SARA-R4 series Size-optimized LTE Cat M1 modules System Integration Manual Abstract This document describes the features and the system integration of SARA-R4 series cellular modules. These modules are a complete, cost efficient and performance optimized LTE Cat M1 solution in the compact SARA form factor. www.u-blox.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Document Information Title SARA-R4 series Subtitle Size-optimized LTE Cat M1 modules Document type System Integration Manual Document number UBX-16029218 Revision and date R03 24-May-2017 Disclosure restriction Product Status Corresponding content status Functional Sample Draft For functional testing. Revised and supplementary data will be published later. In Development / Prototype Objective Specification Target values.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Preface u-blox Technical Documentation As part of our commitment to customer support, u-blox maintains an extensive volume of technical documentation for our products. In addition to our product-specific technical data sheets, the following manuals are available to assist u-blox customers in product design and development. AT Commands Manual: This document provides the description of the AT commands supported by the u-blox cellular modules.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Contents Preface ................................................................................................................................ 3 Contents.............................................................................................................................. 4 1 System description ....................................................................................................... 7 1.1 1.2 Overview .....................................
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.3 System functions interfaces ................................................................................................................ 42 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.4 Antenna RF interface (ANT) ......................................................................................................... 44 Antenna detection interface (ANT_DET) ...................................................................................... 51 SIM interface ..........
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 4.1 4.2 5 Product certification approval overview ............................................................................................... 76 US Federal Communications Commission notice ................................................................................. 77 4.2.1 Safety warnings review the structure ........................................................................................... 77 4.2.2 4.2.3 Declaration of Conformity ........
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1 System description 1.1 Overview The SARA-R4 series comprises LTE Cat M1 modules supporting data transmission in the miniature SARA LGA form-factor (26.0 x 16.0 mm, 96-pin), that allows an easy integration in compact designs and a seamless drop-in migration from u-blox cellular module families.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Table 2 reports a summary of cellular radio access technologies characteristics and features of the modules.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.3 Pin-out Table 3 lists the pin-out of the SARA-R4 series modules, with pins grouped by function. Function Pin Name Pin No I/O Description Remarks Power VCC 51, 52, 53 I Module supply input VCC supply circuit affects the RF performance and compliance of the device integrating the module with applicable required certification schemes. See section 1.5.1 for functional description / requirements. See section 2.2.1 for external circuit design-in.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Function Pin Name Pin No I/O Description Remarks UART RXD 13 O UART data output 1.8 V output, Circuit 104 (RXD) in ITU-T V.24, for AT commands, data communication, FOAT. See section 1.9.1 for functional description. See section 2.6.1 for external circuit design-in. TXD 12 I UART data input 1.8 V input, Circuit 103 (TXD) in ITU-T V.24, for AT commands, data communication, FOAT. Internal active pull-up to V_INT. See section 1.9.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Function DDC GPIO Reserved Pin Name Pin No I/O Description 2 Remarks SCL 27 O I C bus clock line 1.8 V open drain, for communication with I2C-slave devices. Internal pull-up to V_INT: external pull-up is not required. See section 1.9.3 for functional description. See section 2.6.3 for external circuit design-in. SDA 26 I/O I2C bus data line 1.8 V open drain, for communication with I2C-slave devices.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.4 Operating modes SARA-R4 series modules have several operating modes. The operating modes are defined in Table 4 and described in detail in Table 5, providing general guidelines for operation. General Status Operating Mode Definition Power-down Not-Powered Mode Power-Off Mode VCC supply not present or below operating range: module is switched off. VCC supply within operating range and module is switched off.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Mode Description Transition between operating modes Connected RF Tx/Rx data connection is in progress. The module is prepared to accept data signals from an external device. When a data connection is initiated, the module enters connected mode from active mode. Connected-mode is suspended if Tx/Rx data is not in progress.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.5 Supply interfaces 1.5.1 Module supply input (VCC) The modules must be supplied via the three VCC pins that represent the module power supply input. During operation, the current drawn by the SARA-R4 series modules through the VCC pins can vary by several orders of magnitude, depending on the operating mode and state (as described in sections 1.5.1.2, 1.5.1.3 and 1.5.1.4).
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.5.1.2 VCC current consumption in connected-mode During an LTE Category M1 connection, the SARA-R4 series modules transmit and receive in half duplex mode. The current consumption depends on output RF power, which is always regulated by the network (the current base station) sending power control commands to the module. These power control commands are logically divided into a slot of 0.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.5.1.4 VCC current consumption in active mode (power saving disabled) The active mode is the state where the module is switched on and ready to communicate with an external device by means of the application interfaces (as the USB or the UART serial interface). The module processor core is active, and the 19.2 MHz reference clock frequency is used.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.6 System function interfaces 1.6.1 Module power-on When the SARA-R4 series modules are in the not-powered mode (i.e. the VCC module supply is not applied), they can be switched on as follows: Rising edge on the VCC input pins to a valid voltage level, and then a low logic level has to be held at the PWR_ON input pin for a valid time. When the SARA-R4 series modules are in the power-off mode (i.e.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.6.2 Module power-off SARA-R4 series can be properly switched off by: AT+CPWROFF command (see SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual [2]). The current parameter settings are saved in the module’s non-volatile memory and a proper network detach is performed. Low pulse on the PWR_ON pin for a valid time period (see SARA-R4 series Data Sheet [1]). An abrupt under-voltage shutdown occurs on SARA-R4 series modules when the VCC module supply is removed.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Figure 7 describes the SARA-R4 series modules switch-off sequence started by means of the PWR_ON input pin, allowing storage of current parameter settings in the module’s non-volatile memory and a proper network detach, with the following phases: A low pulse with appropriate time duration (see SARA-R4 series Data Sheet [1]) is applied at the PWR_ON input pin.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.6.3 Module reset SARA-R4 series modules can be properly reset (rebooted) by: AT+CFUN command (see SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual [2]). In the case listed above an “internal” or “software” reset of the module is executed: the current parameter settings are saved in the module’s non-volatile memory and a proper network detach is performed.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.7 Antenna interface 1.7.1 Antenna RF interface (ANT) SARA-R4 series modules provide an RF interface for connecting the external antenna. The ANT pin represents the primary RF input/output for transmission and reception of LTE RF signals. The ANT pin has a nominal characteristic impedance of 50 and must be connected to the primary Tx / Rx antenna through a 50 transmission line to allow proper RF transmission and reception. 1.7.1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.7.2 Antenna detection interface (ANT_DET) The antenna detection is based on ADC measurement. The ANT_DET pin is an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) provided to sense the antenna presence. The antenna detection function provided by ANT_DET pin is an optional feature that can be implemented if the application requires it. The antenna detection is forced by the +UANTR AT command. See the SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual [2] for more details on this feature.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.9 Data communication interfaces SARA-R4 series modules provide the following serial communication interface: UART interface: Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter serial interface available for the communication with a host application processor (AT commands, data communication, FW update by means of FOAT). See section 1.9.1. USB interface: Universal Serial Bus 2.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Flow control handshakes are supported by the UART interface and can be set by appropriate AT commands (see SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual [2], &K, \Q AT commands): hardware flow control (over the RTS / CTS lines), software flow control (XON/XOFF), or none flow control. Hardware flow control is enabled by default. The default baud rate is 115200 b/s, while the default frame format is 8N1 (8 data bits, No parity, 1 stop bit: see Figure 8).
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual RTS signal behavior The hardware flow control input (RTS line) is set by default to the OFF state (high level) at UART initialization. The module then holds the RTS line in the OFF state if the line is not activated by the DTE: an active pull-up is enabled inside the module on the RTS input. If the HW flow control is enabled, as it is by default, the module monitors the RTS line to detect permission from the DTE to send data to the DTE itself.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual The USB interface of SARA-R4 series modules can provide the following USB functions: AT commands and data communication Diagnostic log The USB profile of SARA-R4 series modules identifies itself by the following VID (Vendor ID) and PID (Product ID) combination, included in the USB device descriptor according to the USB 2.0 specifications [4]. VID = 0x05C6 PID = 0x90B2 1.9.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.12 System features 1.12.1 Network indication GPIOs can be configured by the AT command to indicate network status (for further details see section 1.10 and the SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual [2]): No service (no network coverage or not registered) Registered / Data call enabled (RF data transmission / reception) 1.12.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 1.12.6 HTTP SARA-R4 series modules provide the embedded Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) services via AT commands for sending requests to a remote HTTP server, receiving the server response and transparently storing it in the module’s Flash File System (FFS). For more details about embedded HTTP functionalities see the SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual [2]. 1.12.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual The “Periodic Update Timer” is the Extended Tracking Area Update (TAU) used by the SARA-R4 series module to periodically notify the network of its availability. The SARA-R4 series module requests the PSM by including the “Active Timer” with the desired value in the Attach, TAU or Routing Area Update (RAU) messages. The “Active Timer” is the time the module listens to the Paging Channel after having transitioned from connected to active mode.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2 Design-in 2.1 Overview For an optimal integration of SARA-R4 series modules in the final application board follow the design guidelines stated in this section. Every application circuit must be properly designed to guarantee the correct functionality of the relative interface, however a number of points require high attention during the design of the application device.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.2 Supply interfaces 2.2.1 Module supply (VCC) 2.2.1.1 General guidelines for VCC supply circuit selection and design All the available VCC pins have to be connected to the external supply minimizing the power loss due to series resistance. GND pins are internally connected.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual the typical choice when the charging source has a relatively low nominal voltage (~5 V). If both a permanent primary supply / charging source (e.g. ~12 V) and a rechargeable back-up battery (e.g. 3.7 V Li-Pol) are available at the same time as possible supply source, then a proper charger / regulator with integrated power path management function can be selected to supply the module while simultaneously and independently charging the battery. See sections 2.2.1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Figure 11 and Table 9 show an example of a high reliability power supply circuit, where the module VCC input is supplied by a step-down switching regulator capable of delivering maximum current with low output ripple and with fixed switching frequency in PWM mode operation greater than 1 MHz.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.2.1.3 Guidelines for VCC supply circuit design using a Low Drop-Out linear regulator The use of a linear regulator is suggested when the difference from the available supply rail source and the VCC value is low. The linear regulators provide high efficiency when transforming a 5 VDC supply to a voltage value within the module VCC normal operating range.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.2.1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual SARA-R4 series 3V8 VCC 51 VCC 52 VCC 53 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 GND Figure 13: Suggested schematic for the VCC bypass capacitors to reduce ripple / noise on supply voltage profile Reference Description Part Number - Manufacturer C1 C2 68 pF Capacitor Ceramic C0G 0402 5% 50 V 15 pF Capacitor Ceramic C0G 0402 5% 50 V GRM1555C1H680JA01 - Murata GRM1555C1H150JA01 - Murata C3 10 nF Capacitor Ceramic X7R 0402 10% 16 V GRM155R71C103KA01 - Murata C4 C5 100 nF Capa
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Li-Ion/Li-Polymer Battery Charger IC SARA-R4 series 5V0 USB Supply VDD Vbat C2 PG 51 VCC 52 VCC 53 VCC Li-Ion/Li-Pol Battery Pack THERM C1 θ STAT2 PROG C3 C4 C5 C6 R1 STA1 Vss B1 D1 GND D2 U1 Figure 14: Li-Ion (or Li-Polymer) battery charging application circuit Reference Description Part Number - Manufacturer B1 Li-Ion (or Li-Polymer) battery pack with 470 NTC Generic manufacturer C1, C2 C3 1 µF Capacitor Ceramic X7R 16 V 15 pF Capaci
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Power path management IC 12 V Primary Source Vin System Vout DC/DC converter and battery FET control logic Vbat Li-Ion/Li-Pol Battery Pack Charge controller GND GND θ Figure 15: Charger / regulator with integrated power path management circuit block diagram Figure 16 and the components listed in Table 13 provide an application circuit example where the MPS MP2617 switching charger / regulator with integrated power path management function provides the s
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Li-Ion/Li-Polymer Battery Charger / Regulator with Power Path Managment BST 12V L1 SW Primary Source VIN SARA-R4 series C4 53 VCC R4 C5 VLIM R5 Li-Ion/Li-Pol Battery Pack BAT R1 R2 EN + ILIM NTC ISET VCC TMR C1 51 VCC 52 VCC SYS C2 AGND PGND C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 θ R3 C3 C6 C7 C8 GND D1 D2 B1 U1 Figure 16: Li-Ion (or Li-Polymer) battery charging and power path management application circuit Reference Description Part Number - Manufac
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual The bypass capacitors in the pF range described in Figure 13 and Table 11 should be placed as close as possible to the VCC pins, where the VCC line narrows close to the module input pins, improving the RF noise rejection in the band centered on the Self-Resonant Frequency of the pF capacitors.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.2.2 Generic digital interfaces supply output (V_INT) 2.2.2.1 Guidelines for V_INT circuit design SARA-R4 series provide the V_INT generic digital interfaces 1.8 V supply output, which can be mainly used to: Indicate when the module is switched on (as described in sections 1.6.1, 1.6.2) Pull-up SIM detection signal (see section 2.5 for more details) Supply voltage translators to connect 1.8 V module generic digital interfaces to 3.0 V devices (e.g.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.3 System functions interfaces 2.3.1 Module power-on (PWR_ON) 2.3.1.1 Guidelines for PWR_ON circuit design SARA-R4 series PWR_ON input is equipped with an internal active pull-up resistor; an external pull-up resistor is not required and should not be provided. If connecting the PWR_ON input to a push button, the pin will be externally accessible on the application device.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.3.2 Module reset (RESET_N) 2.3.2.1 Guidelines for RESET_N circuit design SARA-R4 series RESET_N is equipped with an internal pull-up; an external pull-up resistor is not required. If connecting the RESET_N input to a push button, the pin will be externally accessible on the application device. According to EMC/ESD requirements of the application, an additional ESD protection device (e.g.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.4 Antenna interface SARA-R4 series modules provide an RF interface for connecting the external antenna: the ANT pin represents the RF input/output for RF signals transmission and reception. The ANT pin has a nominal characteristic impedance of 50 and must be connected to the physical antenna through a 50 transmission line to allow proper transmission / reception of RF signals. 2.4.1 Antenna RF interface (ANT) 2.4.1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual consult the antenna manufacturer for the design-in guidelines for antenna matching relative to the custom application In both of cases, selecting external or internal antennas, these recommendations should be observed: Select an antenna providing optimal return loss (or V.S.W.R.) figure over all the operating frequencies. Select an antenna providing optimal efficiency figure over all the operating frequencies.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Figure 20 and Figure 21 provide two examples of proper 50 coplanar waveguide designs. The first example of RF transmission line can be implemented in case of 4-layer PCB stack-up herein described, and the second example of RF transmission line can be implemented in case of 2-layer PCB stack-up herein described.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Additionally to the 50 impedance, the following guidelines are recommended for transmission lines design: Minimize the transmission line length: the insertion loss should be minimized as much as possible, in the order of a few tenths of a dB, Add GND keep-out (i.e.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual If an external antenna is used, the antenna connector represents the RF termination on the PCB: Use suitable a 50 connector providing proper PCB-to-RF-cable transition. Strictly follow the connector manufacturer’s recommended layout, for example: o SMA Pin-Through-Hole connectors require GND keep-out (i.e. clearance, a void area) on all the layers around the central pin up to annular pads of the four GND posts, as shown in Figure 22 o U.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Examples of antennas Table 16 lists some examples of possible internal on-board surface-mount antennas. Manufacturer Part Number Product Name Description Taoglas PA.710.A Warrior Taoglas PA.711.A Warrior II Taoglas PCS.06.A Havok Antenova SR4L002 Lucida GSM / WCDMA / LTE SMD Antenna 698..960 MHz, 1710..2170 MHz, 2300..2400 MHz, 2490..2690 MHz 40.0 x 6.0 x 5.0 mm GSM / WCDMA / LTE SMD Antenna Pairs with the Taoglas PA.710.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Table 18 lists some examples of possible external antennas. Manufacturer Part Number Product Name Description Taoglas GSA.8827.A.101111 Phoenix Taoglas TG.30.8112 Taoglas MA241.BI.001 GSM / WCDMA / LTE adhesive-mount antenna with cable and SMA(M) 698..960 MHz, 1575.42 MHz, 1710..2170 MHz, 2490..2690 MHz 105 x 30 x 7.7 mm GSM / WCDMA / LTE swivel dipole antenna with SMA(M) 698..960 MHz, 1575.42 MHz, 1710..2170 MHz, 2400..2700 MHz 148.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.4.2 Antenna detection interface (ANT_DET) 2.4.2.1 Guidelines for ANT_DET circuit design Figure 23 and Table 19 describe the recommended schematic / components for the antenna detection circuit that must be provided on the application board and for the diagnostic circuit that must be provided on the antenna’s assembly to achieve primary and secondary antenna detection functionality.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual The DC impedance at RF port for some antennas may be a DC open (e.g. linear monopole) or a DC short to reference GND (e.g. PIFA antenna).
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.5 SIM interface 2.5.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Guidelines for single SIM card connection without detection A removable SIM card placed in a SIM card holder has to be connected to the SIM card interface of SARA-R4 series modules as described in Figure 24, where the optional SIM detection feature is not implemented. Follow these guidelines to connect the module to a SIM connector without SIM presence detection: Connect the UICC / SIM contacts C1 (VCC) to the VSIM pin of the module.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Guidelines for single SIM chip connection A solderable SIM chip (M2M UICC Form Factor) has to be connected the SIM card interface of SARA-R4 series modules as described in Figure 25. Follow these guidelines to connect the module to a solderable SIM chip without SIM presence detection: Connect the UICC / SIM contacts C1 (VCC) to the VSIM pin of the module. Connect the UICC / SIM contact C7 (I/O) to the SIM_IO pin of the module.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Guidelines for single SIM card connection with detection An application circuit for the connection to a single removable SIM card placed in a SIM card holder is described in Figure 26, where the optional SIM card detection feature is implemented. Follow these guidelines connecting the module to a SIM connector implementing SIM presence detection: Connect the UICC / SIM contacts C1 (VCC) to the VSIM pin of the module.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.5.2 Guidelines for SIM layout design The layout of the SIM card interface lines (VSIM, SIM_CLK, SIM_IO, SIM_RST may be critical if the SIM card is placed far away from the SARA-R4 series modules or in close proximity to the RF antenna: these two cases should be avoided or at least mitigated as described below. In the first case, the long connection can cause the radiation of some harmonics of the digital data frequency as any other digital interface.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.6 Data communication interfaces 2.6.1 UART interface 2.6.1.1 Guidelines for UART circuit design Providing the full RS-232 functionality (using the complete V.24 link) If RS-232 compatible signal levels are needed, two different external voltage translators can be used to provide full RS-232 (9 lines) functionality: e.g. using the Texas Instruments SN74AVC8T245PW for the translation from 1.8 V to 3.3 V, and the Maxim MAX3237E for the translation from 3.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Providing the TXD, RXD, RTS, CTS and DTR lines only (not using the complete V.24 link) If the functionality of the DSR, DCD and RI lines is not required, or the lines are not available: Leave DSR, DCD and RI lines of the module floating, with a test-point on DCD If RS-232 compatible signal levels are needed, two different external voltage translators (e.g. Maxim MAX3237E and Texas Instruments SN74AVC4T774) can be used.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Providing the TXD, RXD, RTS and CTS lines only (not using the complete V.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Providing the TXD and RXD lines only (not using the complete V24 link) If the functionality of the CTS, RTS, DSR, DCD, RI and DTR lines is not required in the application, or the lines are not available, then: Connect the module RTS input line to GND or to the CTS output line of the module: since the module requires RTS active (low electrical level) if HW flow-control is enabled (AT&K3, which is the default setting) Connect the module DTR input line to GND
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Additional considerations If a 3.0 V Application Processor (DTE) is used, the voltage scaling from any 3.0 V output of the DTE to the corresponding 1.8 V input of the module (DCE) can be implemented as an alternative low-cost solution, by means of an appropriate voltage divider. Consider the value of the pull-up integrated at the input of the module (DCE) for the correct selection of the voltage divider resistance values.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.6.2 USB interface 2.6.2.1 Guidelines for USB circuit design The USB_D+ and USB_D- lines carry the USB serial data and signaling. The lines are used in single ended mode for full speed signaling handshake, as well as in differential mode for high speed signaling and data transfer. USB pull-up or pull-down resistors and external series resistors on USB_D+ and USB_D- lines as required by the USB 2.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.6.2.2 Guidelines for USB layout design The USB_D+ / USB_D- lines require accurate layout design to achieve reliable signaling at the high speed data rate (up to 480 Mb/s) supported by the USB serial interface. The characteristic impedance of the USB_D+ / USB_D- lines is specified by the Universal Serial Bus Revision 2.0 specification [4].
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.6.3 DDC (I2C) interface 2 2.6.3.1 Guidelines for DDC (I C) circuit design 2 DDC (I C) interface is not supported by “00” and “01” product versions. 2.7 General Purpose Input/Output 2.7.1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.8 Reserved pins (RSVD) SARA-R4 series modules have pins reserved for future use, marked as RSVD. All the RSVD pins are to be left unconnected. 2.9 Module placement An optimized placement allows a minimum RF line’s length and closer path from DC source for VCC. Make sure that the module, analog parts and RF circuits are clearly separated from any possible source of radiated energy.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.10 Module footprint and paste mask Figure 39 and Table 29 describe the suggested footprint (i.e. copper mask) and paste mask layout for SARA modules: the proposed land pattern layout reflects the modules’ pins layout, while the proposed stencil apertures layout is slightly different (see the F’’, H’’, I’’, J’’, O’’ parameters compared to the F’, H’, I’, J’, O’ ones).
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.11 Thermal guidelines The module operating temperature range is specified in SARA-R4 series Data Sheet [1]. The most critical condition concerning module thermal performance is the uplink transmission at maximum power (data upload in connected-mode), when the baseband processor runs at full speed, radio circuits are all active and the RF power amplifier is driven to higher output RF power.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.12 Schematic for SARA-R4 series module integration 2.12.1 Schematic for SARA-R4 series modules Figure 40 is an example of a schematic diagram where a SARA-R4 series module “00” or “01” product version is integrated into an application board, using all the available interfaces and functions of the module.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.13 Design-in checklist This section provides a design-in checklist. 2.13.1 Schematic checklist The following are the most important points for a simple schematic check: DC supply must provide a nominal voltage at VCC pin within the operating range limits. VCC voltage supply should be clean, with very low ripple/noise: provide the suggested bypass capacitors, in particular if the application device integrates an internal antenna.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 2.13.2 Layout checklist The following are the most important points for a simple layout check: Check 50 nominal characteristic impedance of the RF transmission line connected to the ANT port (antenna RF interface). Ensure no coupling occurs between the RF interface and noisy or sensitive signals (SIM signals, high-speed digital lines such as USB, and other data lines). Optimize placement for minimum length of RF line.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 3 Handling and soldering No natural rubbers, no hygroscopic materials or materials containing asbestos are employed. 3.1 Packaging, shipping, storage and moisture preconditioning For information pertaining to SARA-R4 series reels / tapes, Moisture Sensitivity levels (MSD), shipment and storage information, as well as drying for preconditioning, see the SARA-R4 series Data Sheet [1] and the u-blox Package Information Guide [15]. 3.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 3.3 Soldering 3.3.1 Soldering paste "No Clean" soldering paste is strongly recommended for SARA-R4 series modules, as it does not require cleaning after the soldering process has taken place. The paste listed in the example below meets these criteria. Soldering Paste: OM338 SAC405 / Nr.143714 (Cookson Electronics) Alloy specification: 95.5% Sn / 3.9% Ag / 0.6% Cu (95.5% Tin / 3.9% Silver / 0.6% Copper) 95.5% Sn / 4.0% Ag / 0.5% Cu (95.5% Tin / 4.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual To avoid falling off, modules should be placed on the topside of the motherboard during soldering. The soldering temperature profile chosen at the factory depends on additional external factors like choice of soldering paste, size, thickness and properties of the base board, etc. Exceeding the maximum soldering temperature and the maximum liquidus time limit in the recommended soldering profile may permanently damage the module.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 3.3.5 Repeated reflow soldering Only a single reflow soldering process is encouraged for boards with a module populated on it. 3.3.6 Wave soldering Boards with combined through-hole technology (THT) components and surface-mount technology (SMT) devices require wave soldering to solder the THT components. Only a single wave soldering process is encouraged for boards populated with the modules. 3.3.7 Hand soldering Hand soldering is not recommended. 3.3.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 4 Approvals For the complete list and specific details regarding the certification schemes approvals, see SARA-R4 series Data Sheet [1], or please contact the u-blox office or sales representative nearest you. 4.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 4.2 US Federal Communications Commission notice United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) IDs: u-blox SARA-R404M cellular modules: XPY2AGQN1NNN u-blox SARA-R410M cellular modules: XPY2AGQN4NNN 4.2.1 Safety warnings review the structure Equipment for building-in.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 4.2.3 Modifications The FCC requires the user to be notified that any changes or modifications made to this device that are not expressly approved by u-blox could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Manufacturers of mobile or fixed devices incorporating the SARA-R4 series modules are authorized to use the FCC Grants of the SARA-R4 series modules for their own final products according to the conditions referenced in the certificates.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 4.3 Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada notice ISED Canada (formerly known as IC - Industry Canada) Certification Numbers: u-blox SARA-R410M cellular modules: 4.3.1 8595A-2AGQN4NNN Declaration of Conformity This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules and with the ISED Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s).
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Radio Frequency (RF) Exposure Information The radiated output power of the u-blox Cellular Module is below the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) radio frequency exposure limits. The u-blox Cellular Module should be used in such a manner such that the potential for human contact during normal operation is minimized.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual UBX-16029218 - R03 Approvals Page 81 of 94
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 5 Product testing 5.1 u-blox in-series production test u-blox focuses on high quality for its products. All units produced are fully tested automatically in production line. Stringent quality control process has been implemented in the production line. Defective units are analyzed in detail to improve the production quality. This is achieved with automatic test equipment (ATE) in production line, which logs all production and measurement data.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual 5.2 Test parameters for OEM manufacturer Because of the testing done by u-blox (with 100% coverage), an OEM manufacturer does not need to repeat firmware tests or measurements of the module RF performance or tests over analog and digital interfaces in their production test.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual This feature allows the measurement of the transmitter and receiver power levels to check component assembly related to the module antenna interface and to check other device interfaces from which depends the RF performance. To avoid module damage during transmitter test, a proper antenna according to module specifications or a 50 termination must be connected to the ANT port.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Appendix A Migration between SARA-R4 and SARA-G3 A.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Figure 31 summarizes the interfaces provided by SARA-G3 and SARA-R4 series modules. • • • • • • • • GNSS RTC sharing • GNSS Tx data ready • GNSS supply enable • • Network indication • • • • • • • F • • F F F • • • F Other 1.8 V GPIOs • 13/26 MHz output • • 1.8 V digital audio • • • Analog audio I/O • • • 1.8 V DDC SARA-R4 series • • Audio 1.8 V SPI USB 2.0 • 1.8 V UART AUX • 1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual A.2 Pin-out comparison between SARA-R4 and SARA-G3 SARA-G3 SARA-R4 Pin No Pin Name Description Pin Name Description 1 GND Ground GND Ground 2 V_BCKP RTC Supply I/O RSVD Reserved 3 GND Ground GND Ground 4 V_INT Interfaces Supply Out Output characteristics: 1.8 V typ, 70 mA max V_INT Interfaces Supply Out Output characteristics: 1.8 V typ, 70 mA max 5 GND Ground GND Ground 6 DSR UART DSR Output 1.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual SARA-G3 SARA-R4 Pin No Pin Name Description Pin Name Description Remarks for migration 28 RXD_AUX Aux UART Data Out 1.8 V USB_D- USB Data I/O (D-) High-Speed USB 2.0 USB instead of Auxiliary UART on SARA-R4 series 29 TXD_AUX Aux UART Data In 1.8 V USB_D+ USB Data I/O (D+) High-Speed USB 2.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual A.3 Schematic for SARA-R4 and SARA-G3 integration Figure 46 shows an example of schematic diagram where a SARA-R3 or a SARA-G3 series module can be integrated into the same application board, using all the available interfaces and functions of the modules. The different mounting options for the external parts are highlighted in different colors as described in the legend, according to the interfaces supported by the relative modules.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual B Glossary 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project 8-PSK 8 Phase-Shift Keying modulation 16QAM 16-state Quadrature Amplitude Modulation 64QAM 64-state Quadrature Amplitude Modulation ACM Abstract Control Model ADC Analog to Digital Converter AP Application Processor ASIC Application-Specific Integrated Circuit AT AT Command Interpreter Software Subsystem, or attention BAW Bulk Acoustic Wave CSFB Circuit Switched Fall-Back DC Direct Current
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual LNA Low Noise Amplifier LPDDR Low Power Double Data Rate synchronous dynamic RAM memory LTE Long Term Evolution M2M Machine-to-Machine MBIM Mobile Broadband Interface Model MIMO Multi-Input Multi-Output N/A Not Applicable N.A.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Related documents [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] u-blox SARA-R4 series Data Sheet, u-blox Document UBX-16024152 u-blox SARA-R4 series AT Commands Manual, Docu No UBX-17003787 u-blox EVK-R4xx User Guide Universal Serial Bus Revision 2.0 specification, http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/usb20_docs/ ITU-T Recommendation V.
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Revision history Revision Date Name Status / Comments R01 31-Jan-2017 sfal Initial release for SARA-R4 series modules R02 05-May-2017 sfal / sses Updated supported features and characteristics Extended document applicability to SARA-R410M-01B product version R03 24-May-2017 sses Updated supported features and electrical characteristics UBX-16029218 - R03 Revision history Page 93 of 94
SARA-R4 series - System Integration Manual Contact For complete contact information visit us at http://www.u-blox.com/ u-blox Offices North, Central and South America u-blox America, Inc. Phone: +1 703 483 3180 E-mail: info_us@u-blox.com Regional Office West Coast: Phone: +1 408 573 3640 E-mail: info_us@u-blox.com Technical Support: Phone: +1 703 483 3185 E-mail: support_us@u-blox.com Headquarters Europe, Middle East, Africa u-blox AG Phone: E-mail: Support: +41 44 722 74 44 info@u-blox.
