DFI WL9A3 User manual

WL9A3
COM Express Mini Module
User’s Manual
COPIED FROM SH960MD
A-585-M-2007
Preliminary
Version
Preliminary
Version

2User's Manual | WL9A3
Copyright
This publication contains information that is protected by copyright. No part of it may be repro-
duced in any form or by any means or used to make any transformation/adaptation without the
prior written permission from the copyright holders.
This publication is provided for informational purposes only. The manufacturer makes no
representations or warranties with respect to the contents or use of this manual and specifi-
cally disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular
purpose. The user will assume the entire risk of the use or the results of the use of this docu-
ment. Further, the manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication and make changes
to its contents at any time, without obligation to notify any person or entity of such revisions or
changes.
Changes after the publication’s first release will be based on the product’s revision. The website
will always provide the most updated information.
© 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Trademarks
Product names or trademarks appearing in this manual are for identification purpose only and
are the properties of the respective owners.
FCC and DOC Statement on Class B
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reason-
able protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encour-
aged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the re-
ceiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help.
Notice:
1. The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
2. Shielded interface cables must be used in order to comply with the emission limits.

3User's Manual | WL9A3
Table of Contents
Copyright........................................................................................................................................ 2
Trademarks....................................................................................................................................2
FCC and DOC Statement on Class B........................................................................................... 2
Notice:............................................................................................................................................2
About this Manual.........................................................................................................................4
Warranty ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Static Electricity Precautions ....................................................................................................... 4
Safety Measures ...........................................................................................................................4
About the Package........................................................................................................................5
Optional Items............................................................................................................................... 5
Before Using the System Board................................................................................................... 5
Chapter 1 - Introduction................................................................................................................6
Specifications ......................................................................................................................... 6
Specification Comparison .....................................................................................................7
Features .................................................................................................................................. 8
Concept................................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2 - Hardware Installation................................................................................................8
Board Layout........................................................................................................................... 8
System Memory ..................................................................................................................... 9
Assembly ................................................................................................................................ 9
I/O Connectors .....................................................................................................................11
Board-to-board Connector ............................................................................................11
Signal Descriptions ..............................................................................................................13
Pin Types........................................................................................................................13
AC97/HDA Signals Descriptions ..................................................................................13
Gigabit Ethernet Signals Descriptions .........................................................................13
SATA Signals Descriptions ...........................................................................................14
PCI Express Lanes Signals Descriptions.....................................................................14
DDI Signals Descriptions...............................................................................................15
USB Signals Descriptions .............................................................................................16
LVDS Signals Descriptions............................................................................................17
LPC Signals Descriptions..............................................................................................18
SPI Signals Descriptions...............................................................................................19
Serial Interface Signals Descriptions...........................................................................19
Miscellaneous Signal Descriptions ..............................................................................19
Power and System Management Signals Descriptions .............................................20
GPIO Signals Descriptions............................................................................................21
Power and GND Signal Descriptions ...........................................................................21

4User's Manual | WL9A3
About this Manual
This manual can be downloaded from the website, or acquired as an electronic file included in
the optional CD/DVD. The manual is subject to change and update without notice, and may be
based on editions that do not resemble your actual products. Please visit our website or con-
tact our sales representatives for the latest editions.
Warranty
1. Warranty does not cover damages or failures that arised from misuse of the product,
inability to use the product, unauthorized replacement or alteration of components and
product specifications.
2. The warranty is void if the product has been subjected to physical abuse, improper in-
stallation, modification, accidents or unauthorized repair of the product.
3. Unless otherwise instructed in this user’s manual, the user may not, under any circum-
stances, attempt to perform service, adjustments or repairs on the product, whether in
or out of warranty. It must be returned to the purchase point, factory or authorized ser-
vice agency for all such work.
4. We will not be liable for any indirect, special, incidental or consequencial damages to
the product that has been modified or altered.
Static Electricity Precautions
It is quite easy to inadvertently damage your PC, system board, components or devices even
before installing them in your system unit. Static electrical discharge can damage computer
components without causing any signs of physical damage. You must take extra care in han-
dling them to ensure against electrostatic build-up.
1. To prevent electrostatic build-up, leave the system board in its anti-static bag until you
are ready to install it.
2. Wear an antistatic wrist strap.
3. Do all preparation work on a static-free surface.
4. Hold the device only by its edges. Be careful not to touch any of the components, con-
tacts or connections.
5. Avoid touching the pins or contacts on all modules and connectors. Hold modules or
connectors by their ends.
Safety Measures
• To avoid damage to the system, use the correct AC input voltage range.
• To reduce the risk of electric shock, unplug the power cord before removing the sys-
tem chassis cover for installation or servicing. After installation or servicing, cover the
system chassis before plugging the power cord.
Important:
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage your processor, disk drive and other
components. Perform the upgrade instruction procedures described at an ESD
workstation only. If such a station is not available, you can provide some ESD pro-
tection by wearing an antistatic wrist strap and attaching it to a metal part of the
system chassis. If a wrist strap is unavailable, establish and maintain contact with
the system chassis throughout any procedures requiring ESD protection.

5User's Manual | WL9A3
About the Package
The package contains the following items. If any of these items are missing or damaged,
please contact your dealer or sales representative for assistance.
• One WL9A3 board
• CPU Cooler / Heatsink (only for certain SKUs)
Optional Items
• COM100-B carrier board kit
• Heat spreader
The board and accessories in the package may not come similar to the information listed
above. This may differ in accordance with the sales region or models in which it was sold. For
more information about the standard package in your region, please contact your dealer or
sales representative.
Before Using the System Board
When installing the system board in a new system, you will need at least the following internal
components.
• Carrier Board
• Storage device such as hard disk drive, CD-ROM, etc.
• Power adaptor
External system peripherals may also be required for navigation and display, including at least
a keyboard, a mouse and a video display monitor.

6
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
User's Manual | WL9A3
Chapter 1 - Introduction
XSpecifications
SYSTEM Processor 8th Gen Intel®CoreTM Processor, FCBGA1528
- i7-8665UE Processor, Quad Core, 8M Cache, 1.7GHz (4.4GHz), 15W
- i5-8365UE Processor, Quad Core, 6M Cache, 1.6GHz (4.1GHz), 15W
- i3-8145UE Processor, Dual Core, 4M Cache, 2.1GHz (3.9GHz), 15W
Memory 8GB/16GB Memory Down
Dual Channel LPDDR3 2133MHz
BIOS SPI 128Mbit (default supports FTPM)
GRAPHICS Controller Intel®UHD Graphics 620
Feature OpenGL 5.0, DirectX 12, OpenCL 2.1
HW Decode: AVC/H.264, MPEG2, VC1, WMV9, JPEG/MJPEG,
HEVC/H.265, VP8, VP9, MVC
HW Encode: AVC/H.264, JPEG/MJPEG, HEVC/H.265, VP8, VP9, MVC
Display 1 x DDI (HDMI/DP++)
1 x LVDS/eDP
LVDS: single channel 24-bit, resolution up to 1366x768 @ 60Hz
HDMI: resolution up to 4096x2160 @ 30 Hz
DP++: resolution up to 4096x2304 @ 60Hz
eDP: resolution up to 4096x2304 @ 60Hz
Dual Display DDI + LVDS
DDI + eDP
EXPANSION Interface 4 x PCIe x1 (Gen 3)
1 x SDIO
1 x LPC
2 x I2C
1 x SMBus
1 x SPI
2 x UART (TX/RX)
AUDIO Interface HD Audio
ETHERNET Controller 1 x Intel®I219 (10/100/1000Mbps)
I/O USB 2 x USB 3.0
8 x USB 2.0
SATA 2 x SATA 3.0 (up to 6Gb/s)
GPIO 1 x 8-bit GPIO
WATCHDOG
TIMER
Output &
Interval
System Reset, Programmable via Software from 1 to 255 Seconds
POWER Type 4.75V~20V, 5VSB, VCC_RTC (ATX mode)
4.75V~20V, VCC_RTC (AT mode)
OS SUPPORT
(UEFI ONLY)
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 64-bit
Linux
ENVIRONMENT Temperature Operating: 0 to 60°C / -40 to 85°C
Storage: -40 to 85°C
Humidity Operating: 5 to 90% RH
Storage: 5 to 90% RH
MECHANICAL Dimensions COM Express®Mini: 84mm (3.30") x 55mm (2.16")
Compliance PICMG COM Express®R3.0, Type 10

7
Chapter 2
HARDWARE INSTALLATION
User's Manual | WL9A3
The table below lists the base specifications of COM Express Module Revision 3.0, Type 10
(Single Connector), and the corresponding specifications supported by the WL9A3 module.
COM Express
Min / Max
DFI WL9A3
System I/O
PCI Express Lanes 0 - 5 1 / 4 4
LVDS Channel A 0 / 1 1
LVDS Channel B NA NA
eDP on LVDS CH A pins 0 / 1 1(option)
VGA Port NA NA
TV-Out NA NA
DDI 0 0 / 1 1
Note1 Serial Ports 1 - 2 0/2 2
CAN interface on SER1 0 / 1 1
SATA / SAS Ports 1 / 2 2
AC’97 / HDA Digital Interface 0 / 1 1
USB 2.0 Ports 4 / 8 8
USB Client 0 / 1 0
USB 3.0 Ports 0 / 2 2
LAN Port 0 1 / 1 1
Express Card Support NA NA
LPC Bus 1 / 1 1
SPI 1 / 2 1
System Management
Note2 SDIO (muxed on GPIO)
General Purpose I/O
0/1
8 / 8
1(option)
8
SMBus 1 / 1 1
I2C 1 / 1 1
Watchdog Timer 0 / 1 1
Speaker Out 1 / 1 1
External BIOS ROM Support 0 / 2 1
Reset Functions 1 / 1 1
Power Management
Thermal Protection 0 / 1 1
Battery Low Alarm 0 / 1 1
Suspend/Wake Signals 0 / 3 3
XSpecification Comparison
Power Button Support 1 / 1 1
Power Good 1 / 1 1
VCC_5V_SBY Contacts 4 / 4 4
Sleep Input 0/1 1
Lid Input 0/1 1
Fan Control Signals 0/2 2
Trusted Platform Modules 0/1 0
Power
VCC_12V Contacts 12/12 12
Note:
1. It indicates 12V-tolerant features on former VCC_12V signals.
2. The two indicate an approximation of features sharing connector pins.

8
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
User's Manual | WL9A3
XFeatures
Watchdog Timer
The Watchdog Timer function allows your application to regularly “clear” the system at the set
time interval. If the system hangs or fails to function, it will reset at the set time interval so that
your system will continue to operate.
LPDDR3
Low-Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR) is a form of RAM that targets less power consumption.
LPDDR3 achieves a data rate of 1600 MT/s.
Graphics
The integrated Intel®UHD 620 graphics engine delivers an excellent blend of graphics perfor-
mance and features to meet business needs. It provides excellent video and 3D graphics with
outstanding graphics responsiveness. These enhancements deliver the performance and com-
patibility needed for today’s and tomorrow’s business applications. Supports VGA, LVDS, eDP
and DDI display outputs.
Serial ATA
The system supports multiple SATA 3.0 (up to 6Gb/s) ports and allows for different configura-
tions of RAID levels to meet various requirements for data redundancy and performance.
Gigabit LAN
The Intel®I219 Gigabit LAN controller features up to 1Gbps data transmission with support for
Intel®Active Management Technology. It provides remote maintenance and manageability for
networked computing assets in an enterprise environment.
Wake-On-LAN
This feature allows the network to remotely wake up a Soft Power Down (Soft-Off) PC. It is
supported via the onboard LAN port or via a PCI LAN card that uses the PCI PME (Power Man-
agement Event) signal. However, if your system is in the Suspend mode, you can power-on the
system only through an IRQ or DMA interrupt.
USB
The system board supports the new USB 3.0. It is capable of running at a maximum transmis-
sion speed of up to 5 Gbit/s (625 MB/s) and is faster than USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/s, or 60 MB/s)
and USB 1.1 (12Mb/s). USB 3.0 reduces the time required for data transmission, reduces power
consumption, and is backward compatible with USB 2.0. It is a marked improvement in device
transfer speeds between your computer and a wide range of simultaneously accessible exter-
nal Plug and Play peripherals.
ACPI STR
The system board is designed to meet the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
specification. ACPI has energy saving features that enables PCs to implement Power Manage-
ment and Plug-and-Play with operating systems that support OS Direct Power Management.
ACPI when enabled in the Power Management Setup will allow you to use the Suspend to RAM
function.
With the Suspend to RAM function enabled, you can power-off the system at once by pressing
the power button or selecting “Standby” when you shut down Windows® without having to go
through the sometimes tiresome process of closing files, applications and operating system.
This is because the system is capable of storing all programs and data files during the entire
operating session into RAM (Random Access Memory) when it powers-off. The operating ses-
sion will resume exactly where you left off the next time you power-on the system.
Power Failure Recovery
When power returns after an AC power failure, you may choose to either power-on the system
manually or let the system power-on automatically.

9
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
User's Manual | WL9A3
XConcept
106.00
91.00
70.00
51.00
4.00
18.00
6.00
0.00
16.50 4.00 0.00
Extended
BasicCompact
Mini
74.20 80.00 91.00 121.00 151.00
Common for all Form Factors
Extended only
Basic only
Compact only
Compact and Basic only
Mini only
COM Express
Computer-on-module (COM) Express is a PC form factor designed with the core computing in-
tegrated on a fairly compact module. All the I/O signals and power supply are concentrated and
mapped to the board-to-board connectors on the bottom side to interface with a carrier board
that is typically customized to fit the application. When an upgrade or change of application is
needed, the physical separation of the core computing and the I/O of COM Express cuts back
the cost greatly, whereas canonical IPC designs would typically require an entire makeover. The
COM Express module can be replaced when there is only need to upgrade for higher computing
performance, while the carrier board can be redesigned when there is solely change in applica-
tion. COM Express also comes in different form factors and signal Types cut out for different
scales and aspects of the system's application. Detailed specifications of COM Express are
available on the website of PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG).
Carrier Board
The design of a carrier board for COM Express greatly depends on the form factor and signal
Type of the COM Express module. The carrier board typically handles — but not limited to —
one COM Express module, and is populated with stand-offs that conform to the form factor of
the module's mounting holes.
WL9A3 is a Type 10 COM Express Revision 3.0 module compatible with DFI's proprietary carrier
board — COM100-B — as an optional item. If the carrier board is to be customized, the design
guide for the carrier board can be attained via the Partner Zone page on our website.

8
Chapter 2
HARDWARE INSTALLATION
User's Manual | WL9A3
Chapter 2 - Hardware Installation
XBoard Layout
Important:
When the Standby Power LED on the carrier board lights up, it indicates that there
is power on the system board. Power-off the PC then unplug the power cord prior
to installing any devices. Failure to do so will cause severe damage to the mother-
board and components.
Important:
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage your board, processor, disk drives,
add-in boards, and other components. Perform installation procedures at an ESD
workstation only. If such a station is not available, you can provide some ESD pro-
tection by wearing an antistatic wrist strap and attaching it to a metal part of the
system chassis. If a wrist strap is unavailable, establish and maintain contact with
the system chassis throughout any procedures requiring ESD protection.
Intel
BGA 1528
SPI Flash BIOS
Intel
I219LM
DDR3
DDR3
Bottom View
Top View
SIO
IT8528E
eMMC
PTN3460
COM Express B2B
DDR3
DDR3
Intel
BGA 1528
SPI Flash BIOS
Intel
I219LM
DDR3
DDR3
Bottom View
Top View
SIO
IT8528E
eMMC
PTN3460
COM Express B2B
DDR3
DDR3