August 2007

Rev 1

1/12

AN2614

Application note

Serial numbering implementation

Introduction

It is common practice to give appliances a unique serial or identification number.

This serial number is located in the external memory of the device, for example in EEPROM,

but it can also be programmed with the MCU software, inside the MCU program memory

array.

In some cases, the serial number should remain secret and unreadable to external devices.

In other cases, it should be readable from the MCU by a remote PC through any interface

specified by the manufacturer (for example, SCI).

This application note provides technical details on the software and tools associated with

implementing a serial numbering technique. Some hints have been taken from the on-line

help of the STVP7 visual programming software tool.

C language examples are provided which are ready to be added to the source code if

compiled with a Metrowerks C compiler (such as old Hiware, Panta or Codewarrior). The

examples provide may also be ported to other C compilers.

The examples can be applied to any ST7 microcontrollers which is equipped with non

volatile memory.

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