Design and Verification of MCU Chip Bootloader

The design of an MCU chip Bootloader program is introduced, and a UVM-based verification environment for interactive communication between the UART VIP and the Bootloader is built. The Bootloader design is simple and convenient, and has a strong security. The designed Bootloader can realize the import of interactive applications to the MCU chip through the interconnection of the UART interface and the computer RS232 interface, which is convenient for upgrading and maintaining the embedded programs in practical applications. Before the tape-out process, the UART VIP is used to simulate the host computer operation to pre-test whether the Bootloader meets the design expectations, thus reducing the risk of tape-out failure. The application of the UVM verification methodology makes the Bootloader’s verification environment more portable, and make it more convenient to construct complex verification scenarios.