OTA update using UART

[Harsh Jain`]

We use nRF5340 on our product. We need to update the application/driver/firmware remotely in the field using UART. Now looking through all apps and methods avaialble from Nordic, I cannot see anything suitable. So, can you tell me when it comes to OTA update, what is the best and easiest app to use ?

And using nrf5340 we will be trying to control 20 motors and will be reading impedance sensor data. So for that we might need to find a way to do firmware update as well as motor driver update if possible. 

[Hung Bui]

Hi Harsh, 

Could you please clarify you want to do UART firmware update or OTA (over the air) firmware update ? 
They are not the same.
Usually OTA update is via BLE and you use the phone to update. When with UART update you connect your board to PC or a device via UART cable. 

Also please give more information about the motor driver that you want to update. 

[Harsh Jain`]

I have a board connected with nrf and the communication channel is UART. 

So, UART firmware update would be required for the usecase that we are targeting.

[Hung Bui]

Please give more information on the board you connected to. Does it has an MCU on it and you want to update it ? 
Or you want to use the MCU on the board to update the NRF52. Please describe what exactly you want to achieve. How do you imagine the DFU update should be. 

[Harsh Jain`]

I have a board connected with nrf and the communication channel is UART. 

So, UART firmware update would be required for the usecase that we are targeting.

[Vidar Berg]

DFU over UART is supported through the MCUmgr  and the Simple Management Protocol (SMP) protocol, see https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/zephyr/services/device_mgmt/mcumgr.html. Support for this can be enabled in the MCUBoot bootloader (serial recovery - DFU within the bootloader), or in the application as demonstrated by this sample: https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/zephyr/samples/subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/smp_svr/README.html#smp-svr-sample