MCC i2cStick 2 User manual
User’s Guide
USB to I2C Bus Host Adapter
with Circuit Sense™
www.mcc-us.com
Introduction
The MCC i2cStick 2™ USB to I2C Bus host adapter with Circuit Sense allows any
Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X host computer to become an I2C Master or Slave
device, transmitting or receiving I2C messages between the host computer and one
or more I2C devices across an I2C Bus.
This user’s guide describes the installation and operation of the i2cStick 2 host
adapter, including the Virtual Communication Port (VCP) driver, and the USB and
I2C Bus interconnects. Also described are the iPort Utility Pack software for quick
I2C Bus communication, MS.Net and LabVIEW libraries for custom software
development, and other tools and applications.
A complete set of resources for the i2cStick 2 is available at:
www.mcc-us.com/i2cStick-2
This product conforms to the I²C Bus specifications defined by NXP/Philips
Semiconductors.
To find out more about I2C, we suggest you review our white paper “I2C Bus
Technical Overview” at:
www.mcc-us.com/I2CBusTechnicalOverview.pdf.
I²C is a trademark of NXP (Philips) Corporation. All trademarks acknowledged as
the property of their owners.
13-OCT-2018
Copyright© 2018 by Micro Computer Control Corporation. All rights are reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the prior
written permission of Micro Computer Control Corporation, PO Box 275,
Hopewell, New Jersey 08525 USA.
DISCLAIMER: Micro Computer Control Corporation makes no representations or
warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied
warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, Micro
Computer Control Corporation reserves the right to revise the product described in
this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content hereof
without the obligation to notify any person of such revisions or changes.
WARNING - Life Support Applications: MCC products are not designed for use
in life support appliances, devices, or systems where the malfunction of the product
can reasonably be expected to result in a personal injury.
WARNING - Radio Frequency Emissions: This equipment has been tested and
found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of
the FCC rules, and the CE General Emissions Standard EN55032 and General
Immunity Standard EN55035. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may
cause interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area is likely to cause interference, in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
WARNING - Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Precautions: Any damage caused by
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) through inadequate earth grounding is NOT covered
under the warranty of this product. See the “Electrostatic (ESD) Precautions”
section of this guide for more information.
Electronic Waste Notice - This product must NOT be thrown into general waste,
but should be collected separately and properly recycled under local regulations.
Created in the United States of America
Table of Contents
1 Overview .......................................................1
i2cStick 2 Product Features .........................................2
i2cStick2PackageContents ........................................3
SystemRequirements .............................................4
2.Interconnects ....................................................4
USBConnector ..................................................4
VirtualCommunicationsPort(VCP) ...............................4
I2C Mini Interface Connector .......................................5
3.HardwareConfiguration ...........................................6
Circuit Sense™ ..................................................6
PowerSourceMode ............................................6
VoltageSenseMode ............................................7
I2CBusPull-upResistors ..........................................7
ConnectingtoanSMBusTargetSystem...............................7
4. ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) Precautions .............................8
Host Computer Grounding .........................................8
Grounding Solutions ..............................................8
5.DriverSoftwareSet-Up............................................9
Driver Install (Windows) ...........................................9
Driver Update (Windows) .........................................10
Driver Uninstall (Windows) .......................................10
6.HardwareSet-Up................................................10
USBConnection ................................................10
I2CBusConnection ..............................................11
7. Software Support ................................................11
I2C Bus Communication Utilities ...................................11
iPort Utility Pack for Windows ...................................11
iPortMessageCenter ........................................11
iPortMessageManager ......................................12
iBurner I2CBusEEPROMProgrammer............................12
I2CBusSoftwareDevelopmentTools................................12
MS.NETClassLibrary .........................................12
LabVIEWVILibrary ..........................................12
ASCIICommandInterface ......................................12
i2cStick2RevisionReport...........................................14
AdditionalInformation..............................................14
Appendix A - I2CConnectorInformation ...............................15
FCCComplianceStatement..........................................16
CE Declaration of Conformity ........................................16
1
1 Overview
The i2cStick 2 USB to I2C Bus host adapter with Circuit Sense allows any
Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X host computer to become an I2C Bus Master or
Slave device, transmitting or receiving I2C messages between the PC and one or
more I2C devices across an I2C Bus. Circuit Sense, our I2C Bus voltage sensing
technology, allows the i2cStick 2 to work with the latest I2C Bus devices at voltages
as low as 0.5 volts.
The i2cStick 2 uses a Virtual Communications Port (VCP) interface to
communicate with a host computer via USB. A virtual serial port is created on the
host computer when the driver is installed. Drivers are available for several
operating systems, and can be installed stand-alone, or while installing the iPort
Utility Pack.
2
i2cStick 2 Product Features
• OS Support: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
• High Performance Processor Increases Throughput (2x to 200x).
• USB Bus Powered with USB 2.0 Type A Plug.
• Built-in ESD, Over-voltage, and Reverse-voltage Protection.
• Switch Controlled Properties:
•I
2C Bus Power Source (3.3v or 5v @100ma).
•I
2C Bus Voltage Sense (0.5v to 5v, Enable or Disable).
•I
2C Bus Pull-Ups (1.8K ohm, Enable or Disable).
• Software Controlled Properties:
•I
2C Bus Master Clock Rates: 23KHz, 86KHz, 100KHz Std, 400KHz Fast
•I
2C Bus General Call Enable
•I
2C Bus Time-Out (0-32K ms)
• Host Communication Flow Control (XON/XOFF or RTS/CTS)
• User Interface Echo/Prompt Enable
• User Data Format (HEX or ASCII/HEX)
• Supported I2C Bus Activities:
• Master and Slave Functions
• Transmit, Receive, and Tx/Rx Data Functions
• Multi-Master Arbitration Loss Detection
• Clock-stretch Detection
• Bus Time-Out Detection
• 7-bit Slave Address Generation and Detection
• Up to 32K data bytes in a single message
• SMBus Packet Error Detection
• eXtended Commands for 2-Wire, "I2C-Like" Low-level SCL/SDA Signal
Control
• Software Support:
• Virtual ComPort Drivers (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X)
• Free Application Software (Master, Slave, EEPROM Programming)
• Software Development Tools (MS.NET, LabVIEW, and ASCII Commands)
• Compatible with existing iPort/AI, iPort/AFM, iPort/USB, iPort/LAN, i2cStick,
iPort/USB 2, iPort/AFM 2, and iPort/LAN 2 applications.
• USB-IF (Full-Speed) and MS WHQL Certified.
• US-FCC and EUR-CE EMC Compliant.
• RoHS/Lead-Free Compliant.
3
i2cStick 2 Package Contents
The i2cStick 2 package includes the following items:
• i2cStick 2, USB to I2C Bus Host Adapter.
• i2cStick 2 Mini Clip-lead Cable.
• i2cStick 2 Quick Start Guide.
• i2cStick 2 Travel Case.
• Online Items*
• i2cStick 2 Datasheet
• i2cStick 2 User’s Guide (this document)
• i2cStick 2 Virtual ComPort Drivers
• iPort Utility Pack Software
• Application Software.
• Software Development Tools
(* www.mcc-us.com/i2cStick-2)
The i2cStick 2 is also available in 5 and 10 packs excluding the Mini Clip-lead
Cable and Travel Case.
requirements.
4
System Requirements
a. A host computer with one free USB port or self-powered USB hub.
b. Windows XP (x86), Vista (x86/x64), 7 (x86/x64), 8, 10.
• Windows XP+
• Linux 2.6+
• Mac OSX 10.5+
2. Interconnects
The i2cStick 2 includes two interconnections:
USB Connector
The USB Type A connector provides connection from the I2C adapter to a USB port
on the host computer or self-powered USB hub.
The i2cStick 2 operates as a high-power (>100 mA) bus-powered USB device, with
up to 100 mA of (user optional) switch-selectable 3.3v or 5v for I2C Bus target
system power.
Virtual Communications Port (VCP)
The i2cStick 2 uses a Virtual Communications Port (VCP) interface to
communicate with a host computer via USB. A virtual serial port is created on the
host computer when the driver is installed. Drivers are available for several
operating systems, and can be installed separately, or while installing the iPort
Utility Pack.
5
The drivers and installation instructions are available online at the following web
address:
www.mcc-us.com/i2cStick-2
After the driver software is installed, plug the i2cStick 2 into a host computer USB
port, or self-powered USB hub. Upon detecting the device, the operating system
will automatically load the driver and create a new “virtual” serial port for
communicating with the i2cStick 2. Once installed, application programs running
on the host computer can communicate with the i2cStick 2 via the operating system
serial port Application Program Interface (API).
The i2cStick 2 uses the following VCP serial port signals:
• TX - Transmit Data from the Host Computer to the i2cStick 2.
• RX - Receive Data from the i2cStick 2 to the Host Computer.
• RTS - Request to Send from the Host Computer to i2cStick 2.
• CTS - Clear to Send from the i2cStick 2 to the Host Computer.
Serial communications flow-control options include X-ON/X-OFF (default) or
RTS/CTS. The flow-control method used by a host computer application should
match the flow-control method selected for use by the i2cStick 2 host adapter.
I2C Mini Interface Connector
The i2cStick 2 includes a five wire (1x5) 2.54 mm (.100"), positive locking,
shrouded header connector (see Appendix A) for interfacing to an external I2C Bus.
Interface lines provided include:
•I
2C Clock (SCL)
•I
2C Data (SDA)
• Shield (optional)
• Ground
• +V (optional)
Minimum wiring for I2C Bus communications include I2C Bus Clock, Data, and
Ground. Use of the +V and Shield wires in the I2C Interface connector are user
optional.
NOTE: See the Hardware Configuration section below for additional information
6
on configuring the I2C Bus interface.
I2C Bus Mini Interface Receptacle
Mini Interface Receptacle Pinout
I2C Bus Mini-Clip-Lead cables are available to connect the i2cStick 2 adapter to a
target system. Each clip-lead is identified (White=C=SCL, Red=V=+V,
Green=D=SDA, Black=G=Ground).
I2C Bus Mini-Interface cables with two Mini Interface plugs are also available to
connect the I2C adapter to an external I2C Bus.
3. Hardware Configuration
Circuit Sense™
The i2cStick 2 includes MCC’s Circuit Sense technology. Circuit Sense allows the
I2C interface +V wire to operate in two modes, Power Source Mode and Voltage
Sense Mode. Mode selection is controlled by the MODE slide switch on the side of
the unit enclosure.
•Power Source Mode - The +V wire can supply power (3.3v or 5v @ 100 mA)
Vcc to an external I2C Bus system. Voltage selection is controlled by the
SOURCE slide switch on the side of the unit enclosure. In Power Source Mode,
the voltage of the i2cStick 2 SCL and SDA internal pull-ups, if enabled, and
Voltage Sense circuit (0.3Vcc LowMAX, 0.7Vcc HighMIN) is selected by the
SOURCE switch. (Use of the +V wire in Power Source Mode is user optional).
Power Source Mode is similar to the standard mode of operation on earlier
versions of MCC I2C Bus host adapters.
7
•Voltage Sense Mode - The +V wire must be connected to the external I2C Bus
pull-up supply reference voltage (0.5v to 5v) Vcc. In this mode, the i2cStick 2
SCL and SDA voltage sense circuits automatically adjust to match (0.3Vcc
LowMAX, 0.7Vcc HighMIN) the external reference voltage. In Voltage Sense Mode,
the voltage of the i2cStick 2 SCL and SDA internal pull-ups, if enabled, is
supplied by the external voltage (Vcc) applied to the +V wire. (Use of the +V
wire in Voltage Sense Mode is required).
I2C Bus Pull-up Resistors
I2C Bus systems are based on open-collector technology requiring pull-up devices
on each signal wire (SCL and SDA). These pull-up devices usually take the form of
pull-up resistors connected to bus power.
The i2cStick 2 adapter includes a PULL-UPS slide switch used to enable or disable
internal 1.8K ohm pull-up resistors attached to the SCL and SDA lines. Every I2C
Bus system must have at least one pull-up on the signal lines. In some cases, the
pull-ups may be present in the external I2C Bus circuit. Use this switch to configure
the pull-up resistors for your system.
See the Power Source Mode and Voltage Sense Mode sections for applied pull-up
voltage.
Connecting to an SMBus Target System
If you are connecting the I2C adapter to a SMBus target system, you should follow
these steps BEFORE applying power:
• Shut off the I2C adapter’s internal pull-ups (See Pull-up Resistor section).
• Use external SMBus rated (appoximately15k ohms) pull-up resistors. These
pull-ups may already be present in the target system.
• Visit our I2C versus SMBus FAQ page (www.mcc-us.com/I2CSMBusFAQ.htm).
• See the SMBus Specification for additional details.
Special Note for SMBus Users: MCC’s I2C adapters are designed to be I2C Bus
compatible, not SMBus compatible. Some features of the SMBus protocol not
supported include time-outs, device reset, and Packet Error Check byte processing.
The non-supported SMBus features may, or may not, permit the use of the I2C
8
adapter in your SMBus application. Consult the MCC FAQ web page and SMBus
Specification for details.
4. ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) Precautions
Electrostatic discharge is defined as the transfer of charge between bodies at
different electrical potentials. Electrostatic discharge can change the electrical
characteristics of a semiconductor device, degrading or destroying it. Electrostatic
discharge also may upset the normal operation of an electronic system, causing
equipment malfunction or failure.
When connecting the I2C adapter to a host computer and a target system, extreme
care must be taken to avoid electrostatic discharge. Failure to follow ESD protection
procedures when using the I2C adapter could damage the host computer, I2C
adapter, or the target system, and void product warranty coverage.
Host Computer Grounding
Case 1 - Desktop and Single-board Computers. The chassis on a desktop or
single-board host computer must be connected to earth ground to comply with
safety regulations. If the computer chassis is NOT connected to earth ground for
some reason (i.e., use of a two-prong power mains plug), the host computer power
supply ground will float to some unknown voltage potential.
Case 2 - Laptop Computers. Laptop computers present special ESD problems. Most
laptop computers use an external double-insulated mains power supply which is
NOT connected to the mains earth ground. This means that the laptop chassis is
floating at some unknown voltage potential.
In either case, upon connection to the I2C adapter and the target system, the host
computer will discharge energy through its serial port to the I2C adapter, and on to
the target system. This discharge could damage the host computer, I2C adapter, and
the target system.
Grounding Solutions
To avoid damage to the host computer, I2C adapter, or target system, follow these
instructions:
• Wear an earth grounded wrist strap, or discharge any static charge build-up,
9
when handling the I2C adapter or any target system devices.
• Ensure that both the host computer and target system are connected to a common
earth ground point.
• Make sure that all interconnections are made BEFORE applying power to the
host computer, I2C adapter, and target system.
• If you are using a laptop computer or host computer that is NOT connected to
mains earth ground, make a hard-wired connection from the host computer (i.e.,
port connector shell) and the target system ground connector to a common earth
ground point.
• Avoid plugging and unplugging system components while the host computer or
target system is powered.
• Ensure that any devices connected to the target system are properly grounded to
the common earth ground point.
• If unsure how to properly ground system components, seek electrical expert help.
WARNING: Any damage caused by Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) through
inadequate earth grounding is NOT covered under the warranty of this product.
5. Driver Software Set-Up
The i2cStick 2 uses a Virtual Communications Port (VCP) interface to
communicate with a host computer via USB. A virtual serial port is created on the
host computer when the driver is installed, and the i2cStick 2 is plugged in. Drivers
are available for several operating systems, and can be installed separately, or while
installing the iPort Utility Pack.
The stand-alone driver and iPort Utility Pack are available at the following link:
www.mcc-us.com/i2cStick-2
This section provides information on how to install, update, and uninstall the
i2cStick 2 software driver on a Windows-based host computer.
Driver Install (Windows)
Download, extract, and install the stand-alone VCP driver or iPort Utility Pack
using the i2cStick 2 resource link above. Pre-installation (before plug-in)
places the VCP driver into the Windows Driver Store, ready for installation
when the i2cStick 2 is first plugged into the host computer.
10
After plug-in, you can find the ComPort number assigned to the i2cStick 2 by
running the iPort Utility Pack Message Center or Message Manager software,
and selecting the i2cStick 2 device, use Windows Device Manager (Start |
Settings | Control Panel | System | Device Manager | Ports (COM & LPT)), or
use the OS X or Linux ls /dev command to find the communications port
address assigned to the i2cStick 2.
Driver Update (Windows)
i2cStick 2 VCP drivers are posted on the MCC website (www.mcc-
us.com/i2cStick-2). Use Windows Device Manager (Start | Settings | Control
Panel | System | Device Manager | Ports (COM & LPT)) to see the current
version of the i2cStick 2 driver installed on your computer, and determine if
newer driver is available. If a newer VCP driver is available, follow website
instructions to download and install a driver update on your computer.
Driver Uninstall (Windows)
i2cStick 2 VCP drivers can be uninstalled using Windows Device Manager
(Start | Settings | Control Panel | System | Device Manager | Ports (COM &
LPT)), or the Driver Uninstall short-cut on the iPort Utility Pack Start menu.
6. Hardware Set-Up
This section provides information on connecting the i2cStick 2 to your host
computer and I2C Bus target system.
USB Connection
After completing the Driver Installation instructions above, plug the i2cStick 2
adapter into a free USB port on your host computer or self-powered USB hub.
If this is the first time the i2cStick 2 is connected to the host computer, the
operating system will automatically install the VCP driver and assign the
i2cStick 2 a communications port address (COMn, /dev).
After plug-in, you can find the ComPort number assigned to the i2cStick 2 by
running the iPort Utility Pack Message Center or Message Manager software,
and selecting the i2cStick 2 device, use Windows Device Manager (Start |
Settings | Control Panel | System | Device Manager | Ports (COM & LPT)), or
11
use the OS X or Linux ls /dev command to find the communications port
address assigned to the i2cStick 2.
I2C Bus Connection
Connect the I2C Bus cable to the I2C adapter and your I2C device. You can
make this connection with the I2C Mini Clip-Lead cable or I2C Mini Interface
Cable.
The I2C Bus interconnect includes 5 wires, Clock (SCL), Data (SDA), Ground
(GND), Shield (SHD), and +V. The minimum connection for I2C Bus
communication is Clock, Data, and Ground. You may not need to, or want to,
connect the additional wires to your target system. Refer to the “Hardware
Configuration” sections for details.
If you have any questions on I2C adapter setup and configuration, please visit our
FAQ page (http://www.mcc-us.com/faq.htm), or contact our technical support team
7. Software Support
MCC offers the following categories of I2C Bus software support:
I2C Bus Communication Utilities
iPort Utility Pack for Windows
The iPort Utility Pack for Windows provides a quick-start to I2C Bus
communications. The Utility Pack includes two Windows-based application
that will help you get started sending and receiving I2C Bus messages quickly
and easily.
iPort Message Center
iPort Message Center is a bus master application with a spreadsheet-like
user interface. Each row in the spreadsheet represents a single I2C Bus
message. A message can transmit data to a specified slave device, or read
data from a specified slave device. Received data is automatically displayed
in the spreadsheet.
12
Message options include repeated-start, and a time delay after each
message. One or more messages in the spreadsheet are transmitted in
sequence, and can auto-repeat at the completion of the last message.
iPort Message Manager
iPort Message Manager is a bus master/slave application that can master
transmit, master receive, slave transmit, and slave receive I2C Bus
messages. Message options include master transmit and transmit/receive,
and auto-repeat
iBurner I2C Bus EEPROM Programmer
iBurner is our I2C Bus EEPROM Programmer software package for Windows.
With iBurner, you can quickly and easily blank-check, program, read, and
verify a wide variety of I2C Bus EEPROMs. iBurner also supports scripting,
allowing EEPROM programing serialization and automation.
I2C Bus Software Development Tools
MCC provides three methods for creating custom application software for ASCII
Interface I2C Bus Adapters:
MS.NET Class Library
The MS.NET Class Library provides a comprehensive set of tools for the
creation of robust I2C Bus applications. Included are Constructors, Methods,
Properties, Events, Enumerations, and SampleCode for Visual Basic.NET,
Visual C#, Visual C++, Visual J#, and LabVIEW.
LabVIEW VI Library
The LabVIEW VI Library provides a complete set of low-level, mid-level,
and high-level Virtual Instruments (Vis) for the LabVIEW developer.
Included are VIs for establishing a connection to the Adapter, performing I2C
Bus Master and Slave operations, and Sample LabVIEW applications.
ASCII Command Interface
The ASCII Command Interface provides a direct low-level ASCII command
13
application program interface to the I2C Bus Adapter. ASCII commands can
be accessed from a terminal emulation program running on the host computer,
or from an application program using host computer operating system serial
port functions.
i2cStick 2 software support and more is available at:
www.mcc-us.com/i2cStick-2
14
i2cStick 2 Revision Report
This section defines revisions and changes made to the i2cStick 2 interface:
Revision: 1.00
1. Initial Release
Additional Information
For additional information on the I2C Bus, please refer to the following:
“What is I2C?”
www.mcc-us.com/I2CBusTechnicalOverview.pdf
“Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)”
www.mcc-us.com/faq.htm
"The I2C and How to Use It"
www.mcc-us.com/i2chowto.htm
15
Appendix A - I2C Connector Information
I2C Bus Interface Connector and Plug Information
The i2cStic 2k uses the following 1x5 2.54 mm (.100") pitch, 0.64 mm (.025")
square pin, header and plug assemblies for the I2C Bus interface.
I2C Header
Molex C-Grid® SL™ 70553 Header Molex Part # 70553-0004
I2C Plug Housing
Molex C-Grid® SL™ 70066 Crimp Housing Molex Part # 50-57-9405
Molex C-Grid® SL™ 70058 Crimp Terminal Molex Part # 16-02-0102
The following I2C Cables are available from MCC
MCC Part # I2CMIC I2C Mini Interface Cable 0.6 m (2')
MCC Part # I2CMCL I2C Mini Clip Lead Cable 0.3 m (1')
MCC Part # I2CMCAB I2C Mini CAB Cable 0.6 m (2')
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