Sierra Wireless MC5720 Quick setup guide

2130114
Rev 0.92
MC5720, MC8755, MC8765 MiniCard
Hardware Integration Guide
Proprietary and Confidential

Limitation of
Liability
Patents
Copyright
Preface
The information in this manual is subject to change without
notice and does not represent acommitment on the part of
Sierra Wireless. SIERRA WIRELESS AND ITS AFFILIATES
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ANY AND ALL
DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, GENERAL, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS OR
REVENUE OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR REVENUE
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY
SIERRA WIRELESS PRODUCT, EVEN IF SIERRA WIRELESS
AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR THEY ARE
FORESEEABLE OR FOR CLAIMS BY ANY THIRD PARTY.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Sierra
Wireless and/or its affiliates aggregate liability arising under or
in connection with the Sierra Wireless product, regardless of
the number of events, occurrences, or claims giving rise to
liability, be in excess of the price paid by the purchaser for the
Sierra Wireless product.
Portions of this product may be covered by some or all of the
following US patents:
5,515,013 5,629,960 5,845,216 5,847,553 5,878,234
5,890,057 5,929,815 6,169,884 6,191,741 6,199,168
6,339,405 6,359,591 6,400,336 6,643,501 6,516,204
6,561,851 6,653,979 6,697,030 6,785,830 6,845,249
6,847,830 6,876,697 6,879,585 6,886,049 D442,170
D459,303
and other patents pending.
This product includes
technology licensed from:
Licensed by QUALCOMM Incorporated under one or more of
the following United States patents and/or their counterparts
in other nations:
4,901,307 5,056,109 5,101,501 5,109,390 5,228,054
5,267,261 5,267,262 5,337,338 5,414,796 5,416,797
5,490,165 5,504,773 5,506,865 5,511,073 5,535,239
5,544,196 5,568,483 5,600,754 5,657,420 5,659,569
5,710,784 5,778,338
Manufactured or sold by Sierra Wireless or its licensees under
one or more patents licensed from InterDigital Group.
©2005 Sierra Wireless. All rights reserved.
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 1

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
Trademarks
Contact
Information
AirCard and “Heart of the Wireless Machine” are registered
trademarks of Sierra Wireless.
Sierra Wireless, the Sierra Wireless logo, the red wave design,
the red‐tipped antenna, and Watcher are trademarks of Sierra
Wireless.
Windows®is aregistered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Qualcomm®is aregistered trademark of Qualcomm Incorpo‐
rated.
Other trademarks are the property of the respective owners.
Sales Desk: Phone: [phone]
Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time
E-mail: [e-mail]
Post: Sierra Wireless
13811 Wireless Way
Richmond, BC
Canada V6V 3A4
Fax: [phone]
Web: www.sierrawireless.com
Consult our website for up‐to‐date product descriptions,
documentation, application notes, firmware upgrades, trouble‐
shooting tips, and press releases:
www.sierrawireless.com
2 2130114

Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
The Universal Development Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Required connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Guide Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Related documents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Power Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Overview of operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Power signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Module power states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Disconnected state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Off state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Normal state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Low power mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Usage models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
RF Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
RF connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Ground connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Shielding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Antenna and cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Interference and sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Power supply noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Interference from other wireless devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Device-generated RF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Host/Module Communication Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 3

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
LED output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Important notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Safety and hazards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Important compliance information for North American users . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Acronyms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Index 25
4 2130114

1: Introduction 1
Note: Contact vendors before
choosing your connectors — the
numbers included here are for
reference only. Choose
connectors that are appropriate
to your design.
Sierra Wireless’ MiniCard modules form the radio component
for the products in which they are embedded. MiniCards are
available for use on CDMA and GSM networks, including:
• MC5720 —operates on CDMA networks using the IS‐95A
and CDMA 1X, and 1xEV‐DO (IS‐866) network standards
• MC8755 and MC8765 —operates on GSM networks using
the GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA network standards
Purpose of this guide
This guide addresses issues that affect the integration of Sierra
Wireless modules into host products, and includes design
recommendations for the host products.
Note: An understanding of network technology and experience in
integrating hardware components into electronic equipment is
assumed.
The Universal Development Kit
Sierra Wireless manufactures aUniversal Development Kit
(UDK) that facilitates all phases of the integration process.
This kit is ahardware development platform that is designed
to support multiple members of the Wireless Embedded
Module product family. It contains the hardware components
that are typically necessary for evaluating and developing with
the module, including:
• Development board
• Cables
• Antennas
• Other accessories
Required connectors
When integrating these modules into your host device, you
need the following connector types:
• RF cable that mates with Hirose U.FL connector (model
U.FL #CL331‐0471‐0‐10)
• Industry‐standard mating connector for 52‐pin EDGE:
Some manufacturers include Tyco, Foxconn, and Molex. For
example, the connector used on the MC5720/MC8755/
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 5

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
MC8765 Universal Development Kit board is aMolex
67910‐0001.
• Industry‐standard USIM/RUIM connector: The actual
connector you use depends on how your device exposes the
USIM/RUIM socket. For example, the USIM/RUIM
connector used on the MC5720/MC8755/MC8765 Universal
Development Kit is an ITT CCM03‐3518.
Guide Organization
This guide includes the following sections:
1. Introduction (this section)
2. Power Interface (p.9)
Describes power control signals used by the module and
discusses design issues related to power supply
integration.
3. RF Integration (p.13)
Describes antenna connection methods and grounding issues,
RF interference and desense issues.
4. Host/Module Communication Interface (p.17)
Describes the USB interface for host/module communication,
and the USIM/RUIM interface for host/module integration.
5. Acronyms and Definitions (p.23)
Lists acronyms and definitions used throughout this guide.
6. Regulatory Information (p.19)
Describes regulatory approvals and regulatory information
requirements.
Note: The term "host" always refers to the host device.
Related documents
This guide deals specifically with hardware integration issues
that are unique to the MC5720 and MC8755/8765 modules.
Table 1‐1lists other documents referenced in this guide.
6 2130114

Introduction
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 7
Table 1-1: Related documentation
Document title Description
AT Command Set for User
Equipment (UE) (Release 6) This 3GPP technical specification describes standard AT
commands for GSM/UMTS devices.
The document (3GPP TS 27.007) can be downloaded
from www.3gpp.org.
CDMA 1X Standard This standard describes the technical requirements for
CDMA systems, including details on sleep cycle index
(SCI) values.
The document, CDMA 2000 Series Release A (2000)
(document # TIA/EIA/IS-2000 Series, Release A) can be
ordered from www.tiaonline.org.
EM5625/MC5720 CnS
Reference (Document
2130643)
This document describes the CnS (Control and Status)
messages that are available for use with the MC5720.
EMXXXX Embedded Modem
Extended AT Command
Reference (Document
2130395)
This document describes proprietary AT commands for the
MC5720. For MC8755/MC8765-specific commands, see
MC87xx Modem Extended AT Command Reference
(Document 2130616)
FCC Regulations - Part 15 -
Radio Frequency Devices This section of the FCC Code of Federal Regulations, Title
47 deals with radio frequency devices, including EM
shielding requirements.
The regulation can be downloaded from
http://wireless.fcc.gov.
IEC-61000-4-2 level 3 This document describes techniques for testing and
measuring electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity.
The document can be ordered from www.iec.ch.
MC5720 MiniCard Product
Specification (Document
2130599)
This document describes the mechanical and electrical
specifications, and standards compliance of the MC5720.
MC8755/MC8765 PCI Express
MiniCard Product
Specification (Document
2130637)
This document describes the mechanical and electrical
specifications, and standards compliance of the MC8755/
MC8765.
MC87xx Modem CnS Reference
(Document 2130602) This document describes the CnS (Control and Status)
messages that are available for use with the MC8755/
MC8765.
MC87xx Modem Extended AT
Command Reference
(Document 2130616)
This document describes proprietary AT commands for the
MC8755/MC8765. For MC5720-specific commands, see
the EMXXXX Embedded Modem Extended AT Command
Reference (Document 2130395)

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
8 2130114
Mobile Station (MS)
Conformance Specification;
Part 4: Subscriber Interface
Module
This 3GPP technical specification describes SIM testing
methods.
The document (3GPP TS 11.10-4) can be downloaded
from www.3gpp.org.
PCI Express Mini Card
Electromechanical
Specification Revision 1.1
The document can be downloaded from www.pcisig.com.
Universal Serial Bus
Specification, Rev 2.0 The specification can be downloaded from www.usb.org.
Table 1-1: Related documentation
Document title Description

2: Power Interface 2
Overview of operation
Note: This chapter contains information for both the CDMA (MC5720)
and GSM (MC8755/8765) modules.
Information that is unique to one module type is clearly identified.
The module is designed to use a3.3V (nominal) power supply,
provided by the host. It is the host’s responsibility to provide
safe and continuous power to the module at all times; the
module does NOT have an independent power supply, or
protection circuits to guard against electrical issues.
The module’s power state is controlled by the host’s assertion/
de‐assertion of the W_Disable# signal. The module also
monitors its supply voltage and requests shutdown if the
supply is insufficient.
Power signals
The module must be connected to a3.3V power supply (as
indicated in PCI Express Mini Card Electromechanical Specifi‐
cation Revision 1.1).
The MC8755/8765 has more power pins than the MC5720 due
to higher peak current requirements for GSM devices.
For detailed pinout and voltage /current requirements of these
modules, refer to MC5720 MiniCard Product Specification
(Document 2130599) and MC8755/MC8765 PCI Express
MiniCard Product Specification (Document 2130637).
Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
You are responsible for ensuring that the host has adequate
ESD protection on digital circuits and antenna ports:
• (Operational) RF port (antenna launch and RF connector):
IEC‐61000‐4‐2—Level (Electrostatic Discharge Immunity Test)
• (Non‐operational) Host connector interface:
JESD22‐A114‐B+/‐1kV Human Body Model and
JESD22‐C101 +/‐125 VCharged Device Model
Specific recommendations are provided where needed in this
guide, however, the level of protection required depends on
your application.
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 9

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
Note: The module unit defaults
to the Normal state when
VCC3.3 is first applied in the
absence of W_Disable# control.
Note: The difference between
the Disconnected and Off states
is that in the Off state, the
module is still connected to the
power source and draws minimal
current.
Note: ESD protection is highly recommended for the SIM connector
at the point where the contacts are exposed, and any other signals
from the host interface that would be subjected to ESD by the user of
the end product.
Module power states
At any time, the module will be in one of four power states:
• Disconnected
No power to the module.
• Off
Power to the module, but the module is powered off.
• Normal
The module is active. Several modes are possible (Receive,
Transmit, Sleep, Shutdown).
• Low power (“airplane mode”)
The module is active, but RF is disabled.
State machines are implemented in the module to monitor the
power supply and operating temperature.
Disconnected state
This state occurs when there is no power to the module —the
host power source is disconnected from the module and all
voltages associated with the module are at 0V.
Whether the host device is also powered off depends on the
power rail design. If the connection between the power rail
and the module is controlled by the host, the host can stay
powered on and cut the power to put the modem into the
disconnected state. If the power rail is shared between the host
device and the module, the host is powered off when the
module is powered off.
Off state
In this state, the host is powered up and the module is
powered down (but still connected to the power source).
The host keeps the module powered off by asserting (driving
low) the W_Disable# signal. In this state, the module draws
minimal current.
10 2130114

Power Interface
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 11
Normal state
Note: This is the default state
when VCC3.3 is first applied in
the absence of W_Disable#
control.
This is the active state of the module. While in this state:
• The module is fully powered.
• The module is capable of placing/receiving calls or estab‐
lishing data connections on the wireless network.
• The USB interface is fully active.
Low power mode
In this power state, RF (both Rx and Tx) is disabled in the
module, but the USB interface is still active. This low power
mode (ʺairplane modeʺ)is controlled by asoftware command
through the host interface.
For instructions on using appropriate commands, refer to AT
Command Set for User Equipment (UE) (Release 6) (+CFUN=0
command),EM5625/MC5720 CnS Reference (Document 2130643)
(CNS_RADIO_POWER [0x1075]),or MC87xx Modem CnS
Reference (Document 2130602) (Disable Modem).
Usage models
Usage models can be used to calculate expected current
consumption. Asample usage model is provided in Table 2‐1.
This example model applies to abattery‐operated device. In
practice, because the module will be isolated from the battery
(the host device manages the power source), the mAh ratings
will depend on the device’s supply efficiency.
Table 2-1: Power consumption of a sample application
Used by a field worker
(data only) Used for remote data logging
Upload
(module Tx) 1000 kB/day 40 kB/h
Download
(module Rx) 500 kB/day 100 kB/day
Coverage /
data rate 1X / 80 kbps IS-95 / 14.4 kbps
Hours of
operation 8 / day (off 16 hrs / day) 24 / day
Total power
consumed
over 24 hours
60 mAh 200 mAh

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
The module automatically enters slotted sleep mode when
there is no transmission or reception occurring (SCI =2).
Transmit power is assumed to be +3 dBm .
12 2130114

3: RF Integration 3
Note: To disconnect the
antenna, make sure you use the
Hirose U.FL connector removal
tool (P/N UFL-LP-N-2(01) to
prevent damage to the module
or coaxial cable assembly.
RF connection
Consider the following when attaching an antenna to the
module:
• Use aHirose U.FL connector (model
U.FL #CL331‐0471‐0‐10) to attach an antenna to a
connection point on the module, as shown in Figure 3‐1
(The main RF connector on the top side; the diversity RF
connector on the bottom side).
• Match coaxial connections between the module and the
antenna to 50 Ω.
• Minimize RF cable losses to the antenna; the recommended
maximum cable loss for antenna cabling is 0.5 dB.
Figure 3-1: Antenna connection points and mounting holes
Ground connection
When connecting the module to system ground:
• Prevent noise leakage by establishing avery good ground
connection to the module through the host connector.
• Connect to system ground using the two mounting holes at
the top of the module (as shown in Figure 3‐1).
• Minimize ground noise leakage into the RF.
Depending on the host board design, noise could potentially
be coupled to the module from the host board. This is
mainly an issue for host designs that have signals traveling
along the length of the module, or circuitry operating at
both ends of the module interconnects.
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 13

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
Shielding
The module is fully shielded to protect against EMI and to
ensure compliance with FCC Part 15‐ “Radio Frequency
Devices” (or equivalent regulations in other jurisdictions).
Note: The module shields must NOT be removed.
Antenna and cabling
When selecting the antenna and cable, it is critical to RF perfor‐
mance to match antenna gain and cable loss.
Choosing the correct antenna and cabling
Consider the following points for proper matching of antennas
and cabling:
• The antenna (and associated circuitry) should have a
nominal impedance of 50 Ωwith areturn loss ≤10 dB
across each frequency band of operation.
• The system gain value affects both radiated power and
regulatory (FCC, IC, CE, etc.) test results.
Developing custom antennas
Consider the following points when developing custom‐
designed antennas:
• Askilled RF engineer should do the development to ensure
that the RF performance is maintained.
• Identify the bands that need to be supported, particularly
when both the MC5720 and MC8755/8765 will be installed
in the same platform. In this case, you may want to develop
separate antennas for maximum performance.
Determining the antenna’s location
Consider the following points when deciding where to put the
antenna:
• Antenna location may affect RF performance. Although the
module is shielded to prevent interference in most applica‐
tions, the placement of the antenna is still very important‐
if the host device is insufficiently shielded, high levels of
broadband or spurious noise can degrade the module’s
performance.
• Connecting cables between the module and the antenna
must have 50 Ωimpedance. If the impedance of the module
is mismatched, RF performance is reduced significantly.
• Antenna cables should be routed, if possible, away from
noise sources (switching power supplies, LCD assemblies,
14 2130114

Note: These modules are based
on ZIF (Zero Intermediate
Frequency) technologies; when
performing EMC
(Electromagnetic Compatibility)
tests, there are no IF
(Intermediate Frequency)
components from the module to
consider.
RF Integration
etc.). If the cables are near the noise sources, the noise may
be coupled into the RF cable and into the antenna.
Disabling the diversity antenna (MC5720)
If your host device is not designed to use the MC5720’s
diversity antenna, terminate the interface with ano‐connect.
Interference and sensitivity
Several sources of interference can affect the RF performance
of the module (RF desense). Common sources include power
supply noise and device‐generated RF.
RF desense can be addressed through acombination of
mitigation techniques and radiated sensitivity measurement.
Power supply noise
Noise in the power supply can lead to noise in the RF signal.
The power supply ripple limit for the module is no more than
200 mVp‐p1Hzto 100 kHz. This limit includes voltage ripple
due to transmitter burst activity
Interference from other wireless devices
Different wireless devices operating inside the host device can
cause interference that affects the module.
To determine the most suitable locations for each antenna on
your host device, evaluate each wireless device’s radio system,
considering the following:
• Any harmonics, sub‐harmonics, or cross‐products of signals
generated by wireless devices that fall in the module’s Rx
range may cause spurious response resulting in decreased
Rx performance.
• The Tx power and corresponding broadband noise of other
wireless devices may overload or increase the noise floor of
the module’s receiver, resulting in Rx desense.
The severity of this interference depends on the closeness of
the other antennas to the module’s antenna. To determine
suitable locations for each wireless device’s antenna,
thoroughly evaluate your host device’s design.
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 15

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
Note: The module can cause
interference with other devices
such as hearing aids and on-
board speakers.
Wireless devices such as the
MiniCard transmit in bursts
(pulse transients), for set
durations (RF burst frequencies).
Hearing aids and speakers
convert these burst frequencies
into audible frequencies,
resulting in audible noise.
Device-generated RF
All electronic computing devices generate RF interference that
can negatively affect the receive sensitivity of the module
(RF desense).
The proximity of host electronics to the antenna in wireless
devices can contribute to RF desense. Components that are
most likely to cause RF desense include:
• Microprocessor and memory
• Display panel and display drivers
• Switching‐mode power supplies
These, and other high‐speed devices (in particular, the
processor) can cause RF desense because they run at
frequencies of tens of MHz. The rapid rise and fall of these
clock signals generates higher‐order harmonics that often fall
within the operating frequency band of the module, causing
RF desense.
Example
On asub‐system running at 40 MHz, the 22nd harmonic falls
at 880 MHz, which is within the cellular receive frequency
band.
Note: In practice, there are usually numerous interfering frequencies
and harmonics. The net effect can be a series of desensitized receive
channels.
16 2130114

4
4: Host/Module Communication
Interface
This chapter provides information about the Host‐Module
communication interface (USB interface) and lists of extended
AT commands that may be useful for hardware integration
testing.
Note: On any given interface (USB, USIM/RUIM, etc.), leave unused
inputs and outputs as no-connects.
LED output
The module drives the LED output according to the PCI‐
Express MiniCard specification (summarized in Table 4‐1,
Module is transmitting LED is flashing intermittently,
or receiving. proportional to activity on the
interface.
• 50% duty cycle
• 3 Hz minimum blink rate
• 20 Hz maximum blink rate
Rev 0.92 Nov.05 17
below).
Table 4-1: LED States
State Indicates Characteristics
OFF Module is not
powered. Light is turned off.
ON Module is powered
and connected, but
not transmitting or
receiving.
Light is turned on.
Slow Blink Module is powered
and searching for a
connection.
LED is flashing at a steady,
slow rate.
• 250 ms ± 25% ON period
• 0.2 Hz ± 25% blink rate
Intermittent
Blink

MC5720/8755/8765 Hardware Integration Guide
Figure 4-1: Example LED
VCC 3.3V
Current limiting Resistor
LED
MIO
MiniCard
18 2130114