Microchip Technology PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano Installation manual

PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano Hardware User Guide
Preface
The PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kit is a hardware platform to evaluate microcontrollers in the
PIC18‑Q40 Family. This board has the PIC18F16Q40 microcontroller (MCU) mounted.
Supported by MPLAB® X IDE, the board provides easy access to the features of the PIC18F16Q40 to explore how to
integrate the device into a custom design.
The Curiosity Nano series of evaluation boards include an on-board debugger. No external tools are necessary to
program and debug the PIC18F16Q40.
•MPLAB® X IDE - Software to discover, configure, develop, program, and debug Microchip microcontrollers.
•Code examples on GitHub - Get started with code examples.
•PIC18F16Q40 website - Find documentation, data sheets, sample, and purchase microcontrollers.
•PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano website - Kit information, latest user guide, and design documentation.
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 1

Table of Contents
Preface........................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1. Features....................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2. Board Overview............................................................................................................................4
2. Getting Started........................................................................................................................................ 5
2.1. Quick Start....................................................................................................................................5
2.1.1. Driver Installation...........................................................................................................5
2.1.2. Kit Window.....................................................................................................................5
2.1.3. MPLAB® X IDE Device Family Packs............................................................................5
2.2. Design Documentation and Relevant Links................................................................................. 5
3. Preprogrammed Application....................................................................................................................7
4. Curiosity Nano.........................................................................................................................................8
4.1. On-Board Debugger Overview..................................................................................................... 8
4.1.1. Debugger.......................................................................................................................8
4.1.2. Virtual Serial Port (CDC)................................................................................................9
4.1.3. Mass Storage Device...................................................................................................11
4.1.4. Data Gateway Interface (DGI)..................................................................................... 13
4.2. Curiosity Nano Standard Pinout................................................................................................. 14
4.3. Power Supply............................................................................................................................. 15
4.3.1. Target Regulator.......................................................................................................... 15
4.3.2. External Supply............................................................................................................17
4.3.3. VBUS Output Pin.........................................................................................................17
4.3.4. Power Supply Exceptions............................................................................................18
4.4. Low-Power Measurement.......................................................................................................... 19
4.5. Programming External Microcontrollers..................................................................................... 20
4.5.1. Supported Devices...................................................................................................... 20
4.5.2. Software Configuration................................................................................................ 20
4.5.3. Hardware Modifications............................................................................................... 21
4.5.4. Connecting to External Microcontrollers...................................................................... 22
4.6. Connecting External Debuggers................................................................................................ 23
5. Hardware User Guide........................................................................................................................... 25
5.1. Connectors.................................................................................................................................25
5.1.1. PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano Pinout..........................................................................25
5.1.2. Using Pin Headers.......................................................................................................25
5.2. Peripherals................................................................................................................................. 26
5.2.1. LED..............................................................................................................................26
5.2.2. Mechanical Switch.......................................................................................................27
5.2.3. Crystal..........................................................................................................................27
5.2.4. On-Board Debugger Implementation...........................................................................28
6. Hardware Revision History and Known Issues..................................................................................... 29
6.1. Identifying Product ID and Revision........................................................................................... 29
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 2

6.2. Revision 3...................................................................................................................................29
6.3. Revision 2...................................................................................................................................29
7. Document Revision History...................................................................................................................30
8. Appendix............................................................................................................................................... 31
8.1. Schematic...................................................................................................................................31
8.2. Assembly Drawing......................................................................................................................33
8.3. Curiosity Nano Base for Click boards™...................................................................................... 34
8.4. Disconnecting the On-Board Debugger..................................................................................... 35
The Microchip Website.................................................................................................................................37
Product Change Notification Service............................................................................................................37
Customer Support........................................................................................................................................ 37
Microchip Devices Code Protection Feature................................................................................................ 37
Legal Notice................................................................................................................................................. 38
Trademarks.................................................................................................................................................. 38
Quality Management System....................................................................................................................... 39
Worldwide Sales and Service.......................................................................................................................40
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 3

1. Introduction
1.1 Features
• PIC18F16Q40 Microcontroller
• One Yellow User LED
• One Mechanical User Switch
• Footprint for 32.768 kHz Crystal
• On-Board Debugger:
– Board identification in Microchip MPLAB® X IDE
– One green power and status LED
– Programming and debugging
– Virtual serial port (CDC)
– One debug GPIO channel (DGI GPIO)
• USB Powered
• Adjustable Target Voltage:
– MIC5353 LDO regulator controlled by the on-board debugger
– 1.8–5.1V output voltage (limited by USB input voltage)
– 500 mA maximum output current (limited by ambient temperature and output voltage)
1.2 Board Overview
The Microchip PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kit is a hardware platform to evaluate the PIC18F16Q40
microcontroller.
Figure 1-1. PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano Board Overview
User Switch
(SW0)
User LED
(LED0)
PIC18F16Q40
MCU
32.768 kHz
Crystal Footprint
Debugger
Power/Status
LED
Micro-USB
Connector
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Introduction
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 4

2. Getting Started
2.1 Quick Start
Steps to start exploring the PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano board:
1. Download Microchip MPLAB® X IDE.
2. Download MPLAB® XC C Compiler.
3. Launch MPLAB® X IDE.
4. Optional: Use MPLAB® Code Configurator to generate drivers and examples.
5. Write your application code.
6. Connect a USB cable (Standard-A to Micro-B or Micro-AB) between the PC and the debug USB port on the
board.
2.1.1 Driver Installation
When the board is connected to your computer for the first time, the operating system will perform a driver software
installation. The driver file supports both 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft® Windows® XP, Windows Vista®,
Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. The drivers for the board are included with MPLAB® X IDE.
2.1.2 Kit Window
Once the board is powered, the green status LED will be lit, MPLAB® X IDE will auto-detect which boards are
connected. The Kit Window in MPLAB® X IDE will present relevant information like data sheets and board
documentation. The PIC18F16Q40 device on the PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano board is programmed and debugged
by the on-board debugger and, therefore, no external programmer or debugger tool is required.
Tip: The Kit Window can be opened in MPLAB® X IDE through the menu bar Window > Kit Window.
2.1.3 MPLAB® X IDE Device Family Packs
Microchip MPLAB® X IDE requires specific information to support devices and tools. This information is contained in
versioned packs. For the PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano, board MPLAB® X version 5.40 with device family pack
“PIC18F-Q_DFP” version 1.8 and tool pack “nEDBG_TP” version 1.4 or newer are required. For more information on
packs and how to upgrade them, refer to the MPLAB® X IDE User’s guide - Work with Device Packs.
Tip: The latest device family packs are available through Tools > Packs in MPLAB® X IDE or online at
Microchip MPLAB® X Packs Repository.
2.2 Design Documentation and Relevant Links
The following list contains links to the most relevant documents and software for the PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
board:
•MPLAB® X IDE - MPLAB X IDE is a software program that runs on a PC (Windows®, Mac OS®, Linux®) to
develop applications for Microchip microcontrollers and digital signal controllers. It is called an Integrated
Development Environment (IDE) because it provides a single integrated “environment” to develop code for
embedded microcontrollers.
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Getting Started
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 5

•MPLAB® XC Compilers - MPLAB® XC8 C Compiler is available as a free, unrestricted-use download.
Microchips MPLAB® XC8 C Compiler is a comprehensive solution for your project’s software development on
Windows®, macOS® or Linux®. MPLAB® XC8 supports all 8-bit PIC® and AVR® microcontrollers (MCUs).
•MPLAB® Code Configurator - MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) is a free software plug-in that provides a
graphical interface to configure peripherals and functions specific to your application.
•Microchip Sample Store - Microchip sample store where you can order samples of devices.
•MPLAB Data Visualizer - MPLAB Data Visualizer is a program used for processing and visualizing data. The
Data Visualizer can receive data from various sources such as serial ports and on-board debugger’s Data
Gateway Interface, as found on Curiosity Nano and Xplained Pro boards.
•Microchip PIC® and AVR® Examples - Microchip PIC and AVR Device Examples is a collection of examples
and labs that use Microchip development boards to showcase the use of PIC and AVR device peripherals.
•Microchip PIC® and AVR® Solutions - Microchip PIC and AVR Device Solutions contains complete
applications for use with Microchip development boards, ready to be adapted and extended.
•PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano website - Kit information, latest user guide, and design documentation.
•PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano on Microchip Direct - Purchase this kit on Microchip Direct.
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Getting Started
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 6

3. Preprogrammed Application
The PIC18F16Q40 mounted on the Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kit is preprogrammed with an example application
ready to demonstrate some of the key features of the PIC18‑Q40 Family such as:
• 16-bit Pulse-Width Modulators (PWM)
• 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter with Computation (ADCC)
• UART module
• Integrated Temperature Indicator module
To get started with the application, find the user guide, code, and hex files for this application available online on
GitHub.
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Preprogrammed Application
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 7

4. Curiosity Nano
Curiosity Nano is an evaluation platform of small boards with access to most of the microcontrollers I/Os. The
platform consists of a series of low pin count microcontroller (MCU) boards with on-board debuggers, which are
integrated with MPLAB® X IDE. Each board is identified in the IDE. When plugged in, a Kit Window is displayed with
links to key documentation, including relevant user guides, application notes, data sheets, and example code.
Everything is easy to find. The on-board debugger features a virtual serial port (CDC) for serial communication to a
host PC and a Data Gateway Interface (DGI) with debug GPIO pin(s).
4.1 On-Board Debugger Overview
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano contains an on-board debugger for programming and debugging. The on-board
debugger is a composite USB device consisting of several interfaces:
• A debugger that can program and debug the PIC18F16Q40 in MPLAB® X IDE
• A mass storage device that allows drag-and-drop programming of the PIC18F16Q40
• A virtual serial port (CDC) that is connected to a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) on the
PIC18F16Q40, and provides an easy way to communicate with the target application through terminal software
• A Data Gateway Interface (DGI) for code instrumentation with logic analyzer channels (debug GPIO) to visualize
program flow
The on-board debugger controls a Power and Status LED (marked PS) on the PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano board.
The table below shows how the LED is controlled in different operation modes.
Table 4-1. On-Board Debugger LED Control
Operation Mode Power and Status LED
Boot Loader mode The LED blinks slowly during power-up
Power-up The LED is ON
Normal operation The LED is ON
Programming Activity indicator: The LED blinks slowly during programming/debugging
Drag-and-drop
programming Success: The LED blinks slowly for 2 sec
Failure: The LED blinks rapidly for 2 sec
Fault The LED blinks rapidly if a power fault is detected
Sleep/Off The LED is OFF. The on-board debugger is either in a sleep mode or powered down.
This can occur if the board is externally powered.
Info: Slow blinking is approximately 1 Hz, and rapid blinking is approximately 5 Hz.
4.1.1 Debugger
The on-board debugger on the PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano board appears as a Human Interface Device (HID) on
the host computer’s USB subsystem. The debugger supports full-featured programming and debugging of the
PIC18F16Q40 using MPLAB® X IDE.
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Curiosity Nano
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 8

Remember: Keep the debugger’s firmware up-to-date. Firmware upgrades are automatically done when
using MPLAB® X IDE.
4.1.2 Virtual Serial Port (CDC)
The virtual serial port (CDC) is a general purpose serial bridge between a host PC and a target device.
4.1.2.1 Overview
The on-board debugger implements a composite USB device that includes a standard Communications Device Class
(CDC) interface, which appears on the host as a virtual serial port. The CDC can be used to stream arbitrary data in
both directions between the host computer and the target: All characters sent through the virtual serial port on the
host computer will be transmitted as UART on the debugger’s CDC TX pin, and UART characters captured on the
debugger’s CDC RX pin will be returned to the host computer through the virtual serial port.
Figure 4-1. CDC Connection
Target MCU
UART TX
UART RX
Debugger
USB
CDC RX
CDC TX
PC
Terminal
Software
Target
Receive
Target
Send
Terminal
Receive
Terminal
Send
Info: As shown in Figure 4-1, the debugger’s CDC TX pin is connected to a UART RX pin on the target
for receiving characters from the host computer. Similarly, the debugger’s CDC RX pin is connected to a
UART TX pin on the target for transmitting characters to the host computer.
4.1.2.2 Operating System Support
On Windows machines, the CDC will enumerate as Curiosity Virtual COM Port and appear in the Ports section of the
Windows Device Manager. The COM port number can also be found there.
Info: On older Windows systems, a USB driver is required for CDC. This driver is included in installations
of MPLAB® X IDE.
On Linux machines, the CDC will enumerate and appear as /dev/ttyACM#.
Info: tty* devices belong to the “dialout” group in Linux, so it may be necessary to become a member of
that group to have permissions to access the CDC.
On MAC machines, the CDC will enumerate and appear as /dev/tty.usbmodem#. Depending on which terminal
program is used, it will appear in the available list of modems as usbmodem#.
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Curiosity Nano
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 9

Info: For all operating systems: Be sure to use a terminal emulator that supports DTR signaling. See
4.1.2.4 Signaling.
4.1.2.3 Limitations
Not all UART features are implemented in the on-board debugger CDC. The constraints are outlined here:
•Baud rate: Must be in the range of 1200 bps to 500 kbps. Any baud rate outside this range will be set to the
closest limit, without warning. Baud rate can be changed on-the-fly.
•Character format: Only 8-bit characters are supported.
•Parity: Can be odd, even, or none.
•Hardware flow control: Not supported.
•Stop bits: One or two bits are supported.
4.1.2.4 Signaling
During USB enumeration, the host OS will start both communication and data pipes of the CDC interface. At this
point, it is possible to set and read back the baud rate and other UART parameters of the CDC, but data sending and
receiving will not be enabled.
When a terminal connects on the host, it must assert the DTR signal. As this is a virtual control signal implemented
on the USB interface, it is not physically present on the board. Asserting the DTR signal from the host will indicate to
the on-board debugger that a CDC session is active. The debugger will then enable its level shifters (if available) and
start the CDC data send and receive mechanisms.
Deasserting DTR in debugger firmware version 1.20 or earlier has the following behavior:
• Debugger UART receiver is disabled, so no further data will be transferred to the host computer
• Debugger UART transmitter will continue to send data that is queued for sending, but no new data is accepted
from the host computer
• Level shifters (if available) are not disabled, so the debugger CDC TX line remains driven
Deasserting DTR in debugger firmware version 1.21 or later has the following behavior:
• Debugger UART receiver is disabled, so no further data will be transferred to the host computer
• Debugger UART transmitter will continue to send data that is queued for sending, but no new data is accepted
from the host computer
• Once the ongoing transmission is complete, level shifters (if available) are disabled, so the debugger CDC TX
line will become high-impedance
Remember: Set up the terminal emulator to assert the DTR signal. Without the signal, the on-board
debugger will not send or receive any data through its UART.
Tip: The on-board debugger’s CDC TX pin will not be driven until the CDC interface is enabled by the
host computer. Also, there are no external pull-up resistors on the CDC lines connecting the debugger and
the target, which means that during power-up, these lines are floating. To avoid any glitches resulting in
unpredictable behavior like framing errors, the target device should enable the internal pull-up resistor on
the pin connected to the debugger’s CDC TX pin.
PIC18F16Q40 Curiosity Nano
Curiosity Nano
© 2020 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS50003047A-page 10