Texas Instruments CC3235MODSF SimpleLink User manual

CC3235MODSF SimpleLink™ Wi-Fi®and IoT
Solution With MCU LaunchPad™ Hardware
User's Guide
Literature Number: SWRU548
February 2019

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Contents
Contents
1 CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)...................................... 3
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5
1.1.1 CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ ................................................................................... 5
1.1.2 LAUNCHCC3235MOD Key Features............................................................................ 6
1.1.3 What's Included ..................................................................................................... 6
1.1.4 Regulatory Compliance ........................................................................................... 6
1.1.5 First Steps: Out-of-Box Experience .............................................................................. 7
1.1.6 Next Steps: Looking into the Provided Code ................................................................... 7
1.2 Hardware ..................................................................................................................... 8
1.2.1 Block Diagram....................................................................................................... 9
1.2.2 Hardware Features................................................................................................ 11
1.2.3 BoosterPack Header Pin Assignment ......................................................................... 25
1.2.4 Electrical Characteristics ........................................................................................ 26
1.2.5 Antenna Characteristics ......................................................................................... 26
1.3 Layout Guidelines .......................................................................................................... 27
1.3.1 LAUNCHCC3235MOD Board Layout........................................................................... 27
1.3.2 General Layout Recommendations............................................................................. 31
1.3.3 RF Layout Recommendations .................................................................................. 31
1.3.4 Antenna Placement and Routing ............................................................................... 33
1.3.5 Transmission Line Considerations ............................................................................. 33
1.4 Operational Setup and Testing .......................................................................................... 35
1.4.1 Measuring the CC3235MOD Current Draw ................................................................... 35
1.4.2 RF Connections ................................................................................................... 36
1.4.3 Design Files ....................................................................................................... 37
1.4.4 Software ........................................................................................................... 37
1.5 Development Environment Requirements .............................................................................. 37
1.5.1 CCS................................................................................................................. 37
1.5.2 IAR .................................................................................................................. 37
1.6 Additional Resources ..................................................................................................... 38
1.6.1 CC3235MODx Product Page ................................................................................... 38
1.6.2 Download CCS, IAR ............................................................................................. 38
1.6.3 SimpleLink™ Academy for CC3235 SDK ..................................................................... 38
1.6.4 TI E2E Community ............................................................................................... 38
1.7 Assembly Drawing and Schematics .................................................................................... 39
1.7.1 Assembly Drawing ................................................................................................ 39
1.7.2 Schematics ........................................................................................................ 40

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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
Chapter 1
SWRU548–February 2019
CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit
(LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
Start your design with the industry's first programmable FCC, IC/ISED, ETSI/CE, and MIC Certified
wireless microcontroller (MCU) module with built-in Dual-Band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Wi-Fi®connectivity.
Created for the Internet-of-Things (IoT), the SimpleLink™ CC3235MODx family of devices from Texas
Instruments™ are wireless modules that integrate two physically separated, on-chip MCUs:
• An application processor – ARM®Cortex®-M4 MCU with a user-dedicated 256KB of RAM and an
optional 1MB of Serial Flash.
• A network processor MCU to run all Wi-Fi and Internet logic layers. This ROM based subsystem
includes an 802.11 a/b/g/n radio, baseband, and MAC with a powerful crypto engine for fast, secure
internet connections with 256-bit encryption.
The LAUNCHCC3235MODis a low-cost evaluation platform for MCUs based on ARM Cortex-M4 devices.
The LaunchPad™ design highlights the CC3235MODSF fully-integrated industrial module solution and
Dual-Band Wi-Fi capabilities. The LAUNCHCC3235MOD also features temperature and accelerometer
sensors, programmable user buttons, an RBG LED for custom applications, and onboard emulation for
debugging. The stackable headers interface demonstrates how easy it is to expand the functionality of the
LaunchPad when interfacing with other peripherals on existing BoosterPack™ add-on boards, such as
graphical displays, audio codec, antenna selection, environmental sensing, and more.
Figure 1-1 shows the CC3235MODSF LaunchPad development kit.

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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
Figure 1-1. CC3235MODSF SimpleLinkTM Wi-Fi® LaunchPad Development Kit

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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™
Created for the Internet of Things (IoT), the SimpleLink CC3235MODx is a wireless module with built-in
Dual-Band Wi-Fi connectivity for the LaunchPad ecosystem, which integrates a high-performance ARM
Cortex-M4 MCU and lets customers develop an entire application with one device. With on-chip Wi-Fi,
Internet, and robust security protocols, no prior Wi-Fi experience is required for fast development.
The CC3235MODSF LaunchPad, referred to by its part number LAUNCHCC3235MOD, is a low-cost
evaluation platform for ARM Cortex-M4-based MCUs. The LaunchPad design highlights the
CC3235MODSF Internet-on-a chip solution and Dual-Band Wi-Fi capabilities. The CC3235MODSF
LaunchPad also features temperature and accelerometer sensors, programmable user buttons, an RGB
LED for custom applications, and onboard emulation for debugging. The stackable headers of the
CC3235MODSF LaunchPad XL interface demonstrate how easy it is to expand the functionality of the
LaunchPad when interfacing with other peripherals on many existing BoosterPack add-on boards, such as
graphical displays, audio codecs, antenna selection, environmental sensing, and more. Figure 1-1 shows
the CC3235MOD LaunchPad.
Multiple development environment tools are also available, including TI’s Eclipse-based Code Composer
Studio™ (CCS) integrated development environment (IDE) and IAR Embedded Workbench®. More
information about the LaunchPad, the supported BoosterPack modules, and the available resources can
be found at TI’s LaunchPad portal.
NOTE: The maximum RF power transmitted in each WLAN 2.4 GHz band is 22 dBm (EIRP power).
The maximum RF power transmitted in each WLAN 5 GHz band is 23 dBm (EIRP power).
NOTE: The antennas used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of
at least 20 cm from all persons, and must not be colocated or operating in conjunction with
any other antenna or transmitter.

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1.1.2 LAUNCHCC3235MOD Key Features
The LAUNCHCC3235MOD SimpleLink LaunchPad includes the following features:
• CC3235MODSF, SimpleLinkTM Dual-Band Wi-Fi®module solution
– Integrated MCU
– 40.0-MHz Crystal
– 32.768-kHz Crystal (RTC)
– 32-Mbit SPI Serial Flash
– RF and Full Power-Management Components
• 40-pin LaunchPad standard that leverages the BoosterPack ecosystem
• TI standard, XDS110-based JTAG emulation with serial port for flash programming
• Supports 4-wire JTAG and 2-wire SWD
• Two buttons and one RGB LED for user interaction
• Back-channel universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) through USB to PC
• Onboard chip antenna with U.FL for conducted testing selectable using 0-Ωresistors
• Onboard accelerometer and temperature sensor for out-of-box demo with option to isolate the sensors
from the inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus
• Micro-USB connector for power and debug connections
• Headers for current measurement and external JTAG connection (option to use the onboard XDS110
to debug customer platforms)
• Bus-powered device with no external power required for Wi-Fi
• Long-range transmission with highly optimized antenna (200 m typical in open air using an access
point with 6-dBi antenna AP)
• Can be powered externally, with two AA or two AAA alkaline batteries working down to 2.3-V typical
• Dimensions: 106.1 mm (L) × 58.42 mm (W)
1.1.3 What's Included
1.1.3.1 Kit Contents
• CC3235MODSF LaunchPad development tool (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
• Micro USB cable
• Quick start guide
1.1.3.2 Software Examples
• Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) Software
1.1.4 Regulatory Compliance
Certifications in Process
Indoor Usage Restrictions:
The device is restricted to indoor use only when operating in the 5150 to 5350 MHz frequency range.
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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
1.1.5 First Steps: Out-of-Box Experience
An easy way to get started with the EVM is by using its preprogrammed out-of-box experience code. It
demonstrates some key features of the EVM.
1.1.5.1 Connecting to the Computer
Connect the LaunchPad development kit by connecting the included USB cable to a computer. A red
power LED should illuminate. For proper operation, the SimpleLink drivers and Service Pack from the
CC3235 Software Development Kit (SDK) are needed. The SDK is available at
http://www.ti.com/tool/simplelink-cc32xx-sdk.
1.1.5.2 Running the Out-of-Box Experience
The CC3235MODSF LaunchPad development kit's Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) demonstrates and
highlights the following features:
• Easy connection to the CC3235MODSF LaunchPad:
– Using the SimpleLinkTM Wi-Fi® Starter Pro application (available on iOS and Android™), users can
use Access Point (AP) provisioning or SmartConfig™ provisioning for a fast CC3235MOD
connection.
– Configuring the device in AP mode gives users a direct connection to the CC3235MODSF
LaunchPad.
Once the device is provisioned and connected to an AP in station mode, the profile is stored on the
local file system so that any reset to the CC3235MODSF automatically connects it to the AP.
• Easy access to the CC3235MODSF through its internal web server, using either:
– The SimpleLinkTM Wi-Fi® Starter Pro application
– Any browser; web pages stored on the serial flash are loaded on the browser, to provide ease of
use.
This feature demonstrates configuring and reading onboard sensors.
• Over-The-Air (OTA) updates that demonstrate an update of a full image. OTA service enables in-
system updates of the MCU application, CC3235 firmware releases (Service Pack) made available by
TI, and other vendor files. An update procedure executed in a full-system integrity fashion, such as
failure to upgrade any image components, results in rolling back to the previous valid version.
1.1.6 Next Steps: Looking into the Provided Code
After the EVM features have been explored, the user can open an integrated development environment
and start editing the code examples from the SDK. See Section 1.6.2 for available IDEs and where to
download them. The Out-of-Box source code and more code examples are provided in the CC3235 SDK.
Code is licensed under BSD, and TI encourages reuse and modifications to fit specific needs.
With the onboard XDS110 debug probe, debugging and downloading new code is simple. A USB
connection between the EVM and a PC through the provided USB cable is all that is needed.

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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
1.2 Hardware
Figure 1-2 shows the CC3235MODSF LaunchPad EVM.
Figure 1-2. CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ EVM Overview

CC3235
MAC/PHY
WRF_BGN F
BGN
RF_ANT1
32-Mbit
SFlash
External SPI
Programming
40 MHz
32.768 kHz
UART
SPI
nReset
PM
2.3 V to 3.6 V
VBAT
User GPIOx
Aband
F
D
5 GHz
SPDT
WRF_A
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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
1.2.1 Block Diagram
Figure 1-3 shows a functional block diagram of the CC3235MODx module.
Figure 1-3. CC3235MODx Functional Block Diagram

CC3235MODSF12MOBR
Acc
BMA280
Temperature
Sensor
TMP116
Two 20-pin LaunchPad headers
(compatible with TI MCU standard)
INT (GPIO13)
I2C
FTDI
FT2232D
and
SWD Circuit
USB
Connector
LDO
3.3 V VCC
Two AA
Battery
Connectors
Reverse
Protection
Push buttons
GPIO13, GPIO22 RGB LED GPIO9, GPIO10, GPIO11
JTAG and SWD
UART (Flashing)
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CC3235MODSF LaunchPad™ Development Kit (LAUNCHCC3235MOD)
Figure 1-4 shows a functional block diagram of the LAUNCHCC3235MOD SimpleLink LaunchPad.
Figure 1-4. LAUNCHCC3235MOD Functional Block Diagram