Silicon Laboratories SLSTK3701A User manual

UG287: EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter
Kit User's Guide
The SLSTK3701A Starter Kit is an excellent starting point to get
familiar with the EFM32™ Giant Gecko GG11 Microcontroller.
The Starter Kit contains sensors and peripherals demonstrating some of the Giant Gecko
GG11's many capabilities. The kit provides all necessary tools for developing an EFM32
Giant Gecko GG11 application.
TARGET DEVICE
• EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Microcontroller
(EFM32GG11B820F2048GL192)
• CPU: 32-bit ARM® Cortex-M4® with FPU
• Memory: 2048 kB flash and 512 kB RAM
KIT FEATURES
• USB connectivity
• Advanced Energy Monitor
• SEGGER J-Link on-board debugger
• Debug Multiplexer supporting external
hardware as well as on-board MCU
• Silicon Labs Si7021 Relative Humidity and
Temperature sensor
• User LEDs / Pushbuttons
• Ultra low power 128x128 pixel color
Memory LCD
• Inductive LC sensor
• Silicon Labs Si7210 Hall-Effect Sensor
• Digital Stereo Microphones
• Micro-SD Slot
• 32 Mbit QSPI flash memory
• Ethernet connectivity
• Capacitive Touch Slider
• 20-pin 2.54 mm header for expansion
boards
• Breakout pads for direct access to I/O pins
• Power sources include USB and CR2032
coin cell battery.
SOFTWARE SUPPORT
• Simplicity Studio™
• IAR Embedded Workbench
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................4
1.1 Description ...............................4
1.2 Features................................4
1.3 Getting Started .............................4
2. Kit Block Diagram .............................5
3. Kit Hardware Layout ............................6
4. Connectors ................................7
4.1 Breakout Pads .............................7
4.2 Expansion Header ............................9
4.3 Debug Connector (DBG) ..........................11
4.4 Simplicity Connector............................12
5. Power Supply and Reset ..........................13
5.1 MCU Power Selection ...........................13
5.2 Board Controller Power...........................13
5.3 EFM32 Reset ..............................14
6. Peripherals ...............................15
6.1 Push Buttons and RGB LEDs ........................15
6.2 Memory LCD-TFT Display..........................16
6.3 Capacitive Touch Slider ..........................17
6.4 Si7021 Relative Humidity and Temperature Sensor .................17
6.5 Si7210 Hall-Effect Sensor ..........................18
6.6 LC Sensor ...............................18
6.7 Digital Stereo Microphones .........................19
6.8 USB Micro-AB Connector ..........................20
6.9 QSPI Flash Memory ............................21
6.10 Micro-SD Slot .............................21
6.11 10/100Base-TX Ethernet ..........................22
6.12 Virtual COM Port ............................23
7. Advanced Energy Monitor .........................24
7.1 Usage ................................24
7.2 Theory of Operation ............................24
7.3 Secondary AEM Channel ..........................24
7.4 Accuracy and Performance .........................25
8. On-Board Debugger ............................26
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8.1 Debug Modes ..............................27
8.2 Debugging During Battery Operation ......................28
9. Kit Configuration and Upgrades .......................29
9.1 Firmware Upgrades ............................29
10. Schematics, Assembly Drawings and BOM ..................30
11. Kit Revision History and Errata .......................31
11.1 Revision History.............................31
11.2 Errata ................................31
12. Document Revision History ........................32
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1. Introduction
1.1 Description
The SLSTK3701A is an excellent starting point to get familiar with the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Microcontrollers. The kit contains
sensors and peripherals demonstrating some of the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11's many capabilities. The kit can also serve as a starting
point for application development.
In addition to supporting application development on the starter kit itself, the board is also a fully featured debugger and energy monitor-
ing tool that can be used with external applications.
1.2 Features
• EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Microcontroller
• 2048 kB Flash
• 512 kB RAM
• BGA192 package
• Advanced Energy Monitoring system for precise current and voltage tracking
• Integrated Segger J-Link USB debugger/emulator with the possiblity to debug external Silicon Labs devices
• 20 pin expansion header
• Breakout pads for easy access to I/O pins
• Power sources include USB and CR2032 battery
• Silicon Labs Si7021 Relative Humidity and Temperature Sensor
• Silicon Labs Si7210 Hall-Effect sensor
• Ultra low power 128x128 pixel Color Memory-LCD
• Digital stereo MEMS microphones
• USB Micro-AB connector supporting both host and device mode USB applications
• 10/100Base-TX ethernet PHY and RJ-45 jack
• Micro-SD slot supporting SD memory cards and SDIO expansion cards
• 32 Mbit QSPI serial flash supporting execute-in-place (XIP)
• 2 push buttons and 2 RGB LEDs connected to EFM32 for user interaction
• LC tank circuit for inductive proximity sensing of metallic objects
• Backup battery
• 4-segment capacitive touch slider
• Crystals for LFXO and HFXO: 32.768 kHz and 50.000 MHz.
1.3 Getting Started
Detailed instructions for how to get started with your new SLSTK3701A can be found on the Silicon Labs web pages:
http://www.silabs.com/start-efm32gg1
UG287: EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit User's Guide
Introduction
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2. Kit Block Diagram
An overview of the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit is shown in the figure below.
128 x 128 Pixel
Color Memory LCD
SPI
EXP Header
LC Sensor
I2S
LESENSE
GPIO
Board
Controller
USB Mini-B
Connector
DEBUG
UART
Capacitive Touch Slider
CSEN
Ethernet PHY
& Jack
Micro-SD Slot
USB Micro-AB
Connector
Digital Stereo
Microphones
Hall-Effect
Sensor
Si7210
Si7021
Temperature
& Humidity
Sensor
User Buttons
& RGB LEDs
32 Mbit QSPI
Flash Memory
EFM32GG11
MCU
I2C
RMII
SDIO
QSPI
USB
GPIO
Figure 2.1. Kit Block Diagram
UG287: EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit User's Guide
Kit Block Diagram
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3. Kit Hardware Layout
The layout of the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit is shown below.
Debug USB
Connector
CR2032
Battery Holder
128x128 Pixel
Color Memory LCD
Relative Humidity &
Temperature Sensor
EFM32GG11 MCU
Expansion Header
EFM32 Reset Button
Hall-Effect Sensor
User RGB LEDs
User Push Buttons
Power Source Select
Inductive LC Sensor
Micro-SD slot
Ethernet PHY
Capacitive Touch Slider
Digital Microphone (R)
Digital Microphone (L)
EFM32 USB Connector
EFM32 Ethernet Connector
Backup Battery
Simplicity Connector
QSPI Flash Memory
Debug Connector
Figure 3.1. SLSTK3701A Hardware Layout
UG287: EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit User's Guide
Kit Hardware Layout
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4. Connectors
4.1 Breakout Pads
Most of the EFM32's GPIO pins are available on two pin header rows at the top and bottom edges of the board. These have a standard
2.54 mm pitch, and pin headers can be soldered in if required. In addition to the I/O pins, connections to the different power rails and
ground are also provided. Note that some of the pins are used for kit peripherals or features, and may not be available for a custom
application without trade-offs.
The figure below shows the pinout of these "breakout pads", as well as the pinout of the "Expansion Header" situated on the right-hand
side of the board. The expansion header is further explained in the next section. The breakout pad connections are also printed in silk
screen next to each pin for easy reference.
GND
VMCU
PE3 PE2 PH6 PH3
GND
PH2 PH1 PH0 PG8 PG7 PG6 PI12 PI11
3V3
GND
VMCU
PD8
PG15
PI9
PI8
GND
PI7
PI6
PI5
PI4
PI3
PI2
PI1
PI0
3V3
J101
J102
GND
5V
PD7 PD6 PD5 PD1
GND
PF13 PF5 PF4 PF2 PF1 PF0 RST BDEN
GND
5V
PC15
PC14
PC13
PC12
GND
PC11
PC10
PC7
PC6
PA14
PA11
PA10
PA8
PA12
PA13
PC4
PC5
GND
PB11
PB9
PC1
5V
PE10
PE11
PE12
PE13
PE8
PE9
PC0
VMCU
3V3 Board ID SDA
Board ID SCL
EXP Header
Debug
Connector
Simplicity
Connector
Figure 4.1. Breakout Pads and Expansion Header
The table below shows the connections of each pin of the breakout pads. They also show which kit peripherals or features are connec-
ted to the different pins.
Table 4.1. Bottom Row (J101) Pinout
Pin EFM32
I/O pin
Shared feature Pin EFM32
I/O pin
Shared feature
1 VMCU EFM32 voltage domain (measured by
AEM)
2 VMCU EFM32 voltage domain (measured by
AEM)
3 GND Ground 4 GND Ground
5 PI0 6 PI11
7 PI1 8 PI12
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Connectors
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Pin EFM32
I/O pin
Shared feature Pin EFM32
I/O pin
Shared feature
9 PI2 10 PG6
11 PI3 12 PG7
13 PI4 SENSOR_I2C_SDA 14 PG8
15 PI5 SENSOR_I2C_SCL 16 PH0
17 PI6 18 PH1
19 PI7 20 PH2
21 PI8 22 PH3
23 PI9 24 PH6
25 PG15 ETH_INTERRUPT 26 PE2
27 PD8 BU_VIN 28 PE3
29 GND Ground 30 GND Ground
31 3V3 Board controller supply 32 3V3 Board controller supply
Table 4.2. Top Row (J102) Pinout
Pin EFM32
I/O pin
Shared feature Pin EFM32
I/O pin
Shared feature
1 5V Board USB voltage 2 5V Board USB voltage
3 GND Ground 4 GND Ground
5 PA8 6 BDEN BOD_ENABLE
7 PA10 8 RST DEBUG_RESET
9 PA11 DISP_COM 10 PF0 DEBUG_TCK_SWCLK
11 PA14 DISP_MOSI 12 PF1 DEBUG_TMS_SWDIO
13 PC6 DEBUG_TRACECLK 14 PF2 DEBUG_TDO_SWO
15 PC7 DEBUG_TRACED0 16 PF4 USB_OC_FAULT
17 PC10 18 PF5 DEBUG_TDI / USB_VBUSEN
19 PC11 20 PF13
21 PC12 22 PD1 OPA1_OUT
23 PC13 24 PD5 DEBUG_TRACED3
25 PC14 DISP_CS 26 PD6 OPA1_P
27 PC15 DISP_CLK 28 PD7 OPA1_N
29 GND Ground 30 GND Ground
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Connectors
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4.2 Expansion Header
On the right hand side of the board an angled 20 pin expansion header is provided to allow connection of peripherals or plugin boards.
The connector contains a number of I/O pins that can be used with most of the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11's features. Additionally, the
VMCU, 3V3 and 5V power rails are also exported.
The connector follows a standard which ensures that commonly used peripherals such as an SPI, a UART and an I2C bus are available
on fixed locations in the connector. The rest of the pins are used for general purpose I/O. This allows the definition of expansion boards
that can plug into a number of different Silicon Labs starter kits.
The figure below shows the pin assignment of the expansion header for the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit. Because of limita-
tions in the number of available GPIO pins, some of the expansion header pins are shared with kit features.
12
4
8
6
10
3
5
9
7
12
13
14
11
1516
17
18
20 19
VMCU
PE10
PE11
PE12
PE13
PE8
PE9
PC0
5V
3V3
GND
PA12
PA13
PC4
PC5
PB11
PB9
PC1
Board ID SDA
Board ID SCL
Reserved (Board Identification)
TARGET I/O Pin
Figure 4.2. Expansion Header
Table 4.3. EXP Header Pinout
Pin Connection EXP Header function Shared feature Peripheral mapping
20 3V3 Board controller supply
18 5V Board controller USB voltage
16 PC0 I2C_SDA CAN0_RX #0 I2C0_SDA #4
14 PE9 UART_RX SDIO_DAT2 #0 USART5_RX #0
12 PE8 UART_TX SDIO_DAT3 #0 USART5_TX #0
10 PE13 SPI_CS SDIO_CLK #0 USART0_CS #0
8 PE12 SPI_SCLK SDIO_CMD #0 USART0_CLK #0
6 PE11 SPI_MISO SDIO_DAT0 #0 USART0_RX #0
4 PE10 SPI_MOSI SDIO_DAT1 #0 USART0_TX #0
2 VMCU EFM32 voltage domain, included in AEM measurements.
19 BOARD_ID_SDA Connected to Board Controller for identification of add-on boards.
17 BOARD_ID_SCL Connected to Board Controller for identification of add-on boards.
15 PC1 I2C_SCL CAN0_TX #0 I2C0_SCL #4
13 PB9 GPIO
11 PB11 DAC_OUT VDAC0_OUT0
9 PC5 I2C_SCL SDIO_WP #1 I2C1_SCL #0
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Connectors
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Pin Connection EXP Header function Shared feature Peripheral mapping
7 PC4 I2C_SDA SDIO_CD #1 I2C1_SDA #0
5 PA13 CAN_TX PCNT1_S1IN #5 CAN1_TX #5
3 PA12 CAN_RX PCNT1_S0IN #5 CAN1_RX #5
1 GND Ground
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Connectors
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4.3 Debug Connector (DBG)
The Debug Connector serves a dual purpose, depending on the "debug mode", which can be set up using Simplicity Studio. In the
"Debug IN" mode this connector allows an external debug emulator to be used with the on-board EFM32. In the "Debug OUT" mode
this connector allows the kit to be used as a debugger towards an external target. In the "Debug MCU" (default) mode this connector is
isolated from the debug interface of both the Board Controller and the on-board target device.
Because this connector is automatically switched to support the different operating modes, it is only available when the Board Controller
is powered (J-Link USB cable connected). If debug access to the target device is required when the Board Controller is unpowered, this
should be done by connecting directly to the appropriate breakout pins.
The pinout of the connector follows that of the standard ARM Cortex Debug+ETM 19-pin connector. The pinout is described in detail
below. Note that when using the on-board debugger to debug an mcu on an external board, JTAG and ETM functionality is only availa-
ble if the target device supports it.
1 2
4
8
6
10
5
9
12
13 14
11
15 16
17 18
2019
TMS / SWDIO / C2D
TCK / SWCLK / C2CK
TDO / SWO
TDI / C2Dps
TRACECLK
TRACED0
TRACED1
TRACED2
TRACED3
RESET / C2CKps
GND
NC
NC
GND
GND
GND
7
GND
VTARGET
Cable Detect
NC
3
Figure 4.3. Debug Connector
Note that the pin-out matches the pin-out of an ARM Cortex Debug+ETM connector, but these are not fully compatible as pin 7 is physi-
cally removed from the Cortex Debug+ETM connector. Some cables have a small plug that prevent them from being used when this pin
is present. If this is the case, remove the plug, or use a standard 2x10 1.27 mm straight cable instead.
Table 4.4. Debug Connector Pin Descriptions
Pin number(s) Function Note
1 VTARGET Target reference voltage. Used for shifting logical signal levels between target and
debugger.
2 TMS / SDWIO / C2D JTAG test mode select, Serial Wire data or C2 data
4 TCK / SWCLK / C2CK JTAG test clock, Serial Wire clock or C2 clock
6 TDO/SWO JTAG test data out or Serial Wire Output
8 TDI / C2Dps JTAG test data in, or C2D "pin sharing" function
10 RESET / C2CKps Target device reset, or C2CK "pin sharing" function
12 TRACECLK ETM Trace Clock
14 TRACED0 ETM Trace Data 0
16 TRACED1 ETM Trace Data 1
18 TRACED2 ETM Trace Data 2
20 TRACED3 ETM Trace Data 3
9 Cable detect Connect to ground
11, 13 NC Not connected
3, 5, 15, 17, 19 GND
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Connectors
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4.4 Simplicity Connector
The Simplicity Connector featured on the Starter Kit enables advanced debugging features such as the AEM and the Virtual COM port
to be used towards an external target. The pinout is illustrated in the figure below.
VMCU 1
33V3
5
5V
15
GND
13
GND
11
GND
9
GND
7
GND
17
Board ID SCL
19
Board ID SDA
2Virtual COM TX
4Virtual COM RX
6 Virtual COM CTS
8Virtual COM RTS
10 NC
12 NC
14 NC
16 NC
18 NC
20 NC
Figure 4.4. Simplicity Connector
The signal names in the figure and the pin description table are referenced from the board controller. This means that VCOM_TX
should be connected to the RX pin on the external target, VCOM_RX to the target's TX pin, VCOM_CTS to the target's RTS pin and
VCOM_RTS to the target's CTS pin.
Note: Current drawn from the VMCU voltage pin is included in the AEM measurements, while the 3V3 and 5V voltage pins are not. To
monitor the current consumption of an external target with the AEM, put the on-board MCU in its lowest energy mode to minimize its
impact on the measurements.
Table 4.5. Simplicity Connector Pin Descriptions
Pin number(s) Function Description
1 VMCU 3.3 V power rail, monitored by the AEM
3 3V3 3.3 V power rail
5 5V 5 V power rail
2 VCOM_TX Virtual COM Tx
4 VCOM_RX Virtual COM Rx
6 VCOM_CTS Virtual COM CTS
8 VCOM_RTS Virtual COM RTS
17 EXT_ID_SCL Board ID SCL
19 EXT_ID_SDA Board ID SDA
10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 NC Not connected
7, 9, 11, 13, 15 GND Ground
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Connectors
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5. Power Supply and Reset
5.1 MCU Power Selection
The EFM32 on the Starter Kit can be powered by one of these sources:
• The debug USB cable; or
• the EFM32's own USB regulator; or
• a 3 V coin cell battery.
The power source for the MCU is selected with the slide switch in the lower left corner of the Starter Kit. Figure 5.1 Power Switch on
page 13 shows how the different power sources can be selected with the slide switch.
3.3 V
VMCU
AEM
USB
BAT
USB Mini-B
Connector
5 V
3V Lithium Battery
(CR2032)
EFM32
MCU USB_VREGI
(5V)
USB_VREGO
(3.3V)
.
BAT
USB
AEM
LDO
USB Micro-AB
Connector
Advanced
Energy
Monitor
SENSE
Advanced
Energy
Monitor
SENSE
VBUS
Figure 5.1. Power Switch
With the switch in the AEM position, a low noise 3.3 V LDO on the Starter Kit is used to power the EFM32. This LDO is again powered
from the debug USB cable. The Advanced Energy Monitor is now connected in series, allowing accurate high speed current measure-
ments and energy debugging/profiling.
With the switch in the USB position, the integrated linear regulator in the EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 MCU is used to power the rest of
the chip as well as the USB PHY with the cable connected to the target USB connector. This allows a USB device application where the
MCU acts as a bus powered device. With the switch in this position, the secondary AEM channel is automatically selected to allow
accurate measurements of the current consumption of the whole application running on USB power.
Finally, with the switch in the BAT position, a 20mm coin cell battery in the CR2032 socket can be used to power the device. With the
switch in this position no current measurements are active. This is the recommended switch position when powering the MCU with an
external power source.
Note: The Advanced Energy Monitor is automatically recalibrated when switching from AEM to USB or back, which causes the target
EFM32 to lose power for a few seconds.
5.2 Board Controller Power
The board controller is responsible for important features such as the debugger and the Advanced Energy Monitor, and is powered
exclusively through the USB port in the top left corner of the board. This part of the kit resides on a separate power domain, so a differ-
ent power source can be selected for the target device while retaining debugging functionality. This power domain is also isolated to
prevent current leakage from the target power domain when power to the Board Controller is removed.
The board controller power domain is not influenced by the position of the power switch.
The kit has been carefully designed to keep the board controller and the target power domains isolated from each other as one of them
powers down. This ensures that the target EFM32 device will continue to operate in the USB and BAT modes.
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Power Supply and Reset
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5.3 EFM32 Reset
The EFM32 MCU can be reset by a few different sources:
• A user pressing the RESET button.
• The on-board debugger pulling the #RESET pin low.
• An external debugger pulling the #RESET pin low.
In addition to the reset sources mentioned above, a reset to the EFM32 will also be issued during Board Controller boot-up. This means
that removing power to the Board Controller (plugging out the J-Link USB cable) will not generate a reset, but plugging the cable back
in will, as the Board Controller boots up.
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Power Supply and Reset
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6. Peripherals
The starter kit has a set of peripherals that showcase some of the features of the EFM32.
Be aware that most EFM32 I/O routed to peripherals are also routed to the breakout pads. This must be taken into consideration when
using the breakout pads for your application.
6.1 Push Buttons and RGB LEDs
The kit has two user push buttons marked BTN0 and BTN1. They are connected directly to the EFM32, and are debounced by RC
filters with a time constant of 1 ms. The buttons are connected to pins PC8 and PC9.
The kit also features two RGB LEDs marked LED0 and LED1, that are controlled by GPIO pins on the EFM32. The LEDs are connec-
ted in an active-low configuration, and each color can be PWM controlled using the EFM32's TIMER/WTIMER peripherals to generate a
wide variety of colors.
1B
PH10 (WTIM1_CC2 #6)
PH13 (TIM5_CC0 #2)
PH14 (TIM5_CC1 #2)
PC8 (GPIO)
PC9 (GPIO_EM4WU2)
EFM32
User Buttons
& RGB LEDs
PH11 (WTIM1_CC3 #6)
PH12 (WTIM1_CC0 #7)
PH15 (TIM5_CC2 #2)
1G
1R
0B
0R
0G
Figure 6.1. Buttons and LEDs
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6.2 Memory LCD-TFT Display
A 1.3-inch SHARP Color Memory LCD-TFT is available on the kit to enable development of interactive applications. The display has a
high resolution of 128 by 128 pixels, and consumes very little power. It is a reflective three-colors-per-pixel display, so each pixel can
have eight different colors (including black and white), and no backlight is needed in normal daylight conditions. Data sent to the display
is stored in the pixels on the glass, which means no continous refreshing is required to maintain a static image.
The display interface consists of an SPI-compatible serial interface and some extra control signals. Pixels are not individually addressa-
ble, instead data is sent to the display one line (128x3 bits) at a time.
The Color Memory LCD-TFT display is shared with the kit Board Controller, allowing the Board Controller application to display useful
information when the user application is not using the display. The user application always controls ownership of the display with the
DISP_ENABLE signal:
• DISP_ENABLE = LOW: The Board Controller has control of the display
• DISP_ENABLE = HIGH: The user application (EFM32) has control of the display
Power to the display is sourced from the target application power domain when the EFM32 controls the display, and from the Board
Controller's power domain when the DISP_ENABLE line is low. The display requires 5 volts supply voltage, which is provided by a
small switch-mode boost converter. Data is clocked in on DISP_SI when DISP_CS is high, and the clock is sent on DISP_SCLK. The
maximum supported clock speed is 1.1 MHz.
DISP_EXTCOMIN is the "COM Inversion" line. It must be pulsed periodically to prevent static build-up in the display itself. Please refer
to the display application information for details on driving the display:
https://www.sharpsma.com
PC15 (US1_CLK #3)
PA14 (US1_TX #6)
PC14 (US1_CS #3)
PA11 (PRS_CH11 #0)
PA9 (GPIO)
EFM32
0: Board Controller controls display
1: EFM32 controls display
VMCU 3.3V
4+3.3V
5V
Boost
converter
Figure 6.2. 128x128 Pixel Memory LCD
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6.3 Capacitive Touch Slider
A touch slider utilizing the capacitive touch capability of the EFM32 is located on the bottom side of the board. It consists of four inter-
leaved pads which are connected to PB6, PB15, PB4 and PA7.
PB6 (CSEN APORT2Y/1X CH22)
PB15 (CSEN APORT2X/1Y CH31)
UIF_TOUCH0
UIF_TOUCH1
EFM32
Capacitive Touch Slider
UIF_TOUCH2
UIF_TOUCH3
PB4 (CSEN APORT2Y/1X CH20)
PA7 (CSEN APORT2X/1Y CH7)
Figure 6.3. Touch Slider
The capacitive touch pads work by sensing changes in the capacitance of the pads when touched by a human finger. Sensing the
changes in capacitance is done by setting up the EFM32's analog capacitive sense peripheral (CSEN).
6.4 Si7021 Relative Humidity and Temperature Sensor
The Si7021 I2C relative humidity and temperature sensor is a monolithic CMOS IC integrating humidity and temperature sensor ele-
ments, an analog-to-digital converter, signal processing, calibration data, and an I2C Interface. The patented use of industry-standard,
low-K polymeric dielectrics for sensing humidity enables the construction of low-power, monolithic CMOS Sensor ICs with low drift and
hysteresis, and excellent long term stability.
The humidity and temperature sensors are factory-calibrated and the calibration data is stored in the on-chip non-volatile memory. This
ensures that the sensors are fully interchangeable, with no recalibration or software changes required.
The Si7021 is available in a 3x3 mm DFN package and is reflow solderable. It can be used as a hardware- and software-compatible
drop-in upgrade for existing RH/ temperature sensors in 3x3 mm DFN-6 packages, featuring precision sensing over a wider range and
lower power consumption. The optional factory-installed cover offers a low profile, convenient means of protecting the sensor during
assembly (e.g., reflow soldering) and throughout the life of the product, excluding liquids (hydrophobic/oleophobic) and particulates.
The Si7021 offers an accurate, low-power, factory-calibrated digital solution ideal for measuring humidity, dew-point, and temperature,
in applications ranging from HVAC/R and asset tracking to industrial and consumer platforms.
The I2C bus used for the Si7021 is shared with the Si7210 hall-effect sensor. To use the sensor, PB3 must be set high, which also
powers the Si7210. When enabled, the sensors' current consumption is included in the AEM measurements.
SENSOR_ENABLE
PI4 (I2C2_SDA #7)
PI5 (I2C2_SCL #7)
PB3 (GPIO)
SENSOR_I2C_SDA
SENSOR_I2C_SCL
VDD
EFM32
Si7021
Temperature
& Humidity
Sensor
Figure 6.4. Si7021 Relative Humidity and Temperature Sensor
Please refer to the Silicon Labs web pages for more information: http://www.silabs.com/humidity-sensors
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6.5 Si7210 Hall-Effect Sensor
The Si7210 family of hall effect sensors from Silicon Labs combines a chopper-stabilized hall element with a low-noise analog amplifier,
13-bit analog-to-digital converter, and an I2C interface. Leveraging Silicon Labs' proven CMOS design techniques, the Si7210 family
incorporates digital signal processing to provide precise compensation for temperature and offset drift.
The 13-bit magnetic field strength can be read through the I2C interface at any time. The Si7210 also features an output pin which can
provide a digital alert when the measured field is above or below a programmable threshold value.
Applications for the Si7210 include mechanical position sensing in consumer, industrial and automotive applications, reed switch re-
placement, fluid level measurement, speed sensing and control knobs and switches.
The I2C bus used for the Si7210 is shared with the Si7021 relative humidity and temperature sensor. To use the sensor, PB3 must be
set high, which also powers the Si7021. When enabled, the sensors' current consumption is included in the AEM measurements.
SENSOR_ENABLE
PI4 (I2C2_SDA #7)
PI5 (I2C2_SCL #7)
PB3 (GPIO)
SENSOR_I2C_SDA
SENSOR_I2C_SCL
VDD
EFM32
Hall-Effect
Sensor
Si7210
PB0 (GPIO) SENSOR_HALL_VOUT
Figure 6.5. Si7210 Hall-Effect Sensor
Please refer to the Si7210 datasheet for more information.
6.6 LC Sensor
In the bottom right corner of the board there is an inductive-capacitive sensor for demonstrating the low energy sensor interface (LE-
SENSE). The LESENSE peripheral uses the voltage digital-to-analog converter (VDAC) to set up an oscillating current through the in-
ductor, and then uses the analog comparator (ACMP) to measure the oscillation decay time. The oscillation decay time will be affected
by the presence of metal objects within a few millimeters of the inductor.
The LC sensor can be used for implementing a sensor that wakes up the EFM32 from sleep when a metal object comes close to the
inductor, which again can be used as a utility meter pulse counter, door alarm switch, position indicator or other applications where one
wants to sense the presence of a metal object.
PB12 (VDAC0_OUT1)
PC3 (ACMP0X/0Y CH3)
DAC_LC_EXCITE
EFM32
LC Sensor
LES_LC_SENSE
100R
100nF
330pF
390uH
1.5K
Figure 6.6. LC Metal Sensor
For more information about usage and theory of operation of the LC sensor, please refer to application note AN0029 Low Energy Sen-
sor Interface - Inductive Sense
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6.7 Digital Stereo Microphones
The EFM32 Giant Gecko GG11 Starter Kit features two Knowles SPK0838HT4H-B digital MEMS microphones with PDM output config-
ured to form a stereo sound input device. The output from both microphones is connected to a PDM to I2S codec which again is
connected to a USART peripheral with I2S support on the EFM32.
MIC_ENABLE
PI13 (US3_RX #5)
PI14 (US3_CLK #5)
PD0 (GPIO)
MIC_I2S_BCLK
MIC_I2S_DATA
VDD
PDM
to
I2S
codec
EFM32
PDM MEMS
Microphone (R)
PDM MEMS
Microphone (L)
PI15 (US3_CS #5)
VDD
PDM_CLK
PDM_CLK
PDM_DATA
PDM_DATA
VDD
MIC_I2S_LRCLK
Figure 6.7. Digital Stereo Microphones
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6.8 USB Micro-AB Connector
The SLSTK3701A board is equipped with a USB Micro-AB connector interfacing with the EFM32's USB peripheral. This allows the de-
velopment and evaluation of applications using USB in both host and device mode. For host mode, the board can supply 5V power to
the USB VBUS if the board itself has been powered using the debug-USB connector. The VBUS power switch also provides an over-
current flag which can be read in order to detect if a connected device draws too much current.
The secondary AEM channel (see chapter on Advanced Energy Monitoring) is placed between the USB connector and the EFM32, and
allows monitoring of the current sourced from the USB cable when developing a bus-powered USB application. The AEM circuit in-
cludes an input filter and a sense resistor on the VBUS line, which could potentially influence USB compliance testing. If it is required,
the AEM circuit can be bypassed by removing some components and shorting a footprint on the PCB. More details about this can be
found in the schematic.
The secondary AEM channel will only measure current consumption when the power selector switch is set to the "USB" position.
The EFM32 has an internal LDO regulator that powers the USB PHY inside the chip. 5 V from VBUS is applied to the USB_VREGI pin,
and the output is decoupled on the USB_VREGO pin. When the power select switch is set to the USB position, USB_VREGO is con-
nected to the VMCU net, which powers the chip and all peripherals in the target voltage domain. When the J-Link USB cable is inser-
ted, it is possible to monitor the current that supplies the USB PHY, the EFM32 device and all user peripherals on the board.
VBUS
USB_D+
USB_D-
EFM32
USB_VBUS
USB_VREGI
USB_VREGO
PF10 (USB_DM)
PF11 (USB_DP)
5V
USB_ID
USB_VBUS_ENABLE
USB Micro-AB
Connector
PF5 (USB_VBUSEN)
PF4 (GPIO) USB_VBUS_OC_FAULT
PF12 (USB_ID)
Power selector switch
BAT
USB
AEM
SENSE
Advanced
Energy
Monitor
Figure 6.8. USB Connector And Power Supply
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