you want to apply to all the testers.

Step 5: Tick "Silent prog" option so that the update process operates with a minimum of user messages and click on "Update". 


 

The Firmware will now be applied on the range of testers selected.

 

As an example, let's consider 16 MP300 CL3.
The first tester IP address is: 169.254.159.50
All the other CL3s have even addresses from 169.254.159.52 to 169.254.159.80.

In the connection panel of MPUpdate, the user has to indicate the first IP address: 169.254.159.50
Enable the range setting and tick "Even addresses" option.
Then, the user has to click on "Connect" and then go to the "Firmware + Config" tab.
Locate the Firmware to be applied and start the update.

Next Steps

At the end of the process, go back to the "Connection" panel and disconnect the testers.
Finally, reboot the rack.

In case of any additional questions, please contact NI technical support team on NI.com when opening a Service Request case using the NI Service Request Manager (SRM).

To open a service request on NI.com, please follow the steps described at this link.