Gecko Bootloader#

Overview#

Silicon Labs Gecko Bootloader is a common bootloader for EFM32 and EFR32 Series 1 and Series 2 microcontroller, SoCs (System on Chip) and NCPs (Network Co-Processors). The Gecko Bootloader can be configured to perform various functions from device initialization to firmware Upgrades.

Key Features#

The key features of Gecko Bootloaders are as follows:

• Useable across Silicon Labs Gecko microcontrollers and wireless microcontroller families.

• In-field upgradeable.

• Configurable.

• Secure Boot.

• Signed upgrade image file.

• Encrypted upgrade image file.

Types of Bootloaders#

There are two main types of bootloaders:

• Standalone Bootloader A standalone bootloader uses a communication channel to get a firmware upgrade image. These bootloaders perform upgrades in a single-stage process that allows the application image to be placed into flash memory, overwriting the existing application image, without any participation of the application itself.

• Application Bootloader An Application Bootloader relies on the application to acquire the firmware upgrade images. The application bootloader performs a firmware image upgrade by writing the firmware upgrade image into a region of flash memory referred to as download space. The application can download the firmware upgrade image over any convenient way (UART, Over-the-air, Ethernet, USB etc.). The download space can be either internal or external flash. This download space is divided into multiple storage slots, and multiple images can be stored in these slots.

For more information check Bootlaoder Documentation