Ublox EVK-JODY-W3 User manual

UBX-20030840 - R02
C1 – Public www.u-blox.com
EVK-JODY-W3
Evaluation kit for JODY-W3 host-based modules
User guide

Abstract
This document describes how to set up the EVK-JODY-W3 evaluation kit to evaluate JODY-W3
series multiradio modules with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

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C1 – Public
Document information
Title EVK-JODY-W3
Subtitle Evaluation kit for JODY-W3 host-based modules
Document type User guide
Document number UBX-20030840
Revision and date R02 2-Nov-2020
Disclosure restriction C1 – Public
This document applies to the following products:
Product name Type number Firmware version PCN reference
EVK-JODY-W374 EVK-JODY-W374-00A-00 N/A
EVK-JODY-W377 EVK-JODY-W377-00A-00 N/A
u-blox or third parties may hold intellectual property rights in the products, names, logos and designs included in this
document. Copying, reproduction, modification or disclosure to third parties of this document or any part thereof is only
permitted with the
express written permission of u-blox.
The information contained herein is provided “as is” and u
-blox assumes no liability for its use. No warranty, either express or
implied, is given, including but not limited
to, with respect to the accuracy, correctness, reliability and fitness for a particular
purpose of the information. This document may be revised by u
-blox at any time without notice. For the most recent
documents, visit www.u
-blox.com.
Copyright © u
-blox AG.

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C1 – Public
Contents
Document information .............................................................................................................................2
Contents .......................................................................................................................................................3
1Kit description......................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Overview........................................................................................................................................................4
1.2 Kit includes...................................................................................................................................................6
1.3 Software........................................................................................................................................................7
1.4 System requirements ................................................................................................................................7
2Specifications ......................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Operating conditions..................................................................................................................................8
3Getting started....................................................................................................................................9
4Board description............................................................................................................................. 12
4.1 Block diagram ............................................................................................................................................12
4.2 Overview of jumpers and connectors....................................................................................................12
4.2.1 Jumper conventions ........................................................................................................................14
4.3 Power supply configuration ....................................................................................................................14
4.3.1 Power supply selection ....................................................................................................................16
4.3.2 Input voltage selection ....................................................................................................................17
4.4 PCIe interface.............................................................................................................................................18
4.5 SDIO interface............................................................................................................................................18
4.6 Bluetooth UART interface .......................................................................................................................19
4.7 Bluetooth audio interface........................................................................................................................20
4.8 Other interfaces ........................................................................................................................................21
4.9 Bootstrapping............................................................................................................................................21
4.10Antenna interfaces...................................................................................................................................22
4.11LEDs.............................................................................................................................................................24
4.12Schematics.................................................................................................................................................24
Appendix .................................................................................................................................................... 25
AKnown issues..................................................................................................................................... 25
BGlossary .............................................................................................................................................. 26
Related documents ................................................................................................................................ 27
Revision history ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Contact....................................................................................................................................................... 29

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1Kit description
JODY-W3 series modules provide complete short-range transceiver solutions based on the NXP
chipset 88Q9098.
Intended for the most advanced in-car infotainment and connectivity systems, JODY-W3 series
modules deliver the highest data rates in Wi-Fi using advanced Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax technology. The
modules operate in concurrent dual-bands, Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz, dual-MAC, and 2x2 MIMO, and
support Bluetooth 5.1 features like extended advertising, long range, and 2 Mbit/s (PHY) data rates.
The modules require a host processor running Linux or Android and connect to the host processor
through either PCIe or SDIO for Wi-Fi, SDIO or high-speed UART for Bluetooth, and PCM/I2S for
Bluetooth audio.
EVK-JODY-W3 allows an external host processor to access several practical features for testing and
evaluating the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity supported in JODY-W3 series modules, including:
•External connectors to all host interfaces (PCIe, SDIO and UART)
•USB interface to easily access the Bluetooth UART interface via a USB-to-UART bridge
•Digital and analog audio interfaces for Bluetooth
•Two internal dual-band 2.4/5 GHz antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
•Three SMA connectors for external antennas.
•GPIO pins and other module interfaces are accessible through pin headers
•Multiple power supply options
For more information about JODY-W3 modules, see the JODY-W3 series data sheet [1] and system
integration manual [2].
1.1 Overview
Table 1 lists the available evaluation kit versions:
Evaluation kit Ordering code Description Suitable for evaluation of
EVK-JODY-W374 EVK-JODY-W374-00A Evaluation kit for JODY-W374
Two antenna pins for simultaneous dual-
band 1x1 2.4 GHz and 2x2 5 GHz Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth 5.1
JODY-W374-00A
EVK-JODY-W377 EVK-JODY-W377-00A Evaluation kit for JODY-W377
Three antenna pins for simultaneous dual-
band 2x2 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1
JODY-W377-00A
Table 1: Available EVK-JODY-W3 evaluation kits

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Figure 1 shows the EVK-JODY-W3 evaluation board and its main connectors.
Figure 1: EVK-JODY-W3 outline showing main connectors
The EVK-JODY-W3 design is split into a module board and a carrier board. The module board includes
the JODY-W3 series module and u.FL antenna connectors directly accessing the antenna pins on the
module. The bigger carrier board hosts the module board and includes all the necessary connectors
for connecting the JODY-W3 series module to the host system.
Internal dual-band
antenna
Internal dual-band
antenna
SDIO
connector
USB connector via
FTDI
SMA connectors for
external antennas
GPIO’s
PCM/I2S
interface
UART
pins
PCIe
connector

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1.2 Kit includes
Table 2 shows the various components included in the EVK-JODY-W3.
Part Description Outline
Evaluation board (EVB) Evaluation board for the JODY-W3 series
modules.
The board includes SMA antenna connectors
that connect to external antennas for Wi-
Fi and
Bluetooth.
EVK-JODY-W3 also supports two internal dual-
band Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antennas.
M.2 PCIe to ZIF adapter M.2 PCIe to ZIF adapter for Wi-Fi host
communication. One ZIF flat cable is included
for both PCIe adapters.
Mini-PCIe to ZIF
adapter
Mini-PCIe to ZIF adapter for Wi-Fi host
communication. One ZIF flat cable is included
for both PCIe adapters.
Micro SDIO to ZIF
adapter and flat cable
Micro SDIO to ZIF adapter and flat cable for Wi-
Fi and/or Bluetooth host communication. The
adapter is compatible with host sockets
designed for micro SD memory cards.
Type-C USB cable Type-C USB cable for Bluetooth host
communication over UART connected via FTDI.
External antennas 2 x Dual band Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antenna,
Linx Technologies
ANT-DB1-RAF-SMA
Table 2: EVK-JODY-W3 component list

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1.3 Software
The software package including the reference driver from NXP is only distributed to customers that
have signed a Limited Use License Agreement (LULA-M) with u-blox. For information about how to
obtain the driver package, contact your local u-blox support team. The software package and
additional documentation can also be obtained directly from NXP.
A Yocto/OpenEmbedded meta layer, which includes recipes for integrating the drivers into Yocto-
based projects, can be provided on request by u-blox.
Refer to the JODY-W3 system integration manual [2] for a description of the available driver packages
and basic usage examples.
1.4 System requirements
The evaluation kit has the following system requirements:
•Host (PC or embedded system) with
oMini-PCIe or M.2 Key E slot for access to Wi-Fi through the PCIe host interface
oMicro SDIO slot for access to Wi-Fi through the SDIO host interface
oUSB 2.0 interface for access to the Bluetooth UART interface through USB-to-UART bridge
•Supported operating systems
oLinux (3.x/4.x/5.x)
oAndroid Pie (9.0.0_2.3.4)

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2Specifications
This section includes the different operating parameters for the EVK-JODY-W3.
2.1 Operating conditions
Table 3 describes the absolute range for key EVK operating parameters.
Symbol Parameter Min. Typ Max. Units
3V3 Power supply voltage 3.14 3.3 3.46 V
VIO I/O supply voltage 1.8 V 1.71 1.8 1.89 V
I/O supply voltage 3.3 V 3.14 3.3 3.46 V
1V8 Analog power supply voltage 1.8 V 1.71 1.8 1.89 V
TAAmbient operating temperature -40 - +85*ºC
Ripple Noise Peak-to-peak voltage ripple on all supply lines. - - 30 mV
Table 3: EVK-JODY-W3 operating conditions
☞The signal voltage for the SDIO interface of the JODY-W3 series module is powered from the
1V8 supply. A level shifter is required to operate the module in Default Speed and High-Speed
modes at 3.3 V signal voltage [3]. For further information contact your local u-blox support
team.

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3Getting started
This chapter describes the basic settings and procedures necessary to get started with the JODY-
W3 EVK.
☞Figure 1 shows an overview of the EVK and its main connectors. For more detailed description
of the available connectors and configuration options, see section 4 .
Follow the procedure below to evaluate JODY-W3 series module using EVK-JODY-W3:
1. Connect the internal or external antennas to the EVK:
oEVK-JODY-W374 uses the two internal dual-band antennas by default for any Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth communication.
oEVK-JODY-W377 uses one of the internal antennas by default for Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi is
configured to use SMA connectors.
oThe two included external antennas connect to the selected SMA connectors, SMA1 and
SMA2, on the EVK-JODY-W377 board.
☞For more information about the antenna configuration, see also section 4.10
2. Set DIP switch SW503 to select the host interfaces for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from the possible
combinations PCIE-UART, SDIO-UART or SDIO-SDIO, as described in section 4.9.
3. Configure the power supply source as described in section 4.3 and shown in Table 5. The most
common configuration uses the Wi-Fi host interface as the supply source, which can be either
PCIe or SDIO.
4. Connect the host interfaces to the host system. The EVK and supplied PCIe and SDIO adapters
use zero insertion force (ZIF) connectors and flat cables for connecting the adapters. To connect
the cable, gently flip up the small locking flap of the connector, align and insert the flat cable with
the blue marking pointing upwards, and then close the locking flap.
oFor PCIe connection, choose either the M.2 or the mini-PCIe adapter depending on the available
connector on the host platform. First, plug the adapter into the PCIe connector on the host
system and then connect it with the flat cable to the connector (J203) on the EVK, as shown
in Figure 2. The PCIe interface can be used for Wi-Fi communication with the JODY-W3 series

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module.
Figure 2: PCIe and USB connectors
oFor SDIO connection, connect the micro SDIO adapter card with the flat cable to the SDIO
connector (J204) on the EVK as shown in Figure 3 and insert the adapter card into an SDIO
connector of the host system. The SDIO interface can be used for Wi-Fi, and optionally

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Bluetooth, communication with the JODY-W3 series module.
Figure 3: SDIO connector
oA high speed UART interface can be used for Bluetooth communication with the JODY-W3
series module. A USB-to-UART bridge is included on the evaluation board. To use the Bluetooth
interface through USB, connect the included USB cable to the USB type-C connector on the
EVK (see Figure 2) and connect it to a USB interface on the host system. Make sure that
jumper J400 is bridged (default setting) to enable Bluetooth communication over USB. Refer
to section 4.6 for information how to access the UART interface for Bluetooth directly.
5. Power on the host system. The LEDs on the EVK for the different voltage levels should turn green
to indicate proper power supply. At this point the module should be detected by the host system.
6. Install the necessary driver software for the JODY-W3 series module as described in the System
integration manual [2].

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4Board description
This section describes the logical components, connectors, jumpers and switches used to configure
the EVK-JODY-W3.
4.1 Block diagram
Figure 4 shows the block diagram of the EVK with the different peripheral connectors around it.
Figure 4: EVK-JODY-W3 block diagram
4.2 Overview of jumpers and connectors
Figure 5 shows an overview of the evaluation board and its connectors. The EVK makes all the
interfaces of the JODY-W3 series module accessible through connectors or pin headers. The available
interfaces and configurations options are described in detail in the following sections.
JODY-W3
module 2x internal
dual-band
t
3x SMA
connector
Control lines
and GPIOs
Audio interface
(PCM/I2S)
PCIe
interface
UART
interface
USB
interface
UART to
USB
Power supply
SDIO
interface
DC-DC
Bootstrap
configuration
Audio
codec

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Figure 5: EVK-JODY-W3 jumpers and connectors
J204: SDIO
ZIF connector
J205: USB type-C
connector for
Bluetooth (bottom)
J203: PCIe
ZIF connector
SW503: Bootstrapping
J300, J302,
J303: Control
lines
J104, J105, J106:
Power supply
configuration
J406, J408, J410: SMA
connectors for external
antennas
J301:
Bluetooth
audio
interface
J305: UART Interface
J400: USB-
UART enable
Internal dual-band
antennas
LEDs
SW500, SW501:
Reset and power
buttons
JODY-W3
module
board

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Table 4 provides a summary of the connectors and jumpers used to configure EVK-JODY-W3.
Designator Connector Description
J104, J105, J106 Power supply
configuration
Jumper settings for DC-DC input power supply configuration (4.3.1)
J107, J108,
J109, J111
Input voltage
configuration
Jumper settings for selecting the input voltage for the module from power
supply configuration (4.3.2)
J203 PCIe connector ZIF connector for PCIe host interface on EVK (4.4)
J204 Micro SDIO connector ZIF connector for SDIO host interface on EVK (4.5)
J305 Bluetooth UART UART connector for Bluetooth host interface (4.6)
J205 Type-C USB USB connector for Bluetooth host interface (via USB-to-UART bridge) (4.6)
J301 Blueooth audio Connector for the PCM/I2S audio interface (4.7)
J300, J302, J303 Control lines Connector for host and device wake for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (4.8)
SW503 Bootstrapping Pin headers for host interface selection (4.9)
J400 USB-UART Enable Jumper to enable/disable the Bluetooth host interface via USB-to-UART bridge
J406, J408, J410 SMA connectors SMA coaxial RF connectors for external antennas (4.10)
Table 4: JODY-W3 evaluation board connectors
4.2.1 Jumper conventions
Figure 6 shows the graphical conventions used for jumper settings illustrated in this document.
Pin 0 is shown in grey color. All jumpers are shown with red lines terminated with round edges.
Figure 6: Jumper convention
4.3 Power supply configuration
JODY-W3 series modules are supplied with 3.3 V (3V3), 1.8 V (1V8) and a VIO voltage that can be
either 3.3 V or 1.8 V. Power supply for the EVK can be provided over the different host interfaces or
from external sources. The following power supply options are available on the EVK:
•PCIe, SDIO, USB interfaces: The EVK is powered through the host interface. All internal voltages
are generated by DC-DC converters on the EVK.
•External power supply (VEXT): EVK-JODY-W3 can be connected to an external power supply of 7 V
to 24 V. DC-DC converters are used for generating all the required internal voltages.
•Individual supply: All the individual voltage rails 3V3, 1V8 and VIO are supplied from external power
sources.
J xxx
Pin 0 of the jumper JXXX
Jumper connected between 2 pins

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Figure 7 describes the external power supply connectors and jumpers to configure the different power
supply options.
Figure 7: Overview of EVK power supply configuration
Figure 8 shows the power supply tree for the EVK.
☞The VBAT rail on the EVK is used for the 3V3 supply of the JODY-W3 module.
Figure 8: JODY-W3 EVK power supply tree
Figure 9 shows the external input power supply selection using the jumpers J104-J106 and the input
voltage selection for the JODY-W3 module using the jumpers J107-J110. The detailed settings are
further described in Table 5 and Table 7.
Jumpers for input
voltage muxing for
the module
Jumpers for
external power
supply selection
LEDs for external
power supply
selection
External connectors for
supplying each of the
signals 3V3, 1V8 and
VIO
Single external
power supply
connector
Power supply selection
Input voltage selection

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Figure 9: Power supply and input voltage selection
4.3.1 Power supply selection
The selection for the external power supply sources is shown in Figure 10.
Figure 10: External power supply sources
3V3_IN is the input to the DC-DC converters on the EVK to generate the 3.3 V and 1.8 V voltages. The
jumpers J104-J106 are used to select to external power supply input for the EVK. The available
options are shown in Table 5.
Power supply source
Jumper configuration
3.3 V from PCIe interface
Use the M.2 or mini-PCIe adapter with the flat cable to connect to the host system.
3.3 V from SDIO interface
Use the micro SDIO adapter with the flat cable to connect to the host system.
5 V from USB interface
Use the Type-C USB cable to connect to the host system.
Note: The USB host port must be able to deliver a current of up to 1000 mA for Wi-Fi
operation. The current provided by a standard USB 2.0 interface is sufficient for Bluetooth-
only operation.

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Power supply source
Jumper configuration
7 V – 24 V external power supply
External supply (7 V – 24 V) must be connected to the power jack J100. The external supply
voltage is first converted to 5 V using a DC-DC on the EVK.
J100: Phoenix Contact 1721986
All input voltages supplied from individual sources
External supplies must be connected to the power jacks located on the bottom side of the
EVK for 3V3 (J101), 1V8 (J103) and VIO (J102).
J101-J103: Phoenix Contact 1721986
Table 5: Jumper settings for power supply selection for the EVK
4.3.2 Input voltage selection
With reference to the power matrix shown in Figure 11, position jumpers J107, J108, J109, and J111
to select the appropriate input voltages for the module. The jumpers configure the input between DC-
DC generated voltages and the direct input voltage from the individual supplies.
Figure 11 shows the jumper pins for configuring the input voltages described in Table 6.
Figure 11: Input voltage pins
Designator
Module supply
Source
VBAT_MUX 3V3 Can be connected to 3V3_DCDC or VBAT_EXT
VIO_MUX VIO Can be connected to VBAT, 1V8 or VIO_EXT
1V8_MUX 1V8 Can be connected to 1V8_DCDC or 1V8_EXT
Table 6: Input voltage options
For the operation of EVK-JODY-W3, power supply jumpers must be set as explained in Table 5 and
Table 7. The first one selects the external power supply and the second one defines the voltage levels
to operate the module. Table 7 describes the different options to select the input voltages for the
module.
Jumper settings Description / Voltage levels
VIO (3.3 V) VIO (1.8 V)
Power supply using host interface (PCIe, SDIO or USB) or
single external supply (VEXT) and DC-DC generated
voltages. VIO voltage is derived from either 1V8 or VBAT.
•3V3/VBAT – 3.3 V
•1V8 – 1.8 V
•VIO – 1.8 V or 3.3 V

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Power supply using individual external input sources for
each of the voltage rails 3V3, 1V8 and VIO.
External supplies are connected at the bottom of the EVK
carrier board.
Note: VIO can also be connected to VBAT or 1V8 to supply
it from the same external 3.3 V or 1.8 V source.
Table 7: Jumper settings for input voltage selection
4.4 PCIe interface
The EVK can be connected through a PCIe connector for Wi-Fi communication with the host system.
Adapters for M.2 Key E and mini-PCIe connectors on host side are included in the kit. The PCIe host
interface connector (J203) is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12: PCIe interface connector
VDD_PCIE is connected to the power supply connector (J106) and is used for supplying 3.3 V for VBAT
from the PCIe interface.
4.5 SDIO interface
The EVK can be connected through a micro SDIO connector for Wi-Fi communication with the host
system. The SDIO connector can optionally be used for Bluetooth. The SDIO host interface connector
(J204) is shown in Figure 13.

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Figure 13: SDIO interface connector
All signals except VDD_SDIO are directly connected to the JODY-W3 module through 22 Ωseries
resistors connected on the module board.
VDD_SDIO is connected to the power supply connector (J105) and is used for supplying 3.3 V for
VBAT from the SDIO interface. The SDIO interface has 50Ωimpedance. The SDIO signals are powered
by the 1V8 voltage domain.
☞Pull-up resistors for the SDIO lines are not installed on the EVK because they are typically
included in the host CPU. The EVK carrier board has the provision to install pull-up resistors if
needed by the design.
4.6 Bluetooth UART interface
The Bluetooth UART interface of the JODY-W3 series module can be accessed either directly through
the UART pins on J305, or through the USB type-C connector via a USB-to-UART bridge (default).
A USB-to-UART bridge (FTDI FT234XD) is included on the evaluation board to connect to the high
speed UART interface of the JODY-W3 series module. VDD_USB from the USB connector is converted
by a DC-DC to 3.3 V and connected to the power supply connector (J104) for supplying VBAT from
the USB interface. Place the jumper on J400 to use Bluetooth through the USB type-C connector.
Figure 14: Jumper setting to use Bluetooth over USB
The 4-pin UART interface of the JODY-W3 series modules can be directly accessed through the
Bluetooth UART connector J305. To use the UART interface directly, remove the jumper on J400 and
connect the UART host interface to the respective module side pins on J305 as shown in Figure 15
and Table 8. Signal ground can be connected to one of the available GND pins on J303 as shown in
Figure 18. The UART signals are powered by the VIO voltage domain.
Figure 15: Bluetooth over UART interface
J400
J400

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Name I/O Description Remarks
UART_TXD O UART TX signal Connect to Host RX
UART_RXD I UART RX signal Connect to Host TX
UART_RTS O UART RTS signal Connect to Host CTS
UART_CTS I UART CTS signal Connect to Host RTS
Table 8: UART signal description
4.7 Bluetooth audio interface
A MAX9860 16-bit audio codec for Bluetooth voice applications is provided on the JODY-W3 EVK and
connected to the PCM/I2S interface of the module. A 3.5 mm audio jack (J206) to connect a headset
is available on the bottom side of the EVK. The codec is operated with a master clock (MCLK) of
19.2 MHz. The MAX9860 audio codec is completely controlled through software using an I2C
interface. The codec responds to the I2C slave address 0x20 for all write commands and 0x21 for all
read operations.
Place jumpers J401 and J402 on the bottom side of the EVK to enable the audio codec.
Figure 16: Jumpers to enable the audio codec
The I2C interface of the audio codec is provided on connector J303 of the EVK as shown in Figure 17
and Table 9.
The PCM/I2S interface of the JODY-W3 module is directly connected to the serial audio interface of
the MAX9860 audio codec. The PCM pins are shared with the I2S interface and are additionally
provided on connector J301 as shown in Figure 18 and Table 9.
Name I/O Connector / pin no. Description
I2C_SDA I/O J303 / 11 I2C Serial-Data Input/Output
I2C_SCL I J303 / 13 I2C Serial-Data clock
PCM_CLK I/O J301 / 16 PCM clock
Alternate function: I2S clock
PCM_SYNC I/O J301 / 15 PCM frame sync
Alternate function: I2S word select
PCM_IN I J301 / 18 PCM data in
Alternate function: I2S data in
PCM_OUT O J301 / 17 PCM data out
Alternate function: I2S data out
Table 9: Audio interfaces
J401
J402