ScioSense AS6031-QF DK User manual

Development Kit User Guide
AS6031-QF_DK
AS6031-QF_DK User Guide
Revision: 6
Release Date: 2023-02-10
Document Status: Production

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Content Guide
Content Guide .................................................................................................... 2
1Introduction ................................................................................................. 3
1.1 Ordering Codes .........................................................................................3
2Quick Start Guide .......................................................................................... 4
3Hardware Description ..................................................................................... 5
3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................5
3.2 Communication Interface .............................................................................5
4UFC Evaluation Software.................................................................................. 6
5Schematics, Layers & BOM .............................................................................. 14
6RoHS Compliance & ScioSense Green Statement.................................................... 17
7Copyrights & Disclaimer.................................................................................. 17
8Revision information ..................................................................................... 18

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1Introduction
The AS6031-DK development kit allows customers a quick and intuitive approach to using the AS6031
UFC in ultrasonic flow meter applications.
Figure 1: AS6031-QF_DK Development kit
The kit includes the following elements:
AS6031-QF_DK_RB reference board V2.0
PicoProg Lite with USB-C –USB cable
Figure 2: Functional Blocks
Please download the software for the kit from https://downloads.sciosense.com/as6031 and look
for the latest version of UfcEvaluationSoftware....zip.
1.1 Ordering Codes
Table 1: Pin description
Ordering code
Part Number
Description
AS6031-QF_DK V1.0
221020003
AS6031 Demo kit including PICOPROG and cables
AS6031-QF_DK_RB V2.0
221020002
AS6031 reference board

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2Quick Start Guide
This section describes how to quickly set up the AS6031 development kit, to establish basic operation
and to make first measurements.
Please install the software before connecting the evaluation kit to your computer. The software can
be downloaded here: https://downloads.sciosense.com/as6031
•Unzip the package to the desired directory,
•Connect the PicoProg Lite to the computer and the AS6031 board to the SPI connector on the
PicoProg Lite.
•Connect your spool piece to US_UP and US_DOWN. US_UP fires upstream, means versus flow.
US_DOWN fires downstream, with the flow.
•Open “UFCEvaluationSoftware.exe”
The following screen will appear:
Figure 3: Opening page
•Verify that the right device is selected and interface status is ok.
•Select a project or one of the ready configuration files, press “Load Project” or “Load Config”
and then on the left side press “Write Config”.
•Finally, press “Start Measurement” to begin measuring.

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3Hardware Description
3.1 Introduction
The AS6031-QF_DK_RB board, shown in figure 3, is a front-end for a water or heat meters. The
transducers and temperature sensors can be connected to this board directly. It comes with a 32.768
kHz quartz (X2) and a 8 MHz ceramic oscillator (X1).
Icc
INTN ——
MISO ——
SCK ——
MOSI ——
SSN ——
- ——
VCC_LEVEL ——
GND ——
VCC ——
Transducers:
—— US_DOWN
—— GND
—— GND
—— US_UP
—— GND —— TPI_GND2 —— TPI_GND1 —— TPI_M2_A —— TPI_M2_B —— TPI_M1_A —— TPI_M1_B
TP23 – RECEIVE_SIG
TP2 – US_VREF
TP6 – GPIO5
TP10 – PGA_OUT
J6 – COMP_IN
TP3 – GPIO0
TP4 – GPIO1
TP5 – GPIO2
TP7 – GPIO3
TP8 – GPIO4
External amplifier not
assembled by default
Figure 4: AS6031-QF_DK_RB
3.2 Communication Interface
The PicoProg Lite is a USB-to-SPI converter that connects the AS6031 board to a PC. The PICOPROG
is registered by the operating system initially as “PicoProg LITE V1.0”. The board converts SPI into
USB communication. The USB connector is a USB-C one.
The PicoProg Lite comes with two connectors, one for SPI communication and one for I2C
communication. For the AS6031 please use the SPI connector.
PicoProg Lite reads interrupt-triggered from the AS6031 board.

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4UFC Evaluation Software
The software opens with the dashboard window. It should detect the connected board automatically
and indicate operability by green status information (1).
Figure 5: Dashboard
The next steps could be to start with one of the default configurations, an existing project or an
existing configuration by loading it into the GUI. To write the Data to the Chip you need to click on
“Write Config” and then you can start the measurement (3).
Note: when you change parameters in the GUI this is indicated by a star behind “Write Config” (3).
Do the write to make sure the chip has the current configuration. The star will then disappear.
Projects include the complete settings of the GUI, including the configuration, the firmware and
firmware data, the settings for CPU window and flags.
1
2
3

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Figure 6: Dashboard active
On the left green bar the main measurement results are displayed: chip status, time-of-flight (TOF),
difference up-down (TOF Difference), amplitude and pulse width ratio (4).
The flags for the measure cycle (5) timer should toggle for an active measurement. The results page
will show the detailed ToF results:
Figure 7: Results page
The ToF results table (6) shows the average of the selected zero crossings per measurement in up
and down direction, the difference of up and down (proportional to the flow rate), and the sum of
up and down (proportional to speed of sound). By selecting detailed data (7) an additional table pops
up that shows each individual zero crossing measurement (8).
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

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The “no. of Avrg.” (9) define the numbers of samples for a software average in the GUI. The number
on the right, above Std.Dev. define the number of samples used in the mathematics for the
calculation of the standard deviation.
The HS Clock block shows the measured period of the high speed clock and the correction factor in
comparison to the ideal value. There is a select option for application of this correction factor to the
measurement results (10).
The control page shows the main parameters for setting the ultrasonic frontend.
Noise mask window
better describes as
switch from transmit
to receive
Release delay opens
the measurement
channel (suppress
trigger by noise)
Figure 8: Control page

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In this page you set the fire frequency, derived from the high spedd clock.
With the noise mask window you set the time when to switch from sending to receiving.
The release delay sets the end of a window to suppress wrong triggers by noise.
The first hit level defines the voltage level for the comparator to detect the first hit of the receive
burst.
The start hit defines how many waves to wait after first hit level detection before starting collection
of ToF data. This time is typically needed by the transducers to follow the fixed fire frequency and
to oscillate with a stable period.
The number of Tof hits defines how many zero crossings are summarized for a single measurement
in either up or down direction.
Finally, the gain of the PGA is set on this page, too.
Another important page is the Task Timing page:
Figure 9: Task timing page
Here you define the sample rate as a combination of the cycle time and the TOF rate (one ToF every
N cycles, N typically 1).

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Besides the numerical display of the result page the software offers an export of the data into a file
as well as a graphical display (which could be fond in the graphs page).
Figure 10: Graphs page
The parameters to be displayed are selectable.
By means of the CPU window, any RAM cell can
be reported and also graphically displayed.
The export to file is enabled on the main
dashboard. The user can select which values
should imported.
Note that the file is working with place holders
which means that the selection can be
changed any time during data acquisition. So
you may start with ToF data only, and when
you see unexpected behavior then you can add
amplitude e.g..
Figure 11: Export selection

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The CPU values themselves are defined in the CPU values window and need to correlate with the
firmware in the chip. Below is an example of the ScioSense AS6031-F1 Version.
Note: AS6031F1 is a variant of the AS6031 ultrasonic flow converter that comes with a protected flow
firmware by ScioSense already programmed into the NVRAM. Based on these algorithms and together
with the appropriate calibration and operation parameters, the chip is ready to do the complete flow
and volume calculation as well as error handling on chip.
Figure 12: CPU values example
The monitoring page allows to select flags to be displayed and the flags themselves in action.
Figure 13: Monitoring page

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For applications with firmware on the chip it is possible to add custom flags according to the
firmware. The definition is made in the firmware window.
Figure 14: Monitoring Example custom flags
If you want to work with firmware on the AS6031 the you need the Firmware window.
Figure 15: Firmware window
On the main page you can load the files with the firmware hex code and the firmware data (12). You
download them (13) and monitor the checksums to see the success of the process.
The User Code page sets a focus to the firmware hex file.
The Data page allows to review the firmware data in detail, to add a description and also a scaling
factor to convert the integer value into a reasonable physical value.
The assembler converts a text file into a hex file. There is no editor integrated. We recommend
standard text editors like Notepad++.
12
13

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Figure 16: Firmware Data page
The settings for the firmware data are stored in the project files, but can also be imported/exported.
You can read the firmware data that are in the chip by means of a recall and read and then transfer
them into the GUI parameter settings (firmware data include the configuration).
Vice versa, you can transfer the configuration from the GUI into the firmware data and with a
download into the non-volatile RAM of the chip.
For more details about how to write your own firmware please take a look into the application
note: “AS6031/40 How to write custom firmware”. https://www.sciosense.com/wp-
content/uploads/documents/SC-001548-AN-1-AS60xx-How-to-Write-Custom-Firmware.pdf

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5Schematics, Layers & BOM
Figure 17: AS6031-QF_DK_RB schematics
External amplifier
circuit not assembled by
default

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Figure 18: AS6031-QF_DK_RB layout 2:1t
Figure 19: AS6031-QF_DK_RB assembly 2:1
Table 2: Bill of materials for AS6031-QF_DK_RB V2.0
Quantity
Designator
Value
Comment
Footprint
3
C1, C10, C11
10p
C603
0603
1
C2
nc
C603
0603
5
C3, C4, C5, C7, C28
100n
C603
0603
1
C6
680n
C603
0603
1
C8
0R
C603
0603
1
C9
330n
C603
0603
2
C12, C32
100u
C805
0805
1
C13
10n
C603
0603

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1
C14
2u2
C603
0603
1
C18
22p
C603
0603
1
C29
100n C0G
C1206
1206R
2
J1, J5
ST/254_7_1R
ST/254_7_1R
3
J2, J3, J4
ST/254_2
ST/254_2
5
J6, J12, J13, J14, J15
PAD1.8mm
PAD1.8mm
3
R1, R2, R3
4R7
R603
0603
2
R4, R11
1k
R805
0805
1
R5
5.6k
R603
0603
1
R6
2.2k
R603
0603
1
R8
10M
R603
0603
1
R9
nc
R603
0603
1
R10
560k
R603
0603
1
R12
22k
R805
0805
1
R16
1k
R603
0603
1
R19
1M
R603
0603
12
TP2, TP3, TP4, TP5, TP6, TP7, TP8,
TP9, TP10, TP17, TP22, TP23
PAD1mm
PAD1mm
1
U1
AS6031-BQF
48QFN_7x7
1
U2
3,0V
XC6206
SOT23_TOREX
1
U3
LMP7711
SOT23_6
1
X1
8MHz
Q/CSTCR_G+
Q/CSTCR_G -
CSTNE8MHz
1
X2
32,768kHz
Q/KX-327XS
Q/KX-327XS

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6RoHS Compliance & ScioSense Green Statement
RoHS: The term RoHS compliant means that Sciosense B.V. products fully comply with current RoHS
directives. Our semiconductor products do not contain any chemicals for all 6 substance categories,
including the requirement that lead does not exceed 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials.
Where designed to be soldered at high temperatures, RoHS compliant products are suitable for use
in specified lead-free processes.
ScioSense Green (RoHS compliant and no Sb/Br): ScioSense Green defines that in addition to RoHS
compliance, our products are free of Bromine (Br) and Antimony (Sb) based flame retardants (Br or
Sb do not exceed 0.1% by weight in homogeneous material).
Important Information: The information provided in this statement represents Sciosense B.V.
knowledge and belief as of the date that it is provided. Sciosense B.V. bases its knowledge and belief
on information provided by third parties, and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy
of such information. Efforts are underway to better integrate information from third parties.
Sciosense B.V. has taken and continues to take reasonable steps to provide representative and
accurate information but may not have conducted destructive testing or chemical analysis on
incoming materials and chemicals. Sciosense B.V. and Sciosense B.V. suppliers consider certain
information to be proprietary, and thus CAS numbers and other limited information may not be
available for release.
7Copyrights & Disclaimer
Copyright Sciosense B.V High Tech Campus 10, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Trademarks
Registered. All rights reserved. The material herein may not be reproduced, adapted, merged,
translated, stored, or used without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
Devices sold by Sciosense B.V. are covered by the warranty and patent indemnification provisions
appearing in its General Terms of Trade. Sciosense B.V. makes no warranty, express, statutory,
implied, or by description regarding the information set forth herein. Sciosense B.V. reserves the
right to change specifications and prices at any time and without notice. Therefore, prior to designing
this product into a system, it is necessary to check with Sciosense B.V. for current information. This
product is intended for use in commercial applications. Applications requiring extended temperature
range, unusual environmental requirements, or high reliability applications, such as military, medical
life-support or life-sustaining equipment are specifically not recommended without additional
processing by Sciosense B.V. for each application. This product is provided by Sciosense B.V. “AS IS”
and any express or implied warranties, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are disclaimed.
Sciosense B.V. shall not be liable to recipient or any third party for any damages, including but not
limited to personal injury, property damage, loss of profits, loss of use, interruption of business or
indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, of any kind, in connection with or arising out
of the furnishing, performance or use of the technical data herein. No obligation or liability to
recipient or any third party shall arise or flow out of Sciosense B.V. rendering of technical or other
services.

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8Revision information
Table 3: Revision history
Revision
Date
Comment
Page
2.0
2020 May 19
Change of ownership from ams to ScioSense, status to release
All
3.0
2020 Jun 30
Document number changed
All
4.0
2021 Apr 28
Software description now refers to new Software, iESLab plastic spool
piece removed
All
5.0
2021 Oct 22
Reference to update schematics and layout of reference board.
PICOPROG picture. Transfer into new ScioSense layout
All
6.0
2023 Feb 10
Old PICOPROG replaced by new PicoProg Lite.
Section for software description added
All
Note(s) and/or Footnote(s):
1. Page and figure numbers for the previous version may differ from page and figure numbers in
the current revision.
2. Correction of typographical errors is not explicitly mentioned.

Address: Sciosense B.V.
High Tech Campus 10
5656 AE Eindhoven
The Netherlands
Contact: www.sciosense.com
[e-mail]