Chained firmware update
Chained firmware update
Multi-processor firmware update - chained controllers
Festool's Bluetooth-enabled products use energy-optimized BLE communication for wireless pairing, control and networking of tools, remote controls and dust extractors, and are characterized by a unique combination of precision, system integration and reliability consistently geared towards professional users.
Arendi implemented a robust, BLE-based multiprocessor firmware update system for Festool with a signature-verified dual-slot bootloader, frame-based multipoint protocol and cross-platform support, enabling fail-safe and high-performance updates of all chained controllers.
«What has always been particularly important to me in the partnership is the way Arendi has made things possible through quick and spontaneous support.»
Ralf Fischer
Team Leader Software Development Embedded at Festool
«What has always been particularly important to me in the partnership is the way Arendi has made things possible through quick and spontaneous support.»
Ralf Fischer
Team Leader Software Development Embedded at Festool
Initial situation, goals & challenges
Festool's IoT products predominantly use multiprocessor systems. One processor is responsible for BLE communication, and a second processor is connected to it via UART. Additional processors can then be connected to this second processor via UART. The first and second processors act as relays for communication between the smartphone app and the other processors.
The goal was to make all processors updateable. The version numbers of the individual processors should be read via the smartphone app and BLE, and the latest firmware images should be installed if necessary. The challenge was to update the entire system reliably and with high performance.
Project results & customer benefits
The project result is a highly reliable and fail-safe firmware update system that functions stably even in complex Festool device architectures. This allows functional improvements to be rolled out safely to field devices and significantly reduces potential failures during the update process.
Festool also benefited from partnering with Arendi, a company with extensive knowledge of the existing BLE platform and experience in robust firmware and update concepts.
Implemented solution
- Frame-based multipoint-to-multipoint protocol for commands, notification, and file transfer
- FW signature verification
- Dual-slot method for guaranteed reliability
- Support for external SPI flash memory
- Implementations for various STM32 platforms (F3, F7, G4, H7) as well as the PIC33
Competencies
- Bootloader
- Communication stacks & protocols
- Firmware architecture
- Firmware update over the air (FOTA)
- Hardware interfaces and drivers
- Lean embedded firmware
- Small to medium-sized uP systems
- Software architecture
- Software design in C
- Wireless technologies
Competence areas
- Embedded systems & firmware
- Software & architecture
- Wireless, IoT & cloud
Technologies
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Services
- Product development
Industry
Tools & professional equipment
Customer
Festool GmbH
Competencies
- Bootloader
- Communication stacks & protocols
- Firmware architecture
- Firmware update over the air (FOTA)
- Hardware interfaces and drivers
- Lean embedded firmware
- Small to medium-sized uP systems
- Software architecture
- Software design in C
- Wireless technologies
Competence areas
- Embedded systems & firmware
- Software & architecture
- Wireless, IoT & cloud
Technologies
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Services
- Product development
Industry
Tools & professional equipment
Customer
Festool GmbH
Competencies
- Bootloader
- Communication stacks & protocols
- Firmware architecture
- Firmware update over the air (FOTA)
- Hardware interfaces and drivers
- Lean embedded firmware
- Small to medium-sized uP systems
- Software architecture
- Software design in C
- Wireless technologies
Competence areas
- Embedded systems & firmware
- Software & architecture
- Wireless, IoT & cloud
Technologies
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Services
- Product development
Industry
Tools & professional equipment
Customer
Festool GmbH