Si4x55-C Easy-to-Use, Low-Current OOK/(G)FSK Sub-GHz Transceiver, Transmitter, and Receiver

S i 4 x 5 5-C
E ASY - TO - U SE , L O W - C URRENT OOK/(G)FSK S UB -GH Z
T RANSCEIVER, T RANSMITTER, AND R ECEIVER
Features
Frequency
range = 284–960 MHz
 Receive sensitivity = –116 dBm
 Modulation





(G)FSK

OOK

Max output power = +13 dBm 
 Low active power consumption

10
18
mA RX
mA TX @ +10 dBm


Low standby current = 40 nA
 Low shutdown current = 30 nA
 Preamble sense mode
Max data rate = 500 kbps
Power supply = 1.8 to 3.6 V
TX and RX 64 byte FIFOs
Automatic frequency control (AFC)
Automatic gain control (AGC)
Integrated battery voltage sensor
Packet handling including preamble,
sync word detection, and CRC
Low BOM
20-Pin 3x3 mm QFN package

Silicon Laboratories’ Si4455 is an easy-to-use, low current, sub-GHz
EZRadio® transceiver. The Si4055 is a transmit-only device, and the Si4355
is a receiver-only device based on the Si4x55 architecture. This data sheet
covers all three products with the transmit descriptions being relevant for
Si4455 and Si4055 and the receive descriptions being relevant for Si4455
and Si4355. Covering all major bands, it combines plug-and-play simplicity
with the flexibility needed to handle a wide variety of applications. The
compact 3x3 mm package size combined with a low external BOM count
makes the Si4x55 both space efficient and cost effective. The +13 dBm
output power and excellent sensitivity of –116 dBm allows for a longer
operating range, while the low current consumption of 18 mA TX (at 10 dBm),
10 mA RX, and 40 nA standby, provides for superior battery life. By fully
integrating all components from the antenna to the GPIO or SPI interface to
the MCU, the Si4x55 makes it easy to realize this performance in an
application. Design simplicity is further exemplified in the Wireless
Development Suite (WDS) user interface software. WDS provides simplified
programming options for a broad range of applications in an easy-to-use
format that results in faster and lower risk development. The Si4x55 is
capable of supporting major worldwide regulatory standards, such as FCC,
ETSI, ARIB, and China regulatory standards.
Rev 1.0 10/14
Copyright © 2014 by Silicon Laboratories
XOUT
19
18
17
16 nSEL
1
SDN
2
RXp
3
RXn
4
13 SCLK
TX
5
12 nIRQ
GND
6
15 SDI
14 SDO
Si4455
7
8
9
10
GPIO0
Description
20
GND
GND

VDD
Remote keyless entry
Home automation
 Industrial control
 Sensor networks
 Health monitors


VDD
Remote control
Home security and alarm
 Telemetry
 Garage and gate openers

XIN
Applications
GPIO2
mA average RX current at
1.2 kbps
GPIO3
Pin Assignments
6
11 GPIO1
Patents pending
Si4x55-C
Si4x55-C
Functional Block Diagram
GPIO3
GPIO2
XIN XOUT
Synthesizer
SDN
25-32MHz XO
Rx Chain
RXn
LNA
PGA
ADC
Rx/Tx
Modem
SPI Interface
Controller
RXp
nSEL
SDI
SDO
SCLK
nIRQ
TX
Battery
Voltage
Sensor
PA
VDD
2
Aux ADC
GPIO1
GPIO0
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
TABLE O F C ONTENTS
Section
Page
1. Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
2. Typical Applications Schematic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3. Functional Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.1. Receiver Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.2. Receiver Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.3. Synthesizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
3.4. Transmitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.5. Crystal Oscillator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
3.6. Battery Voltage and Auxiliary ADC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4. Configuration Options and User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.1. Radio Configuration Application (RCA) GUI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.2. Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.3. Configuration Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5. Controller Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.1. Serial Peripheral Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.2. Operating Modes and Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.3. Interrupts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.4. GPIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6. Data Handling and Packet Handler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
6.1. RX and TX FIFOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.2. Packet Handler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.3. Direct Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
7. Pin Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8. Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
9. Package Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
10. PCB Land Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
11. Top Marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
11.1. Si4x55 Top Marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
11.2. Top Marking Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Rev 1.0
3
Si4x55-C
1. Electrical Specifications
Table 1. DC Characteristics
Parameter
Supply Voltage
Range
Power Saving
Modes
Symbol
Test Condition
VDD
Min Typ Max Unit
1.8
3.3
3.6
V
IShutdown
RC oscillator, main digital regulator, and low power digital
regulator OFF.
—
30
—
nA
IStandby
Register values maintained.
—
40
—
nA
IReady
Crystal Oscillator and Main Digital Regulator ON,
all other blocks OFF.
—
1.8
—
mA
ISPI Active
SPI active state
TUNE Mode Current
ITune_RX
RX Tune
—
6.8
—
mA
ITune_TX
TX Tune
—
7.1
—
mA
RX Mode Current
IRX
Measured at 40 kbps, 20 kHz deviation, 315 MHz
—
10.9
—
mA
TX Mode Current
ITX
+10 dBm output power
Measured on direct tie RF evaluation board at 868 MHz
—
19
—
mA
+13 dBm output power
Measured on direct tie RF evaluation board at 868 MHz
—
24
—
mA
1.5
mA
Note: All minimum and maximum values are guaranteed across the recommended operating conditions of supply voltage and
from –40 to +85 °C unless otherwise stated. All typical values apply at VDD = 3.3 V and 25 °C unless otherwise stated.
4
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
Table 2. Synthesizer AC Electrical Characteristics
Parameter
Synthesizer Frequency
Range
Synthesizer Frequency
Resolution
Phase Noise
Symbol
Test Condition
FSYN
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
284
—
350
MHz
350
—
525
MHz
850
—
960
MHz
FRES-960
850–960 MHz
—
114.4
—
Hz
FRES-525
420–525 MHz
—
57.2
—
Hz
FRES-420
350–420 MHz
—
45.6
—
Hz
FRES-350
283–350 MHz
—
38.1
—
Hz
Lf(fm)
DF = 10 kHz, 915 MHz
—
100
—
dBc/Hz
DF = 10 kHz, 915 MHz
—
102.1
—
dBc/Hz
DF = 10 kHz, 915 MHz
—
123.5
—
dBc/Hz
DF = 10 kHz, 915 MHz
—
136.6
—
dBc/Hz
Note: All minimum and maximum values are guaranteed across the recommended operating conditions of supply voltage and
from –40 to +85 °C unless otherwise stated. All typical values apply at VDD = 3.3 V and 25 °C unless otherwise stated.
Rev 1.0
5
Si4x55-C
Table 3. Receiver AC Electrical Characteristics
Parameter
Symbol
RX Frequency
Range
Test Condition
FRX
RX Sensitivity 915 MHz
RX Channel Bandwidth
Typ
Max
Unit
284
—
350
MHz
350
—
525
MHz
850
—
960
MHz
PRX-_2
(BER < 0.1%)
(2.4 kbps, GFSK, BT = 0.5,
F = 30 kHz, 114 kHz Rx BW)2
—
–115.0
—
dBm
PRX-_40
(BER < 0.1%)
(40 kbps, GFSK, BT = 0.5,
F = 25 kHz, 114 kHz Rx BW)2
—
–107.6
—
dBm
PRX-_128
(BER < 0.1%)
(128 kbps, GFSK, BT = 0.5,
F = 70 kHz, 305 kHz Rx BW)2
—
–103.2
—
dBm
PRX-_OOK
(BER < 0.1%, 1 kbps, 185 kHz Rx BW,
OOK, PN15 data)2
—
–113.5
—
dBm
(BER < 0.1%, 40 kbps, 185 kHz Rx BW,
OOK, PN15 data)2
—
–102.7
—
dBm
40
—
850
kHz
BW
RSSI Resolution
Min
RESRSSI
Valid from –110 dBm to –90 dBm
—
±0.5
—
dB
2
C/I1-CH
–52
—
dB
C/I2-CH
Desired Ref Signal 3 dB above sensitivity, BER < 0.1%. Interferer is CW and
desired modulated with 1.2 kbps,
F = 5.2 kHz, GFSK with BT = 0.5,
RX BW = 58 kHz
channel spacing = 100 kHz
—
Selectivity2
—
–56
—
dB
Blocking 200 kHz–1 MHz2 200KBLOCK Desired Ref Signal 3 dB above sensitivity, BER < 0.1%. Interferer is CW and
1MBLOCK
Blocking 1 MHz Offset2
desired modulated with 1.2 kbps
2
F
= 5.2 kHz GFSK with BT = 0.5,
8M
Blocking 8 MHz Offset
BLOCK
RX BW = 58 kHz
—
–56
—
dB
—
–71
—
dB
—
–77
—
dB
Image Rejection2
—
40
—
dB
1-Ch Offset Selectivity
2-Ch Offset
ImREJ
Rejection at the image frequency
IF = 468 kHz
Notes:
1. All minimum and maximum values are guaranteed across the recommended operating conditions of supply voltage and
from –40 to +85 °C unless otherwise stated. All typical values apply at VDD = 3.3 V and 25 °C unless otherwise stated.
2. Conducted measurements on RF evaluation board. Specifications are dependent on frequency, matching components,
and board layout.
6
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
Table 4. Transmitter AC Electrical Characteristics1
Parameter
Symbol
TX Frequency Range
Test Condition
FTX
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
284
—
350
MHz
350
—
525
MHz
850
—
960
MHz
(G)FSK Data Rate
DRFSK2
1.0
—
500
kbps
OOK Data Rate
DROOK
0.5
—
120
kbps
Modulation Deviation
Range
f960
850–960 MHz
—
—
500
kHz
f525
350–525 MHz
—
—
500
kHz
f350
284–350 MHz
—
—
500
kHz
FRES-960
850–1050 MHz
—
114.4
—
Hz
FRES-525
420–525 MHz
—
57.2
—
Hz
FRES-420
350–420 MHz
—
45.6
—
Hz
FRES-350
284–350 MHz
—
38.1
—
Hz
PTX
Measured at 434 MHz, 3.3 V,
Class E match
–20
—
+13
dBm
PRF_OUT
Using switched current match within
6 dB of max power
—
0.25
—
dB
TX RF Output Level3
Variation vs. Temperature
PRF_TEMP
–40 to +85 C
—
2.3
—
dB
TX RF Output Level
Variation vs. Frequency3
PRF_FREQ
Measured across 902–928 MHz
—
0.6
—
dB
B*T
Gaussian Filtering Bandwith Time
Product
—
0.5
—
Modulation Deviation
Resolution
Output Power Range
3
TX RF Output Steps3
Transmit Modulation
Filtering
Notes:
1. All minimum and maximum values are guaranteed across the recommended operating conditions of supply voltage and
from –40 to +85 °C unless otherwise stated. All typical values apply at VDD = 3.3 V and 25 °C unless otherwise stated.
2. The maximum data rate is dependent on the XTAL frequency and is calculated as per the formula: Maximum Symbol
Rate = Fxtal/60, where Fxtal is the XTAL frequency (typically 30 MHz).
3. Conducted measurements based on RF evaluation board. Output power and emissions specifications are dependent on
transmit frequency, matching components, and board layout.
Rev 1.0
7
Si4x55-C
Table 5. Auxiliary Block Specifications1
Parameter
XTAL
Range2
30 MHz XTAL Start-Up
time
30 MHz XTAL Cap
Resolution
POR Reset Time
Microcontroller Clock
Output Frequency Range3
Symbol
Test Condition
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
25
—
32
MHz
—
300
—
µs
30MRES
—
70
—
fF
tPOR
—
—
6
ms
—
Fxtal
Hz
XTALRANGE
t30M
Using XTAL and board layout in
reference design. Start-up time
will vary with XTAL type and
board layout.
Configurable to Fxtal or Fxtal
32.768 k
divided by 2, 3, 7.5, 10, 15, or 30
where Fxtal is the reference
XTAL frequency. In addition,
32.768 kHz is also supported.
Notes:
1. All minimum and maximum values are guaranteed across the recommended operating conditions of supply voltage and
from –40 to +85 °C unless otherwise stated. All typical values apply at VDD = 3.3 V and 25 °C unless otherwise stated.
2. XTAL Range tested in production using an external clock source (similar to using a TCXO).
3. Microcontroller clock frequency tested in production at 1 MHz, 30 MHz, 32 MHz, and 32.768 kHz. Other frequencies
tested by bench characterization.
8
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
Table 6. Digital IO Specifications (GPIO_x, SCLK, SDO, SDI, nSEL, nIRQ)1
Parameter
Symbol
Test Condition
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
Rise Time2,3
TRISE
0.1 x VDD to 0.9 x VDD,
CL= 10 pF, DRV<1:0> = LL
VDD = 3.3 V
—
2.3
—
ns
Fall Time3,4
TFALL
0.9 x VDD to 0.1 x VDD,
CL= 10 pF, DRV<1:0> = LL
VDD = 3.3 V
—
2
—
ns
Input Capacitance
CIN
—
2
—
pF
Logic High Level Input Voltage
VIH
VDD x 0.7
—
—
V
Logic Low Level Input Voltage
VIL
—
—
VDD x 0.3
V
Input Current
IIN
0 < VIN < VDD
–1
—
1
µA
Input Current if Pullup is Activated
IINP
VIL = 0 V
1
—
4
µA
IOmaxLL
DRV[1:0] = LL3
—
6.66
—
mA
IOmaxLH
DRV[1:0] = LH
3
—
5.03
—
mA
IOmaxHL
DRV[1:0] = HL3
—
3.16
—
mA
IOmaxHH
DRV[1:0] = HH
3
—
1.13
—
mA
IOmaxLL
DRV[1:0] = LL3
—
5.75
—
mA
IOmaxLH
DRV[1:0] = LH
3
—
4.37
—
mA
IOmaxHL
DRV[1:0] = HL3
—
2.73
—
mA
IOmaxHH
DRV[1:0] = HH
3
—
0.96
—
mA
IOmaxLL
DRV[1:0] = LL3
—
2.53
—
mA
IOmaxLH
DRV[1:0] = LH
3
—
2.21
—
mA
IOmaxHL
DRV[1:0] = HL3
—
1.70
—
mA
IOmaxHH
DRV[1:0] = HH
3
—
0.80
—
mA
VOH
DRV[1:0] = HL3
VDD x 0.8
—
—
V
VOL
3
—
—
VDD x 0.2
V
Drive Strength for Output Low
Level
Drive Strength for Output High
Level (GPIO1, GPIO2, GPIO3)
Drive Strength for Output High
Level (GPIO0)
Logic High Level Output Voltage
Logic Low Level Output Voltage
DRV[1:0] = HL
Notes:
1. All minimum and maximum values are guaranteed across the recommended operating conditions of supply voltage and
from –40 to +85 °C unless otherwise stated. All typical values apply at VDD = 3.3 V and 25 °C unless otherwise stated.
2. 6.7 ns is typical for GPIO0 rise time.
3. Assuming VDD = 3.3 V, drive strength is specified at Voh (min) = 2.64 V and Vol (max) = 0.66 V at room temperature.
4. 2.4 ns is typical for GPIO0 fall time.
Rev 1.0
9
Si4x55-C
Table 7. Thermal Characteristics
Parameter
Symbol
Max Value
Unit
Thermal Impedance Junction to Ambient*
JA
71
°C/W
Junction Temperature Maximum Value*
TJ
96
°C
Operating Ambient Temperature Range
TA
–40 to +85
C
TSTG
–55 to +150
C
Storage Temperature Range
*Note: Thermal Impedance and Junction Temperature based on RF evaluation board measurements.
Table 8. Absolute Maximum Ratings
Parameter
Value
Unit
–0.3, +3.6
V
Voltage on Digital Control Inputs
–0.3, VDD + 0.3
V
Instantaneous VRF-peak to GND on TX Output Pin
–0.3, VDD + 0.3
V
Sustained VRF-peak to GND on TX Output Pin
–0.3, VDD + 8.0
V
Voltage on Analog Inputs
–0.3, VDD + 6.5
V
+10
dBm
VDD to GND
RX Input Power
Note: Stresses beyond those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These
are stress ratings only and functional operation of the device at or beyond these ratings in the operational sections of
the specifications is not implied. Exposure to absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods may affect
device reliability. The Power Amplifier may be damaged if switched on without proper load or termination connected.
TX matching network design will influence TX VRF-peak on TX output pin. Caution: ESD sensitive device.
10
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
16
nSEL
XOUT
17
XIN
GP2
SDO
GP3
SCLK
GP4
10
GP5
GPIO0
9
8
GND
L1
7
6
C1
C3
SDI
nIRQ
12
11 GPIO1
GND
C4
13
4
TX 5
VDD
C7
C8
C9
100 p
100 n
1u
Figure 1. Si4455 Application Circuit
Si4355
13
SDO
GP3
SCLK
GP4
GP5
10
6
GP2
nIRQ
12
11 GPIO1
4
NC 5
SDI
Microcontroller
nSEL
16
XOUT
17
18
XIN
GPIO2
19
15
GPIO0
RXn
3
9
RXp
GND
L2
C1
GP1
14
8
L1
SDN
2
VDD
SDN
1
7
GND
VDD
C2
20
GPIO3
30 MHz
GND
C5
Si4455
3
RXn
L2
14
VDD
L3
L4
15
2
RXp
C2
GP1
VDD
L5
GP0
Microcontroller
SDN
L6
GPIO2
1
30 MHz
18
GND
19
C6
20
GPIO3
2. Typical Applications Schematic
VDD
C3
C4
C5
100 p
100 n
1u
Figure 2. Si4355 Applications Circuit
Rev 1.0
11
Si4x55-C
3. Functional Description
GPIO3
GPIO2
XIN XOUT
Synthesizer
SDN
25-32MHz XO
Rx Chain
RXn
LNA
PGA
ADC
Rx/Tx
Modem
SPI Interface
Controller
RXp
nSEL
SDI
SDO
SCLK
nIRQ
TX
Battery
Voltage
Sensor
PA
Aux ADC
VDD
GPIO1
GPIO0
Figure 3. Si4455 Functional Block Diagram
The Si4x55 is an easy-to-use, size efficient, low current wireless ISM device that covers the sub-GHz bands. The
wide operating voltage range of 1.8–3.6 V and low current consumption make the Si4x55 an ideal solution for
battery powered applications. The Si4455 operates as a time division duplexing (TDD) transceiver where the
device alternately transmits and receives data packets. The device uses a single-conversion mixer to downconvert
the FSK/GFSK or OOK modulated receive signal to a low IF frequency. Following a programmable gain amplifier
(PGA), the signal is converted to the digital domain by a high performance  ADC allowing filtering, demodulation,
slicing, and packet handling to be performed in the built-in digital modem, increasing the receiver’s performance
and flexibility versus analog based architectures. The demodulated signal is output to the system MCU through a
programmable GPIO or via the standard SPI bus by reading the 64-byte Rx FIFO.
A single high-precision local oscillator (LO) is used for both transmit and receive modes since the transmitter and
receiver do not operate at the same time. The LO signal is generated by an integrated VCO and  Fractional-N
PLL synthesizer. The synthesizer is designed to support configurable data rates up to 500 kbps. The Si4x55
operates in the frequency bands of 283–350, 350–525, and 850–960 MHz. The transmit FSK data is modulated
directly into the  data stream and can be shaped by a Gaussian low-pass filter to reduce unwanted spectral
content.
The device contains a power amplifier (PA) that supports output powers up to +13 dBm and is designed to support
single coin cell operation with current consumption of 18 mA for +10 dBm output power. The PA is single-ended to
allow for easy antenna matching and low BOM cost. The PA incorporates automatic ramp-up and ramp-down
control to reduce unwanted spectral spreading. Additional system features, such as 64-byte TX/RX FIFOs,
preamble detection, sync word detector, and CRC, reduce overall current consumption and allow for the use of
lower-cost system MCUs. Power-on-reset (POR) and GPIOs further reduce overall system cost and size. The
Si4x55 is designed to work with an MCU, crystal, and a few passives to create a very compact and low-cost
system.
12
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
3.1. Receiver Chain
The internal low-noise amplifier (LNA) is designed to be a wideband LNA that can be matched with three external
discrete components to cover any common range of frequencies in the sub-GHz band. The LNA has extremely low
noise to suppress the noise of the following stages and achieve optimal sensitivity; therefore, no external gain or
front-end modules are necessary. The LNA has gain control, which is controlled by the internal automatic gain
control (AGC) algorithm. The LNA is followed by an I-Q mixer, filter, programmable gain amplifier (PGA), and ADC.
The I-Q mixers downconvert the signal to an intermediate frequency. The PGA then boosts the gain to be within
dynamic range of the ADC. The ADC rejects out-of-band blockers and converts the signal to the digital domain
where filtering, demodulation, and processing is performed. Peak detectors are integrated at the output of the LNA
and PGA for use in the AGC algorithm.
The RX and TX pins can be directly tied externally on the Si4455 transceiver.
3.2. Receiver Modem
Using high-performance ADCs allows channel filtering, image rejection, and demodulation to be performed in the
digital domain, which allows for flexibility in optimizing the device for particular applications. The digital modem
performs the following functions:
Channel
selection filter
Preamble detection
Invalid preamble detection
TX modulation
RX demodulation
Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
Automatic frequency compensation (AFC)
Radio signal strength indicator (RSSI)
Cyclic redundancy check (CRC)
The digital channel filter and demodulator are optimized for ultra-low-power consumption and are highly
configurable. Supported modulation types are GFSK, FSK, and OOK. The channel filter can be configured to
support bandwidths ranging from 850 kHz down to 40 kHz. A large variety of data rates are supported ranging from
0.5 kbps up to 500 kbps. The configurable preamble detector is used with the synchronous demodulator to improve
the reliability of the sync-word detection. Preamble detection can be skipped using only sync detection, which is a
valuable feature of the asynchronous demodulator when very short preambles are used. The received signal
strength indicator (RSSI) provides a measure of the signal strength received on the tuned channel. The resolution
of the RSSI is 0.5 dB. This high-resolution RSSI enables accurate channel power measurements for clear channel
assessment (CCA), carrier sense (CS), and listen before talk (LBT) functionality. A wireless communication
channel can be corrupted by noise and interference, so it is important to know if the received data is free of errors.
A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is used to detect the presence of erroneous bits in each packet. A CRC is
computed and appended at the end of each transmitted packet and verified by the receiver to confirm that no
errors have occurred. The packet handler and CRC can significantly reduce the load on the system microcontroller,
allowing for a simpler and cheaper microcontroller. The digital modem includes the TX modulator, which converts
the TX data bits into the corresponding stream of digital modulation values to be summed with the fractional input
to the sigma-delta modulator. This modulation approach results in highly accurate resolution of the frequency
deviation. A Gaussian filter is implemented to support GFSK, considerably reducing the energy in adjacent
channels. The default bandwidth-time (BT) product is 0.5 for all programmed data rates.
3.2.1. Received Signal Strength Indicator
The received signal strength indicator (RSSI) is an estimate of the signal strength in the channel to which the
receiver is tuned. The RSSI measurement is done after the channel filter, so it is only a measurement of the
desired or undesired in-band signal power. The Si4x55 uses a fast response register to read RSSI and so can
complete the read in 16 SPI clock cycles with no requirement to wait for CTS. The RSSI value reported by this API
command can be converted to dBm using the following equation:
Rev 1.0
13
Si4x55-C
RSSI dBm = RSSI_value
--------------------------------- – 130
2
The value of 130 in the above formula is based on bench characterization of the EZRadio RF Pico boards
(evaluation boards). The RSSI value is latched at sync word detection and can be read via the fast response
register. The latched value of RSSI is available until the device re-enters Rx mode. In addition, the current value of
RSSI can be read out using the GET_MODEM_STATUS command. This can be used to implement CCA (clear
channel assessment) functionality. The user can set up an RSSI threshold value using the WDS Radio
Configuration Application GUI.
3.3. Synthesizer
The Si4x55 includes an integrated Sigma Delta () Fractional-N PLL synthesizer capable of operating over the
bands from 283–350, 350–525, and 850–960 MHz. The synthesizer has many advantages; it provides flexibility in
choosing data rate, deviation, channel frequency, and channel spacing. The transmit modulation is applied directly
to the loop in the digital domain through the fractional divider, which results in very precise accuracy and control
over the transmit deviation. The frequency resolution is (2/3)Freq_xo/(219) for 283–350 MHz, Freq_xo/(219) for
350–525 MHz, and Freq_xo/(218) for 850–960 MHz. The nominal reference frequency to the PLL is 30 MHz, but
any XTAL frequency from 25 to 32 MHz may be used. The modem configuration calculator in WDS will
automatically account for the XTAL frequency being used. The PLL utilizes a differential LC VCO with integrated
on-chip inductors. The output of the VCO is followed by a configurable divider, which will divide the signal down to
the desired output frequency band.
3.3.1. Synthesizer Frequency Control
The frequency is set by changing the integer and fractional settings to the synthesizer. The WDS calculator will
automatically provide these settings, but the synthesizer equation is shown below for convenience. Initial
frequency settings are configured in the EZConfig setup and can also be modified using the API commands:
FREQ_CONTROL_INTE,
FREQ_CONTROL_FRAC2,
FREQ_CONTROL_FRAC1,
and
FREQ_CONTROL_FRAC0.
4  freq_xo
RF frequency =  fc_inte + fc_frac
------------------  -------------------------------  Hz 

19 
outdiv
2
Note: The fc_frac/219 value in the above formula must be a number between 1 and 2. The LSB of fc_frac must be "1".
Table 9. Output Divider (Outdiv) Values
Outdiv
12
10
8
4
Lower (MHz)
284
350
420
850
Upper (MHz)
350
420
525
960
3.3.1.1. EZ Frequency Programming
EZ frequency programming allows for easily changing radio frequency using a single API command. The base
frequency is first set using the EZConfig setup. This base frequency will correspond to channel 0. Next, a channel
step size is also programmed within the EZConfig setup. The resulting frequency will be:
RF Frequency = Base Frequency + Channel  Step Size
The second argument of the START_RX or START_TX is CHANNEL, which sets the channel number for EZ
frequency programming. For example, if the channel step size is set to 1 MHz, the base frequency is set to
900 MHz, and a CHANNEL number of 5 is programmed during the START_TX command, the resulting frequency
will be 905 MHz. If no CHANNEL argument is written as part of the START_RX/TX command, it will default to the
previous value. The initial value of CHANNEL is 0 and so will be set to the base frequency if this argument is never
used.
14
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
3.4. Transmitter
The device contains a +13 dBm power amplifier that is capable of transmitting from –40 to +13 dBm. The output
power set size is dependent on the power level and can be seen in Figure 4. The PA power level is set using the
API command: PA_PWR_LVL. The power amplifier is single-ended to allow for easy antenna matching and low
BOM cost. For detailed matching values, BOM, and performance expectations, refer to "AN686: Antennas for the
Si4455/4355 RF ICs". Power ramp-up and ramp-down is automatically performed to reduce unwanted spectral
spreading.
Figure 4. Tx Power vs PA_PWR_LVL and VDD
Rev 1.0
15
Si4x55-C
3.5. Crystal Oscillator
The Si4x55 includes an integrated crystal oscillator with a fast start-up time of less than 250 µs. The design is
differential with the required crystal load capacitance integrated on-chip to minimize the number of external
components. By default, all that is required off-chip is the crystal. The default crystal is 30 MHz, but the circuit is
designed to handle any XTAL from 25 to 32 MHz, set in the EZConfig setup. The crystal load capacitance can be
digitally programmed to accommodate crystals with various load capacitance and to adjust the frequency of the
crystal oscillator. The tuning of the crystal load capacitance is programmed through the GLOBAL_XO_TUNE API
property. The total internal capacitance is 11 pF and is adjustable in 127 steps (70 fF/step). The crystal frequency
adjustment can be used to compensate for crystal production tolerances. The frequency offset characteristics of
the capacitor bank are demonstrated in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Capacitor Bank Frequency Offset Characteristics
An external signal source can easily be used in lieu of a conventional XTAL and should be connected to the XIN
pin. The incoming clock signal is recommended to be ac-coupled to the XIN pin since the dc bias is controlled by
the internal crystal oscillator buffering circuitry. The input swing range should be between 600 mV–1.8 V
peak-to-peak. If external drive is desired, the incoming signal amplitude should not go below 0 V or exceed 1.8 V.
The best dc bias should be approximately 0.7 V. However, if the signal swing exceeds 1.4 Vpp, the dc bias can be
set to 1/2 the peak-to-peak voltage swing. The XO capacitor bank should be set to 0 whenever an external drive is
used on the XIN pin. In addition, the POWER_UP command should be invoked with the TCXO option whenever
external drive is used.
3.6. Battery Voltage and Auxiliary ADC
The Si4x55 contains an integrated auxiliary 11-bit ADC used for the internal battery voltage detector or an external
component via GPIO. The Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) is 9 bits. When measuring external components, the
input voltage range is 1 V, and the conversion rate is between 300 Hz to 2.44 kHz. The ADC value is read by first
sending the GET_ADC_READING command and enabling the desired inputs. When the conversion is finished and
all the data is ready, CTS will go high, and the data can be read out. For details on this command and the formulas
needed to interpret the results, refer to the EZRadio API documentation zip file available from www.silabs.com.
16
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
4. Configuration Options and User Interface
4.1. Radio Configuration Application (RCA) GUI
The Radio Configuration Application (RCA) GUI is part of the Wireless Development Suite (WDS) program. This
setup interface provides an easy path to quickly selecting and loading the desired configuration for the device. The
RCA allows for two different methods for device setup. One option is the configuration table, which provides a list of
preloaded, common configurations. A second option allows for custom configurations to be loaded. After the
desired configuration is selected, the RCA automatically creates the EZConfig configuration array that will be
passed to the chip for setup. The program then gives the option to load a sample project with the selected
configuration onto the evaluation board or launch IDE with the new configuration array preloaded into the user
program. For more information on EZConfig usage, refer to application note, “AN692: Si4355/Si4455 Programming
Guide”.
Figure 6. Device Configuration Options
Rev 1.0
17
Si4x55-C
4.1.1. Radio Configuration Application
The Radio Configuration Application provides an intuitive interface for directly modifying the device configuration.
Using this control panel, the device parameters such as modulation type, data rate, frequency deviation, and any
packet related settings can be set. The program then takes these parameters and automatically determines the
appropriate device settings. This method allows the user to have complete flexibility in determining the
configuration of the device without the need to translate the system requirements into device specific properties.
The resulting configuration array is automatically generated and available for use in the user's program. The
resulting configuration array is obfuscated; therefore, its content changes every time a new array is generated,
even if the input parameters are the same.
4.2. Configuration Options
4.2.1. Frequency Band
The Si4455 can operate in the 283–350 MHz, 350–525 MHz, or 850–960 MHz bands. One of these three bands
will be selected during the configuration setup and then the specific transmission frequency that will be used within
this band can be selected.
4.2.2. Modulation Type
The Si4x55 can operate using On/Off Keying (OOK), Frequency Shift Keying (FSK), or Gaussian Frequency Shift
Keying (GFSK). OOK modulation is the most basic modulation type available. It is the most power-efficient method
and does not require as high oscillator accuracy as FSK. FSK provides the best sensitivity and range performance,
but generally requires more precision from the oscillator used. GFSK is a version of FSK where the signal is
passed through a Gaussian filter, limiting its spectral width. As a result, the out-of-band components of the signal
are reduced.
The Si4x55 also has an option for Manchester coding. This method provides a state transition at each bit and so
allows for more reliable clock recovery. Manchester code is available only when using the packet handler option
and, if selected, will be applied to the entire packet (the preamble pattern is set to continuous “1” if the Manchester
mode is enabled; therefore, the chip rate of the resulting preamble pattern is the same as for the rest of the packet).
The polarity can be configured to a “10” or “01”.
C lock
D ata
1
0
1
0
0
1
M anchester
Figure 7. Manchester Code Example
18
Rev 1.0
1
1
Si4x55-C
4.2.3. Frequency Deviation
If FSK or GFSK modulation is selected, then a frequency deviation will also need to be selected. The frequency
deviation is the maximum instantaneous difference between the FM modulated frequency and the nominal carrier
frequency. The Si4x55 can operate across a wide range of data rates and frequency deviations. If a frequency
deviation needs to be selected, the following guideline might be helpful to build a robust link. A proper frequency
deviation is linked to the frequency error between transmitter and receiver. The frequency error can be calculated
using the crystal tolerance parameters and the RF operating frequency: (ppm_tx+ppm_rx)*Frf/1E-6. For frequency
errors below 50 kHz, the deviation can be about the same as the frequency error. For frequency errors exceeding
50 kHz, the frequency deviation can be set to about 0.75 times the frequency error. It is advised to position the
modulation index (= 2*freq_dev/data_rate) into a range between 1 and 100 for Packet Handling mode and 2 to 100
for direct mode (non-standard preamble). For example, when in Packet Handling mode and the frequency error is
smaller than data_rate/2, the frequency deviation is set to about data_rate/2. When the frequency error exceeds
100xdata_rate/2, the frequency deviation is preferred to be set to 100xdata_rate/2.
4.2.4. Channel Bandwidth
The channel bandwidth sets the bandwidth for the receiver. Since the receiver bandwidth is directly proportional to
the noise allowed in the system, this will normally be set as low as possible. The specific channel bandwidth used
will usually be determined based upon the precision of the oscillator and the frequency deviation of the transmitted
signal. The RCA can provide the recommended channel bandwidth based upon these two parameters to help
optimize the system.
4.2.5. Preamble Length
A preamble is a defined simple bit sequence used to notify the receiver that a data transmission is imminent. The
length of this preamble will normally be set as short as possible to minimize power while insuring that it will be
reliably detected given the receiver characteristics, such as duty cycling and packet error rate performance. The
Si4x55 allows the preamble length to be set between 0 to 255 bytes in length with a default length of 4 bytes. The
preamble pattern for the Si4x55 will always be 55h with a first bit of “0” if the packet handler capability is used.
4.2.6. Sync Word Length and Pattern
The sync word follows the preamble in the packet structure and is used to identify the start of the payload data and
to synchronize the receiver to the transmitted bit stream. The Si4x55 allows for sync word lengths of 1 to 4 bytes
and the specific pattern can be set within the RCA program. The default is a 2 byte length 2d d4 pattern.
4.2.7. Cyclic Redundancy Check
Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is used to verify that no errors have occurred during transmission and the
received packet has exactly the same data as it did when transmitted. If this function is enabled in the Si4x55, the
last byte of transmitted data must include the CRC generated by the transmitter. The Si4x55 then performs a CRC
calculation on the received packet and compares that to the transmitted CRC. If these two values are the same, the
Si4455 will set an interrupt indicating a valid packet has been received and is waiting in the Rx FIFO. If these two
CRC values differ, the Si4455 will flag an interrupt indicating that a packet error occurred. The Si4x55 uses
CRC(16)-IBM: x16+x15+x2+1 with a seed of 0xFFFF as well as a 16-bit ITU-T CRC as specified in the IEEE
802.15.4g standard.
4.2.8. Preamble Sense Mode
This mode of operation is suitable for extremely low power applications where power consumption is important.
The preamble sense mode (PSM) takes advantage of the Digital Signal Arrival detector (DSA), which can detect a
preamble within eight bit times with no sensitivity degradation. This fast detection of an incoming signal can be
combined with duty cycling of the receiver during the time the device is searching or sniffing for packets over the
air. The average receive current is lowered significantly when using this mode. In applications where the timing of
the incoming signal is unknown, the amount of power savings is primarily dependent on the data rate and preamble
length as the Rx inactive time is determined by these factors. In applications where the sleep time is fixed and the
timing of the incoming signal is known, the average current also depends on the sleep time. The PSM mode is
similar to the low duty cycle mode but has the benefit of faster signal detection and autonomous duty cycling of the
receiver to achieve even lower average receive currents.
Rev 1.0
19
Si4x55-C
Noise(nosignal,gobacktoreadystate)
ValidPacket(PMdetected,stayinRx)
Receive
10.9mA
Ready
1.8mA
Sleep
740nA
t
Figure 8. Preamble Sense Mode
Table 10. Data Rates*
Data Rate
1.2 kbps
9.6 kbps
50 kbps
100 kbps
PM length = 4 bytes
5.8
6.1
7.6
9.3
mA
PM length = 8 bytes
3.6
3.7
4.3
5.0
mA
*Note: Typical values. Active RX current is 10.9 mA.
20
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
4.3. Configuration Commands
The RCA provides all of the code needed for basic radio configuration. Once the setup is completed in the GUI, the
program outputs configuration array(s) that can be sent to the radio via the SPI interface. No additional setup
coding is needed. The configuration command process is shown in Figure 9. As shown below, the configuration is
sent to the device in two EZCONFIG_ARRAY_WRITE commands with a NOP between them. The second
EZCONFIG_ARRAY_WRITE can be sent after CTS is received for the NOP command. The NOP can be sent
immediately after the first EZCONFIG_ARRAY_WRITE command. EZCONFIG_ARRAY_WRITE uses the same
command code as WRITE_TX_FIFO (0x66). The EZCONFIG_SETUP passes the configuration array to the device
and the EZCONFIG_CHECK insures that all of the configuration data was written correctly. For more information
on the setup commands, refer to “AN692: Si4355/Si4455 Programming Guide” and the EZRadio API
Documentation zip file available from www.silabs.com.
EZ C O N FIG _A R R A Y_W R IT E
NOP
EZ C O N FIG _A R R A Y_W R IT E
E Z C O N F IG _C H E C K
Figure 9. Configuration Command Flowchart
Rev 1.0
21
Si4x55-C
5. Controller Interface
5.1. Serial Peripheral Interface
The Si4x55 communicates with the host MCU over a standard 4-wire serial peripheral interface (SPI): SCLK, SDI,
SDO, and nSEL. The SPI interface is designed to operate at a maximum of 10 MHz. The SPI timing parameters
are listed in Table 11. The host MCU writes data over the SDI pin and can read data from the device on the SDO
output pin. Figure 10 shows an SPI write command. The nSEL pin should go low to initiate the SPI command. The
first byte of SDI data will be one of the API commands followed by n bytes of parameter data which will be variable
depending on the specific command. The rising edges of SCLK should be aligned with the center of the SDI data.
Table 11. Serial Interface Timing Parameters
Symbol
Parameter
Min
(ns)
Max
(ns)
tCH
Clock high time
40
tCL
Clock low time
40
tDS
Data setup time
20
tDH
Data hold time
20
tDD
Output data delay time
43
tDE
Output disable time
45
tSS
Select setup time
20
tSH
Select hold time
50
tSW
Select high period
80
Diagram
SCLK
tSS
tCL
tCH
tDS
tDH
tDD
tSH tDE
SDI
SDO
tSW
nSEL
*Note: CL = 10 pF; VDD = 1.8 V; SDO Drive strength setting = 10.
nSEL
SDO
SDI
API Command
ParamByte 0
SCLK
Figure 10. SPI Write Command
22
Rev 1.0
ParamByte n
Si4x55-C
The Si4x55 contains an internal MCU which controls all the internal functions of the radio. For SPI read commands,
a typical communication flow of checking clear-to-send (CTS) is used to make sure the internal MCU has executed
the command and prepared the data to be output over the SDO pin. Figure 11 demonstrates the general flow of an
SPI read command. Once the CTS value reads FFh, then the read data is ready to be clocked out to the host MCU.
The typical time for a valid FFh CTS reading is 20 µs. Figure 12 demonstrates the remaining read cycle after CTS
is set to FFh. The internal MCU will clock out the SDO data on the negative edge so the host MCU should process
the SDO data on the rising edge of SCLK.
Send Command
Read CTS
CTS Value
0xFF
Retrieve
Response
0x00
nSEL
CTS
SDO
SDI
ReadCmdBuff
SCLK
Figure 11. SPI Read Command—Check CTS Value
nSEL
SDO
Response Byte 0
Response Byte n
SDI
SCLK
Figure 12. SPI Read Command—Clock Out Read Data
Rev 1.0
23
Si4x55-C
5.2. Operating Modes and Timing
The primary states of the Si4x55 are shown in Figure 13. The shutdown state completely shuts down the radio,
minimizing current consumption and is controlled using the SDN (pin 2). All other states are controlled using the
API commands START_RX, START_TX and CHANGE_STATE. Table 12 shows each of the operating modes with
the time required to reach either RX or TX state as well as the current consumption of each state. The times in
Table 12 are measured from the rising edge of nSEL until the chip is in the desired state. This information is
included for reference only since an automatic sequencer moves the chip from one state to another and so it is not
necessary to manually step through each state. Figure 14 and Figure 15 demonstrate this timing and the current
consumption for each radio state as the chip moves from shutdown or standby to TX and back. Most applications
will utilize the standby mode since this provides the fastest transition response time, maintains all register values,
and results in nearly the same current consumption as shutdown.
Standby
Shutdown
SPI Active
Config
Ready
Tx Tune
Rx Tune
Tx
Rx
Figure 13. State Machine Diagram
24
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
Table 12. Operating State Response Time and Current Consumption
State / Mode
Response Time to
Current in State / Mode
Tx
Rx
Shutdown
30 ms
30 ms
30 nA
Standby
504 μs
516 μs
40 nA
SPI Active
288 μs
296 μs
1.5 mA
Ready
108 μs
120 μs
1.8 mA
Tx Tune
60 μs
6.8 mA
Rx Tune
84 μs
7.1 mA
Tx
132 μs
18 mA @ +10 dBm
108 μs
10.9 mA
Rx
120 μs
TX = 19 mA
Tune = 100 [email protected] mA
POR = 1 [email protected] mA
Ready = 300 [email protected] mA
Standby = 10 us@40 nA
Reg Inrush = 5 us@2 mA
POWER_UP / CONFIG_SETUP =
29 ms@2 mA
Shutdown = 30 nA
Shutdown = 30 nA
Figure 14. Start-Up Timing and Current Consumption using Shutdown State
Rev 1.0
25
Si4x55-C
TX = 19 mA
Tune = [email protected] mA
Ready = 300 [email protected] mA
Reg Inrush = 5 us@2 mA
Standby = 40 nA
Standby = 40 nA
Figure 15. Start-Up Timing and Current Consumption using Standby State
5.2.1. Shutdown State
The shutdown state is the lowest current consumption state of the device and is entered by driving SDN (Pin 2)
high. In this state, all register contents are lost and there is no SPI access. To exit this mode, drive SDN low. The
device will then initiate a power on reset (POR) along with internal calibrations. Once this POR period is complete,
the POWER_UP command is required to initialize the radio and the configuration can then be loaded into the
device. The SDN pin must be held high for at least 10 µs before driving it low again to insure the POR can be
executed correctly. The shutdown state can be used to fully reset the part. If POR timing and voltage requirements
cannot be met, it is highly recommended that SDN be controlled using the host processor rather than tying it to
GND on the board.
5.2.2. Standby State
The standby state has similar current consumption to the shutdown state but retains all register values, allowing for
a much faster response time. Because of these benefits, most applications will want to use standby mode rather
than shutdown. The standby state is entered by using the CHANGE_STATE API command. While in this state, the
SPI is accessible but any SPI event will automatically transition the chip to the SPI active state. After the SPI event,
the host will need to re-command the device to standby mode.
5.2.3. SPI Active State
The SPI active state enables the device to process any SPI events, such as API commands. In this state, the SPI
and boot up oscillator are enabled. The SPI active state is entered by using the CHANGE_STATE command or
automatically through an SPI event while in standby mode. If the SPI active state was entered automatically from
standby mode, a CHANGE_STATE command will be needed to return the device to standby mode.
5.2.4. Ready State
Ready state is designed to give a fast transition time to TX or RX state with minimized current consumption. In this
mode the crystal oscillator remains enabled to minimize the transition time. Ready state can be entered using the
CHANGE_STATE command.
26
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
5.2.5. Power on Reset
A Power On Reset (POR) sequence is used to boot the device up from a fully off or shutdown state. To execute this
process, VDD must ramp within 1 ms and must remain applied to the device for at least 10 ms. If VDD is removed,
then it must stay below 0.15 V for at least 10 ms before being applied again. Refer to Figure 16 and Table 13 for
details.
Figure 16. POR Timing Diagram
Table 13. POR Timing
Variable
Description
Min
Typ
Max
Units
tPORH
High time for VDD to fully settle POR circuit.
10
ms
tPORL
Low time for VDD to enable POR.
10
ms
VRRH
Voltage for successful POR.
90%*Vdd
V
VRRL
Starting Voltage for successful POR.
tSR
0
Slew rate of VDD for successful POR.
Rev 1.0
150
mV
1
ms
27
Si4x55-C
5.2.6. TX State
The TX state is used whenever the device is required to transmit data. It is entered using either the START_TX or
CHANGE_STATE command. With the START_TX command, the next state can be defined to insure optimal
timing. When either command is sent to enter TX state, an internal sequencer automatically takes care of all
actions required to move between states with no additional user commands needed. Examples of the timing of this
transition can be seen in Figure 14 and Figure 15. The specific sequencer controlled events that take place during
this time can include enable internal LDOs, start up crystal oscillator, enable PLL, calibrate VCO/PLL, active power
amplifier, and transmit packet.
Figure 17 shows an example of the commands and timing for the START_TX command. CTS will go high as soon
as the sequencer puts the part into TX state. As the sequencer is stepping through the events listed above, CTS
will be low and no new commands or property changes are allowed. If the nIRQ is used to monitor the current
state, there will be a slight delay caused by the internal hardware from when the event actually occurs to when the
transition occurs on the nIRQ. The time from entering TX state to when the nIRQ will transition is 13 µs. If a GPIO
is programmed for TX state or used as control for a transmit/receive switch (TR switch), there is no delay.
CTS
nSEL
SDI
START_TX
Current State
FRR
Initial State
TX State
Initial State
TXCOMPLETE_STATE
TX State
TXCOMPLETE_STATE
nIRQ
GPIO-TX State
Figure 17. START_TX Commands and Timing
5.2.7. RX State
The RX state is used whenever the device is required to receive data. It is entered using either the START_RX or
CHANGE_STATE commands. With the START_RX command, the next state can be defined to insure optimal
timing. When either command is sent to enter RX state, an internal sequencer automatically takes care of all
actions required to move between states with no additional user commands needed. The sequencer controlled
events can include enable the digital and analog LDOs, start up the crystal oscillator, enable PLL, calibrate VCO,
enable receiver circuits, and enable receive mode. The device will also automatically set up all receiver features
such as packet handling based upon the initial configuration of the device.
28
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
5.3. Interrupts
The Si4x55 is capable of generating an interrupt signal when certain events occur. The chip notifies the
microcontroller that an interrupt event has occurred by setting the nIRQ output pin LOW = 0. This interrupt signal
will be generated when any one (or more) of the interrupt events occur. The nIRQ pin will remain low until the
microcontroller reads the Interrupt Status Registers. The nIRQ output signal will then be reset until the next change
in status is detected.
The interrupt sources are grouped into three categories: packet handler, chip status, and modem. The individual
interrupts in these groups can be enabled/disabled in the interrupt property registers, 0x0101, 0x0102, and 0x0103.
An interrupt must be enabled for it to trigger an event on the nIRQ pin. The interrupt group must be enabled as well
as the individual interrupts in API property 0x0100.
When an interrupt event occurs and the nIRQ pin is low, the interrupts are read and cleared using the
GET_INT_STATUS command. By default all interrupts will be cleared once read. The instantaneous status of a
specific function may be read if the specific interrupt is enabled or disabled. The status results are provided after
the interrupts and can be read with the same commands as the interrupts. The status bits will give the current state
of the function whether the interrupt is enabled or not. The following is a list of possible interrupts:
Chip
status
status
Packet handler status
Packet sent
Packet received
CRC error
Invalid preamble detected
Invalid sync detected
Preamble detected
Sync detected
State change
Command error
Chip ready
TX FIFO almost empty
RX FIFO almost full
RSSI interrupt
Modem
Rev 1.0
29
Si4x55-C
5.4. GPIO
Four General Purpose IO (GPIO) pins are available for use in the application. The GPIOs are configured using the
GPIO_PIN_CFG command. GPIO pins 0 and 1 should be used for active signals such as data or clock. GPIO pins
2 and 3 have more susceptibility to generating spurious components in the synthesizer than pins 0 and 1. The drive
strength of the GPIO's can be adjusted with the GEN_CONFIG parameter in the GPIO_PIN_CFG command. By
default, the drive strength is set to the minimum. The default configuration and the state of the GPIO during
shutdown are shown in Table 14. For a complete list of the GPIO options, please refer to the EZRadio API
documentation zip file available from www.silabs.com.
Table 14. GPIOs
30
Pin
SDN State
POR Default
GPIO0
0
POR
GPIO1
0
CTS
GPIO2
0
POR
GPIO3
0
POR
nIRQ
Resistive VDD pull-up
nIRQ
SDO
Resistive VDD pull-up
SDO
SDI
High Z
SDI
SCLK
High Z
SCLK
NSEL
High Z
NSEL
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
6. Data Handling and Packet Handler
6.1. RX and TX FIFOs
Two 64-byte FIFOs are integrated into the chip, one for RX and one for TX. Writing to command register 66h loads
data into the TX FIFO and reading from command register 77h reads data from the RX FIFO. For packet lengths
greater than 64 bytes, RX_FIFO_ALMOST_FULL and TX_FIFO_ALMOST_EMPTY status bits and interrupts can
be used to manage the FIFO. The threshold value for these can be configured via the WDS radio configuration
application GUI. The maximum payload length supported in packet handler mode is 255 bytes.
6.2. Packet Handler
The Si4x55 includes integrated packet handler features such as preamble and sync word detection as well as CRC
calculation. This allows the chip to qualify and synchronize with legitimate transmissions independent of the
microcontroller. These features can be enabled using the RCA. In this setup, the preamble and sync word length
can be modified and the sync word pattern can be selected. If the preamble is greater than or equal to 4 bytes, the
device uses the preamble detection circuit with a 2-byte detection threshold. If the preamble is less than 32 bits,
then at least two bytes of sync word are required plus at least one byte of 0101 pattern (3 bytes total). In this case,
preamble detection is skipped, and only sync word detection is used. For any combination of preamble and sync
word less than three bytes, the device will use direct mode. The general packet structure is shown in Figure 18.
The EZConfig setup also provides the option to select a variable packet length. With this setting, the receiver is not
required to know the packet length ahead of time. The transmitter sends the length of the packet immediately after
the sync word. The packet structure for variable length packets is shown in Figure 19.
Preamble
0 – 255 Bytes
Sync Word
1 – 4 Bytes
Data
1 – 255 Bytes
CRC
2 Bytes
Figure 18. Packet Structure for Fixed Packet Length
Preamble
0 – 255 Bytes
Sync Word
1 – 4 Bytes
Length
1 Byte
Data
1 – 255 Bytes
CRC
2 Bytes
Figure 19. Packet Structure for Variable Packet Length
6.3. Direct Mode
In direct mode, the packet handler (including FIFO) is bypassed, and the host MCU must feed the data stream to
the device in TX mode and read out the data stream in RX mode via GPIOs. The host MCU will process the data
and perform packet handler functions. This is commonly used to support legacy implementations where host MCU
software exists or to support non-standard packet structures. Some examples are packets with non 1010 preamble
pattern, no preamble or sync word, or sync word with no edge transitions. WDS provides example projects to
support both packet handler and direct modes.
Rev 1.0
31
Si4x55-C
Pin
1
Pin Name
GND
I/O
GND
2
SDN
I
3
RXp
I
4
RXn
I
5
TX
O
6
7
8
9
10
11
GND
VDD
VDD
GND
GPIO0
GPIO1
GND
VDD
VDD
GND
I/O
I/O
12
nIRQ
O
13
SCLK
I
14
SDO
O
15
SDI
I
16
nSEL
I
32
XOUT
RXn
18
17
16
nSEL
15
SDI
14
SDO
4
13
SCLK
TX
5
12
nIRQ
GND
6
11
GPIO1
Si4x55
7
8
9
10
GPIO0
3
XIN
RXp
19
GND
2
GPIO2
SDN
20
VDD
1
VDD
GND
GPIO3
7. Pin Descriptions
Description
Ground
Shutdown (0 – VDD V) – SDN=1, part will be in shutdown mode and contents of all
registers are lost. SDN=0, all other modes
Si4455: Differential RF receiver input
Si4055: No Connect
Si4355: Differential RF receiver input
Si4455: Differential RF receiver input
Si4055: No Connect
Si4355: Differential RF receiver input
Si4455: Transmit RF output
Si4055: Transmit RF output
Si4355: No Connect
Ground
Supply voltage
Supply voltage
Ground
General Purpose Digital I/O
General Purpose Digital I/O
Interrupt Status Output – nIRQ = 0, interrupt event has occurred. Read interrupt
status for event details
Serial Clock Input (0 – VDD V): Provides serial data clock for 4-line serial data bus
Serial Data Output (0 – VDD V): Provides serial data readback function of internal
control registers
Serial Data Input (0 – VDD V): Serial data stream input for 4-line serial data bus
Serial Interface Select Input (0 – VDD V): Provides select/enable function for 4-line
serial data bus
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
Pin
17
Pin Name
XOUT
I/O
O
18
XIN
I
19
20
GPIO2
GPIO3
I/O
I/O
PKG PADDLE_GND
GND
Description
Crystal Oscillator Output
Crystal Oscillator Input: No dc bias required, but if used, should be set to 0.7 V.
Also used for external TCXO input.
General Purpose Digital I/O
General Purpose Digital I/O
The exposed metal paddle on the bottom of the package supplies the RF and circuit ground(s) for the entire chip. It is very important that a good solder connection
is made between this exposed metal paddle and the ground plane of the underlying PCB.
Rev 1.0
33
Si4x55-C
8. Ordering Information
Part Number*
Description
Package Type
Operating
Temperature
Si4455-C2A-GM
EZRadio Transceiver
3x3 QFN-20
Pb-free
–40 to 85 °C
Si4355-C2A-GM
EZRadio Receiver
3x3 QFN-20
Pb-free
–40 to 85 °C
Si4055-C2A-GM
EZRadio Transmitter
3x3 QFN-20
Pb-free
–40 to 85 °C
*Note: Add an “R” at the end of the device part number to denote tape and reel option.
34
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
9. Package Outline
Figure 20. 20-pin QFN Package
Rev 1.0
35
Si4x55-C
Table 15. Package Diagram Dimensions
Dimension
Min
Nom
Max
A
0.80
0.85
0.90
A1
0.00
0.035
0.05
A2
—
0.65
—
A3
0.203 REF
b
0.20
0.25
0.30
b1
0.25
0.30
0.35
D
3.00 BSC.
E
3.00 BSC.
e
0.50 BSC.
e1
0.515 BSC.
J
1.60
1.70
1.80
K
1.60
1.70
1.80
L
0.35
0.40
0.45
L1
0.25
0.30
0.35
aaa
0.10
bbb
0.10
ccc
0.08
ddd
0.10
eee
0.10
Notes:
1. All dimensions shown are in millimeters (mm) unless otherwise noted.
2. Dimensioning and Tolerancing per ANSI Y14.5M-1994.
3. The drawing complies with JEDEC MO-220.
4. Recommended card reflow profile is per the JEDEC/IPC J-STD-020 specification
for Small Body Components.
36
Rev 1.0
Si4x55-C
10. PCB Land Pattern
Figure 21. 20-pin QFN PCB Land Pattern
Table 16. PCB Land Pattern Dimensions
Dimension
C1
C2
E
X1
X2
Y1
Y2
Y3
f
c
MIN
MAX
3.00
3.00
0.50 REF
0.25
1.65
0.85
1.65
0.37
0.35
1.75
0.95
1.75
0.47
2.40 REF
0.25
0.35
Note: All dimensions shown are in millimeters (mm) unless otherwise noted.
Rev 1.0
37
Si4x55-C
11. Top Marking
11.1. Si4x55 Top Marking
Figure 22. Si4x55 Top Marking
11.2. Top Marking Explanation
Mark Method:
Laser
Line 1 Marking:
Part Number
455A = Si4455-C2A
055A = Si4055-C2A
355A = Si4355-C2A
Firmware Revision
A = C2A
Line 2 Marking:
TTTT = Trace Code
Internal tracking number
Line 3 Marking:
Circle = 0.5 mm Diameter
(Bottom-Left Justified)
Y = Year
WW = Workweek
38
Assigned by the Assembly House. Corresponds to the last
significant digit of the year and work week of the mold date.
Rev 1.0
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