ATMEGA8U2_14 Datasheet, PDF (233/310 Pages) ATMEL Corporation – 125 Powerful Instructions – Most Single Clock Cycle Execution

ATmega8U2/16U2/32U2
Figure 23-4. Addressing the Flash During SPM⁽¹⁾
BIT 15
Z - REGISTER
ZPCMSB
ZPAGEMSB 1 0
0
PCMSB
PROGRAM
COUNTER
PCPAGE
PAGE ADDRESS
WITHIN THE FLASH
PROGRAM MEMORY
PAGE
PAGEMSB
PCWORD
WORD ADDRESS
WITHIN A PAGE
PAGE
INSTRUCTION WORD
PCWORD[PAGEMSB:0]:
00
01
02
PAGEEND
Note: 1. The different variables used in Figure 23-4 are listed in Table 23-10 on page 239.
23.8
Self-Programming the Flash
The program memory is updated in a page by page fashion. Before programming a page with
the data stored in the temporary page buffer, the page must be erased. The temporary page buf-
fer is filled one word at a time using SPM and the buffer can be filled either before the Page
Erase command or between a Page Erase and a Page Write operation:
Alternative 1, fill the buffer before a Page Erase
• Fill temporary page buffer
• Perform a Page Erase
• Perform a Page Write
Alternative 2, fill the buffer after Page Erase
• Perform a Page Erase
• Fill temporary page buffer
• Perform a Page Write
If only a part of the page needs to be changed, the rest of the page must be stored (for example
in the temporary page buffer) before the erase, and then be rewritten. When using alternative 1,
the Boot Loader provides an effective Read-Modify-Write feature which allows the user software
to first read the page, do the necessary changes, and then write back the modified data. If alter-
native 2 is used, it is not possible to read the old data while loading since the page is already
erased. The temporary page buffer can be accessed in a random sequence. It is essential that
the page address used in both the Page Erase and Page Write operation is addressing the
same page. See “Simple Assembly Code Example for a Boot Loader” on page 237 for an
assembly code example.
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