Programming nRF52 SoCs with nRF5340 DK

[Shaun Brentnall]

Hi, I want to eventually be able to programme a custom built chip with an nRF52833 SoC on board, but first I thought I would try with a nordic Thingy:52. 

My setup is as follows:

Computer (Windows with nRF connect v3.11.0) <---> nRF5340 DK <---JTag---> Nordic Thingy:52

I can programme the nRF5340 DK via the nRF connect visual studio IDE, but I am not sure how to be able to connect to the nordic thingy_52 in order to be able to programme that device directly. On the 'connected devices' section in visual studio I cannot see the nordic thingy:52 appear, only the nRF5340 DK appears. 

Do I need to do something else in order to connect to the thingy to programme it? Or is the JTag physical connection sufficient?

Thank you for your help!

[Øyvind]

Hello, 

Computer (Windows with nRF connect v3.11.0) <---> nRF5340 DK <---JTag---> Nordic Thingy:52

This sounds correct. To what port have you connected the JTAG debug probe? You should be able to automatically program the Thingy:52 if connected to P19, see Debug Output in the nRF5340DK documentation. Make sure that the device is powered.

Are you using the Programmer app in nRF Connect for Dekstop 3.11.0 ? If so, choose the nRF5340DK and the device name from Thingy:52 should be visible in the left hand side. Here I've used the nRF9160DK to program the Thingy:52 with a zephyr.hex.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[Shaun Brentnall]

Hi Øyvind, thank you for your reply.

Yes, it was a connection between P19 and and the 10 pin port on the thingy:52. 

I was trying toolchain manager actually. But I tried with the Programmer app as you said, and it does detect that there is a device there but it still can't write to it. When I try to it returns a "JLINKARM_DLL_ERROR". I tried updating Segger JLink (from V7.58b to V7.64d), but I still get an error "Unsupported device. The device could not be recognised as neither JLink device nor Nordic USB device."

[Øyvind]

Can you please provide an image of your setup? 

Shaun Brentnall said:

And when it's connect by Jtag, it just say Jtag with unknown in the field to the right. 

Can there be an issue with you JTAG cable?

[Shaun Brentnall]

Hi Øyvind,

here is the setup of the hardware I'm using

I've tried a second thingy:52 and a few different JTAG connectors. The same errors as before appear. 

Could it be a problem that the Jlink versions are different?

 

[Øyvind]

Could you please disconnect the nRF USB and set nRF Power Source to VDD?

[Shaun Brentnall]

Ahh that worked! Thank you very much, and I apologise for the silly question. Does USB power interfere with the signal somehow?

[Øyvind]

Happy to hear!

Shaun Brentnall said:

Does USB power interfere with the signal somehow?

In the USB position, the USB high voltage regulator gets power from the nRF5340 USB connector (J3). This powers the nRF5340 SoC and not the Interface MCU directly, which runs SEGGER J-Link OB interface firmware and is used to program the nRF5340 or devices via P19.

As noted in the Debug Out chapter of nRF5340DK HW Description: 

Note: The voltage supported by external debugging/programming is VDD voltage. Normally, this is 3 V when running from USB. But if the onboard nRF5340 SoC is supplied from either USB or lithium-ion (Li-ion) and the nRF power source switch (SW9) is in either Li-Po or USB position, then the VDD can be set by the nRF5340 firmware. Make sure the voltage level of the external board matches the VDD of the nRF5340 DK.

Hope this clears the confusion

Kind regards,
Øyvind