Universal USB Multilink FX High-Speed Development Interface

Multilink Overview

Multilink debug probes allow a PC access to the Background Debug Mode (BDM) or JTAG interface on wide range of ARM Cortex and 8-16-/32-bit devices, in order to halt normal processor execution and use the PC to control the processor. The user can then directly control the target’s execution, read/write registers and memory values, debug code on the processor, and program internal or external FLASH memory devices.

Supported manufacturers include NXP, STMicroelectronics, Cypress, Infineon, Silicon Labs, and many others. Multilink connects between a USB port on a Windows machine and the standard debug connector on the target. Microcontrollers are supported via the multiple headers located under a flip lid on the Multilink case. Ribbon cables suitable for a variety of architectures are included.

Please note: Multilink debug probes do not include software, as there are myriad options regarding the device architecture and utility of software that the user might require. Users most often purchase a version of PEmicro’s PROG programming software that is compatible with their device architecture. ICD debugger software and PKG software packages are available as well. Users can also create custom solutions with UNIT library routines. There is support for Multilink in many NXP and other third party tools, such as MCUXpresso, or STMicroelectronics’ STM32CubeIDE. Click for a listing of compatible 3rd party ARM-based IDEs. In addition, ARM-based Eclipse IDEs are compatible, with the appropriate GDB Server plug in.

Multilink Models & Features

Models

There are 3 models of Multilink:

MULTILINK ACP  MULTILINK UNIVERSAL  MULTILINK UNIVERSAL FX

Standard Features

All Multilink debug probes offer these standard features:

• USB interface from PC to Multilink allows for fast, easy programming and debugging — with the ease and compatibility of the USB interface.
• Draws power from USB interface– no separate power supply required (draws less than 1mA from the target).
• Works with target voltage: 1.8V-5.25V
• Supports JTAG daisy chaining of multiple ARM MCUs
• ARM device support includes both the JTAG and SWD protocols
• Includes USB cable, Type A Male to Type B Male, 6-ft.

“Universal” Features

MULTILINK UNIVERSAL  and  MULTILINK UNIVERSAL FX  also include these features:

• Pipelined programming algorithms for some Power Architecture families that dramatically increase programming speed.
• Auto-frequency detection + trimming capabilities for HCS08 devices
• Auto-frequency detection for HC(S)12(X) devices.
• Generates programming voltage on RESET line for RS08 devices.
• Target Frequency: 16Khz-50Mhz (applies to HCS08, RS08, CFV1, S12Z, or HCS12X only)

Advanced Features

MULTILINK UNIVERSAL FX  supports these additional advanced features:

• High-speed USB interface from PC to Multilink allows for fast, easy programming and debugging — up to 10X faster than the other Multilink models.
• Can be used to power target MCU:
  • Target Voltage: 3.3V, 5.0V
• I/O line clamping for added protection

Multilink Universal FX Performance Note

The exceptional performance increases seen with the USB Multilink Universal FX are limited to synchronous architectures: ARM devices, Kinetis, S32, MPC55xx-577xx (& STMicroelectronics SPC5), Coldfire V2-V4, DSC, MPC5xx/8xx, and HC16/683xx.

No-Cost Software Features

1) PEmicro’s UNITACMP Library SDK for ARM Cortex-M processors is free to download. This allows the user to create an application which can fully control the execution of an embedded processor via Multilink debug probes or Cyclone programmers.

2) PEmicro’s no-cost GDB Server for ARM devices (Eclipse plug-in) includes the following powerful features:

• Real-Time Expression View 
  This view gives the user the ability to view variables and memory while a target ARM device is running. Sometimes the process of halting the target masks a bug. Sometimes, in order to reproduce a particular bug, the program must be kept running while being fed a particular set of data. In those cases, having the ability to view variable values as they change without halting the target is a great asset.
• OS-Aware Feature Supports FreeRTOS 
  The GDB server will automatically detect the presence, type, and configuration of an OS by querying the application’s symbol table for identifying characteristics. Using these discovered symbols, the debugger can traverse the kernel’s internal data structures to enumerate the available threads and their corresponding execution context. This information is then used to dynamically populate the Eclipse views as the user navigates between the threads. Additional OS support is expected to be added soon.
• Single-Wire Output (SWO) Debug Tools
  By using NXP’s MCUXpresso or PEmicro’s plug-in for ARM-based GDB IDEs, users can measure power consumption of their device in real time (FX only), monitor multiple variables and expressions in real time, use printf calls to be notified when specific events occur during the debug session, and use trace capture to log user-specified events and triggers. This allows much more insight into the operation of the user’s code.