ATMEL AT86RF230

Features
• Fully Integrated 2.4 GHz-band Transceiver
• -101 dBm Receiver Sensitivity
• Low Current Consumption (Typical Values)
− SLEEP = 0.1 µA
− TRX_OFF = 1.7 mA
− RX_ON = 16 mA
− BUSY_TX = 17 mA (max. PTX)
• Power Supply Range 1.8V – 3.6V
− Internal LDO Voltage Regulators
− Battery Monitor
• SPI Slave Interface
• Baseband Signal Processing Compliant with IEEE 802.15.4
− SFD Detection, Spreading/De-spreading, Framing
− 128-byte FIFO for TRX
• Integrated Crystal Oscillator, 16 MHz
• Digital RSSI Register, 5-bit Value
• Fast Power-up Time < 1 msec
• Programmable TX Output Power from -17 dBm up to 3 dBm
• Integrated LNA
• Low External Component Count
− Antenna
− Reference Crystal
− De-coupling Capacitors
• Integrated TX/RX Switch
• Integrated PLL Loop Filter
• Automatic VCO and Filter Calibration
• 32-pin Low-profile Lead-free Plastic QFN Package 5 mm x 5 mm x 0.9 mm
• Compliant to EN 300 440/328, FCC-CFR-47 Part 15
• Compliant to IEEE 802.15.4
ZigBee™/IEEE
802.15.4Transceiver
AT86RF230
Applications
• 802.15.4 Transceiver
• Transceiver for ZigBee System Solutions
Description
The AT86RF230 is a low-power 2.4 GHz transceiver specially designed for low
cost ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 applications. The AT86RF230 is a true SPI-toantenna solution. All RF-critical components except the antenna, crystal and decoupling capacitors are integrated on-chip.
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Table of contents
1.
2.
3.
Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................................................4
General Circuit Description..............................................................................................................................5
Technical Parameters......................................................................................................................................6
3.1.
Absolute Maximum Ratings.........................................................................................................................6
3.2.
Recommended Operating Range................................................................................................................6
3.3.
Digital Pin Specifications .............................................................................................................................6
3.4.
General RF Specifications...........................................................................................................................7
3.5.
Transmitter Specifications ...........................................................................................................................7
3.6.
Receiver Specifications ...............................................................................................................................8
3.7.
Current Consumption Specifications ...........................................................................................................9
3.8.
SPI Timing Specifications............................................................................................................................9
3.9.
Crystal Parameter Specifications ..............................................................................................................10
4.
Basic Operating Modes .................................................................................................................................11
4.1.
Configuration .............................................................................................................................................11
4.2.
Basic Operating Mode Description............................................................................................................12
4.2.1.
P_ON ....................................................................................................................................................12
4.2.2.
SLEEP...................................................................................................................................................12
4.2.3.
TRX_OFF..............................................................................................................................................12
4.2.4.
PLL_ON ................................................................................................................................................12
4.2.5.
RX_ON and BUSY_RX .........................................................................................................................13
4.2.6.
RX_ON_NOCLK ...................................................................................................................................13
4.2.7.
BUSY_TX..............................................................................................................................................13
4.3.
Basic Mode Timing ....................................................................................................................................13
4.3.1.
Wake-up Procedure ..............................................................................................................................13
4.3.2.
Transition from PLL_ON via BUSY_TX to RX_ON...............................................................................14
4.3.3.
State Transition Timing .........................................................................................................................15
5.
Extended Operating Modes ...........................................................................................................................16
5.1.
Peer-to-peer Network Support ..................................................................................................................16
5.2.
Configuration .............................................................................................................................................18
5.3.
Extended Operation Mode Description .....................................................................................................18
5.3.1.
RX_AACK_ON ......................................................................................................................................18
5.3.2.
TX_ARET_ON.......................................................................................................................................18
5.3.3.
RX_AACK_NOCLK ...............................................................................................................................19
6.
Functional Description ...................................................................................................................................20
6.1.
RSSI/Energy Detection .............................................................................................................................20
6.2.
Link Quality Indication ...............................................................................................................................20
6.3.
Clear Channel Assessment.......................................................................................................................20
6.4.
Voltage Regulators ....................................................................................................................................20
6.5.
Battery Monitor ..........................................................................................................................................21
6.6.
Crystal Oscillator .......................................................................................................................................22
6.7.
PLL Frequency Synthesizer ......................................................................................................................23
6.8.
Automatic Filter Tuning .............................................................................................................................24
7.
PHY to Micro-Controller Interface..................................................................................................................25
7.1.
SPI Protocol...............................................................................................................................................25
7.2.
Register Access Mode (Short Mode) ........................................................................................................26
7.3.
Frame Buffer Access Modes (Long Modes)..............................................................................................27
7.4.
Frame Receive Procedure ........................................................................................................................28
7.5.
Frame Transmit Procedure .......................................................................................................................28
7.6.
Sleep/Wake-up and Transmit Signal.........................................................................................................29
7.7.
Interrupt Logic............................................................................................................................................30
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AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
8.
9.
10.
10.1.
10.2.
10.3.
10.4.
10.5.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Control Registers ...........................................................................................................................................31
Application Circuit ..........................................................................................................................................42
Pin Configuration ...........................................................................................................................................44
Pin-out Diagram.........................................................................................................................................45
Decoupling.................................................................................................................................................45
Analog Pins ...............................................................................................................................................45
RF Pins......................................................................................................................................................45
Digital Pins.................................................................................................................................................46
Ordering Information......................................................................................................................................47
Soldering Information.....................................................................................................................................47
Package Thermal Properties .........................................................................................................................47
Package Drawing – 32QN1 ...........................................................................................................................48
References.....................................................................................................................................................49
Revisions .......................................................................................................................................................49
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
1. Abbreviations
AACK
ACK
ADC
AGC
ARET
AVREG
BATMON
BBP
BPF
CCA
CLKM
CRC
CSMA
DCLK
DCU
DVREG
ED
ESD
EVM
FIFO
FTN
GPIO
LDO
LNA
LO
LQI
LSB
MSB
MSK
O-QPSK
PA
PAN
PER
PHY
PLL
POR
PPF
PSDU
QFN
RF
RSSI
RX
SFD
SPI
SRAM
TX
VCO
VREG
XOSC
4
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Auto acknowledge
Acknowledge
Analog-to-digital converter
Automatic gain control
Auto retry
Analog voltage regulator
Battery monitor
Base-band processor
Complex band-pass filter
Clear channel assessment
Clock main
Cyclic redundancy check
Carrier sense multiple access
Digital clock
Delay calibration unit
Digital voltage regulator
Energy detection
Electro static discharge
Error vector magnitude
First in first out
Automatic filter tuning
General purpose input output
Low-drop output
Low-noise amplifier
Local oscillator
Link-quality indication
Least significant bit
Most significant bit
Minimum shift keying
Offset-quadrature phase shift keying
Power amplifier
Personal area network
Packet error rate
Physical layer
Phase-locked loop
Power-on reset
Poly-phase filter
PHY service data unit
Quad flat no-lead package
Radio frequency
Received signal strength indicator
Receiver
Start frame delimiter
Serial peripheral interface
Static random access memory
Transmitter
Voltage controlled oscillator
Voltage regulator
Crystal oscillator
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
XTAL2
XTAL1
2. General Circuit Description
Analog Domain
AVREG
BATMON
FTN
Digital Domain
DCLK
TX power
control
XOSC
DVREG
IRQ
PA
Frequency
Synthesis
TX Data
SEL
TX BBP
MISO
RFP
SPI
Slave
Interface
Control Logic/
Configuration
Registers
RFN
MOSI
I
LNA
PPF
SCLK
BPF
Limiter
ADC
RX BBP
TRX Data
Buffer
Q
CLKM
RSSI
AGC
SLP_TR
5
RSTN
Figure 2-1.
Block Diagram of AT86RF230
This single-chip RF transceiver provides a complete radio interface between the antenna and the micro-controller.
It comprises the analog radio part, digital demodulation including time and frequency synchronization and data
buffering. The number of external components is minimized so that only the antenna, the crystal and four
decoupling capacitors are required. The bidirectional differential antenna pins are used in common for RX and TX,
so no external antenna switch is needed.
The transceiver block diagram is shown in Figure 2-1. The receiver path is based on a low-IF topology. The
channel filter consists of three single side-band active RC resonators forming a 2 MHz band-pass filter with a
st
Butterworth characteristic centered at 2 MHz. Two 1 -order high-pass filters were added to the signal path to
achieve capacitive coupling at the single side-band filter (SSBF) output to suppress DC offset and integrator
feedback at the limiter amplifier. The 3-stage limiter amplifier provides sufficient gain to overcome the DC offset of
the succeeding single channel ADC and generates a digital RSSI signal with 3 dB granularity. The low-IF signal is
sampled at 16 MHz with 1-bit resolution and applied to the digital signal processing part.
Direct VCO modulation is used to generate the transmit signal. The modulation scheme is offset-QPSK (O-QPSK)
with half-sine pulse shaping and 32-length block coding (spreading). This is equivalent to minimum shift keying
(MSK) when transforming the spreading code sequences appropriately. The modulation signal is applied to both
the VCO and the fractional-N PLL to ensure the coherent phase modulation required for demodulation as an OQPSK signal. The frequency-modulated LO signal is fed to the power amplifier.
Two on-chip low-dropout voltage regulators provide the analog and digital 1.8V supply. The SPI interface and the
control registers will retain their settings in SLEEP mode when the regulators are turned off. The RX and TX signal
processing paths are highly integrated and optimized for low power consumption.
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
3. Technical Parameters
3.1.
Absolute Maximum Ratings
Note: Stresses beyond those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the
device. This is a stress rating only and functional operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond
those indicated in the operational sections of this specifications is not implied. Exposure to absolute maximum
rating conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.
No
Parameter
Symbol
Min
-50
3.1.1
Storage temperature
Tstor
3.1.2
Lead temperature
Tlead
3.1.3
ESD-protection
VESD
3.1.4
Input RF level
PRF
3.1.5
Voltage on all pins (except
pins 13, 14, 29)
3.1.6
Voltage on pins 13, 14, 29
Table 3-1.
3.2.
No
Typ
Max
Unit
150
°C
260
°C
T = 10s
(soldering profile compliant with
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020B)
kV
V
V
Compl. to [2], passed 4 kV
Compl. to [3],
Compl. to [4], passed 750V
2
200
500
+10
dBm
-0.3
Vdd+0.3
≤ 3.6
V
-0.3
2
V
Max
Unit
Absolute Maximum Ratings
Recommended Operating Range
Parameter
Symbol
Min
Typ
3.2.1
Operating temperature range
Top
-40
+85
°C
3.2.2
Supply voltage
Vdd
1.8
3.6
V
Max
Unit
Table 3-2.
3.3.
Conditions/Notes
Conditions/Notes
Operating Range
Digital Pin Specifications
Test Conditions (unless otherwise stated): Tamb = 25°C
No
Parameter
Symbol
Min
Vdd – 0.4
3.3.1
High level input voltage
VIH
3.3.2
Low level input voltage
VIL
3.3.3
High level output voltage
VOH
3.3.4
Low level output voltage
VOL
6
Typ
Conditions/Notes
V
0.4
Vdd – 0.4
0.4
V
V
For all output current loads
defined in register TRX_CTR_0
V
For all output current loads
defined in register TRX_CTR_0
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
No
3.3.5
Parameter
Controller clock frequency
(CLKM)
Table 3-3.
Symbol
Min
fCLKM
Typ
Max
0
1
2
4
8
16
Unit
Conditions/Notes
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
Programmable in register
TRX_CTRL_0
Digital Pin Specifications
The capacitive load should not be larger than 50 pF for all I/Os when using the default driver strength settings.
Generally, large load capacitances will increase the overall current consumption.
3.4.
General RF Specifications
Test Conditions (unless otherwise stated): Vdd = 3V, f = 2.45 GHz, Tamb = 25°C, Measurement setup see Figure 9-1
No
Parameter
Symbol
Min
f
2405
Typ
Max
Unit
2480
MHz
Conditions/Notes
3.4.1
Frequency range
3.4.2
Bit rate
fbit
250
kbit/s
3.4.3
Chip rate
fchip
2000
kchip/s As specified in [1]
3.4.4
Reference oscillator
frequency
fclk
16
3.4.5
Reference oscillator settling
time
3.4.6
Reference frequency
accuracy for correct
functionality
3.4.7
20 dB bandwidth
Table 3-4:
3.5.
0.5
-60
B20dB
As specified in [1]
MHz
1
+60
2.8
ms
Leaving SLEEP state to clock
available at pin CLKM
ppm
±40 ppm is required by [1]
MHz
General RF Parameters
Transmitter Specifications
Test Conditions (unless otherwise stated): Vdd = 3V, f = 2.45 GHz, Tamb = 25°C, Measurement setup see Figure 9-1
No
Parameter
Symbol
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
Conditions/Notes
PTX
0
3
6
dBm
Max. value
3.5.1
Nominal output power
3.5.2
Output power range
3.5.3
Output power accuracy
3.5.4
TX Return loss
10
3.5.5
EVM
8
3.5.6
Harmonics
2nd harmonic
3rd harmonic
20
dB
±3
-38
-45
16 steps
(register PHY_TX_PWR)
dB
dB
100Ω differential impedance,
PTX = 3 dBm
%rms Channel number = 20
dBm
dBm
7
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
No
3.5.7
Parameter
Min
Typ
Spurious emissions
30 – ≤1000 MHz
>1 – 12.75 GHz
1.8 – 1.9 GHz
5.15 – 5.3 GHz
Table 3-5.
3.6.
Symbol
Max
Unit
Conditions/Notes
-36
-30
-47
-47
dBm
dBm
dBm
dBm
Complies with
EN 300 440,
FCC-CFR-47 part 15,
ARIB STD-66,
RSS-210
TX Parameters
Receiver Specifications
Test Conditions (unless otherwise stated): Vdd = 3V, f = 2.45 GHz, Tamb = 25°C, Measurement setup see Figure 9-1
No
Parameter
Symbol
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
Conditions/Notes
-101
dBm
AWGN channel, PER≤1%,
PSDU length of 20 octets
10
dB
6
dB
3.6.1
Receiver sensitivity
3.6.2
Return loss
3.6.3
Noise figure
3.6.4
Maximum RX input level
10
dBm
PER ≤ 1%, PSDU length of
20 octets
3.6.5
Adjacent channel rejection
-5 MHz
34
dBm
PER ≤ 1%, PSDU length of
20 octets, PRF = -82 dBm
3.6.6
Adjacent channel rejection
+5 MHz
36
dBm
PER ≤ 1%, PSDU length of
20 octets, PRF = -82 dBm
3.6.7
Alternate adjacent channel
rejection -10 MHz
52
dBm
PER ≤ 1%, PSDU length of
20 octets, PRF = -82 dBm
3.6.8
Alternate adjacent channel
rejection +10 MHz
53
dBm
PER ≤ 1%, PSDU length of
20 octets, PRF = -82 dBm
3.6.9
Spurious emissions
LO leakage
30 – 1000 MHz
1 – 12.75 GHz
NF
-75
3.6.10 TX/RX carrier frequency
offset
-300
100Ω differential impedance
-57
-47
dBm
dBm
dBm
300
kHz
Sensitivity loss < 2 dB
rd
IIP3
-9
dB
At maximum gain
Offset freq. interf. 1 = 5 MHz
Offset freq. interf. 2 = 10 MHz
nd
IIP2
24
dB
At maximum gain
Offset freq. interf. 1 = 60 MHz
Offset freq. interf. 2 = 62 MHz
dB
Tolerance within gain step
3.6.11 3 -order intercept point
3.6.12 2 -order intercept point
3.6.13 RSSI accuracy absolute
-5
5
3.6.14 RSSI dynamic range
84
dB
3.6.15 RSSI resolution
3
dB
3.6.16 Minimum RSSI value
0
PRF < -91 dBm
3.6.17 Maximum RSSI value
28
PRF > -10 dBm
Table 3-6.
8
RX Parameters
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
3.7.
Current Consumption Specifications
Test Conditions (unless otherwise stated): Vdd = 3V, Tamb = 25°C, CLKM = OFF, Measurement setup see
Figure 9-1
No
Parameter
Symbol
3.7.1
Supply current transmit mode
IBUSY_TX
3.7.2
Supply current receive mode
3.7.3
Supply current TRX_OFF
mode
3.7.4
Supply current SLEEP mode
Table 3-7.
3.8.
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
Conditions/Notes
17
15
13
10
mA
mA
mA
mA
PTX = 3 dBm
PTX = 1 dBm
PTX = -3 dBm
PTX = -17 dBm
(the current consumption will be
reduced by approx. 2 mA at
Vdd = 1.8V for each output
power level)
IRX_ON
16
mA
State: RX_ON
ITRX_OFF
1.7
mA
State: TRX_OFF
ISLEEP
0.1
µA
State: SLEEP
Current Consumption
SPI Timing Specifications
Test Conditions (unless otherwise stated): Vdd = 3V, Tamb = 25°C
No
Parameter
Symbol
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
3.8.1
SCLK frequency
(synchronous)
8
MHz
3.8.2
SCLK frequency
(asynchronous)
7.5
MHz
3.8.3
SEL low to MISO active
t1
180
ns
3.8.4
SCLK to MISO out
t2
48
ns
3.8.5
MOSI setup time
t3
10
ns
3.8.6
MOSI hold time
t4
10
ns
3.8.7
LSB last byte to MSB next
byte
t5
250
ns
3.8.8
SEL high to MISO tristate
t6
10
ns
3.8.9
SLP_TR pulse width
t7
Table 3-8.
65
Conditions/Notes
data hold time
ns
SPI Timing Parameters (see Figure 7-2)
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
3.9.
No
Crystal Parameter Specifications
Parameter
Symbol
3.9.1
Crystal frequency
f0
3.9.2
Load capacitance
CL
3.9.3
Static capacitance
3.9.4
Series resistance
Table 3-9.
10
Min
Typ
Max
16
8
Unit
Conditions/Notes
MHz
14
pF
C0
7
pF
R1
100
Ω
Crystal Parameter Specifications
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
4. Basic Operating Modes
This section summarizes all features that are needed to provide the basic functionality of a transceiver system,
such as receiving and transmitting frames, and powering down. These basic operating modes are sufficient for
ZigBee applications and are shown in Figure 4-1.
P_ON
SLEEP
(Power-on after VDD)
(Sleep Mode)
XOSC=ON
Pull=ON
XOSC=OFF
Pull=OFF
TR
=0
SL
P_
TR
=1
_O
FF
O
N
FF
RX
_
TR
X_
O
FF
O
Frame
End
CLKM=ON
ON
L_
PL
5
4
PLL_ON
RX_ON
(Rx Listen Mode)
11
Frame
End
PLL_ON
BUSY_TX
(Transmit Mode)
(PLL Mode)
10
9
Frame
Start
TX_START
SLP_TR=1
S
_T
LP
S
R=
1
_T
LP
R
=0
RX_ON_NOCLK
Legend:
Blue: SPI Write to Register TRX_STATE (0x02)
Red: Control signals via IC Pin
Green: Event
(Rx Listen Mode)
CLKM=OFF
Figure 4-1.
4.1.
8
RX_ON
(Receive Mode)
CLKM=ON
7
RST=0
(all modes except P_ON)
XOSC=ON
Pull=OFF
X_
TR
Frame
Start
13
(Clock Mode)
(all modes except SLEEP)
BUSY_RX
2
TRX_OFF
12
6
SL
P_
X
TR
FORCE_TRX_OFF
1
3
Basic Operating Modes State Diagram
Configuration
The operating modes are controlled by two signal pins and the SPI access to register 0x02 (TRX_STATE). The
successful state change can be confirmed by reading the transceiver state from register 0x01 (TRX_STATUS).
The pin SLP_TR is used to enter SLEEP mode where current consumption is minimal (leakage current only) and to
wake-up the transceiver.
The pin RST provides a reset of all registers and forces the transceiver into TRX_OFF mode, if the IC is not in the
P_ON mode.
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
The state change commands FORCE_TRX_OFF and TRX_OFF both lead to a transition into TRX_OFF state. If
the transceiver is in the BUSY_RX or BUSY_TX state, the command FORCE_TRX_OFF interrupts the active
receiving or transmitting process, and forces an immediate transition. On the other hand, a TRX_OFF command is
stored until a frame currently being received or transmitted is finished. After the end of the frame, the transition to
TRX_OFF is performed.
4.2.
4.2.1.
Basic Operating Mode Description
P_ON
When the external supply voltage (VDD) is first supplied to the transceiver IC, the system is in the P_ON (Poweron) mode. In this mode, the crystal oscillator is activated and the master clock for the controller is provided at the
CLKM pin after a delay of 128µs to ensure a steady state of the crystal oscillator.
All digital inputs have pull-up or pull-down resistors (see Table 10-3). This is necessary to support controllers where
GPIO signals are undefined after reset. The input pull-up and pull-down resistors are disabled when the transceiver
leaves the P_ON state.
A valid SPI write access to the register TRX_STATE with the values TRX_OFF or FORCE_TRX_OFF is necessary
to leave the P_ON state.
Prior to leaving P_ON, the controller must set the pins to the default operating values: SLP_TR = 0 and RST = 1 .
An on-chip power-on-reset sets the all register to its default values. A dedicated reset signal from the controller at
the pin RST is not necessary, but recommended for HW/SW synchronization reasons.
4.2.2.
SLEEP
In SLEEP mode, the entire transceiver IC is disabled. No circuitry is running. The current consumption in this mode
is leakage current only. This mode can only be entered from state TRX_OFF, when the pin SLP_TR is set to “1”.
There is no way to switch the transceiver to SLEEP mode via SPI register access.
Leaving this state is possible in two ways:
Setting the SLP_TR pin to “0” returns the transceiver to the TRX_OFF mode without resetting any registers. Using
RST = 0 resets the SPI and configuration registers to their default values and forces the IC into the TRX_OFF
mode.
4.2.3.
TRX_OFF
The TRX_OFF mode provides the master clock for the controller in synchronous operation mode, allowing the
software to run without the need for the radio to be powered on. The pins SLP_TR and RST are enabled for mode
control.
In this mode, the SPI interface and crystal oscillator are active. The voltage regulator is enabled and provides 1.8V
to the digital core for have access to the frame data buffers.
The transition from P_ON to TRX_OFF mode is described in section 4.2.1.
4.2.4.
PLL_ON
Entering the PLL_ON mode from TRX_OFF will first enable the analog voltage regulator. After the voltage regulator
has settled, the PLL frequency synthesizer is enabled. When the PLL has settled at the receive frequency, a
successful PLL lock is indicated by an interrupt request at the IRQ pin.
During PLL_ON mode, the command RX_ON via register 0x02 (TRX_STATE) sets the transceiver to RX_ON
mode, even if the PLL is not yet settled.
12
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
4.2.5.
RX_ON and BUSY_RX
The RX_ON mode enables the analog and digital receiver blocks and the PLL frequency synthesizer. The
transition from TRX_OFF mode to RX_ON mode is started by setting the TRX_STATE to RX_ON via a SPI write
access to register 0x02 (TRX_STATE).
The receive mode is internally divided into RX_ON mode and BUSY_RX mode. There is no difference between the
modes with respect to the analog radio part. During RX_ON mode, only the preamble detection of the digital signal
processing is running. When a preamble is detected, the digital receiver is turned on, switching to the BUSY_RX
mode.
SLP_TR = 1 is only evaluated in RX_ON mode. When receiving a frame in BUSY_RX mode, the SLP_TR pin has
no effect.
4.2.6.
RX_ON_NOCLK
If the radio is listening for an incoming frame and the controller is not running an application, the controller can be
powered down to decrease the total system power consumption. This special power-down scenario for controllers
running in synchronous mode is supported by the AT86RF230 using the state RX_ON_NOCLK.
This state can only be entered by setting SLP_TR = 1 while the IC is in the RX_ON mode. The CLKM pin will then
be disabled 35 clock cycles after the rising edge at the SLP_TR pin. This will enable the controller to complete its
power-down sequence. The reception of a frame is signalized to the controller by a RX_START IRQ (see Figure
7-13). The clock CLKM is turned on once again and the transceiver enters the BUSY_RX state.
The end of the transaction is signaled to the controller by an TRX_END interrupt. After the transaction has been
completed, the transceiver will enter the RX_ON state. The transceiver will only re-enter the RX_ON_NOCLK state
when the SLP_TR has been reset to “0”, and afterwards set to “1” again.
If the transceiver is in the RX_ON_NOCLK state, and the SLP_TR pin is reset to “0”, it will enter the RX _ON state,
and it will again start to supply the micro-controller with the clock signal.
4.2.7.
BUSY_TX
Transmitting can only be started from PLL_ON mode. There are two ways to start transmitting: using pin
SLP_TR = 1 or SPI command TX_START in register 0x02 (TRX_STATE). Either of these will cause the IC to enter
BUSY_TX mode.
During the transition to BUSY_TX mode, the PLL frequency shifts 1.5 MHz to enable the different LO frequencies
needed between receive and transmit modes. Transmission of the first data chip of the preamble is delayed by
16 µs to allow PLL settling and PA ramping.
When the end of the frame has been transmitted, the IC will automatically turn off the power amplifier and transition
from the BUSY_TX mode to the PLL_ON mode. The PLL settles to the receiver LO frequency (-1.5 MHz frequency
step).
If the frame transmission was initiated by setting the pin SLP_TR to “1”, a new transmission will only be started
when the pin SLP_TR has been reset to “0” and afterwards to set to “1” again.
4.3.
Basic Mode Timing
The following paragraphs depict the method of switching from one mode to another.
4.3.1.
Wake-up Procedure
The wake-up procedure from SLEEP mode is shown in Figure 4-2.
Deasserting the pin SLP_TR enables the crystal oscillator. After approximately 0.3 - 0.5 ms, the internal clock
signal is available. After 128 µs the clock signal is delivered at the CLKM pin providing the master clock to the
13
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
micro-controller. An additional 256 µs timer ensures that frequency stability is sufficient to drive filter tuning (FTN)
and the PLL. After band-gap voltage and digital voltage regulator settling, the transceiver enters the TRX_OFF
state and waits for further commands.
0
~400
XOSC delivers
clock
Signals/Events
State
500
600
700
CLKM delivers
clock
800
900
TRX_OFF
XOSC
Timer 128 µs
Timer 256 µs
FTN BG
Command
SLP_TR=0
Pin
1100
Clock
stable
SLEEP
Active Blocks
1000
RST=0
DVREG
PLL_ON
AVREG
16
µs
PLL_ON,
RX_ON
Time[µs]
IRQ
PLL locked
RX_ON
Time[µs]
PLL
RX_ON
P_ON
Typical block settling time, stays on
XOSC
Block active
Timer 128 µ s
waiting for SPI commands
VDD on
CLKM_CTRL
Figure 4-2.
TRX_OFF
Wake-up Procedure from SLEEP Mode and P_ON Mode to RX_ON Mode (PLL locked)
Forcing PLL_ON mode or RX_ON mode initiates a ramp-up sequence of the analog voltage regulator followed by a
16 µs timer. This timer makes sure that the analog 1.8V supply is stabilized before enabling PLL circuitry. RX_ON
mode can be forced any time during PLL_ON mode regardless of the PLL lock signal.
When the wake-up sequence is started from P_ON mode (VDD first applied to the IC) the state machine will stop
after the 128 µs timer to wait for a valid TRX_OFF command from the micro-controller. The default CLKM
frequency value in P_ON mode is 1 MHz. At this rate, an SPI access requires approximately 38 µs. The SPI
programming in synchronous mode can be speeded up by setting the frequency of the clock output at pin CLKM in
register 0x03 (TRX_CTRL_0) to the maximum value allowed.
If a chip reset with RST = 0 is generated, the sequence starts with filter tuning (FTN) as indicated in Figure 4-2.
4.3.2.
Transition from PLL_ON via BUSY_TX to RX_ON
0
10
PLL_ON
State
16
PA BUSY_TX
ramp
PLL settling to Tx frequency
Active Blocks
PLL_ON RX_ON
PLL settling to Rx frequency
2 µs
Transmitting frame
Timer 32 µs
PLL
Command
Pin
Timer 14 µs
x+32 Time[µs]
x
SLP_TR=0
TX_ START
Time[µs]
PLL
Typical block settling time, stays on
RX_ON
Block active
waiting for SPI commands
Figure 4-3.
Switching from TX to RX
The time scale in Figure 4-3 is relative to TX frame start.
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AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
4.3.3.
State Transition Timing
The transition numbers correspond to Figure 4-1 and do not include SPI access time if not otherwise stated. See
measurement setup in Figure 9-1.
No
Transition
1
P_ON
→
TRX_OFF
1880
Internal power-on reset, including 1000 µs for controller access,
depends on external block capacitor at VDEC1 (1 µF nom) and
crystal oscillator setup (CL = 10 pf)
2
SLEEP
→
TRX_OFF
880
Depends on external block capacitor at VDEC1 (1 µF nom) and
crystal oscillator setup (CL = 10 pf)
3
TRX_OFF
→
SLEEP
35
35 cycles of 1 MHz clock assumed.
4
TRX_OFF
→
PLL_ON
180
Depends on external block capacitor at VDEC2 (1 µF nom).
5
PLL_ON
→
TRX_OFF
6
TRX_OFF
→
RX_ON
7
RX_ON
→
TRX_OFF
1
8
PLL_ON
→
RX_ON
1
9
RX_ON
→
PLL_ON
1
10
PLL_ON
→
BUSY_TX
16
11
BUSY_TX
→
PLL_ON
32
12
All modes
→
TRX_OFF
1
13
RST = 0
→
TRX_OFF
120
Table 4-1.
Time [µ
µs] Comments
(typical)
1
180
Asserting SLP_TR pin
Using TRX_CMD FORCE_TRX_OFF (see register 0x02), not
valid for SLEEP mode
Depends on external block capacitor at VDEC1 (1 µF nom), not
valid for P_ON mode
State Transition Timing
The state transition timing is calculated based on the timing of the single blocks shown in Figure 4-2. The worst
case values include maximum operating temperature, minimum supply voltage, and device parameter variations.
Block
Time [µs]
(typical)
Time [µs]
(worst case)
XOSC
500
1000
Depends on crystal Q factor and load capacitor.
DVREG
60
1000
Depends on external block capacitor at VDEC1
(CB3 = 1 µF nom., 10 µF worst case).
AVREG
60
1000
Depends on external block capacitor at VDEC2
(CB1 = 1 µF nom., 10 µF worst case).
PLL, initial
100
150
PLL, RX → TX
16
PLL, TX → RX
32
Table 4-2.
Comments
Block Timing
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
5. Extended Operating Modes
The AT86RF230 transceiver implements address filtering, automatic acknowledgement frame generation and
automatic frame retransmission for peer-to-peer networks in compliance with the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Automatic modes help to achieve low power consumption and low peak current: TX-ARET (transmit/auto-retry) and
RX-AACK (receive/auto-acknowledge).
A TX-ARET transaction consists of:
•
•
•
•
•
CSMA/CA
Frame transmission (if the channel is available) and automatic CRC generation
Reception of ACK frame (if required by frame type and ACK request)
Retry of CSMA/CA if the channel is busy or an ACK is expected but not received
Interrupt signaling at the end of the transaction, with exit code (success, channel busy, no ACK)
A RX-AACK frame reception consists of:
•
•
•
•
Frame reception and automatic CRC check
Address filtering
Interrupt signaling that the frame was received (if it passes address filtering)
Automatic ACK frame transmission (if the received frame passed the address filter and if an ACK is
required by the frame type and ACK request)
A state diagram including these extended operating modes is shown in Figure 5-1.
5.1.
Peer-to-peer Network Support
The automatic modes of the AT86RF230 are designed for peer-to-peer networks and non-slotted operation, as
defined in the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Note that automatic CRC generation can only be applied in conjunction with the TX-ARET mode, and automatic
CRC check will only be applied in RX-AACK mode.
In RX-AACK mode, an ACK frame will always be sent with the data-pending bit set to zero. In TX-ARET mode, an
ACK is considered to be valid if the CRC is valid, and if the sequence number of the ACK corresponds to the
previously transmitted frame. The value of the “data-pending” bit is ignored.
Important Note: ACK frames will not be automatically generated for frames with either the broadcast PAN ID
(0xFFFF) or a broadcast address.
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AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
SLEEP
(Sleep Mode)
XOSC=ON
Pull=ON
XOSC=OFF
Pull=OFF
F
OF
X_
TR
FORCE_TRX_OFF
1
SL
P_
TR
SL
=0
P_
TR
=1
P_ON
(Power-on after VDD)
2
TRX_OFF
12
13
(Clock Mode)
(all modes except SLEEP)
3
RST=0
(all modes except P_ON)
8
RX_ON
(Rx Listen Mode)
ON
T_
BUSY_RX_
AACK_NOCLK
RX_AACK_ON
Frame
Start
RX_AACK_
ON_NOCLK
(Auto Acknowledge) Frame (Auto Acknowledge)
Rejected
Figure 5-1.
10
TX_ARET_ON
TX_ARET_ON
TX_START
SLP_TR=1
From
TRX_OFF
TX_START
SLP_TR=1
TX_ARET_ON
(Auto Retry)
BUSY_TX_ARET
Frame
End
(Auto Retry)
SLP_TR=1
(Auto Acknowledge)
SLP_TR=0
Transaction
Finished
Frame
Accepted
(Auto Acknowledge)
RX_AACK_ON
BUSY_TX
(Transmit Mode)
9
E
AR
BUSY_RX_AACK
Frame
Start
Frame
End
TX
_A
RE
T_
ON
RX_ON
N
RX_AACK_ON
=0
SL
P_
TR
ON
O
T_
From
TRX_OFF
_
RX
CLKM=OFF
_
RX
=1
RX_ON_NOCLK
(Rx Listen Mode)
PLL_ON
CLKM=ON
RE
_A
TX
SL
TR
P_
11
(PLL Mode)
PLL_ON
Frame
End
CLKM=ON
4
PLL_ON
RX_ON
PL
L_
ON
RX
_A
AC
K_
ON
(Receive Mode)
Frame
Start
TR
X_
OF
F
RX
_O
Frame
Start
BUSY_RX
5
F
OF
X_
TR
6
7
ON
L_
PL
N
XOSC=ON
Pull=OFF
Legend:
Blue: SPI Write to Register TRX_STATE (0x02)
Red: Control signals via IC Pin
Green: Event
Extended Operating Mode State Diagram
17
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
5.2.
Configuration
The initialization of the AT86RF230 prior to using RX-AACK or the TX-ARET mode is similar to initializing the IC
prior to switching to regular RX or TX modes.
RX_AACK_ON mode is enabled after the register bits TRX_CMD in register 0x02 (TRX_STATE) is written using
RX_AACK_ON. The IC is in the RX_AACK_ON mode when the register 0x01 (TRX_STATUS) changes to
RX_AACK_ON or BUSY_RX_AACK. For correct RX_AACK_ON operation, the register bit TX_AUTO_CRC_ON
(register 0x05) must be set to “1”.
Similarly, TX_ARET_ON mode is enabled after the register bits TRX_CMD is written with TX_ARET_ON. The IC is
in the TX_ARET_ON mode after TRX_STATUS changes to TX_ARET_ON or to BUSY_TX_ARET. For correct TXARET operation, the register bit TX_AUTO_CRC_ON (register 0x05) must be set to “1”.
The CSMA/CA algorithm can be configured using the 0x2D (CSMA_SEED_0) and the 0x2E (CSMA_SEED_1)
registers. The MIN_BE register bits sets the minimum back-off exponent (refer to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard), and
the CSMA_SEED_* register bits define a random seed for the back-off-time random-number generator in the
AT86RF230. The register bits MAX_CSMA_RETRIES (register 0x2C) configures how often the transceiver will
retry the CSMA/CA algorithm after a busy channel is initially detected.
Both automatic modes can be exited by writing a new mode command to the register bits TRX_CMD in register
0x02 (TRX_STATE). Polling the 0x01 (TRX_STATUS) register for the new state confirms that the transceiver has
left the automatic mode.
5.3.
5.3.1.
Extended Operation Mode Description
RX_AACK_ON
In the RX_AACK_ON mode, the transceiver listens for incoming frames.
After detecting a frame start, the transceiver will parse the frame contents for frame type and destination address.
The filtering procedure described in IEEE 802.15.4 will be applied to the frame. Any frames rejected by address
filtering will be discarded. A frame will also be discarded if the CRC is found to be invalid.
Otherwise, the TRX_END interrupt will be raised after the reception of the frame is completed. The controller can
then upload the frame.
The transceiver also detects if an ACK frame needs to be sent. If this is true, the transceiver will automatically send
an ACK frame 12 symbol periods after the end of the received frame. Only ACKs with a cleared data-pending bit
will be transmitted.
No ACK will be sent if no ACK is required.
5.3.2.
TX_ARET_ON
In TX_ARET_ON mode, the transceiver executes the CSMA/CA algorithm and transmits a frame downloaded by
the controller. If necessary, it will check for an ACK reply, and signal the result of the transaction by raising a
TRX_END interrupt. After the interrupt, the controller may read the value of the register bits TRAC_STATUS
(register 0x02) to determine whether or not the transaction was successful.
The CSMA/CA transmission transaction is started by pulsing the SLP_TR pin high for at least one microsecond.
The frame data must have already been downloaded. Alternatively, the controller may download the frame data
while the transceiver is transmitting the preamble. In this case, it is the responsibility of the controller to ensure that
the data arrives sufficiently early.
The transceiver executes the un-slotted CSMA/CA algorithm as defined by the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. If a clear
channel is detected during CSMA/CA execution, the transceiver will proceed to transmit the frame. If the CSMA/CA
did not detect a clear channel, the channel access will be retried as often as set by the register bits
MAX_CSMA_RETRIES in register 0x2C (XAH_CTRL). In case that CSMA/CA does not detect a clear channel
18
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
even after the maximum number of retries, it will abort the transaction, raise the TRX_END interrupt, and set the
value of the TRAC_STATUS register bits to CHANNEL_ACCESS_FAILURE.
Upon the detection of a clear channel, the transceiver starts the frame transmission. It parses the frame as it is
transmitted to check if an ACK reply will be expected. If no ACK is expected, the transceiver will raise an interrupt
after the frame transmission completes. The value of register bits TRAC_STATUS (register 0x02) is set to
SUCCESS.
On the other hand, if the transmitted frame requires an ACK, the transceiver switches into receive mode to wait for
a valid ACK reply. If no valid ACK is received, the transceiver will retry the entire transaction, including CSMA/CA
execution, until the frame has been acknowledged or the maximum number of retransmissions (as set by the
register bits MAX_FRAME_RETRIES in register 0x2C) has been reached. In this case, the TRX_END interrupt is
raised and the value of TRAC_STATUS is set to NO_ACK.
If a valid ACK is found, the TRX_END interrupt will be raised. In this case, TRAC_STATUS is set to SUCCESS.
5.3.3.
RX_AACK_NOCLK
If the radio is listening for an incoming frame and the controller is not running an application, the controller can be
powered down to decrease the total system power consumption. This special power down scenario (similar to
RX_ON_NOCLK) for controllers running in synchronous mode is supported by the AT86RF230 using the state
RX_AACK_NOCLK.
The state can only be entered by setting SLP_TR = 1 while the IC is in the RX_AACK_ON mode. The CLKM pin
will be disabled 35 clock cycles after the rising edge at the SLP_TR pin. This will enable the controller to complete
its power down sequence.
In RX_AACK_NOCLK mode, the transceiver listens for IEEE 802.15.4 frames. Should the AT86RF230 detect an
Start-of-Frame-Delimiter, it will enter the BUSY_RX_AACK_NOCLK state, and it will start to receive the frame. If
the frame passes the address filter, the AT86RF230 enters the BUSY_RX_AACK state, and the clock supplied to
the micro-controller is turned back on. The controller may now process the incoming frame.
If the received frame has a valid CRC, and if it requires an acknowledgement, the transceiver will automatically
generate and transmit an ACK frame.
The end of the transaction is signaled to the controller by an TRX_END interrupt. After the transaction has been
completed, the transceiver will enter the RX_AACK_ON state. The transceiver will only re-enter the
RX_AACK_NOCLK state when the SLP_TR has been reset to “0”, and afterwards set to “1” again.
If the transceiver is in the RX_AACK_NOCLK state, and the SLP_TR pin is reset to “0”, it will enter the
RX_AACK_ON state, and it will again start to supply the micro-controller with the clock signal.
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
6. Functional Description
6.1.
RSSI/Energy Detection
The internal limiter amplifier provides an RSSI value which reflects the current receive signal strength at the
antenna pin of the AT86RF230. The RSSI is a 5-bit value indicating the receive power in steps of 3 dB (see register
0x06), and is updated every 2 µs.
The receiver ED measurement is used with the channel-scan algorithm. An ED request (write access to register
0x07) as defined by the IEEE 802.15.4 standard has a measurement time of 128 µs. The ED measurement result
is accessible after the measurement time at register 0x07 (PHY_ED_LEVEL). With every frame reception (SFD
detection), an ED measurement is automatically started. The ED measurement result has the same range as the
RSSI value (register 0x06), but with a 1 dB resolution.
6.2.
Link Quality Indication
The IEEE 802.15.4 standard defines the link quality indication (LQI) measurement as a “characterization of the
strength and/or quality of a received packet”. The LQI measurement of the AT86RF230 is implemented as a
characterization of both the quality and signal strength. An average correlation value of multiple symbols is
calculated and appended to each frame after scaling to a value ranging from 0 to 255. The minimum LQI value of 0
is associated with a low signal quality, resulting from high signal distortions, and/or a signal strength that is below
the receiver sensitivity. The maximum value of 255 is associated with a signal strength higher than the receiver
sensitivity and a high signal quality resulting from low signal distortions. Signal distortions are mainly generated by
interference and multipath propagation.
6.3.
Clear Channel Assessment
The IEEE 802.15.4 standard defines three clear channel assessment (CCA) modes:
•
•
•
Mode 1: energy above threshold only
Mode 2: carrier sense only
Mode 3: carrier sense with energy above threshold
All three modes are available in AT86RF230. The modes are configurable via register 0x08 (PHY_CC_CCA). A
CCA request is initiated by writing to bit 7 in register 0x08 (PHY_CC_CCA). After the CCA evaluation time of
128 µs, the CCA result is accessible at register 0x01 (TRX_STATUS) bits 6 and 7. Bit 7 indicates whether the CCA
measurement is finished or not, bit 6 indicates a busy (bit 6 = 0) or clear channel. (bit 6 = 1)
The CCA modes are further configurable using register 0x09 (CCA_THRES).
The 4-bit value CCA_CS_THRES can be used for fine tuning the sensitivity of the CCA carrier sense algorithm.
Higher values increase the probability of clear channel detection.
The other 4-bit value (CCA_ED_THRES) of register 0x09 (CCA_THRES) defines the received power threshold of
the “energy above threshold” algorithm. Any received power above this level will indicate a busy channel. The
threshold is calculated by -91+2·CCA_ED_THRES [dBm], resulting in a range of -91 dBm to -61 dBm.
6.4.
Voltage Regulators
Two identical low-dropout voltage regulators are integrated within the AT86RF230. The AVREG provides the
regulated 1.8V supply voltage for the analog section and the DVREG supplies the low-voltage digital section. A
simplified schematic is shown in Figure 6-1. The voltage regulators are connected internally to the external
unregulated supply voltage VDD. The regulated output voltage is available on pin VDEC1 or VDEC2. External
decoupling capacitors should be connected to these pins to stabilize the regulated supply voltage. A decoupling
capacitor value of 1 µF is recommended for stable operation of the voltage regulators (see chapter 9), but it can
20
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
range from 400 nF to 10 µF. A higher capacitor value provides better voltage stability, but increases the voltage
regulator settling time.
VDD
Bandgap
voltage
reference
1.25V
VDEC
VREG_TRIM[1:0]
Figure 6-1.
Simplified Schematic of VREG
The voltage regulators can be configured using the register 0x10 (VREG_CTRL). The read-only bit values
AVDD_OK = 1 and DVDD_OK = 1 indicate a stable, regulated supply voltage.
It is possible to use external voltage regulators instead of the internal regulators. For this special application the
internal regulators need to be switched off by setting the register bits to the values AVREG_EXT = 1 and
DVREG_EXT = 1. A regulated external supply voltage of 1.8V needs to be connected to the pins VDEC1 and
VDEC2. When turning on the external supply, ensure a sufficiently long stabilization time before interacting with the
AT86RF230.
6.5.
Battery Monitor
The battery monitor (BATMON) detects and signals a low battery or supply voltage. This is done by comparing the
current voltage on the VDD pins with a programmable internal threshold voltage. Figure 6-2 shows the simplified
schematic of the BATMON with the most important input and output signals.
VDD
BATMON_HR
+
DAC
4
BATMON_VTH
Threshold
Voltage
For input-to-output mapping
see control register
0x11 (BATMON)
BATMON_OK
-
„1“
clear
D
Q
BATMON_IRQ
Figure 6-2.
Simplified Schematic of BATMON
21
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
The BATMON can be configured using the register 0x11 (BATMON). BATMON_VTH[3:0] sets the threshold
voltage. It is programmable with a resolution of 75 mV in the upper voltage range (BATMON_HR = 1) and with a
resolution of 50 mV in the lower voltage range (BATMON_HR = 0). The signal-bit BATMON_OK indicates the
current value of the battery voltage:
•
•
If BATMON_OK is ”0”, the battery voltage is lower than the threshold voltage
If BATMON_OK is “1”, the battery voltage is higher than the threshold voltage
Furthermore, an interrupt (IRQ7) is automatically generated when the battery voltage falls below the programmed
threshold (see control register 0x0F and 0x0E). The interrupt appears only when BATMON_OK changes from “1” to
”0”. No interrupt will be generated when:
•
•
the battery voltage is under the default 1.8V threshold at power up (BATMON_OK was never ”1”), or
a new threshold is set, which is above the current battery voltage (BATMON_OK remains ”0”).
After setting a new threshold, the value BATMON_OK should be read out to verify the current supply voltage value.
When the battery voltage is close to the programmed threshold voltage, noise or temporary voltage drops can
generate a lot of unwanted interrupts initiated by a toggling BATMON_OK signal. To avoid this:
•
•
disable the IRQ7-bit in IRQ mask register after the first interrupt and treat the battery as empty, or
set a lower threshold value after the first interrupt.
Note that the battery monitor is inactive during PON and SLEEP modes, see control register 0x01 (TRX_STATUS).
6.6.
Crystal Oscillator
The crystal oscillator generates the reference frequency for the AT86RF230. All other internally-generated
frequencies in the transceiver are derived from this unique frequency. Therefore the overall system performance is
mainly based on the accuracy of this reference frequency. The external components of the crystal oscillator should
be selected carefully and the related board layout should be done meticulously.
The register 0x12 (XOSC_CTRL) provides access to the control signals of the oscillator. Basically, two operating
modes are supported. A reference frequency can be fed to the internal circuitry by using an external clock
reference or by setting up the integrated oscillator as described in Figure 6-3.
Using the internal oscillator, the oscillation frequency strongly depends on the load capacitance seen by the crystal
between the crystal pins XTAL1 and XTAL2. The total load capacitance must be equal to the specified load
capacitance CL of the crystal itself. It consists of the external capacitors CX and parasitic capacitances connected
to the XTAL nodes. In Figure 6-3, all parasitic capacitances, such as PCB stray capacitances and the pin input
capacitance, are summarized to CPAR. Additional internal trimming capacitors CTRIM are available. Any value in the
range from 0 pF to 4.8 pF with a 0.3 pF resolution is selectable using the register bits XTAL_TRIM[3:0]. To
calculate the total load capacitance, the following formula can be used CL = 0.5*(CX+CTRIM+CPAR).
The trimming capacitors provide the possibility of an easy adjustment of frequency changes caused by production
process variations or by tolerances of the external components. Note that the oscillation frequency can be reduced
only by increasing the trimming capacitance. The frequency deviation caused by one unit of CTRIM decreases with
increasing crystal load capacitor values.
An amplitude control circuit is included to ensure stable operation with different operating conditions and different
crystal types. A high current during the amplitude build-up phase guarantees a low start-up time. At stable
operation, the current is reduced to the amount necessary for a robust operation. This also keeps the drive level of
the crystal low.
Generally, crystals with a higher load capacitance are less sensitive to parasitic pulling effects caused by external
component variations or by variations of board and circuit parasitics. On the other hand, a larger crystal load
capacitance results in a longer start-up time and a higher steady state current consumption.
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AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
VDD
XTAL_TRIM[3:0]
CTRIM
XTAL_TRIM[3:0]
CTRIM
AT86RF230
XTAL2
CPAR
Figure 6-3.
16MHz
CX
XTAL1
PCB
CPAR
CX
Simplified XOSC Schematic with External Components
When using an external reference frequency, the signal needs to be connected to pin XTAL1 as indicated in Figure
6-4 and the register bits XTAL_MODE needs to be set to the external oscillator mode. The oscillation amplitude
shouldn’t be larger than 500 mV, peak-to-peak.
AT86RF230
XTAL2
XTAL1
PCB
16 MHz
Figure 6-4.
6.7.
Setup for Using an External Frequency Reference
PLL Frequency Synthesizer
The synthesizer of the AT86RF230 is implemented as a fractional-N PLL. Two calibration loops ensure correct
functionality within the specified operating limits.
The center frequency control loop ensures a correct center frequency of the VCO for the currently programmed
channel. The center frequency calibration algorithm can be started manually by setting PLL_CF_START = 1 of
register 0x1A (PLL_CF). The result of the calibration is also available in this register.
The delay calibration unit compensates the phase errors inherent in fractional-N PLLs. Using this technique,
unwanted spurious frequency components beside the RF carrier are suppressed, and the PLL behaves almost like
an integer-N PLL. A calibration cycle can be initiated by setting the register bit PLL_DCU_START = 1 of the
register 0x1B (PLL_DCU). The calibration result is written to the register bits PLL_DCUW.
23
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Both calibration routines will be initiated automatically when the PLL is turned on. Additionally, the center frequency
calibration is running when the PLL is programmed to a different channel (register 0x08 bits [4:0]). If the PLL is not
turned off for a long time, the control loops should be manually initiated from time to time. The calibration interval
depends on environment temperature variations but should not be longer than 5 min.
6.8.
Automatic Filter Tuning
The filter-tuning unit is a separate building block within the AT86RF230. A calibration cycle is initiated automatically
when entering the TRX_OFF state from either the SLEEP, RESET or P_ON states. The result of the calibration is
the 6-bit word FTNV, and is written to the register 0x18 (FTN_CTRL).
The filter-tuning value FTNV is used to provide a stable SSBF transfer function and PLL loop-filter time constant
independent of temperature effects and part-to-part variations.
It is possible to trigger the calibration algorithm manually by setting the register bit FTN_START = 1.
24
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
7. PHY to Micro-Controller Interface
In the following paragraphs, the PHY to micro-controller interface is defined. The SPI protocol and timing access
are shown, as well as buffer access modes with examples.
Controllers with an SPI interface such as an AVR will work with the AT86RF230 interface. The SPI interface is
used for both register programming as well as for frame transfer. The additional control signals are connected to
the GPIO interface of the controller. Figure 7-1 shows the signals which need to be connected between the
controller and the transceiver. The CLKM signal can be used as a controller main clock (synchronous mode) or as
software timer reference (asynchronous mode).
AT86RF230
SEL
SEL
SEL
MOSI
MOSI
MOSI
MISO
MISO
MISO
SCLK
SCLK
SCLK
GPIO1/CLK
CLKM
CLKM
GPIO2/IRQ
IRQ
7.1.
IRQ
GPIO3
SLP_TR
GPIO4
RST
Figure 7-1.
SPI
Micro-Controller
SLP_TR
RST
PHY-HOST Interface
SPI Protocol
SPI is used to program control registers as well as to transfer data frames between the controller and the
AT86RF230. The additional signals CLKM, IRQ, SLP_TR and RST are connected to the GPIO interface of the
controller.
The internal 128-byte frame buffer can keep one TX or one RX frame of maximum length at a time. This offers a
very flexible data rate over the SPI interface.
SEL
SCLK
t1
MISO
t2
Bit7
t5
Bit6 Bit5 Bit4 Bit3 Bit2 Bit1 Bit0
t6
Bit7
Bit6 Bit5 Bit4 Bit3 Bit2 Bit1 Bit0
t3
t4
MOSI
Bit7 Bit6 Bit5 Bit4 Bit3 Bit2 Bit1 Bit0
Bit7 Bit6 Bit5 Bit4 Bit3 Bit2 Bit1 Bit0
t7
SLP_TR
Figure 7-2.
SPI Timing
25
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
The interface is designed to work in synchronous or asynchronous mode. In synchronous mode, the CLKM output
of the transceiver IC is used as the master clock of the controller. The SPI clock can be any integer-divided clock
ratio up to 8 MHz.
Nevertheless, usage of an independent controller clock for an asynchronous interface is possible. In asynchronous
mode, the maximum SPI clock speed is limited to 7.5 MHz. The external CLKM output signal is not required and
can be disabled.
SEL enables the MISO output driver of the AT86RF230. If the driver is disabled, there is no internal pull-up
resistor connected to it. Driving the appropriate signal level must be ensured by the master device or an external
pull-up resistor.
The SPI is a byte-oriented serial interface. All bytes are transferred MSB first. Every SPI transfer starts with
SEL = 0 and this signal is asserted low as long as one consecutive SPI access occurs. One consecutive access
includes two or more bytes depending on the access mode described later. If SEL = 0 goes high before the end of
one complete access, the internal bit counter is reset and the transferred data are lost.
Both sides of the interface (master and slave) contain an 8-bit shift register. The master starts the transfer by
asserting SEL = 0 . After the 8-bit shift register is loaded, the master generates eight SPI clocks in order to transfer
the data to the slave, and at the same time the slave transmits one byte to the master shift register. If the master
wants to receive one byte of data it must also transmit one byte to the slave. Every transfer starts with a command
byte. This command byte contains the access mode information as well as additional mode-dependent bits. During
command byte transfer, the AT86RF230 returns a byte containing “0”.
Bit 7
Bit 6
(R/W)
1
0
Register address [5:0]
Short mode (register read access)
1
1
Register address [5:0]
Short mode (register write access)
0
0
1
Reserved
Frame receive mode
0
1
1
Reserved
Frame transmit mode
0
0
0
Reserved
SRAM read access mode
0
1
0
Reserved
SRAM write access mode
Table 7-1.
7.2.
Bit 5
Bit 4
Bit 3
Bit 2
Bit 1
Bit 0
Mode
Interface Access Mode Overview
Register Access Mode (Short Mode)
The register access mode is a two-byte read/write operation. The first byte contains the control information (mode
identifier bit 7, read/write select bit 6, and a 6-bit address). The second byte contains the read or write data. In this
mode a maximum of 64 consecutive registers can be addressed.
1
R/W
1=write
0=read
address[5:0]
byte 1
Figure 7-3.
26
data[7:0]
byte 2
Register Short Mode Access
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Write Register Access
Read Register Access
CLKM
SEL
SCLK
MOSI
COMMAND
MISO
WRITE DATA
XX
XX
XX
XX
Figure 7-4.
7.3.
COMMAND
READ DATA
SPI Register Access Sequence
Frame Buffer Access Modes (Long Modes)
These modes are used to upload or download frames as well as access the frame buffer directly. Each transfer
starts with a control byte. If this byte indicates a frame upload or download, the next byte indicates the frame length
followed by the PSDU data. In receive mode, after the PSDU data has been received, one more byte is attached,
containing LQI information.
The number of bytes for one frame access must be calculated by the controller as follows:
Transmit:
Receive:
byte_count = command byte + frame length byte + frame length
byte_count = command byte + frame length byte + frame length + LQI byte
That means there is a maximum frame buffer access of 129 bytes for TX and 130 bytes for RX.
0
TX/RX
1
0
control[4:0]
(reserved)
frame_length[7:0]
data[7:0]
data[7:0]
LQI[7:0]
byte 2
byte 3
byte n-1
byte n
byte 1
Figure 7-5.
0
TX/RX
1
1
control[4:0]
(reserved)
byte 1
Frame Receive Mode
frame_length[7:0]
data[7:0]
data[7:0]
byte 2
byte 3
byte n
Figure 7-6.
Frame Transmit Mode
If the control byte indicates SRAM access mode, the next byte contains the start address. As long as SEL is low,
every subsequent byte read or write increments the address counter of the frame buffer.
0
R/W
1=write
0=read
0
byte 1
control[4:0]
(reserved)
address[7:0]
data[7:0]
data[7:0]
byte 2
byte 3
byte n
Figure 7-7.
SRAM Access Mode
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
7.4.
Frame Receive Procedure
The following transactions are required to receive a frame over the SPI:
Controller
IRQ issued
PHY
read IRQ status register (register access)
IRQ line deasserted
receiving frame data (frame receive mode)
Figure 7-8.
Receive Frame Transactions Between AT86RF230 and Controller
CLKM
IRQ_status_read
Frame_upload
SEL
SCLK
MOSI
COMMAND
MISO
XX
IRQ
XX
READ DATA
XX
XX
FRAME LENGTH FRAME DATA 1 FRAME DATA 2 FRAME DATA 3 FRAME DATA n
LQI Value
COMMAND
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
IRQ issued
SLP_TR
Figure 7-9.
7.5.
Frame Receive Sequence
Frame Transmit Procedure
PHY
write frame data to transceiver (frame transmit mode)
write tx_start bit to register (register access) or assert SLP_TR
(depends on configuration)
Figure 7-10.
28
Controller
The following transactions are required to transmit a frame over SPI:
Transmit Frame Transactions Between AT86RF230 and Controller
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
CLKM
Frame_download
SEL
SCLK
MOSI
COMMAND
FRAME LENGTH
XX
MISO
XX
FRAME DATA 1
XX
FRAME DATA 2
XX
FRAME DATA 3
XX
FRAME DATA n
XX
IRQ
Transmit Start
SLP_TR
Figure 7-11.
7.6.
Frame Transmit Sequence (SLP_TR Assertion Starts Transmission)
Sleep/Wake-up and Transmit Signal
The SLP_TR signal is a multi-functional pin. It can be used as transmit start or as a sleep signal. The function of
the pin depends on the transceiver status.
Transceiver Status
Pin Function
Description
TRX_OFF
Sleep
Forces the transceiver into SLEEP mode
RX_ON
Disable CLKM
Forces the transceiver into RX_ON_NOCLOCK state and disables CLKM
PLL_ON
TX start
Start frame transmission
TX_ARET_ON
TX start
Start of frame retry
RX_AACK_ON
TX start
Start of frame acknowledge
Table 7-2.
SLP_TR Multi-functional Pin States
The pin has no function if the transceiver is in other modes.
If used as a sleep signal, releasing the pin SLP_TR = 0 forces the transceiver into TRX_OFF mode and enables
the main clock. If used as a transmit start signal, the low-to-high edge starts the transmission of a frame stored in
the frame buffer.
From the application point of view, there are two possible power-down scenarios supported by the AT86RF230.
Either both the controller and the AT86RF230 are powered down, or the AT86RF230 listens for an incoming frame
and only the controller is powered down.
The first power-down scenario is shown in Figure 7-12. The controller forces the AT86RF230 to SLEEP mode by
setting SLP_TR to “1” when the transceiver is in TRX_OFF mode. The main clock at pin CLKM will be switched off
after 35 clock cycles. This enables the controller to complete its power-down routine and prevent dead-lock
situations. The AT86RF230 will awaken when the controller releases the pin SLP_TR. This concept provides the
lowest possible power consumption.
If an incoming frame is expected and no other application is running on the controller, the controller itself can be
powered down without the risk of missing an incoming frame. This scenario is shown in Figure 7-13. In RX_ON
state, the CLKM pin will switched off after 35 clock cycles when the pin SLP_TR is set to “1”. The start of a frame
reception will be signaled by an RX_START IRQ and the clock will be switched on again.
29
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
CLKM
async timer (controller) elapsed
35 main clock cycles
SLP_TR
Figure 7-12.
Sleep and Wake-up Initiated by Asynchronous Controller Timer Output
CLKM
35 main clock cycles
SLP_TR
transceiver IRQ issued
IRQ
Figure 7-13.
7.7.
Wake-up Initiated by Transceiver Interrupt
Interrupt Logic
The AT86RF230 can differentiate between six interrupt events. Each interrupt can be enabled or disabled by
writing the corresponding bit to the interrupt mask register. All six internal interrupt lines are combined via logical
“OR” to one external interrupt line. Internally, each interrupt is stored in a separate bit of the interrupt status
register. If the external interrupt line is set, the controller must first read the interrupt status register to determine the
source of the interrupt. A read access to this register clears the interrupt status register and also the external
interrupt line. The interrupt will not be cleared automatically when the event that caused the IRQ is not valid
anymore. Exception: the PLL_LOCK IRQ will clear the PLL_UNLOCK IRQ and vice versa.
For a detailed description of the interrupt status register, please refer to register 0x0F (IRQ_STATUS).
Note: After a reset signal, all interrupts are enabled. Special settings in the register 0x0E (IRQ_MASK) need to be
renewed.
30
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
8. Control Registers
The AT86RF230 provides a register space of 64 8-bit registers, which is used to configure the IC as well as to store
signaling information read by the firmware.
Note that all registers not mentioned within the following table are reserved for internal use and must not be written
to. When writing to a non-reserved register, any individual bits of that register marked as reserved can only be
overwritten by their reset value.
Reg.-Addr.
Register Name
Description
0x01
TRX_STATUS
Transceiver status, CCA result
0x02
TRX_STATE
State/mode control
0x03
TRX_CTRL_0
Driver current and controller clock setting
0x05
PHY_TX_PWR
TX power setting
0x06
PHY_RSSI
0x07
PHY_ED_LEVEL
0x08
PHY_CC_CCA
0x09
CCA_THRES
0x0E
IRQ_MASK
Interrupt mask
0x0F
IRQ_STATUS
Interrupt status
0x10
VREG_CTRL
Voltage regulator control
0x11
BATMON
Battery monitor control
0x12
XOSC_CTRL
Crystal oscillator control
0x18
FTN_CTRL
0x1A
PLL_CF
0x1B
PLL_DCU
0x1C
PART_NUM
0x1D
VERSION_NUM
0x1E
MAN_ID_0
Manufacturer ID, lower 8 bits
0x1F
MAN_ID_1
Manufacturer ID, higher 8 bits
0x20
SHORT_ADDR_0
Short address for address recognition
0x21
SHORT_ADDR_1
Short address for address recognition
0x22
PAN_ID_0
PAN address for address recognition
0x23
PAN_ID_1
PAN address for address recognition
0x24
IEEE_ADDR_0
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x25
IEEE_ADDR_1
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x26
IEEE_ADDR_2
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x27
IEEE_ADDR_3
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x28
IEEE_ADDR_4
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
RSSI value
RX energy level
CCA mode configuration, CCA request, channel setting
CCA_ED and CCA_CS threshold
Filter tuning control
PLL center frequency calibration
PLL delay calibration
Part ID
Version ID
31
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Reg.-Addr.
Register Name
Description
0x29
IEEE_ADDR_5
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x2A
IEEE_ADDR_6
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x2B
IEEE_ADDR_7
Current node IEEE address for address recognition
0x2C
XAH_CTRL
0x2D
CSMA_SEED_0
CSMA seed value
0x2E
CSMA_SEED_1
CSMA seed value
Table 8-1.
Retries value control
Configuration registers overview
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
7
CCA_DONE
0
R
1’d0:
1’d1:
6
CCA_STATUS
0
R
Indicates an idle channel from CCA module.
CHANNEL_IDLE:
1’d0:
channel is busy
1’d1:
channel is idle
0
R
Reserved
0
R
Signals the current transceiver status.
TRANSCEIVER_STATUS:
5’d0:
P_ON
5’d1:
BUSY_RX
5’d2:
BUSY_TX
5’d6:
RX_ON
5’d8:
TRX_OFF (CLK Mode)
5’d9:
PLL_ON (TX_ON)
5’d15: SLEEP
5’d17: BUSY_RX_AACK
5’d18: BUSY_TX_ARET
5’d22: RX_AACK_ON
5’d25: TX_ARET_ON
5’d28: RX_ON_NOCLK
5’d29: RX_AACK_ON_NOCLK
5’d30: BUSY_RX_AACK_NOCLK
5’d31: state transition
5
4:0
TRX_STATUS
Table 8-2.
Note:
32
Comments
CCA calculation in progress
CCA calculation done
0x01 - TRX_STATUS
A register read will reset the CCA_STATUS bit and the CCA_DONE bit if a CCA calculation was done
(CCA_DONE = 1).
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
7:5
TRAC_STATUS
0
R
4:0
TRX_CMD
0
R/W
Table 8-3.
Note:
Comments
3’d0:
SUCCESS
3’d3:
CHANNEL_ACCESS_FAILURE
3’d5:
NO_ACK
All other values are reserved.
Transceiver control commands:
5’d0:
NOP
5’d2:
TX_START
5’d3:
FORCE_TRX_OFF
5’d6:
RX_ON
5’d8:
TRX_OFF (CLK Mode)
5’d9:
PLL_ON (TX_ON)
5’d22: RX_AACK_ON
5’d25: TX_ARET_ON
All other values are mapped to NOP.
0x02 - TRX_STATE
TRX_CMD = “0” after power on reset (POR).
Frame transmission starts 16 µs after TX_START command.
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7:6
PAD_IO
0
R/W
Set the output driver current of digital pads (except CLKM pad).
2’d0:
2 mA
2’d1:
4 mA
2’d2:
6 mA
2’d3:
8 mA
5:4
PAD_IO_CLKM
1
R/W
Set the output driver current of CLKM.
2’d0:
2 mA
2’d1:
4 mA
2’d2:
6 mA
2’d3:
8 mA
3
CLKM_SHA_SEL
1
R/W
Shadow the CLKM_CTRL clock changes. If the mode is enabled,
changes to the CLKM_CTRL bits take effect only when the IC leaves
the SLEEP mode.
1’d0:
disable (on the fly)
1’d1:
enable (shadow)
2:0
CLKM_CTRL
1
R/W
Controls the clock frequency at the CLKM pad.
3’d0:
no clock
3’d1:
1 MHz
3’d2:
2 MHz
3’d3:
4 MHz
3’d4:
8 MHz
3’d5:
16 MHz
3’d6:
no clock
3’d7:
no clock
Table 8-4.
0x03 - TRX_CTRL_0
33
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Bit
Field Name
7
TX_AUTO_CRC_ON
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
AUTO_CRC mode:
1’d0:
disable
1’d1:
enable
0
R
0
R/W
6:4
3:0
TX_PWR
Table 8-5.
Bit
Field Name
34
TX Power Setting
Output Power [dBm]
0
3.0
1
2.6
2
2.1
3
1.6
4
1.1
5
0.5
6
-0.2
7
-1.2
8
-2.2
9
-3.2
10
-4.2
11
-5.2
12
-7.2
13
-9.2
14
-12.2
15
-17.2
Reset
R/W
0
R
Reserved
0
R
5’d0:
RX input level < -91 dBm
5’d27: RX input level > -10 dBm
RSSI is a linear curve on a logarithmic input power scale (dBm) with
a 3 dB step width.
RSSI
Table 8-6.
TX Power Mapping
0x05 - PHY_TX_PWR
7:5
4:0
Reserved
Comments
0x06 - PHY_RSSI
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
7:0
ED_LEVEL
0
R
Table 8-7.
Note:
Comments
ED level for current channel.
The min. ED value (0) indicates receiver power less than or equal to
-91 dBm. The range is 84 dB with a resolution of 1 dB and an
absolute accuracy of ±5 dB.
0x07 - PHY_ED_LEVEL
A write access initiates the ED measurement (ED.request).
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7
CCA_REQUEST
0
R/W
1’d1:
starts a CCA check (CCA.request)
read value always returns with “0”
6:5
CCA_MODE
1
R/W
CCA Mode:
2’d0:
Mode 1, energy above threshold
2’d1:
Mode 1, energy above threshold
2’d2:
Mode 2, carrier sense only
2’d3:
Mode 3, carrier sense with energy above threshold
4:0
CHANNEL
11
R/W
Channel:
According to IEEE802.15.4 only 11 to 26 are valid.
All unused values are reserved.
Channel Mapping
Table 8-8.
Channel Number
Frequency [MHz]
11
2405
12
2410
13
2415
14
2420
15
2425
16
2430
17
2435
18
2440
19
2445
20
2450
21
2455
22
2460
23
2465
24
2470
25
2475
26
2480
0x08 - PHY_CC_CCA
35
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7:4
CCA_CS_THRES
12
R/W
Threshold for CCA_CS
3:0
CCA_ED_THRES
7
R/W
An ED value above the threshold signals a busy channel during a
CCA_ED measurement.
Table 8-9.
Note:
0x09 - CCA_THRES
CCA_ED_THRES: The CCA_ED request will indicate a busy channel, if the measured receive power
is above -91 dBm + 2*CCA_ED_THRES[dB].
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7:0
IRQ_MASK
255
R/W
Mask register for IRQs.
If bit is set to high, then the IRQ is enabled.
If bit is set to low, then the IRQ is disabled.
IRQ_MASK[7] corresponds to IRQ_7.
IRQ_MASK[0] corresponds to IRQ_0.
Table 8-10.
Note:
0x0E - IRQ_MASK
The occurrence of an interrupt will be signaled over the IRQ wire.
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7
IRQ_7
0
R
BAT_LOW:
signals low battery
6
IRQ_6
0
R
TRX_UR:
signals a FIFO underrun
5
IRQ_5
0
R
Reserved
4
IRQ_4
0
R
Reserved
3
IRQ_3
0
R
TRX_END:
signals end of frame (transmit and receive)
2
IRQ_2
0
R
RX_START:
signals beginning of receive frame
1
IRQ_1
0
R
PLL_UNLOCK:
PLL goes from lock to unlock state
0
IRQ_0
0
R
PLL_LOCK:
PLL goes from unlock to lock state
Table 8-11.
Note:
0x0F - IRQ_STATUS
The occurrence of an interrupt will be signaled over the IRQ wire. A read access will reset the
interrupt bits.
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7
AVREG_EXT
0
R/W
1’d0:
1’d1:
use internal analog voltage regulator
use external voltage regulator
6
AVDD_OK
0
R
1’d0:
1’d1:
analog voltage regulator is disabled
internal analog voltage is correct and stable
5:4
AVREG_TRIM
0
R/W
36
Controls the voltage of the analog voltage regulator.
2’d0:
1.80V
2’d1:
1.75V
2’d2:
1.84V
2’d3:
1.88V
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
3
DVREG_EXT
0
R/W
1’d0:
1’d1:
use internal digital voltage regulator
use external voltage regulator
2
DVDD_OK
0
R
1’d0:
1’d1:
digital voltage regulator is disabled
internal digital voltage is correct and stable
1:0
DVREG_TRIM
0
R/W
Controls the voltage of the digital voltage regulator.
2’d0:
1.80V
2’d1:
1.75V
2’d2:
1.84V
2’d3:
1.88V
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R
Reserved
Result of battery monitor:
1’d0:
not valid (VDD < BATMON_VTH)
1’d1:
valid (VDD > BATMON_VTH)
Table 8-12.
Bit
0x10 - VREG_CTRL
Field Name
7:6
5
BATMON_OK
0
R
4
BATMON_HR
0
R/W
High range switch (mapping see BATMON_VTH)
3:0
BATMON_VTH
2
R/W
Threshold voltage:
BATMON_VTH Mapping
Table 8-13.
Value
Voltage [V]
BATMON_HR = ”1”
Voltage [V]
BATMON_HR = ”0”
0
2.550
1.70
1
2.625
1.75
2
2.700
1.80
3
2.775
1.85
4
2.850
1.90
5
2.925
1.95
6
3.000
2.00
7
3.075
2.05
8
3.150
2.10
9
3.225
2.15
10
3.300
2.20
11
3.375
2.25
12
3.450
2.30
13
3.525
2.35
14
3.600
2.40
15
3.675
2.45
0x11 - BATMON
37
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7:4
XTAL_MODE
15
R/W
XTAL Modes:
4’d0:
switch off
4’d4:
external oscillator
4’d15: internal oscillator
All other modes are reserved and should not be used.
3:0
XTAL_TRIM
0
R/W
Binary coded capacitance array for XTAL trimming.
Values: 0 pF, 0.3 pF, …, 4.8 pF
Table 8-14.
0x12 - XOSC_CTRL
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
Comments
7
FTN_START
0
R/W
1’d1:
Initiates filter calibration cycle
If filter calibration is finished, read value is “0”
1
R/W
Reserved
24
R/W
Filter tuning value
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
1’d1:
Initiates PLL center frequency calibration cycle
If frequency calibration is finished, read value is “0”
5
R/W
Reserved
15
R/W
VCO center frequency control word
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
1’d1:
Initiates PLL delay cell calibration cycle
If delay cell calibration is finished, read value is “0”
0
R
32
R/W
Delay cell control word
Comments
6
5:0
FTNV
Table 8-15.
0x18 - FTN_CTRL
Bit
Field Name
7
PLL_CF_START
6:4
3:0
PLL_CF
Table 8-16.
0x1A – PLL_CF
Bit
Field Name
7
PLL_DCU_START
6
5:0
PLL_DCUW
Table 8-17.
0x1B – PLL_DCU
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
7:0
PART_NUM
2
R
Table 8-18.
Field Name
7:0
VERSION_NUM
38
The device part number.
8’d2:
AT86RF230
All other values are reserved
0x1C - PART_NUM
Bit
Table 8-19.
Reserved
Reset
R/W
1
R
Comments
The device version number.
0x1D - VERSION_NUM
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
7:0
MAN_ID_0
31
R
Table 8-20.
Comments
JEDEC manufacturer ID is 32’h 00_00_00_1F for Atmel, bits[7:0]
0x1E - MAN_ID_0
Bit
Field Name
Reset
R/W
7:0
MAN_ID_1
0
R
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
Lower 8 bits of short address for address recognition, bits[7:0]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
Higher 8 bits of short address for address recognition, bits[15:8]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
Lower 8 bits of PAN address for address recognition, bits[7:0]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
Higher 8 bits of PAN address for address recognition, bits[15:8]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
Lower 8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[7:0]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[15:8]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[23:16]
Table 8-21.
Field Name
7:0
SHORT_ADDR_0
0x20 - SHORT_ADDR_0
Bit
Field Name
7:0
SHORT_ADDR_1
Table 8-23.
0x21 - SHORT_ADDR_1
Bit
Field Name
7:0
PAN_ID_0
Table 8-24.
0x22 - PAN_ID_0
Bit
Field Name
7:0
PAN_ID_1
Table 8-25.
0x23 - PAN_ID_1
Bit
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_0
Table 8-26.
0x24 - IEEE_ADDR_0
Bit
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_1
Table 8-27.
0x25 - IEEE_ADDR_1
Bit
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_2
Table 8-28.
JEDEC manufacturer ID is 32’h 00_00_00_1F for Atmel, bits[15:8]
0x1F - MAN_ID_1
Bit
Table 8-22.
Comments
0x26 - IEEE_ADDR_2
39
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
Bit
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_3
Table 8-29.
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_4
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_5
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_6
R/W
8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[31:24]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[39:32]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[47:40]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[55:48]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0
R/W
Higher 8 bits of IEEE address for address recognition, bits[63:56]
Reset
R/W
Comments
0x2A - IEEE_ADDR_6
Bit
Field Name
7:0
IEEE_ADDR_7
Table 8-33.
0
0x29 - IEEE_ADDR_5
Bit
Table 8-32.
Comments
0x28 - IEEE_ADDR_4
Bit
Table 8-31.
R/W
0x27 - IEEE_ADDR_3
Bit
Table 8-30.
Reset
0x2B - IEEE_ADDR_7
Bit
Field Name
7:4
MAX_FRAME_RETRIES
3
R/W
Number of retransmission attempts in ARET mode before the
transaction gets cancelled.
3:1
MAX_CSMA_RETRIES
4
R/W
Number of retries in ARET mode to repeat the CSMA/CA procedures
before the ARET procedure gives up.
0
R/W
Reserved
Reset
R/W
Comments
234
R/W
Lower 8 bits of CSMA_SEED, bits[7:0]
Seed for the random number generator in the CSMA/CA algorithm
0
Table 8-34.
0x2C - XAH_CTRL
Bit
Field Name
7:0
CSMA_SEED_0
Table 8-35.
40
0x2D - CSMA_SEED_0
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Bit
Field Name
7:6
MIN_BE
5:4
Reset
R/W
Comments
3
R/W
Minimum back-off exponent in the CSMA/CA algorithm.
0
R
Reserved
3
I_AM_COORD
0
R/W
Use for address filtering within AACK mode (PAN coordinator)
1’d0:
disable
1’d1:
enable
2:0
CSMA_SEED_1
2
R/W
Higher 3 bits of CSMA_SEED, bits[10:8]
Seed for the random number generator in the CSMA/CA algorithm
Table 8-36.
0x2E - CSMA_SEED_1
41
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
9. Application Circuit
An application circuit with a single-ended RF connector is shown in Figure 9-1. An SMD-balun transforms the
100Ω differential RF inputs/outputs of the AT86RF230 to a 50Ω single ended RF port. The capacitors C1 and C2
form a DC-block.
Power supply decoupling capacitors (CB2, CB4) are connected to the analog (28) and the digital supply pin (15).
Capacitors CB1 and CB3 are load capacitors for the analog and digital voltage regulators. They ensure a stable
operation of the low-voltage parts of the AT86RF230. All decoupling capacitors should be placed as close as
possible to the AT86RF230 pin and need to have a low-resistance and low-inductive connection to ground to
achieve the best performance.
The crystal (XTAL), the two load capacitors (CX1, CX2), and the internal circuitry connected to pins XTAL1 and
XTAL2 form the crystal oscillator. To achieve the best accuracy and stability of the reference frequency, large stray
capacitances should be avoided.
Cross coupling of digital signals to the crystal pins or the RF pins can degrade system performance.
Designator Description
B1
SMD balun
Manufacturer
Manuf. Part Number
2.4 GHz
Wuerth
748421245
ACAL Taitjen
Siward
XWBBPL-F-1
A207-011
CB1
DC-blocking capacitor
1 µF
CB2
DC-blocking capacitor
1 µF
CB3
DC-blocking capacitor
1 µF
CB4
DC-blocking capacitor
1 µF
CX1
Crystal load capacitor
12 pF
CX2
Crystal load capacitor
12 pF
C1
RF-coupling capacitor
22 pF
C2
RF-coupling capacitor
22 pF
XTAL
Crystal
Table 9-1.
42
Value
CX-4025 16 MHz
SX-4025 16 MHz
Bill of Materials
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
Vdd
CB2
CX1
CX2
XTAL
31
30 29
28
27
26
25
GND
GND
VDEC2
VDD
GND
XTAL2
XTAL1
1 GND
C1
RF
2 GND
SEL 23
3 GND
MOSI 22
4 RFP
B1
GND 21
AT86RF230
5 RFN
MISO 20
VDEC1
VDEC1
VDD
GND
GND 18
GND
7 GND
SLP_TR
SCLK 19
GND
6 GND
GND
C2
IRQ 24
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
8 RST
CB3
Figure 9-1.
Digital Interface
32
GND
CB1
CLKM 17
CB4
Application Schematic
43
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
10.
Pin Configuration
Number
Name
Type
Description
1
GND
Ground
Analog ground
2
GND
Ground
Analog ground
3
GND
Ground
Ground for RF signals
4
RFP
RF I/O
Differential RF signal
5
RFN
RF I/O
Differential RF signal
6
GND
Ground
Ground for RF signals
7
GND
Ground
Digital ground
8
RST
Digital input
Chip reset pin, active low
9
GND
Ground
Digital ground
10
GND
Ground
Digital ground
11
SLP_TR
Digital input
Controls sleep, transmit and receive mode, active high
12
GND
Ground
Digital ground
13
VDEC1
De-coupling
Requires de-coupling capacitor
14
VDEC1
De-coupling
Requires de-coupling capacitor
15
VDD
Supply
Supply voltage
16
GND
Ground
Digital ground
17
CLKM
Digital output
Master clock signal output to drive controller
18
GND
Ground
Digital ground
19
SCLK
Digital input
SPI clock
20
MISO
Digital output
SPI data output (master input slave output)
21
GND
Ground
Digital ground
22
MOSI
Digital input
SPI data input (master output slave input)
23
SEL
Digital input
SPI select signal, active low
24
IRQ
Digital output
Interrupt request signal
25
XTAL1
Analog input
Crystal pin
26
XTAL2
Analog input
Crystal pin
27
GND
Ground
Analog ground
28
VDD
Supply
Supply voltage
29
VDEC2
De-coupling
Requires de-coupling capacitor
30
GND
Ground
Analog ground
31
GND
Ground
Analog ground
32
GND
Ground
Analog ground
Table 10-1.
44
AT86RF230 Pin List
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
GND
GND
GND
VDEC2
VDD
GND
XTAL2
XTAL1
10.1. Pin-out Diagram
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25
24
23
22
21
AT86RF230 20
19
18
17
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
IRQ
SEL
MOSI
GND
MISO
SCLK
GND
CLKM
GND
GND
SLP_TR
GND
VDEC1
VDEC1
VDD
GND
GND
GND
GND
RFP
RFN
GND
GND
RST
10.2. Decoupling
Correct functionality requires de-coupling of the internal power supply voltage (VDEC1/2). Capacitors of 1µF
(recommended value) shall be placed as close as possible to IC pins and shall be connected to ground with the
shortest possible traces. Avoid long lines. It is recommended to insert additional 100 nF capacitors as close as
possible at each VDD pin to ground.
10.3. Analog Pins
Pin
Condition
Recommendation/Comment
RFP/RFN
VDC = 0.9V (TX)
VDC = 20 mV (RX) at both pins
Blocking is required if an antenna with a DC path to ground is used.
Serial capacitance must be < 30 pF.
XTAL1/XTAL2
CPAR = 3 pF
VDC = 0.9V at both pins
Parasitic capacitance of the IC pins must be considered as additional
parallel capacitance to the crystal.
Table 10-2.
Comments on RF Input/Output and Crystal Pins
10.4. RF Pins
A differential RF input provides common-mode rejection to suppress the switching noise of the internal digital signal
processing blocks. At the board-level, the differential RF layout ensures the receiver sensitivity by rejecting any
spurious signals originating from other digital ICs such as the micro-controller.
The RF port is designed for a 100Ω differential load. A differential DC path between the RF pins is allowed. A DC
path to ground or supply voltage is not allowed and requires capacitive coupling as indicated in Table 10-2.
45
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
RFP
RFN
0.9V
M0
Figure 10-1.
LNA
RX
PA
TX
CM
Feedback
RXTX
Simplified RF Front-end Schematic
A simplified schematic of the RF front end is shown in Figure 10-1. RF port DC values depend on the operating
mode. In TRX_OFF mode, the RF pins are pulled to ground, preventing a floating voltage larger than 1.8V which is
not allowed for the internal circuitry. In receive mode, the RF input provides a low-impedance path to ground when
transistor M0 pulls the inductor center tap to ground. A DC voltage drop of 20 mV across the on-chip inductor can
be measured at the RF pins. In transmit mode, a regulation loop provides a common-mode voltage of 0.9V.
Transistor M0 is off, allowing the PA to set the common-mode voltage. The common-mode capacitance at each pin
to ground is limited to < 30 pF to ensure the stability of this common-mode feedback loop.
10.5. Digital Pins
Pulling resistors are connected to all digital input pins in transceiver state P_ON. Table 10-3 summarizes the pullup and pull-down configuration.
In all other states there is no pull-up or pull-down resistor connected to any of the digital input pins.
Pin
H = pull-up, L = pull-down
RST
H
SEL
H
SCLK
L
MOSI
L
SLP_TR
L
Table 10-3.
46
Pull-up / pull-down configuration of digital input pins
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
11.
Ordering Information
Ordering Code
Package
Voltage Range
AT86RF230-ZU
QN
1.8 – 3.6V
Package Type
QN
Temperature Range
Industrial (-40°C to 85°C) Lead-free/Halogen-free
Description
32QN1, 32-lead 5.0 x5.0mm Body, 0.50mm Pitch, Quad Flat No-lead Package (QFN) Sawn
Note: T&R quantity 2,500. Please contact your local Atmel sales office for more detailed ordering information and
minimum quantities.
12.
Soldering Information
Recommended soldering profile is specified in IPC/JEDEC J-STD-.020C.
13.
Package Thermal Properties
Thermal Resistance
Velocity [m/s]
Theta ja [K/W]
0
40.9
1
35.7
2.5
32.0
47
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
14.
Package Drawing – 32QN1
D
A
A3
E
Pin 1 Corner
A1
A2
Top View
Side View
Pin 1 Corner
COMMON DIMENSIONS
(Unit of Measure = mm)
SYMBOL
D2
MIN
D
E
e
E2
L
E2
1.25
A
0.80
0.90
1.00
A1
0.0
0.02
0.05
A2
0.0
0.65
1.00
L
Notes:
b
NOTE
5.00 BSC
1.25
3.25
3.25
0.20 REF
0.30
e
Bottom View
MAX
D2
A3
b
NOM
5.00 BSC
0.40
0.50
0.50 BSC
0.18
0.23
0.30
2
1. This drawing is for general information only. Refer to JEDEC Drawing MO-220, Variation VHHD-1, for proper dimensions,
tolerances, datums, etc.
2. Dimension b applies to metallized terminal and is measured between 0.15 mm and 0.30 mm from the terminal tip. If the
terminal has the optional radius on the other end of the terminal, the dimension should not be measured in that radius area.
1/24/06
R
48
2325 Orchard Parkway
San Jose, CA 95131
TITLE
32QN1, 32-lead 5.0 x 5.0 mm Body, 0.50 mm Pitch, Quad Flat
No Lead Package (QFN) Sawn
DRAWING NO.
32QN1
REV.
A
AT86RF230
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
AT86RF230
15.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
16.
References
IEEE Std 802.15.4-2003: Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications
for Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (LR-WPANs)
ANSI / ESD-STM5.1-2001: ESD Association Standard Test Method for electrostatic discharge sensitivity
testing – Human Body Model (HBM)
EIA / JESD22-A115-A: Electronic Industries Association, Electrostatic Discharge Sensitivity Testing –
Machine Model (MM)
ESD-STM5.3.1-1999: ESD Association Standard Test Method for electrostatic discharge sensitivity testing –
Charged Device Model (CDM)
Revisions
Revision
Date
Description
1.0
2006-06-14
Initial release
49
5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06
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5131A-ZIGB-06/14/06