Ublox EVK-M10QSAM User manual

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EVK-M10QSAM
Evaluation kit
User guide
Abstract
This document describes the structure and use of the EVK-
M10QSAM evaluation kit and provides information for evaluating the
u-blox SAM-M10Q GNSS patch antenna module.
www.u-blox.com
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Document information
Title EVK-M10QSAM
Subtitle Evaluation kit
Document type User guide
Document number UBX-22026860
Revision and date R01 15-Nov-2022
Disclosure restriction C1-Public
This document applies to the following products:
Product name Type number Firmware version PCN reference
EVK-M10QSAM EVK-M10QSAM-00-01 ROM SPG 5.10 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, or modification of this document or any part thereof is only permitted with the express
written permission of u-blox. Disclosure to third parties is permitted for clearly public documents only.
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 © 2022, u-blox AG.
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Contents
1 Product description.............................................................................................................. 5
1.1 Overview.................................................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Kit contents..............................................................................................................................................5
1.3 System requirements.............................................................................................................................5
2 Specifications......................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Safety precautions..................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Approvals...................................................................................................................................................6
3 Getting started...................................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Installing u-center 2 software..............................................................................................................7
3.2 Installing hardware..................................................................................................................................7
3.3 Interface default configuration............................................................................................................ 7
4 Device description.................................................................................................................8
4.1 Interface connection...............................................................................................................................8
4.1.1 Interface switch.............................................................................................................................. 9
4.1.2 14-pin connector............................................................................................................................ 9
4.1.3 USB..................................................................................................................................................10
4.1.4 UART...............................................................................................................................................10
4.1.5 I2C....................................................................................................................................................11
4.2 GNSS input signal................................................................................................................................ 11
4.3 Time pulse.............................................................................................................................................. 11
4.4 Reset button..........................................................................................................................................11
4.5 Safe boot button...................................................................................................................................12
4.6 LED...........................................................................................................................................................12
4.7 Backup Battery......................................................................................................................................12
4.8 External interrupt................................................................................................................................. 12
5 Measuring current.............................................................................................................. 13
5.1 Measuring GNSS current....................................................................................................................13
5.2 Measuring backup current................................................................................................................. 13
6 Block diagram.......................................................................................................................14
7 Board layout..........................................................................................................................15
8 Schematic..............................................................................................................................16
9 Device configuration.......................................................................................................... 17
9.1 Communication ports.......................................................................................................................... 17
9.1.1 UART baud rate configuration.................................................................................................. 19
9.2 GNSS configuration..............................................................................................................................20
9.3 Navigation update rate........................................................................................................................21
9.4 Power modes..........................................................................................................................................21
9.4.1 Backup modes.............................................................................................................................. 22
10 Troubleshooting................................................................................................................ 23
11 Common evaluation pitfalls.......................................................................................... 25
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Appendix.................................................................................................................................... 26
A Glossary......................................................................................................................................................26
Related documents................................................................................................................ 27
Revision history.......................................................................................................................28

EVK-M10QSAM-User guide
1 Product description
1.1 Overview
The EVK-M10QSAM evaluation kit makes it simple to evaluate the low-power, high performance
SAM-M10Q concurrent GNSS antenna module.
The built-in USB interface provides both power supply and USB-to-Serial communication to the
receiver, keeping the possibility to also connect through a 14-pin connector or a dedicated RS-233
port. The versatile interfaces and measurement points enable advanced evaluation needs.
u-blox evaluation kits are compact, and their user-friendly interface and power supply make them
ideally suited for use in laboratories or vehicles. Furthermore, they can be used with a desktop or a
laptop, making them the perfect companion through all stages of design-in projects.
Evaluation kit Description Related products
EVK-M10QSAM u-blox M10 evaluation kit with patch antenna SAM-M10Q antenna module [1]
Table 1: EVK-M10QSAM supported products
1.2 Kit contents
The delivery package contains:
• The EVK-M10QSAM evaluation unit (plain PCB board).
• A USB cable.
Because of the integrated antennas in the SAM-M10Q module, the standard u-blox GNSS EVK
aluminum box cannot be used for the EVK-M10QSAM.
A plastic cap is attached on the top of the antenna module in EVK-M10QSAM. The purpose of
the cap is to prevent air flow inside the SAM-M10Q shield.
1.3 System requirements
• PC with USB 2.0 or RS-232 interface
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 8.1 onwards (x86 and x64 versions)
• Internet connection for the first-time use to download the required Windows drivers. See
section Installing u-center 2 software for details.
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2 Specifications
Parameter Specification
Serial interfaces 1 USB 2.0
1 UART, max baud rate 921600 baud
RS-232 +/- 5.0 V level
14 pin, 3.3 V logic
1 I2C, max 400 kHz
Timing interfaces 1 time pulse output
Dimensions 100 × 60 × 26 mm
Power supply 5.0 V via USB or powered via external power supply pin 14
(V5_IN) and pin 1 (GND)
Normal operating temperature -40 °C to +65 °C
Table 2: EVK-M10QSAM specifications
2.1 Safety precautions
EVK-M10QSAM must be supplied by a PS1 class limited power source. See section 6.2.2.4 of IEC
62368-1:2018 [3] for more information on the PS1 class.
In addition to a limited power source, only ES1 class circuits are to be connected to the EVK-
M10QSAM, including interfaces and antennas. See section 5.2.1.1 of IEC 62368-1:2018 [3] for more
information on the ES1 class.
2.2 Approvals
The EVK-M10QSAM is designed for the presumption of conformity with the essential requirements
and other relevant provisions of Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU.
The EVK-M10QSAM complies with the Directive 2011/65/EU (EU RoHS 2) and its amendment
Directive (EU) 2015/863 (EU RoHS 3).
The Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is available at u-blox website within Support > Product
Resources > Conformity Declaration.
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3 Getting started
3.1 Installing u-center 2 software
u-center 2, the u-blox interactive evaluation software tool is required for configuration, testing,
visualization and data analysis of u-blox GNSS receivers as well as EVKs. The EVK user guide
together with the u-center 2 evaluation tool provide useful assistance during all phases of a system
integration project. To install the u-center 2 evaluation software tool, follow the steps available on
www.u-blox.com/product/u-center. For more information on how to use the u-center 2 evaluation
software tool, refer to the u-center 2 User guide [4].
The required Windows drivers for the FTDI FT2232D USB-to-UART converter that is used in the EVK
are available from the Microsoft Windows Update service. To ensure that the latest FTDI drivers
are installed automatically from Windows Update, check and uninstall the previously installed
FTDI drivers. The Windows system driver search mechanism will download and install the FTDI
drivers automatically from the Microsoft Windows Update service. If the automatic installation fails,
contact u-blox support to get the FTDI drivers and install manually.
3.2 Installing hardware
1. Before connecting the interface cable to the EVK, select the interface that you are using for
the connection by sliding the interface switch to the correct position:
•USB: Connect via USB port.
•UART: Connect via RS-232 or through the 14-pin connector.
CAUTION Changing the interface switch position while the EVK is powered on may damage
the GNSS receiver chip. Power off the EVK before changing the interface switch setting.
Refer to section Device description for more information on the interfaces.
2. Power the device on, either via USB on the back or through the V5_IN input on the front of the
EVK.
3. Place the evaluation kit in a location with good sky view. The EVK-M10QSAM includes a
SAM-M10Q concurrent GNSS module with an embedded patch antenna. There is no external
antenna connectivity to RF IN.
4. Start the u-center 2 evaluation tool and select corresponding COM port and baud rate as
shown in the u-center User guide [4].
3.3 Interface default configuration
Parameter Description Remark
UART, Input UBX and NMEA protocol at 9600 baud
UART, Output UBX and NMEA protocol at 9600 baud Only NMEA messages are activated by default
I2C, Input UBX and NMEA protocol
I2C, Output UBX and NMEA protocol Only NMEA messages are activated by default
Table 3: Default configuration
The I2C and UART interfaces on the 14-pin connector are available for debugging and design-
in purposes.
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4 Device description
EVK-M10QSAM evaluation kit contains SAM-M10Q concurrent GNSS module embedded with a
GNSS patch antenna, along with a built-in USB interface which provides both power supply and high-
speed data transfer, and eliminates the need for an external power supply as shown in Figure 5.
4.1 Interface connection
The EVK-M10QSAM supports UART and I2C communication interfaces. To connect the EVK to
a PC, use a standard SUBD-9 cable or the included USB cable depending on the interface in use.
The EVK also includes an on-board USB-to-Serial converter for USB-to-UART communication with
the receiver. For current measurements and to evaluate the available digital interfaces, additional
measurement equipment and devices can be connected to the 14-pin connector on the front side
of the EVK unit. The EVK design allows the front side pins to be used simultaneously with the other
ports.
Do not drive any of the IO pins when the EVK is not connected to a power supply.
Figure 1: Connecting the EVK-M10QSAM unit for power supply and communication
Figure 2 shows the front and back side of the EVK-M10QSAM evaluation unit.
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Figure 2: EVK-M10QSAM front and back side
4.1.1 Interface switch
Use the interface switch on the front side of the evaluation kit to choose between the RS-232 and
USB communication ports.
CAUTION Changing the interface switch position while the EVK is powered on may damage the
GNSS receiver chip. Power off the EVK before changing the interface switch setting.
• RS-232 – In this selection, the EVK operates with the RS-232 (DB9 – back side).
• USB – In this selection, the EVK operates only with the USB interface. RS-232 (DB9) is switched
off.
4.1.2 14-pin connector
The EVK-M10QSAM front side has a 14-pin connector that provides programmable input/output
signals, communication interfaces and supply options. All these pins are ESD protected. The 14-pin
connector can be used for communicating with the receiver through the UART and I2C interfaces.
In addition, the 14-pin connector provides flexibility for evaluating other advanced scenarios.
Pin no. Pin name I/O Level Description
14 V5_IN I 4.75 - 5.25 V Power input – can be used instead of USB.
13 GND I - Common ground pin.
12 P1A (VCC) O 3.3 V Power output – max. current supply 100 mA.
1 Ω 5% resistor for over-all current measurement to pin 11
(P1B).
11 P1B O - Second connection for overall current measurement as shown
in Figure 5.
10 P2A O 3.0 V Battery output (unloaded).
100 Ω 5% resistor for battery backup current measurement
to pin 9 (P2B).
NOTE: There is a current protection to 3 mA. See circuit in
Figure 8 (D2, D4, R29).
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Pin no. Pin name I/O Level Description
9P2B O - Second junction for battery backup current measurement.
8 TIMEPULSE O 3.3 V Timepulse output.
7EXTINT0 I 3.3 V External interrupt signal. Can be used for time mark feature,
time aiding, and wakeup from power save modes.
6NC - - Not connected.
5SDA2 I/O 3.3 V Data input / output for the I2C interface.
4SCL2 I 3.3 V Clock input for the I2C interface.
3TXD1 O 3.3 V Serial port transmit.
2RXD1 I 3.3 V Serial port receive.
1 GND I – Recommended common ground pin.
Table 4: EVK-M10QSAM 14-pin connector pin description
Figure 3: EVK-M10QSAM 5.0 V DC power supply example
When using the 3.3 V digital interfaces with your application (e.g. I2C), a cable length less than
25 cm is recommended.
4.1.3 USB
The USB connector in the evaluation kit can be used for both power supply and communication. The
easiest way to evaluate the EVK-M10QSAM operation is to connect the EVK to a PC with the USB
cable and then to use the u-center 2 tool to configure and monitor the GNSS functions. The USB
connector is internally connected to a USB-to-Serial converter that connects to the UART interface
of the u-blox M10 receiver on the EVK. This allows the USB connector to be used for communication
as well. Interface switch can be used for USB communication with the receiver.
When the EVK is connected to the PC, Windows creates a virtual COM port to the PC. This newly
created virtual COM port needs to be selected in the u-center 2 evaluation tool for communicating
with the receiver. EVK-M10QSAM supports USB-to-UART communication speeds up to 921600
baud.
4.1.4 UART
The EVK unit includes two options for the UART connection, via the RS-232 serial port or the 14-
pin connector. By default, the UART communication speed is set to 9600 baud and EVK-M10QSAM
supports speeds up to 921600 baud.
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4.1.4.1 RS-232
The EVK can be connected to a PC using a maximum 3 m straight RS-232 serial cable with male and
female connectors. The RS-232 port needs to be configured to connect to the PC. To do this, use
the UBX-CFG-VALSET command and select the CFG-UART1 Configuration group in the u-center
2 evaluation tool. The maximum operating baud rate is 230400 baud. Note, if a USB-to-RS-232
adapter cable is used, it can be connected directly to the RS-232 port of the evaluation kit. The
RS-232 port also provides a TIMEPULSE output signal.
The 9-pin RS-232 female connector is assigned as listed below:
Pin no. Assignment
1 & 6 Time pulse
2 TXD (GNSS Transmit Data)
3 RXD (GNSS Receive Data)
4 not connected
5 GND
7, 8 & 9 not connected
Table 5: EVK-M10QSAM RS-232 connector pin description
4.1.4.2 UART through 14-pin connector
The EVK also provides UART communication through the 14-pin connector on pins TxD and RxD.
See section 14-pin connector for more information.
4.1.5 I2C
The 14-pin connector contains pins for evaluating I2C bus communication. By default, the I2C pull-
up resistors are populated on the EVK board which help if fast communication speed with long cable
length is needed.
4.2 GNSS input signal
The SAM-M10Q module is embedded with a GNSS patch antenna and the signal is further
filtered and amplified by the internal SAW filter and internal Low Noise Amplifier (LNA). For more
information, see the SAM-M10Q Hardware Integration Manual [2].
External antenna connectivity through SMA connector is not available in the EVK-M10QSAM.
4.3 Time pulse
u-blox receivers include a time pulse function that provides pulses with a configurable pulse period,
pulse length and polarity (rising or falling edge). The u-center 2 evaluation tool can be used to
configure the time pulse parameters. The time pulse signal is available at the 14-pin and RS-232
connectors. In addition, the time pulse signal is inverted and connected to the LED on the front side
of the EVK.
The time pulse signal from the 14-pin connector has 50 ohms output and thus, no fast slope
output signal is possible.
4.4 Reset button
The RST button on the front side resets the SAM-M10Q module.
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4.5 Safe boot button
This button is used to set the receiver into safeboot mode. In this mode, the receiver executes only
the minimal functionality.
The safeboot mode is not recommended in EVK-M10QSAM because the u-blox M10 receiver is
using a ROM-based firmware and thus, it is not necessary to go into safe boot mode.
4.6 LED
On the front side of the EVK unit, a single blue LED shows the time pulse signal as well as the status
that the device is powered on. The LED starts flashing one pulse per second during a GNSS fix. If
there is no GNSS fix, the LED will only be lit, without flashing.
4.7 Backup Battery
There is a backup battery in the evaluation unit. This is necessary to store orbital information
between operations and to enable faster start-up. It is a RENATA 3.0 V Li / MnO² battery of the type
CR2450. The battery has a rated capacity of 540 mA. The battery operating temperature range is
-40° C to +85° C. In case the built-in backup battery runs low or empty after a long storage period,
purchase the above described battery for replacement.
CAUTION Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type. Make sure that battery is
of the correct specification.
CAUTION Risk of short circuit when touching the battery with conducting parts. Do not use
conductive parts to remove or touch the battery.
4.8 External interrupt
On the EVK-M10QSAM, the external interrupt (EXTINT) signal is available on the 14-pin connector.
The EXTINT signal can be used for time mark and time aiding features of the receiver, as well as for
waking up the receiver from power save modes. See section 14-pin connector for more information.
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5 Measuring current
5.1 Measuring GNSS current
At startup, the receiver starts in acquisition mode to search for available satellites and to download
GNSS orbital data, i.e., ephemeris and almanac. Once the data has been downloaded, the receiver
enters tracking mode. In continuous operation, the receiver typically remains in tracking mode once
entering it. The current consumption reduces when the receiver enters the tracking mode. The time
required to enter tracking mode can be reduced by downloading aiding data from the AssistNow™
Online service.
On EVK-M10QSAM, the main supply voltage for the u-blox M10 GNSS receiver is 3.3 V. To measure
the total GNSS supply current with EVK-M10QSAM, follow these steps:
1. Power up EVK-M10QSAM.
2. Connect a true RMS voltmeter across P1A (pin 12) and P1B (pin 11) of the 14-pin connector.
3. Read the voltage (and average if necessary) on the voltmeter and convert to current (1 mV
equals 1 mA).
4. Perform the test with good signals and clear sky view to ensure that the receiver can acquire
the satellite signals.
For more details see the setup below.
Figure 4: Example – tracking current measurement
5.2 Measuring backup current
To measure the backup current (IBCKP) with EVK-M10QSAM, follow these steps:
1. Connect a true RMS voltmeter across P2A (pin 10) and P2B (pin 9) of the 14-pin connector.
2. Remove power supply (USB cable or other external power supply from the 14-pin connector).
3. Read the voltage (and average if necessary) on the voltmeter and convert to current (1 mV
equals 10 µA).
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6 Block diagram
EVK-M10QSAM block diagram providing an overview on supply voltages, current measurement and
communication interfaces is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: EVK-M10QSAM block diagram
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7 Board layout
Figure 6: EVK-M10QSAM board layout
Figure 7: EVK-M10QSAM PCB
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8 Schematic
Figure 8: EVK-M10QSAM schematic
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9 Device configuration
This section shows how to configure and evaluate some important receiver features on EVK-
M10QSAM related to power modes, GNSS constellations, navigation rate of the receiver. In addition,
the receiver can be configured with the Advanced Configuration View of the u-center 2 evaluation
tool as shown in Figure 9.
Figure 9: EVK-M10QSAM receiver configuration view
The receiver configuration can be saved to the receiver RAM, or to the battery-backed RAM (BBR).
The RAM content is cleared after the power supply is disconnected or in software standby mode and
the off state of On/Off power save mode (PSMOO). Therefore, it is recommended to save the receiver
configuration to RAM and BBR. The BBR content is maintained as long as the backup battery supply
is available.
9.1 Communication ports
The FTDI USB-to-UART converter generates two virtual communication (COM) ports as shown in
Figure 10. The first COM port based on the COM port ID is the correct port to use. For example, if
the generated COM ports are COM1 and COM2, then the port to use is COM1.
If the RS-232 port is also connected to the same PC, there will be an additional COM port for
the RS-232 serial connection.
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Figure 10: EVK-M10QSAM communication ports
The COM ports may appear differently in different Windows versions. For example, in Windows
10 it appears as shown in Figure 11.
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Figure 11: EVK-M10QSAM communication ports identification on Windows
9.1.1 UART baud rate configuration
The baud rate for the UART communication to the receiver can be configured in the CFG-UART1-
BAUDRATE configuration key. The default baud rate is set to 9600 as shown in Figure 12, and the
maximum baud rate is 921600.
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Figure 12: EVK-M10QSAM UART baud rate configuration
Setting a different baud rate will interrupt communication. If other configuration keys were set
after, these will not be applied. Therefore, the new baud rate needs to be selected manually to
resume communication and apply the remaining configuration items.
9.2 GNSS configuration
The default GNSS constellations that are enabled on the receiver are GPS, Galileo, GLONASS,
BeiDou B1C, SBAS and QZSS. The receiver GNSS configuration can be updated by selecting the
constellations in the GNSS Configuration View as shown in Figure 13.
Figure 13: EVK-M10QSAM receiver GNSS configuration
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