Firmware Update
A firmware update is loading a new software version onto the board to correct a function or add a feature. An update cannot do something the hardware cannot do: it does not change the number of inputs, the output current or the protection hardware, it only changes the behaviour of the existing hardware.
The points watched when planning an update are as follows:
- Hardware compatibility: every software version is compatible with certain board revisions. Software loaded onto the wrong revision may drive the wrong output if the pin assignment is different.
- Parameter preservation: it is checked whether the user settings in non-volatile memory keep their meaning after the update. If the parameter structure has changed, the software must read and convert the old record or return to defaults.
- Interruption safety: if power is cut during the update, the board must not become unusable; this is ensured by the bootloader's checksum control.
- Record keeping: which board moved to which version and when is written down.
The most frequent misconception on the user side is the expectation that a limitation in the field can be overcome with an update. Headings such as current capacity, input type and protection threshold are hardware decisions; these change only with a different product or a new board revision.
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