My Lime is now a Cypress - (Solving)

Hi there.

While trying to flash my LimeSDR-USB after update Lime Suite, process failed, and now the device appears to USB bus as Cypress (FPGA?). Neither LimeUtil nor LimeSuiteGUI recognizes the device so cannot reflash firmware or gateware.

I’m not shy to solder and have access to a JTAG programmer, but if anyone can provide some guidance I’ll be most grateful.

O.S. is Ubuntu 16.04. Logs follows.

Before:

ismael@ciclon:~$ LimeUtil --info
######################################################

LimeSuite information summary

######################################################

Version information:
Library version: v17.12.0-myriadrf~xenial
Build timestamp: 2017-12-13
Interface version: v2017.12.0
Binary interface: 17.12-1

System resources:
Installation root: /usr
User home directory: /home/ismael
App data directory: /home/ismael/.local/share/LimeSuite
Config directory: /home/ismael/.limesuite
Image search paths:
- /home/ismael/.local/share/LimeSuite/images
- /usr/share/LimeSuite/images

Supported connections:

  • PCIEXillybus
  • STREAM
  • uLimeSDR

syslog:

[143255.272131] usb 2-2: new SuperSpeed USB device number 11 using xhci_hcd
[143255.288933] usb 2-2: LPM exit latency is zeroed, disabling LPM.
[143255.289727] usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=1d50, idProduct=6108
[143255.289735] usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[143255.289740] usb 2-2: Product: LimeSDR-USB
[143255.289744] usb 2-2: Manufacturer: Myriad-RF
[143255.289747] usb 2-2: SerialNumber: 0009060B00472830

Flash:

ismael@ciclon:~$ LimeUtil --update
Connected to [LimeSDR-USB [USB 3.0] 9060B00472830]
Firmware version mismatch!
Expected firmware version 4, but found version 3
Follow the FW and FPGA upgrade instructions:
Lime Suite - Myriad-RF Wiki
Or run update on the command line: LimeUtil --update

Gateware version mismatch!
Expected gateware version 2, revision 12
But found version 2, revision 6
Follow the FW and FPGA upgrade instructions:
Lime Suite - Myriad-RF Wiki
Or run update on the command line: LimeUtil --update

Estimated reference clock 30.7199 MHz
Reference clock 30.720 MHz
[ 10%] 18176/185976 Bytes Programming failed! Write operation failed (/usr/share/LimeSuite/images/17.12/LimeSDR-USB_HW_1.4_r4.0.img)
Programming update failed! : Programming failed! Write operation failed

After:

ismael@ciclon:~$ LimeUtil --update
Connected to [WestBridge [USB 2.0] 4BE]
Unsupported hardware connected: UNKNOWN[HW=0]

Programming update failed! : Unsupported hardware connected: UNKNOWN[HW=0]

syslog:

[143271.192107] usb 1-11.1: new high-speed USB device number 37 using xhci_hcd
[143271.292716] usb 1-11.1: New USB device found, idVendor=04b4, idProduct=00f3
[143271.292724] usb 1-11.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[143271.292729] usb 1-11.1: Product: WestBridge
[143271.292733] usb 1-11.1: Manufacturer: Cypress
[143271.292736] usb 1-11.1: SerialNumber: 0000000004BE
[143282.272340] usb 1-11: reset high-speed USB device number 35 using xhci_hcd
[143282.700347] usb 1-11.1: reset high-speed USB device number 37 using xhci_hcd

lsusb:

Bus 001 Device 010: ID 04b4:00f3 Cypress Semiconductor Corp.

Cypress makes the USB interface chip on the LimeSDR. This is a specialized microcontroller that has its own firmware. The LimeSDR driver is basically the Cypress driver, with some identifying strings added for the LimeSDR device. You probably have to reflash the Cypress firmware, which you could probably do with the Cypress driver. I can’t tell you how to do it, however.

Thanks Allan.

So, should I then use these tools with LimeSDR-USB_HW_1.4_r4.0.img ?

http://www.cypress.com/documentation/software-and-drivers/ez-usb-fx3-software-development-kit

@Zack ? @andrewback ?

Use the Cypress software to reflash the firmware. I’ve already done this myself.

https://wiki.myriadrf.org/LimeSDR-USB_User_Guide#Flashing_the_USB_3.0_microcontroller

Fantastic, thank you all.

Edit: J17 removed, FX3 flashed, J17 back on. No problem, working again.

3 Likes

Good to hear!