AVR ISP Working How really Ponyprog & ISP programmer does this magic of setting controller in Programming

mode ? As we know that brand new Atmega8 has ~RESET set at +5V. This says that RSTDISBL pin (Wed say fuse bit) is not set. And of course it should not. If its set then it disables your RESET pin and youll not able to reset it again (Although by using High-Voltage Programming, you can). So, If ~RESET pin is at logic level 1 , it runs your application inside the uC & If ~RESET pin is at logic level 0 , your uC comes into programming mode. Thus, main thing is that how is it doing so? So, heres our ISP Programming Circuit.

CASE-1: This is connected to PC(RS232 side) but not connected to uC(5 pin Connector side).

Fig.6.9 Simulating ISP Programmer Were getting -5.7V at point A and 0.0 volt at point B. Because at base theres (-ve) voltage coming , so Transistor is Off. And voltage just divides between R1 & R2.

Fig.6.10 Simulation in Multisim CASE-2: This is connected to PC(RS232 side) and connected to uC(5 pin Connector side). But No commands are executed using Ponyprog.

Were getting -5.7V at point A and 3.97V at point B.

Simulation:

3.97V at point B this time, because its connected to ~RESET pin of uC, and from here 4.4V are coming. Since transistor is in cut off mode: Transistor acts like an open switch between collector and emitter (i.e., collectoremitter resistance is innite). Thus much voltage drop across it. So, were getting 3.97 between it and only 0.4V between 100MOhm (Which is internal input impedance of port pin). CASE-3: Circuit is connected to PC(RS232 side) and connected to uC(5 pin Connector side). But command (e.g. Reading) is executed using Ponyprog.

This time, were getting 8.7V at point A and nearly 0.0 V at point B. Simulation:

This is because transistor is in saturation mode: Transistor acts like a closed switch between collector and emitter (i.e., collectoremitter resistance is very low). Thus low voltage drop across transistor and same between ~RESET pin.

Also still many more things are been done by Ponyprog This is just RESET functionality that Ive degugged.

Thanks. Suket