QUECTEL LTE-A Module Series Module with USB Adapter User Guide

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Introduction

Quectel LTE-A EG512R-EA、EM120R-GL、EM121R-GL, and EM160R-GL series modules support FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air) function to upgrade the firmware of partitions such as modem, system, boot, sbl, and tz.
With this function, you (the user) can upgrade the module firmware to a new version or revert the firmware to an old version. The firmware package only contains the difference between the original firmware version and the target firmware version, with the amount of data transmission greatly reduced and the transmission time greatly shortened.

FOTA Implementation and User Responsibility

Quectel follows industry best practices with regard to firmware updates for its modules by enabling users to offer FOTA updates. Please note that Quectel cannot unilaterally push updates to users’ devices. Quectel hands full control over the FOTA process to users. In the process, Quectel solely provides the updated firmware but cannot initiate FOTA updates on users’ devices.
Users can determine when to push the update to the Quectel modules using the FOTA mechanism by configuring corresponding parameters for the update that the users host on their infrastructures.

Application Modules
Table 1: Applicable Modules

Firmware Upgrade Procedure Over FOTA

The following chart illustrates the firmware upgrade procedure via FOTA when the firmware package is stored on an FTP/HTTP(S) server.

As shown in the above figure, the following steps need to be performed to update the firmware when the firmware package is stored on an FTP/HTTP(S) server:

Step 1: Get the firmware package from Quectel Technical Support.
Step 2: Upload the firmware package from the host to your FTP/HTTP(S) server.

Step 3: Execute AT+QFOTADL on the host to trigger automatic firmware upgrade on the module.
Step 4: The module automatically downloads the firmware package from your FTP/HTTP(S) server via LTE/WCDMA network.

Step 5: The module internally runs the updating program to automatically upgrade the module firmware.
NOTE
You are responsible for providing and managing the FTP/HTTP(S) server for the firmware upgrade. Quectel does not supply the server or assist with its setup.

Get Firmware Package
Before firmware upgrading, check the original firmware version name with ATI and confirm the target firmware version, and then send the two firmware versions to Quectel Technical Support to obtain the corresponding firmware package.

Upload Firmware Package to FTP/HTTP(S) Server

Step 1: Please set up an FTP/HTTP(S) server before using the FOTA function. (Quectel does not provide such servers.)
Step 2: After completing the server setup, upload the firmware package to your server and save the storage path.

Execute AT Command to Upgrade the Firmware
After uploading the firmware package to the FTP/HTTP(S) server, execute AT+QFOTADL on the host to initiate the automatic over-the-air download and upgrade of the module firmware package.
NOTE
The module supports firmware upgrades via both the FTP/HTTP(s) server and the local file system. For more information on the firmware upgrades via the local file system.

Description of FOTA AT Commands

AT Command Introduction

Definitions

<CR> Carriage return character.
<LF> Line feed character.
<…> Parameter name. Angle brackets do not appear on the command line.
[…] Optional parameter of a command or an optional part of the TA information response. Square brackets do not appear on the command line. When an optional parameter is not given in a command, the new value equals its previous value or the default settings, unless otherwise specified.
Underline the Default setting of a parameter.

AT Command Syntax
All command lines must start with AT or at and end with <CR>. Information responses and result codes always start and end with a carriage return character and a line feed character:
<CR><LF><response><CR><LF>. In tables presenting commands and responses throughout this document, only the commands and responses are presented, and <CR> and <LF> are deliberately omitted.
Table 2: Types of AT Commands

Declaration of AT Command Examples
The AT command examples in this document are provided to help you learn about the use of the AT commands introduced herein. The examples, however, should not be taken as Quectel’s recommendations or suggestions about how to design a program flow or what status to set the module into. Sometimes multiple examples may be provided for one AT command. However, this does not mean that there is a correlation among these examples, or that they should be executed in a given sequence. The URLs, domain names, IP addresses, usernames/accounts, and passwords (if any) in the AT command examples are provided for illustrative and explanatory purposes only, and they should be modified to reflect your actual usage and specific needs.

AT+QFOTADL Firmware Upgrade via FOTA

This command enables automatic firmware upgrade via FOTA. After executing the corresponding command, the module will automatically download or load the firmware package from an FTP/HTTP(S) server or the local file system. After the package is successfully downloaded or loaded, the module will automatically upgrade the firmware and then reboot.

AT+QFOTADL Firmware Upgrade via FOTA
Test Command AT+QFOTADL=?	Response OK
Maximum Response Time	300 ms

AT+QFOTADL=<FTP_URL> Upgrade Firmware over FTP Server
If the firmware package is stored on an FTP server, execute AT+QFOTADL=<FTP_URL> to initiate automatic firmware upgrade via FOTA. The module will download the package from the FTP server over the air, and then reboot and upgrade the firmware automatically.

AT+QFOTADL=<FTP_URL> Upgrade Firmware over FTP Server

Write Command

AT+QFOTADL=<FTP_URL>

Response

+QIND: “FOTA”, “FTPSTART”

+QIND: “FOTA”,”FTPEND”,<FTP_err>

+QIND: “FOTA”, “START”

+QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,<percent>

…

+QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,<err>
If there is any error: ERROR

Maximum Response Time	300 ms
Characteristics	–

Parameter

<FTP_URL> String type. The URL where the firmware package is stored on the FTP server.
The maximum length: 512; Unit: byte. It should start with “ftp://”.
For example: “ftp://<username>:<password>@<serverURL>:<port>/<file_path>”.
<username> String type. The user name for authentication.
<password> String type. The password for authentication.
<serverURL> String type. The address of the FTP server owned and operated by you.
<port> Integer type. The port of the FTP server. Range: 1–65535. Default: 21.
<file_path> String type. The file name on the FTP server.
<FTP_err> Integer type. The FTP error code.
0 Downloaded the firmware package from the FTP server successfully.
Others failed to download the firmware package from the FTP server.
<percent> Integer type. The upgrade progress is in percentage. Range: 0–100.
<err> Integer type. Error code of upgrading. 0 Upgraded the firmware successfully
Others failed to upgrade the firmware.

Example

You can perform the firmware upgrade after storing the firmware package on your FTP server.
“ftp://test:test@192.0.2.2:21/Jun/update-v12-to-v13.zip” is used as an example URL below. (The URL is provided for illustrative purposes only. Please replace it with a valid URL that corresponds to your FTP server and firmware package.) Execute the following command to initiate automatic firmware upgrade via FOTA. The module downloads the firmware package and upgrades the firmware automatically.
AT+QFOTADL=”ftp://test:test@192.0.2.2:21/Jun/update-v12-to-v13.zip” OK
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “FTPSTART”
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “FTPEND”,0 //Finish downloading the firmware package from the FTP server.

The module reboots automatically, and the USB port is reinitialized. If the current port is a USB port, the MCU should close and reopen it. After the module is rebooted, the first URC should be reported within 90 seconds. Otherwise, it means an unknown error occurs.
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “START”
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,1
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,20
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,100
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,0 //The module automatically restarts to complete the FOTA upgrade.

AT+QFOTADL=<HTTP_URL> Upgrade Firmware over HTTP(S) Server
If the firmware package is stored on an HTTP(S) server, execute AT+QFOTADL=<HTTP_URL> to initiate automatic firmware upgrade via FOTA. The module will download the package from the HTTP(S) server over the air, and then reboot and upgrade the firmware automatically.

AT+QFOTADL=<HTTP_URL> Upgrade Firmware over HTTP(S) Server
Write Command AT+QFOTADL=<HTTP_URL>	Response OK
	+QIND: “FOTA”, “HTTPSTART” +QIND: “FOTA”, “HTTPEND”,<HTTP_err> +QIND: “FOTA”, “START” +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,<percent> +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,<percent> … +QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,<err> If there is any error: ERROR
Maximum Response Time	300 ms
Characteristics	–

Parameter

<HTTP_UTheeThe URL where the firmware packagestored indinn the HTTP(S) server. The maximum length is 512; Unit: byte.
It should start with “http(s)://”. For example: “http(s)://<HTTP_server_URL>:<HTTP_port>/<HTTP_file_path>”.
<HTTP_server_URL> String type. The IP address or domain name of the HTTP(S) server owned and operated by you.
<HTTP_port> Integer type. The port of the HTTP(S) server. Range: 1–65535. Default: 80.

<HTTP_file_path> String type. The file name on the HTTP(S) server.
<HTTP_err> Integer type. The HTTP(S) error code.
- 0 Downloaded the firmware package from the HTTP(S) server successfully
- Others failed to download the firmware package from the HTTP(S) server.
<percent> Integer type. The upgrade progress is in percentage. Range: 0–100.
<err> Integer type. Error code of upgrading.
- 0 Upgraded the firmware successfully
- Others Failed to upgrade the firmware.

Example

You can perform the firmware upgrade after storing the firmware package on your HTTP(S) server. “http://www.example.com:100/update.zip” is used as an example URL below. (The URL is provided for illustrative purposes only. Please replace it with a valid URL that corresponds to your HTTP(S) server and firmware package.) Execute the following command to initiate automatic firmware upgrade via FOTA.
The module downloads the firmware package and upgrades the firmware automatically.
AT+QFOTADL=”http://www.example.com:100/update.zip” OK
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “HTTPSTART”
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “HTTPEND”,0 //Finish downloading the firmware package from the HTTP server.
The module reboots automatically, and the USB port is rereinitialized. The current port is a USB port; the MCU should close and reopen it. After the module is rebooted, the first URC should be reported within 90 seconds. Otherwise, it means an unknown error occurs.
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “START”
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,1
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,2
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,100
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,0 //The module automatically restarts to complete the FOTA upgrade.

AT+QFOTADL=<file_name> Upgrade Firmware over Local File System
If the firmware package has already been stored in the module’s file system, execute AT+QFOTADL=<file_name> to initiate automatic firmware upgrade via FOTA. Then the module will load the package from the local file system, and then reboot and upgrade the firmware automatically.

AT+QFOTADL=<file_name> Upgrade Firmware over Local File System

Write Command

AT+QFOTADL=<file_name>

Response

+QIND: “FOTA”, “START”

+QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,<percent>

…
+QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,<err>
If there is any error:
ERROR

Maximum Response Time	300 ms
Characteristics	–

Parameter

<file_name> String type. The path of the firmware packages is stored on the local file system. The maximum length is: 512; Unit: byte. It should start with “/cache/ufs/” in UFS.

<percent> Integer type. The upgrade progress is in percentage. Range: 0–100.
<err> Integer type. Error code of upgrading.
- 0 Upgraded the firmware successfully
- Others failed to upgrade the firmware.

NOTE

Before using this command, make sure that the firmware package is stored in the module. You can upload the package to the module through AT+QFUPL. For details of AT+QFUPL, see document [1].

Please disconnect the data call of the host first before proceeding with the FOTA upgrade, because when the host performs a data call with the module, it causes the internal FOTA upgrade program of the module to be unable to perform a data call.
The first APN is used for data calls during FOT, the A upgrade by default. If the data call with the first APN is occupied by any program of the module, the module cannot use this APN to perform another data call at the same time. Therefore, the module should perform FOTA upgrade after the program disconnects the data call with this APN or after you execute AT+QFOTAPID to switch the channel.
If Verizon certification uses the first APN to perform a data call, it is suggested to use AT+QFOTAPID to switch channels for FOTA upgrade.

For details of AT+QFOTAPID, please contact Quectel Technical Support.

Example

Upgrade firmware when the firmware package is stored on the local file system.
AT+QFOTADL=”/cache/ufs/update-v12-to-v13.zip”
OK
The module reboots automatically, and the USB port is rereinitialized. The current port is a USB port, the MCU should close and reopen it. After the module is rebooted, the first URC should be reported within 90 seconds. Otherwise, it means an unknown error occurs.
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “START”
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,1
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,2
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,100
- +QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,0 //The module automatically restarts to complete the FOTA upgrade.

Exception Handling and Precautions

Exception Handling
To improve the upgrade success rate, the module will set the upgrade flag before starting the upgrade. When an error is reported during the upgrade, the module will automatically restart. After the upgrade flag is found, the module will continue to upgrade. If the upgrade fails five times, the upgrade is a complete failure, and the module will delete the flag, exit, and try to start the module normally. The upgrade interface is as follows:

+QIND: “FOTA”, “START”
+QIND: “FOTA”, “UPDATING”,20
+QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,<err>
…
//The module restarts automatically
…
+QIND: “FOTA”,”START”
+QIND: “FOTA”,”UPDATING”,20
+QIND: “FOTA”,”UPDATING”,30
…
+QIND: “FOTA “, “END”,0
NOTE
The consecutive upgrade timare is only valid when an upgrade error is reported, while there is no limit to the number of upgrades in the event of an abnormal power failure. If an abnormal power failure occurs durithe ng mthe odule upgrade process, the upgrade can also continue after the module is restarted. After the upgrade is successful, the upgrade flag will also be deleted.

Precautions

After AT+QFOTADL is executed, the host receives URC +QIND: “FOTA”, “START”, which means that the upgrade begins, and URC +QIND: “FOTA”, “END”,0 means the upgrade is completed. After the upgrade, the module automatically restarts and enters normal mode. Do not power off the module during the upgrade.

If the host does not receive any URC within 4 minutes during the upgrade process, you can restart the module.
It is recommended to set up a flag to mark the firmware upgrade task and remove it after the upgrade is completed successfully.
NOTE
It is recommended not to power off the module during the FOTA upgrade process.

Summary of Error Codes

This chapter introduces the error codes related to Quectel modules and other networks. details about <FTP_err>, <HTTP_err>, and <err> are described in the following tables.

Table 3: Summary of <FTP_err> Codes

Table 4: Summary of <HTTP_err> Codes

Table 5: Summary of <err> Codes

Appendix References

Table 6: Related Documents

Table 7: Terms and Abbreviations

About the Document

Revision History

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where can I find technical support for the product?
For technical support, visit http://www.quectel.com/support/technical.htm or email support@quectel.com.
How do I report documentation errors?
To report documentation errors, visit http://www.quectel.com/support/technical.htm or contact support@quectel.com.

Documents / Resources

QUECTEL LTE-A Module Series Module with USB Adapter [pdf] User Guide
EG512R, EM12xR, EM160R, LTE-A Module Series Module with USB Adapter, LTE-A Module Series, Module with USB Adapter, with USB Adapter, USB Adapter

References

User Manual

QUECTEL LTE-A Module Series Module with USB Adapter

Product Information

Product Usage Instructions

INTRODUCTION

Legal Notices

Use and Disclosure Restrictions

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Introduction

Firmware Upgrade Procedure Over FOTA

Description of FOTA AT Commands

AT Command Introduction

AT+QFOTADL Firmware Upgrade via FOTA

Example

Exception Handling and Precautions

Summary of Error Codes

Appendix References

About the Document

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Documents / Resources

References

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