4.1 Embedded Debugger
The SAM E54 Xplained Pro contains an Embedded Debugger (EDBG) for on-board debugging. The EDBG is a USB composite device with the following interfaces:
- Debugger
- Virtual COM Port
- Data Gateway Interface (DGI)
The EDBG can program and debug the ATSAME54P20A with the help of Atmel Studio. The SWD interface is connected between the EDBG and the ATSAME54P20A on the SAM E54 Xplained Pro.
The Virtual COM Port is connected to a UART on the ATSAME54P20A and provides an easy way to communicate with the target application through terminal software. It offers variable baud rate, parity, and stop bit settings. The settings on the ATSAME54P20A must match the settings given in the terminal software.
The DGI consists of several physical interfaces for bidirectional communication with the host computer. Communication over the interfaces is bidirectional. It can be used to send event values, and data from the ATSAME54P20A. Traffic over the interfaces can be timestamped by the EDBG for more accurate tracing of events, but timestamping reduces the maximal data throughput. The Data Visualizer is used to send and receive data through DGI.
The EDBG controls two LEDs on the SAM E54 Xplained Pro: a power LED and a status LED. The table below shows how the LEDs are controlled in different operation modes.
Mode | Power LED | Status LED |
---|---|---|
Normal mode | The power LED is on when power is applied to the board. | Activity indicator, the LED flashes when any communication happens to the EDBG. |
Bootloader mode (idle) | The power LED and the status LED blink simultaneously. | |
Bootloader mode (firmware upgrade) | The power LED and the status LED blink in an alternating pattern. |
For additional information on the EDBG, see the EDBG User Guide.