Ublox NINA-B3 Series Quick setup guide

UBX-17056748 - R13
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NINA-B3 series
Stand-alone Bluetooth 5 low energy modules
System integration manual
Abstract
This document describes the system integration of the NINA-B3 series stand-alone Bluetooth 5 low
energy modules.

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Document information
Title
NINA-B3 series
Subtitle
Stand-alone Bluetooth 5 low energy modules
Document type
System integration manual
Document number
UBX-17056748
Revision and date
R13
14-Jan-2022
Disclosure restriction
C1-Public
Document status descriptions
Draft
For functional testing. Revised and supplementary data will be published later.
Objective specification
Target values. Revised and supplementary data will be published later.
Advance information
Data based on early testing. Revised and supplementary data will be published later.
Early production information
Data from product verification. Revised and supplementary data may be published later.
Production information
Document contains the final product specification.
This document applies to the following products:
Open CPU:
Product name
Document status
Comment
NINA-B301
Early Production Information
NINA-B302
Early Production Information
NINA-B306
Early Production Information
NINA-B306-01B is without external LFXO.
u-connectXpress:
Product name
Document status
Comment
NINA-B311
Early Production Information
NINA-B312
Early Production Information
NINA-B316
Early Production Information
☞For information about the related hardware, software, and status of listed product types, see the
respective data sheets.
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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Contents
Document information................................................................................................................................2
Contents ..........................................................................................................................................................3
1System description...............................................................................................................................6
1.1 Overview and applications ........................................................................................................................6
1.2 Architecture .................................................................................................................................................8
1.2.1 Block diagrams.................................................................................................................................... 8
1.2.2 Hardware options ...............................................................................................................................8
1.2.3 Software options ................................................................................................................................8
1.3 Pin configuration and function.................................................................................................................9
1.4 Supply interfaces ........................................................................................................................................ 9
1.4.1 Main supply input ...............................................................................................................................9
1.4.2 Digital I/O interfaces reference voltage (VCC_IO) ........................................................................9
1.4.3 VCC application circuits ....................................................................................................................9
1.5 System function interfaces ....................................................................................................................10
1.5.1 Module reset ......................................................................................................................................10
1.5.2 Internal temperature sensor ..........................................................................................................10
1.6 Debug –Serial Wire Debug (SWD) .........................................................................................................10
1.7 Serial interfaces ........................................................................................................................................10
1.7.1 Universal Asynchronous Serial Interface (UART) ......................................................................10
1.7.2 Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI).....................................................................................................11
1.7.3 Quad serial peripheral interface (QSPI)........................................................................................11
1.7.4 I2C interface.......................................................................................................................................12
1.7.5 USB 2.0 interface..............................................................................................................................12
1.8 GPIO pins.....................................................................................................................................................12
1.8.1 Analog interfaces..............................................................................................................................13
1.9 Antenna interfaces...................................................................................................................................14
1.9.1 Antenna pin –NINA-B3x1................................................................................................................14
1.9.2 Integrated antenna –NINA-B3x2/B3x6........................................................................................15
1.9.3 NFC antenna......................................................................................................................................15
1.10 Reserved pins (RSVD) ..............................................................................................................................15
1.11 GND pins .....................................................................................................................................................15
2Software ................................................................................................................................................ 16
2.1 u-connectXpress software......................................................................................................................16
2.2 Open CPU....................................................................................................................................................17
2.2.1 Nordic nRF5 SDK ..............................................................................................................................17
2.2.2 Zephyr .................................................................................................................................................21
2.2.3 Saving Bluetooth MAC address and other production data....................................................22
2.2.4 Support –Nordic development forum ..........................................................................................23
2.3 Updating NINA-B31 software.................................................................................................................23
2.3.1 Updating over UART.........................................................................................................................23

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2.4 Flashing NINA-B30 open CPU software ...............................................................................................31
2.4.1 Flashing over the SWD interface...................................................................................................31
3Design-in................................................................................................................................................ 32
3.1 Overview......................................................................................................................................................32
3.2 Design for NINA family.............................................................................................................................32
3.3 Antenna interface .....................................................................................................................................32
3.3.1 RF transmission line design (NINA-B3x1 only)...........................................................................33
3.3.2 Antenna design (NINA-B3x1 only).................................................................................................34
3.3.3 On-board antenna.............................................................................................................................37
3.4 Supply interfaces ......................................................................................................................................39
3.4.1 Module supply design ......................................................................................................................39
3.5 Serial interfaces ........................................................................................................................................40
3.5.1 Asynchronous serial interface (UART) design............................................................................40
3.5.2 Serial peripheral interface (SPI) .....................................................................................................40
3.5.3 I2C interface.......................................................................................................................................40
3.5.4 QSPI interface....................................................................................................................................40
3.5.5 USB interface.....................................................................................................................................40
3.6 NFC interface.............................................................................................................................................40
3.6.1 Battery protection ............................................................................................................................41
3.7 General High Speed layout guidelines ..................................................................................................41
3.7.1 General considerations for schematic design and PCB floor-planning .................................41
3.7.2 Module placement ............................................................................................................................42
3.7.3 Layout and manufacturing.............................................................................................................42
3.8 Module footprint and paste mask .........................................................................................................42
3.9 Thermal guidelines ...................................................................................................................................43
3.10 ESD guidelines ...........................................................................................................................................43
4Handling and soldering ..................................................................................................................... 44
4.1 ESD handling precautions.......................................................................................................................44
4.2 Packaging, shipping, storage, and moisture preconditioning .........................................................44
4.3 Soldering .....................................................................................................................................................44
4.3.1 Reflow soldering process ................................................................................................................45
4.3.2 Cleaning ..............................................................................................................................................46
4.3.3 Other remarks ...................................................................................................................................46
5Regulatory information and requirements ................................................................................ 47
5.1 ETSI –European market ..........................................................................................................................47
5.1.1 Compliance statement....................................................................................................................47
5.1.2 NINA-B3 Software security considerations ................................................................................47
5.1.3 Output power limitation ..................................................................................................................47
5.1.4 Safety Compliance ...........................................................................................................................48
5.2 FCC/ISED –US/Canadian markets ........................................................................................................49
5.2.1 Compliance statements..................................................................................................................49
5.2.2 RF Exposure .......................................................................................................................................49

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5.2.3 Antenna selection.............................................................................................................................50
5.2.4 IEEE 802.15.4 channel map limitation .........................................................................................50
5.2.5 Change in ID/Multiple Listing process..........................................................................................50
5.2.6 End product verification requirements ........................................................................................51
5.2.7 End product labelling requirements .............................................................................................51
5.2.8 End product user manual requirements ......................................................................................52
5.3 MIC - Japanese market............................................................................................................................53
5.3.1 Compliance statement....................................................................................................................53
5.3.2 48-bit address requirement ...........................................................................................................53
5.3.3 End product labelling requirement................................................................................................54
5.3.4 End product user manual requirement ........................................................................................54
5.4 NCC –Taiwanese market ........................................................................................................................54
5.4.1 Compliance statements..................................................................................................................54
5.4.2 End product labelling requirement................................................................................................55
5.5 KCC –South Korean market ...................................................................................................................56
5.5.1 Compliance statement....................................................................................................................56
5.5.2 End product labeling requirements ..............................................................................................56
5.5.3 End product user manual requirements ......................................................................................57
5.6 Anatel Brazil compliance .........................................................................................................................57
5.7 Australia and New Zealand regulatory compliance ...........................................................................57
5.8 South Africa regulatory compliance .....................................................................................................58
5.9 Integration checklist ................................................................................................................................58
5.10 Pre-approved antennas list.....................................................................................................................59
5.10.1 Antenna accessories........................................................................................................................60
5.10.2 Single band antennas ......................................................................................................................60
6Product testing ................................................................................................................................... 63
6.1 u-blox in-line production testing ............................................................................................................63
6.2 OEM manufacturer production test .....................................................................................................64
6.2.1 “Go/No go” tests for integrated devices ......................................................................................64
Appendix ....................................................................................................................................................... 65
AGlossary ................................................................................................................................................. 65
BAntenna reference designs ............................................................................................................. 67
B.1 Reference design for external antennas (U.FL connector)................................................... 67
B.1.1 Floor plan ...................................................................................................................................... 68
B.1.2 RF trace specification............................................................................................................... 68
Related documents ................................................................................................................................... 70
Revision history.......................................................................................................................................... 71
Contact.......................................................................................................................................................... 72

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1System description
1.1 Overview and applications
NINA-B3 series modules are small stand-alone Bluetooth 5 low energy microcontroller units (MCU)
that feature full Bluetooth 5, a powerful Arm®Cortex®-M4 with FPU, and state-of-the-art power
performance. The embedded low power crystal in the NINA-B3 series improves power consumption
by enabling optimal power save modes.
NINA-B3x2 comes with an internal antenna, while the NINA-B3x1 has a pin for use with an external
antenna. The internal PIFA antenna is specifically designed for the small NINA form factor and
provides an extensive range. The NINA-B3 series is globally certified for use with the internal antenna
or a range of external antennas. This greatly reduces time, cost, and effort for customers integrating
the NINA-B3 in their designs.
The NINA-B3 series includes the following two sub-series as listed in the table below:
Model
Description
NINA-B30 series
Bluetooth 5 module with a powerful Arm Cortex-M4 with FPU, and state-of-the-art power performance.
Both the variants of NINA-B30 are open CPU modules that enable customer applications to run on the
built-in Arm Cortex-M4 with FPU. With 1 MB flash and 256 kB RAM, they offer the best-in-class capacity
for customer applications on top of the Bluetooth low energy stack.
NINA-B301 has a pin for use with an external antenna, NINA-B302 comes with an internal PIFA antenna,
and NINA-B306 has an internal PCB antenna integrated in the module PCB. The internal antennas are
specifically designed for the small NINA form factor and provides an extensive range.
The NINA-B306-01B module variant comes without the LFXO (Low frequency crystal oscillator) mounted.
NINA-B31 series
Bluetooth 5 module with a powerful Arm Cortex-M4 with FPU and u-connectXpress software pre-flashed.
The software in NINA-B31 modules provides support for u-blox Bluetooth low energy Serial Port Service,
GATT client and server, beacons, NFC™, and simultaneous peripheral and central roles –all configurable
from a host using AT commands. The NINA-B31x modules provide top grade security, thanks to secure
boot, which ensures the module only boots up with original u-blox software.
NINA-B311 has a pin for use with an external antenna, NINA-B312 comes with an internal PIFA antenna,
and NINA-B316 has an internal PCB antenna integrated in the module PCB. The internal antennas are
specifically designed for the small NINA form factor and provides an extensive range.

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Table 1: NINA-B30 series main features summary
⚠Regulations in the European market require the maximum output power of the radio to be limited.
See also ETSI –European market.

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1.2 Architecture
1.2.1 Block diagrams
Figure 1 shows the block diagram of the NINA-B3 series. The 32.768 kHz crystal not part of
NINA-B306-01B.
Figure 1: Block diagram of the NINA-B3 series
1.2.2 Hardware options
NINA-B3 series modules use an identical hardware configuration except for the different PCB sizes
and antenna solutions. An on-board 32.768 kHz low power crystal is included in all variants except the
NINA-B306-01B. An integrated DC/DC converter for higher efficiency under heavy load situations is
also included.
1.2.3 Software options
NINA-B3 can be used either together with the pre-flashed u-connectXpress software or as an open
CPU module where you can run your own application developed with the Nordic SDK development
environment inside the NINA-B3 module. For further information about the various software options,
see Software.
The u-connectXpress software also, from SW 3.0.0, contains Bluetooth mesh functionality.
DC/DC and LDO regulators
1 MB flash
Bluetooth LE
baseband
Cryptographic
hardware
accelerators
IO buffers
Arm Cortex-M4
PIFA antenna
(NINA-B3x2)
PLL
VCC_IO (1.7 –3.6 V)
VCC (1.7 - 3.6 V)
32 MHz
Reset
UART
SPI
GPIO
1.3 V
System
power
I2C
PWM
I2S
ADC and
comparator
Analog
Passive NFC tag
NFC
256 kB
RAM
PLL
32.768 kHz
RTC, timers
and counters
RF
Antenna pin
NINA-B3x1
Nordic Semiconductor
nRF52840
QSPI
USB device
USB 2.0
QDEC
PDM
CryptoCell
(NINA-B3x6)
PCB trace antenna

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1.3 Pin configuration and function
See the NINA-B3 series data sheet [2] for information about pin configuration and function.
1.4 Supply interfaces
1.4.1 Main supply input
The NINA-B3 series uses an integrated DC/DC converter to transform the supply voltage presented
at the VCC pin into a stable system core voltage. Because of this, the NINA-B3 modules are
compatible for use in battery powered designs.
When using the NINA-B3 with a battery, it is important that the battery type can handle the peak
power of the module. For the battery supply, consider adding extra capacitance on the supply line to
avoid capacity degradation. See the NINA-B3 series data sheet [2] for information about voltage
supply requirements and current consumption.
Table 2: Summary of voltage supply requirements
☞The current requirement in Table 2 considers using the u-connectXpress software with UART
communications. But it does not include any additional I/O current. Any use of external push
buttons, LEDs, or other interfaces will add to the total current consumption of the NINA-B3
module. The peak current consumption of the entire design will need to be taken into account
when considering a battery powered solution.
1.4.2 Digital I/O interfaces reference voltage (VCC_IO)
On NINA-B3 series modules, the I/O voltage level is the same as the supply voltage and VCC_IO is
internally connected to the supply input VCC.
When using NINA-B3 with a battery, the I/O voltage level will vary with the battery output voltage,
depending on the charge of the battery. Level shifters might be needed depending on the I/O voltage
of the host system.
1.4.3 VCC application circuits
The power for NINA-B3 series modules is provided through the VCC pins, which can be one of the
following:
•Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS)
•Low Drop Out (LDO) regulator
•Battery
The SMPS is the ideal choice when the available primary supply source has a higher value than the
operating supply voltage of the NINA-B3 series modules. The use of SMPS provides the best power
efficiency for the overall application and minimizes the current drawn from the main supply source.
⚠While selecting SMPS, ensure that the AC voltage ripple at the switching frequency is kept as low
as possible. Layout shall be implemented to minimize impact of high frequency ringing.
The use of an LDO linear regulator is convenient for a primary supply with a relatively low voltage
where the typical 85-90% efficiency of the switching regulator leads to minimal current saving. Linear
regulators are not recommended for high voltage step-down, as these dissipate a considerable
amount of energy.
Rail
Voltage requirement
Current requirement (peak)
VCC
1.7 V –3.6 V
20 mA
VCC_IO
Tied to VCC

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DC/DC efficiency should be evaluated as a tradeoff between active and idle duty cycles of the specific
application. Although some DC/DC can achieve high efficiency at extremely light loads, a typical
DC/DC efficiency quickly degrades as idle current drops below a few mA, greatly reducing the battery
life.
Due to the low current consumption and wide voltage range of the NINA-B3 series module, a battery
can be used as a main supply. The capacity of the battery should be selected to match the application.
Care should be taken so that the battery can deliver the peak current required by the module. See the
NINA-B3 series data sheet [2] for the electrical specifications.
It is best practice to include decoupling capacitors on the supply rails close to the NINA-B3 series
module. But depending on the design of the power routing on the host system, capacitance might not
be needed.
1.5 System function interfaces
1.5.1 Module reset
You can reset NINA-B3 modules by applying a low level on the RESET_N input pin, which is normally
set high with an internal pull-up. This causes an “external” or “hardware” reset of the module. The
current parameter settings are not saved in the non-volatile memory of the module and a proper
network detach is not performed.
1.5.2 Internal temperature sensor
The radio chip in NINA-B3 contains a temperature sensor used for over temperature and under
temperature shutdown.
⚠The temperature sensor is located inside the radio chip and should not be used if an accurate
temperature reading of the surrounding environment is required.
1.6 Debug –Serial Wire Debug (SWD)
The primary interface for debugging is the SWD interface. NINA-B30 series modules provide an SWD
interface for flashing and debugging. The two pins SWDIO and SWDCLK should be made accessible
on header or test points.
The SWD interface is disabled on the NINA-B31 series modules.
1.7 Serial interfaces
⚠As NINA B3 can be used with both the u-connectXpress and open CPU based applications, based
on the Nordic SDK, the available interfaces and the pin mapping may vary. For detailed pin
information, see Pin configuration and function.
1.7.1 Universal Asynchronous Serial Interface (UART)
NINA B3 provides a Universal Asynchronous Serial Interface (UART) for data communication.
The following UART signals are available:
•Data lines (RXD as input, TXD as output)
•Hardware flow control lines (CTS as input, RTS as output)
•DSR and DTS are used to set and indicate system modes