ST EVAL-L9963E-MCU User manual

Introduction
The EVAL-L9963E-MCU is a hardware tool for evaluation and development and is ideal for rapid prototyping of a 48 V battery
management system (BMS) or as lower stage of a distributed BMS. This board can be used to evaluate the features of the
L9963E device and L9963T.
The EVAL-L9963E allows the user to connect up to 14 channels for cell voltage sensing, one channel for current sensing, and
up to 4 channels for temperature sensing (plus an additional on-board NTC to sense PCB temperature). The board provides an
onboard microcontroller with preloaded firmware intended to be used with STSW-L9963E GUI (graphical user interface).
EVAL-L9963E-MCU evaluation board
UM2846
User manual
UM2846 - Rev 1 - March 2021
For further information contact your local STMicroelectronics sales office.
www.st.com

1Hardware description
The EVAL-L9963E-MCU board provides maximum flexibility, giving access to all pins to simplify the evaluation
and debug phase of the device.
1.1 Block diagram
Figure 1. EVAL-L9963E-MCU block diagram
1
FTDI
(VCP)
USB
RS232
JTAG uC
L9963T
Tranceiver
L9963T
Tranceiver
Up to
14 cells
LI-Ion
battery
L9001
Power
supply
ISO communication
ISO communication
BMS
L9963E
1.2 Featured components
The EVAL-L9963E-MCU can be considered a reference design for a 48 V BMS or as a first layer of a distributed
BMS system. In the following table there is a short description of all the ST featured components.
Table 1. Featured components
Name Description
L9963E Automotive chip for battery management applications
L9963T Automotive SPI to isolated SPI transceiver
L9001 Automotive power supply IC with multiple voltage regulators
SPC574S64E3 32-bit Power Architecture MCU for automotive chassis and safety applications
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Hardware description
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1.3 Board description
Figure 2. Board top view
Figure 3. Main components and connectors
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Board description
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2Jumpers and connectors
2.1 Mother board jumpers and connectors
Table 2. Motherboard jumpers and connectors
Name Description Type
X1 External power supply connector Jack
P1 USB connector for PC communication Mini USB connector
ISOPORT 1
Isolated serial communication port:
USB type A connector
1- VBAT
2- ISOH- (From L9963E)
3- ISOH+ (From L9963E)
4- FaultH
ISOPORT 2
Isolated serial communication port:
USB type A connector
1- N.C.
2- ISO- (from L9963T)
3- ISO+ (from L9963T)
4- N.C.
P2
Battery connector:
Multi pin connector
1- cell 14
2- cell 12
3- cell 10
4- cell 8
5- cell 6
6- cell 4
7- cell 2
8- cell 0
9- ground
10- current sensor resistor negative pin
11- NTC1-
12- NTC2-
13- NTC3-
14- NTC4-
15- VBAT
16- cell 13
17- cell 11
18- cell 9
19- cell 7
20- cell 5
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Jumpers and connectors
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Name Description Type
P2
21- cell 3
Multi pin connector
22- cell 1
23- ground
24- current sensor resistor positive pin
25- NTC1+
26- NTC2+
27- NTC3+
28- NTC4+
JP2 L9963T (U16) ISO- output selection 1-2 ISO- redirected to ISOPORT 1_1
2-3 ISO- redirected to L9963E
JP3 L9963T (U16) TX amplitude selection
1-2 high amplitude/high threshold (1)
2-3 low amplitude/low threshold (1)
Unconnected : highamplitude/high threshold
JP4 L9963T (U16) SPI master clock selection
1-2 minimum frequency (1)
2-3 maximum frequency (1)
Unconnected: minimum frequency
JP5 L9963T (U16) transmitter enable signal
1-2 enable the TX activity (1)
2-3 disable the TX activity (1)
Unconnected : controlled by μc (PD9)
JP6 L9963T (U16) ISO+ output selection 1-2 ISO- redirected to ISOPORT 1_1
2-3 ISO- redirected to L9963E
JP7 L9963T (U18) TX amplitude selection
1-2 high amplitude/high threshold (1)
2-3 low amplitude/low threshold (1)
Unconnected: high amplitude/high threshold
JP8 L9963T (U18) SPI master clock selection
1-2 minimum frequency (1)
2-3 maximum frequency (1)
Unconnected: minimum frequency
JP9 L9963T (U18) transmitter enable signal
1-2 enable the TX activity (1)
2-3 disable the TX activity (1)
Unconnected: controlled by μc (PD8)
JP12 L9001 (U26) watchdog disable (2) Connected: watchdog disabled
Unconnected: watchdog enabled
JP13 L9001 (U26) wake signal Connected: L9001 enabled
Unconnected :L9001 disabled
JP14 3.3 V - 5 V voltage selector 1-2 5 V
2-3 3.3 V
JP15 5 V selector 1-2 5 V from L9001
2-3 5 V from USB
JHot Hot plug voltage selector 1-2 VTREF
2-3 Vreg
1. See L9963T datasheet.
2. See L9001 datasheet.
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Mother board jumpers and connectors
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Figure 4. P2 Battery connector
2.2 Default jumpers setting
Table 3. Jumpers configuration
Name Description Configuration
JP2 L9963T (U16) ISO- output selection 2-3 ISO- redirected to L9963E
JP3 L9963T (U16) TX amplitude selection 1-2: high amplitude/high threshold
JP4 L9963T (U16) SPI master clock selection Unconnected: minimum frequency
JP5 L9963T (U16) transmitter enable signal Unconnected: controlled by μc (PD9)
JP6 L9963T (U16) ISO+ output selection 2-3 ISO- redirected to L9963E
JP7 L9963T (U18) TX amplitude selection 1-2: high amplitude/high threshold
JP8 L9963T (U18) SPI master clock selection Unconnected: minimum frequency
JP9 L9963T (U18) transmitter enable signal Unconnected: controlled by μc (PD8)
JP12 L9001 (U26) watchdog disable (2) Connected: watchdog disabled
JP13 L9001 (U26) wake signal Connected: L9001 enabled
JP14 3.3 V - 5 V voltage selector 1-2 5 V
JP15 5 V selector 1-2 5 V from L9001
JHot Hot plug voltage selector 1-2 VTREF
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Default jumpers setting
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2.3 Hot plug protection
Figure 5. Hot plug protection circuit
The structure shown in the Figure 5 on the GND path will help withstanding the hot plug by limiting the inrush
current incoming from any L9963E pin connected to the centralized clamp.
Working principle is the following:
When L9963E is OFF and no cell is connected, the VTREG regulator is shut down and MHOT is safely kept off by
the RPD pull down resistor.
Upon the first hot plug event, inrush current incoming from the centralized clamp is forced to flow into RHOT
resistor, which offers proper limiting.
Any VDS voltage spike on MOSFET during hot plug could be coupled to the gate via the parasitic Miller
capacitance. Unwanted turn-on is safely filtered by CGS, that helps keeping VGS below the threshold voltage.
Hence the MOSFET will stay OFF during hot plug.
If the hot plug voltage is enough to guarantee L9963E powerup the MOSFET will be turned on by VTREG
regulator with a proper delay, obtained through RG gate resistor.
Finally, during L9963E normal operation the MOSFET will be ON, thus guaranteeing a very low impedance path
(few mΩ) on the analog GND (GND_B) line.
Such a small shift between L9963E GND and battery pack GND will not alter cell measurement at all, since cell
ADCs are fully differential. Hence, both cell and sum of cells measurements will be accurate.
Moreover, since L9963E only drains few mA from the battery pack, error introduced on the VBAT stack
measurement via internal voltage divider will be negligible.
Also the CSA used for Coulomb counting features a fully differential architecture, thus being immune to such a
small common mode shift.
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Hot plug protection
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3Getting started
3.1 System requirements
• EVAL-L9963E-MCU
• Mini USB to USB type A cable
• Power supply (at least 3 output 0 – 30 V, if possible 60 V):
– 1 output to power L9963E (0:60 V)
– 1 output to simulate cells common mode voltage (0:60 V)
– 1 output to simulate cell voltage (0:5 V)
– 12 V power supply with 2.1 mm jack output, internal pin +
• L9963E evaluation GUI (please check STSW-L9963E user manual)
3.2 EVAL-L9963E-MCU board setup
3.2.1 Low voltage power supply
The 12 V power supply must be connected to X1 connector in order to properly supply the low voltage portion of
the EVAL-L9963E-MCU board.
Figure 6. Low voltage power supply
Jumper settings:
JP14 1-2 (L9001 output 5V)
JP15 1-2 (5V from L9001)
JP12 – JP13 closed (L9001 active)
If the power supply is properly working LED D10 and D3 will be switched ON when USB is connected to PC
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Getting started
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3.2.2 L9963E external connection and power supply
Figure 7. L9963E external connection and power supply
3.2.3 Transceiver settings
Figure 8. Transceiver settings
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EVAL-L9963E-MCU board setup
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3.2.4 USB to PC connection
Figure 9. USB to PC connection
3.2.5 Possible connection for battery simulation
In case a real battery is not available, it’s possible to use the following circuit to simulate the battery pack.
Figure 10. Battery simulation
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EVAL-L9963E-MCU board setup
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