1012-TAB1D434 - Silicon Labs - Datasheet.Directory

AN474

Si1000 CODE EXAMPLES

1. Introduction

The Si1000 is a mixed signal microcontroller with an integrated EZRadioPRO Sub-GHz wireless transceiver. The

single chip Si1000 is functionally equivalen t to the C8051F930 MCU and the Si4432 EZRadioPRO transceive r. The

EZRadioPRO wireless transceiver on the Si1000 is a sophisticated radio that includes digital control of all RF

parameters, a digital modem, and a packet handler.

These code examples are provided to support RF testing and basic communications and are an excellent starting

point for embedded programmers unfamiliar with the radio or RF engineers with some embedded programming

skills.

Since the Silicon Labs Si10xx family includes a C8051 MCU, the code examples are specifically for a C8051 80-bit

CPU. The code is written to be efficient, 8051 specific, but compiler-independent.

This application note is written with the embedded programmer in mind. RF engineers with a basic understanding

of embedded programming should be able to use the RF test examples.

RF engineers more comfo rtable using a Graphical User In terface (GUI) to control the r ad io with scrip ts can use the

existing Si443x tools including the Wireless Development System (WDS).

Some customers may already have some Si443x code, or they may prefer to develop their own code for testing

and communications. Customers that need a MAC layer with advanced features, such as Acknowledged

Transmission, Listen-Before-Talk, or Multiple Channel Transmission, should consider using the EZMacPRO

software. A Meter Bus stack is also available to meet the needs of metering customers.

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2. RF Test Code Examples

2.1. TX Tone Code Example

Often, the first step for evaluating the performance of a wireless transceiver system is to configure the radio to

generate a tone at a freque ncy of interest.

The TX Tone code example is installed by default in the following location:

C:\SiLabs\MCU\Examples\Si100x\EZRadioPRO\TxTone

2.1.1. Test Setup

The basic test setup for measuring a TX tone is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. TxTone Code Example Setup

The spectrum analyzer can be used to measure the frequency and output power of the transceiver. The center

frequency should be set to the desired frequency. The span should be set appropriately to accommodate any

frequency error. The amplitude should be set to accommodate +20 dBm for the Si1000.

USB

TxTone

Workspace

Si1000

Daughtercard

ppPhyTx

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

IDE

Spectrum

Analyzer

RF 50 Ohm Coax

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Rev. 0.1 3

For all Si1000 code examples in this application note, the Si1000 Motherboard should have the following jumpers

installed as shown in Figure 2 .

Figure 2. Si1000 Motherboard Jumpers

Jumper connections:

J11 One jumper connecting VBAT to WALL_PWR

J1

J17

J5

J8 P1.5 to LED1.5

J8 P1.6 to LED1.6

J8 P0.2 to SW P0.2

J8 P0.3 to SW P0.3

J12 P0.4 to RXD

J12 P0.5 to TXD

J12 VIO to VIO

P0.2 P0.3

2103

DEBUG

USB POWER

RESET

P1.6

P1.5

POWER OFF BEFORE

SW4

SW ITCH ING M ODE

2 C E LL 1 C ELL

J17

IMEASURE

SILICON LABS

www.silabs.com

VDD/DC+

J7 J13

J14

J11

J10

VBAT

WALL_PWR

AAA_BAT

COIN_CELL

TOUCH SENSE SWITCH

P0.6

J15

J16

R15

J12J8

+3VD

+1VD

VBAT

SW5

OFF

J18

J19

J20

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The basic step s for running the TX tone example are as follows:

1. Open the TxTone.wsp with the Silicon Labs IDE.

2. Build the project.

3. Download the object file.

4. Run the code example.

5. Make sure the LEDs on the MCU motherboard are blinking.

6. Measure the TX tone power.

The basic steps to evaluate different frequency or power settings are as follows:

1. Open the TX tone project using the IDE.

2. Open the Si100x_TxTone.c file.

3. Edit the frequency or power settin g.

4. Build the project.

5. Download the object file.

6. Run the code example.

7. Make sure the LEDs on the MCU motherboard are blinking.

8. Measure the TX tone power.

2.1.2. Write and Read Functions

The most basic primitive function used to write to the radio registers in all of these examples is the phyWrite()

function. The “phy” prefix is used to denote the radio physical layer. Some programme rs might call this an SPI write

function. The term, physical layer (PHY), in these code examples is used to denote the software API for the

Physical Layer.

The radio in the Si1000 is connected internally to the SPI1 peripheral of the MCU; so, the radio interface uses the

normal MCU SPI. Detailed information on the SPI interface is available in the Si1000 data sheet. The SPI1

peripheral also n eeds to be configur ed properly and e nabled in the crossbar. Once the SPI and Port s are initialize d,

writing to the radio is as easy as calling the phyWrite() function.

Reading from th e radio is accomplished using the complementary phyRead () function. The phyRead() function is

often used to read statu s and data.

The radio register names included in the Si1000_defs.h and Si1010_defs.h header files. Note that the register

names are exactly as documented in the data sheet with an EZRADIOPRO_ prefix. The register names are

identical to the Si443x version B1 stand-alone radio. Detailed information on the bit fields can be found in “AN440:

Si4430/31/32 Register Descriptions”.

2.1.3. Radio Initialization

The RadioInit() function should be called once after an MCU reset to initialize the radio. The RadioInit() function

provides debug support to assist in debugging the radio.

The radio has a hardware shut-down (SDN) pin that should be connected either to an MCU port pin or hard-wired

to ground. Co nnectin g the SDN pin to an M CU Port p in provid es the lo west possib le curre nt cons umption w ith the

MCU in Sleep mode and th e radio is Shut-Down m ode. The code examples a re written for a port pin connection b ut

will still work if SDN is hard wired to ground.

When using the Si1000 daughter card, the SDN pin is connected to P2.6, and the IRQ pin is connected to P0.1.

The RadioInit() function returns an error code if the SND pin is not connected to P2.6 or ground. This function also

returns an error code if the IRQ pin is not connected to P0.1.

You may have to modify the code example if your hardware uses different port pins for SDN and IRQ. The IRQ

signal should always be routed to a P0 port pin so that it may be used with INT0 or INT1. The error codes are

intended to provide u seful information when debugging new hardware.

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Rev. 0.1 5

After an MCU reset, the state of the radio is unknown. The radio is n ot automatically reset by an MCU reset. The

radio registers may have some previous settings, and the radio might be in receive or transmit mode. The

RadioInit() function will wait for the entire Power On Reset (POR ) duration and then test the status of the Radio. If

the radio was not reset from a POR, it will use a software reset.

Upon reset, the MCU port pins are normally configured as inputs with the weak pull-up enabled. However, the

weak pull-up is not strong enough to ensure that the radio is reset after an MCU reset. If the radio is going through

the initial POR sequence, we do not want to shut down the radio; we want to enable it. Therefore, the RadioInit()

function will drive the SND pin low to ensure the radio is not shut down.

The SPI communications and radio version are tested by reading the EZRADIOPRO_DEVICE_VERSION. If the

radio is held in shutdown mode, the SPI data may read 0xFF.

The reset sequence of the radio will set the EZRADIOPRO_IPOR bit after a reset condition and then set the

ICHIPRDY bit when the 30 MHz crystal is running. If the IPOR bit is set but the ICHIPRDY bit is not, the MCU will

wait with a a 2 millisecond timeout for the ICHIPRDY interrupt.

The RadioIn itS oftwareR eset () fu nction is used if th e ra dio had not been reset automatically from a POR. This may

occur if the MCU has been reset by a pin reset or other reset source. The software reset sequence is relatively

quick. A 2 ms timeout is used for the IPOR bit, and an additional 2 ms timeout is used for the ICHIPRDY bit.

This same RadioInit() cod e is used in all of the Si1000 code examples.

2.1.4. Setting Transmit and Receive Frequency

The setTRxFrequency() function is used to set the radio FREQUENCY_BAND_SELECT and

NOMINAL_CARRIER_FREQUENCY registers. To change the frequency, change the default frequency parameter

(915000000L) to the desired value and rebuild the project.

The TX Tone example includes run-time code to calculate these register settings based on the frequency

parameter. The equations are taken directly from the register descriptions in the data sheet. The

setTRxFrequency() function may be used to change the frequency to diff erent values as desired.

The setTRxFrequency() function supports any frequency supported by the Radio (240–960 MHz). The actual

frequency setting will be rounded the closest increment of 625 Hz. The setTRxFrequency() function uses a 32-bit

unsigned integer for the frequency parameter and does not support increments less than 625 Hz.

Note that the selected frequency should be appropriate for the Si10xx variant and matching network on the

Daughter card. The maximum output power is achieved only when the frequency is the same as the matching

network center frequency, as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Frequency and Power Settings for Si10xx Daughter Cards

Daughter Board Part

Number Si10xx

Variant Frequency

Parameter Power

Parameter Maximum

Output

Power

Comment

1000-TCB1C915 Si1000 915000000L 7 +20 dBm

1000-TCB1C470 Si1000 470000000L 7 +20 dBm

1002-TCB1D868 Si1002 868000000L 6 +13 dBm

1002-TCB1D434 Si1002 434000000L 6 +13 dBm

1004-TCB1D868 Si1004 868000000L 6 +13 dBm DC-DC

1004-TCB1D434 Si1004 434000000L 6 +13 dBm DC-DC

1010-TAB1C915 Si1010 915000000L 7 +20 dBm

1010-TAB1C470 Si1010 470000000L 7 +20 dBm

1012-TAB1D868 Si1012 868000000L 6 +13 dBm

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2.1.5. Setting TX Power

The SetTXPower() function is a simple function that sets the EZRADIOPRO_TX_POWER register. The transmit

power parame ter should normally be set to 7 to achieve full power. The +13 dB variants may need to us e a value of

6 in order to limit the power to +13 dB maximum, depending on the frequency and quality of the matching network.

2.2. TX Spectrum Code Example

The TX Spectrum example is similar to the TX Tone example, except that the TX Spectrum Example generates a

spectrum using modulated pseudo-random data.

The TX Spectrum code example is installe d by defau lt in the following location:

C:\SiLabs\MCU\Examples\Si100x\EZRadioPRO\TxSpectrum

The test set up is also similar to that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. TX Spectrum Test Set-Up

1012-TAB1D434 Si1012 434000000L 6 +13 dBm

1014-TAB1D868 Si1014 868000000L 6 +13 dBm DC-DC

1014-TAB1D434 Si1014 434000000L 6 +13 dBm DC-DC

Table 1. Frequency and Power Settings for Si10xx Daughter Cards (Continued)

Daughter Board Part

Number Si10xx

Variant Frequency

Parameter Power

Parameter Maximum

Output

Power

Comment

USB

TxSpectrum

Workspace

Si1000

Daughtercard

TxSpectrum

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

IDE

Spectrum

Analyzer

RF 50 Ohm Coax

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Rev. 0.1 7

The TX Spectrum may be used to evaluate ch annel wid th a nd channe l power an d to che ck against regu lation limit s

for out-of-band emissions.

The TX Spectrum example includes run time support for the TX modem registers. The width and shape of the

spectrum will depend on the TX modem parameters and the type of modulation selected.

The type of spectrum selected depends on the value of the SPECTRUM_SELECT macro (near the top of the file).

The SPECTRUM_SELECT macro may be defined as FSK_SPECTRUM or GFSK_SPECTRUM.

2.2.1. Setting TX Frequency Deviation

The setTxFrequencyDeviation() function is used to configure the Frequency Deviation of the TX Modem. The

deviation parameter is specified in Hz and will be rounded to the nearest increment of 625 Hz.

2.2.2. Setting TX Data Rate

The setTxDataRate (125000L) sets the data rate of the TX modem. Unsigned 32-bit integer math is used for all

run-time calculations to keep the C code implementation as compact as possible. Special care must be taken to

ensure that the result s of an y op eration do not exceed 232. The data sheet equations are scaled to keep the results

of any operation below 232. The resolution is about 1 bps for data rates under 30 kbps. The resolution for data

rates above 30 kbps is about 15 bps.

2.3. RX RSSI Code Example

The RX RSSI code example is a simple single file example for measuring the RSSI of a received FSK or GFSK

signal. This example provides run-time support for setting the TRx frequency an d all RX modem parameters.

The RX RSSI code example is installed by default in the following location:

C:\SiLabs\MCU\Examples\Si100x\EZRadioPRO\RxRSSI\

2.3.1. RSSI Test Set-up

The Test setup for using the RX RSSI code example is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. RSSI Test Set-Up

Si1000

Daughtercard

RxRSSI

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

Hyper-

Terminal

RxRSSI

Workspace

TxSpectrum

Workspace

Si1000

Daughtercard

TxSpectrum

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

USB VCP

USB

IDE IDE

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8 Rev. 0.1

Measuring the RSSI requires two Si10 00 Development Ki t s. One Si1000 is programmed with the TxSpectrum code

and is used as a generator (an RF signal generator may also be used instead of the transmitter board). The other

Si1000 is programmed with the RxRSSI code and is used as a receiver.

Tw o instances of th e IDE may be used: one for t he TxSp ectrum code and one for the RxRSSI code. This enables

the user to easily make changes to the Transmitter and Receiver parameters. It is also possible to leave the

TxSpectrum example code running and disconnect the USB debug adapter.

Connect one end of a USB cable to the VCP USB connection on the Motherboard used for the RxRSSI code.

Connect the other end to the computer. Open Hyperterminal, select the appropriate COM port, and set the

communication parameters to 115200-N-1 and no flow control. Connect antennas to both boards. Set up the

jumpers as shown in Figure 2. Make sure the jumpers for VIO, TX, and RX are in place since they are required for

the UART connection.

Observe the RSSI measurement while moving the boards further apart. If desired, the TX power may be adjusted

on the TxSpectrum code. The frequency and data rate parameters may be changed to match a particular

application. Remember to use the same settings for both the transmitter and receiver.

2.3.2. Setting TX & RX Frequency

The setTRxFrequency() function is the same as the TxTone and TxSpectrum Examples. The TRx frequency must

always be set for any transceiver, transmitter, and receiver applications.

2.3.3. Receiver Modem Settings

The register settings for the digital modem receiver are more complex than the transmitter. The receiver register

settings depend on three key receiver User Settings:

RX Data Rate

RX Deviation

RX Bandwidth

The three user setting s are used to determine the following radio register settings:

Filter Settings

Over Sampling Ratio

Clock Recovery Offset

Clock Recovery Loop Gain

AFC Limit

2.3.4. RX User Setting Values

Normally, the RX data rate should be set the same as the TX data rate, and the RX deviation should be set to the

TX deviation.

The crystal tolerance should be set to the tolerance of the 30 MHz crystal used for the EZRadioPRO in parts per

million (ppm). This should include variation over temperature and aging. In most cases, the crystal is the same for

both transmitter and receiver. If the transmitter and receiver crystals have different tolerances, calculate the

average tolerance by addi ng both values and dividing by two.

2.3.5. RX Bandwidth

The RX bandwidth should be calculated using Carsons Rule:

RxBandWidth = TRxFrequency + 2 x RxDeviation.

The AFC can compensate as long as the frequency error is less than 70% of the ideal bandwidth. If the frequency

error is greater than this value, the bandwidth must be increased. Use the Excel calculator to calculate the

RXBandwidth in this case.

Manchester encoded is disabled in all of these code examples. Manchester encoding is not normally necessary

unless it is required for compliance with legacy standards.

AFC is enabled in all of these RF code examples. AFC should normally be enabled unless an extremely short

preamble is required. With AFC enabled, the RX Bandwidth only needs to be adjusted if the frequency tolerance

exceeds the compensation ran ge of the AFC.

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2.3.6. Filter Settings

The Filter Settings are determined using a Look-up table based on the RX Bandwidth. The lookUpFilterSetting()

function will find the smallest value in the table larger than the target bandwidth. A simple incremental search is

used.

The Filter Setting value from the table is the 8-bit value, which is written directly to the IF_FILTER_BANDWIDTH

values are also used to calculate the remaining receiver register settings.

2.3.7. Over Sampling Ratio

The calcRxoverSamplingRatio() function uses the rxDataRate and the filterSetting value from the look-up table.

The equation for the rxOverSamplingRatio can be found in the register definitions. The equation used is different

depending on the value of dwn3_bypass in the filter setting.

The setRxoverSamplingRatio() function is used to write the calculated value to the appropriate radio registers.

Some of the radio modem parameters are split up among the 8-bit radio registers. In this case, the most significant

5-bits of the over sampling ratio are combined with other settings in the CLOCK_RECOVERY_OFFSET_2. To

ensure that other values are preserved, a read-modify-write operation is used. This involves first reading the

register value using a phyRead( ), modi fying only the appropr iate bits, and writing the value back using a phyW rite ()

operation.

2.3.8. Clock Recovery Offset

The calcClockrec overOffset() function als o uses the rxDataRate and the filterSetting value from the look-up table.

The equation for the rxOverSamplingRatio is adjusted to limit the operands to 32-bits. The clock recovery offset is

calculated to a data rate accuracy of 32 bps.

The setClockrecoverOffset() function is used to write the calculated value to the appropriate radio registers. The

clock recover of fset is split up into three registers. The value of CLOCK_RECOVER Y_OFFSET_2 is combined with

the over-sampling ratio. Again, a read-modify-write operation is used to preserve the other bits in

CLOCK_RECOVERY_OFFSET_2.

2.3.9. Clock Recovery Loop Gain

The Clock Recover Loop gain depends on three parameters: rxDataRate, RxOverSamplingRatio, and

RxDeviation; so, the Clock Recover y Loop Gain must be updated if any one of these three para meters is cha nged.

The clock recover loop gain is split into two register s. The code e xamples use un ions wher e necessary to m ake the

code compiler endia nness-independent.

2.3.10. AFC Limit

The Receiver Modem includes Automatic Frequency Control (AFC). The AFC Limit register can be used to set the

AFC pull in range. The equation to the pull-in range can be found in the data sheet.

The AFC pull-in range is calculated using the RxBand wid th. This as sumes than the RxBandwid th has already b een

adjusted for the crystal tolerance.

Refer to the Si1000 data sheet for additional information on the AFC Limit.

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3. Basic Physical Layer Examples

3.1. Run Time PHY

The Run-Time Phy is a simple EZRadioPRO Physical layer that:

Provides run-time calculations of all radio register settings

Provides a simple API

Supports simple data transmission using the packet handler

The run-time code for setting the radio registers includes support for setting all transmitter and receiver settings.

The run-time radio setting functions are similar to the TxSpectrum and RxRSSSI code examples.

The RunTime PHY code example is installed by default in the following location:

C:\SiLabs\MCU\Examples\Si100x\EZRadioPRO\RunTimePHY\

3.1.1. Physical Layer Test Setup

The Test Set-up for the Run-Time and Pre-Processor Physical Layer examples is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Run-Time PHY Test Set-Up

The test set-up requires two development kits, one for the transmitter and one for the receiver. The two mother

boards should be connect to two USB debug adapters. The setup can use one PC with two instances of the IDE.

When using one PC with two USB debug connectors, it is helpful to label each adapter using the serial number as

displayed in the “Connection Option…” “Selected Adapter” pull-down menu.

Each Si10xx daughter card should have a suitable antenna. If desired, external interference may be eliminated by

using a cable co nnection with at least 10 dB of attenuat ion. The RF input of the Si1000 can handle a maximum of

+10 dBm.

Connect a USB cable to the receiver board USB connector. This is used for a Virtual COM Port (VCP) connection

for the receiver. Open HyperTerminal; select the appropriate COM port, and set the communication parameters to

115200-N-1 and no flow control.

Si1000

Daughtercard

RunTimePhyRx

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

Hyper-

Terminal

RunTimePhyRx

Workspace

RunTimePhyTx

Workspace

Si1000

Daughtercard

RunTimePhyTx

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

USB VCP

USB

IDE IDE

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Rev. 0.1 11

Open the rtPhyTx workspace, and connect to the development kit motherboard to be used as the transmitter. Set

up the jumpers as shown in Figure 2. Build, download, and run the project. Each time the push-button switch

connected to P0.2 is pressed, the transmitter will send one packet. The LED connected to P1.5 will illuminate while

the packet is being transmitted and will be extinguished if packet transmission was successful.

Open the rtPhyRx wo rkspace and connect to the de velopment kit motherboard you want to use as the receiver. Set

up the jumpers as shown in Figure 2. Make sure the jumpers for VIO, TX, and RX are in place as they are re qu ired

for the UART connection. Build, download, and run the project. The LED connected to P1.5 will illuminate briefly

each time a packet is received. Each time a packet is received, the Packet length and packet data will be sent over

the UART.

3.1.2. PHY Settings

The PHY settings are fully configurable using a Set interface. Some programmers may call these module

attributes.

The PHY Setting enumerations are as follows:

TRX_FREQUENCY

TRX_DATA_RATE

TRX_DEVIATION

RX_BANDWIDTH

The PHY settings should only be set using the rtPhySet() function. The parameters for the rtPhySet() function are

the setting enumeration and an unsigned 32-bit value.

The rtPhySet() function provides some limit checking for values that are too large. This is useful for catching errors

but adds some code overhead. The rtPhySet() function returns an error code if the value is too large

(INVALID_VALUE) or the enumeration is not supported (INVALID_ADDRESS). Since the Set function checks

limits, the sub-functions do not have to check p arameter limits.

The rtPhySet() will store the setting value into the PHY setting structure. If the radio has not been initialized, the

value is only stored in RAM. If the radio has already been initialized, the radio register settings will be updated on

the fly.

Note that the radio register values are lost if the radio is in shut-down mode. However, the PHY settings in MCU

RAM will be retained; so, it is sufficient to set the values once and then initialize the radio after each restart.

For code compactness, the Run-Time PHY does not include a Get function. Normally, the radio values are only set,

and there is no reason to get the value. The value from the rtPhySettings structure may be declared as external if

desired. Users that are concerne d about strict module security may choose to implement a Ge t function.

3.1.3. Radio State Management

The rtPhyInit() function should be called once only after the MCU is reset. This function will manage the initial radio

startup. It is, essentially, the same as the RadioInit() function in the RF test examples. After calling rtPhyInit(), the

radio should be in the Idle State.

The rtPhyStandby() will put the radio into standby mode. The radio registers are preserved in standby mode. The

power consumption of the radio is only a few micro-amps in standby versus a few hundred nano-Amps in shut-

down. But it only takes about one milli-second to be ready to transmit data from standby versus about 16 milli-

seconds from shut-down mode. The lowest power consumption can be achieved by using shut-down mode and

putting the MCU into sleep mode for a few minutes. If the application requires that data be transmitted more often

than once a minu te , it may be bette r to us e th e ra dio Standb y mo de .

The rtPhyStandby() may be called at any time after rtPhyInit() as long as the radio is not is shutdown mode. If the

radio is in shutdown mode, it will return an error.

The rtPhyIdle() function can be used after rtPhyStandby() to put the radio back into Idle mode.

The rtPhyShutDown() will put the Radio into shutdown mode. Note that, once the radio is in shutdown mode, the

SPI is not operational. No function that uses the radio should be called until the radio is restarted using the

rtPhyReStart() function.

The rtPhyReStart() function can be u sed to rest art the radi o af ter putting it into shutdown mo de. Note that re st arting

is faster than starting because the radio is in a known state; so, a timeout may be used for the radio POR delay.

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12 Rev. 0.1

3.1.4. Radio Register Initialization

The rtPhyInitRadio() initializes all of the radio r egi sters b ased on the curr ent PHY setting s. Normally, all of the PHY

settings should be set first before calling rtPhyInitRadio(). This uses fewer cycles than attempting to set all

parameters on the fly. The rtPhy InitRadio() function must be called before attempting to transmit or receive.

After Shutting down, all of the radio register values will be lost. After calling rtPhyReStart(), the rtPhyInitRadio()

function should be used again to restore the radio register values. Note that the PHY settings are stored in the

MCU and are not lost in radio Shut Down mode.

3.1.5. Packet Transmission

The rtPhyTx() function se nd s a packet. The transmit function p a ra meter s ar e the packet length and a pointer to the

packet. The transmit buffer is an array of bytes large enough to support the largest transmit packet. The maximum

packet size for the radio, without refilling the FIFO, is 64-bytes. A macro, MSPACE_BUFFER, is used to define the

8051 memory space for the PHY transmit and receive buffers. The transmit function copies the transmit buffer to

the radio FIFO before returning; so, the tran smit buf fer is no rmally p art of the application , and a pointer is p assed to

the PHY layer.

The rtPhyTx() function puts the radio into transmit mode. The function works if the radio is in IDLE or Standby

mode. The function will not work properly if the radio is in Shut Down mode. The time it takes to start transmission

will be faster if the radio is already in IDLE mode.

The transmit function is blocking and will wait until the PKSET interrupt occurs. It is simpler to write wireless

software if the transmit process is entirely procedural and the INT0 interrupt is used only for the receiver.

The rtPhyTx() waits on the PKSENT interrupt with a timeout. The timeout is set to accommodate a 64-byte packet

at the lowest supported baud rate. An error should not normally occur if the hardware is working correctly.

3.1.6. Packet Reception

The packet reception process is based on a receiver interrupt. This simple PHY layer implements simple RX ON

and RX OFF functions. The rtPhyRxOn() turns on the radio receiver and enables the INT0 receiver interrupts. The

rtPhyRxOff() disables interrupts and turns off the radio receiver leaving the radio in IDLE mode. Note that the

rtPhyRxOn() may be used from standby or IDLE mode, but the time it ta kes to enable the rece iver will be longer if

the radio is in standby mode. The rtPhyRxOn() is not blocking and may return before the radio has completed the

transition to the receiver on state.

The receiver interrupt service routine Receiver_ISR() process the packets received by the radio. Normally, when a

valid packet has been received, the IPKVALID interrupt flag will be set. The RxPacketLength sets the receiver

packet length. The packet is copied from the radio FIFO to the receiver interrupt buffer, RxIntBuffer. Then, the

RxPacketReceived bit is set to indicate a packet is ready to be read by the application.

The RxPacketReceived bit is used as a mailbo x fl ag. The inter rupt service routing may only write to the RxIntBuf fer

when the RxPacketReceived bit is cleared and may only set the bit after writing. The application may only read

from the buffer when the bit is set and may only clear the bit after copying the data.

If the receiver interrupt service routine, Receiver_ISR(), receives a packet and the application has not read the last

packet from the buffer, the Receiver_ISR() routine has no choice but to drop the packet.

If the ICRCERROR bit is set, Receiver_ISR() will increment an error counter.

The application should periodically poll the RxPacketReceived bit. If the RxPacketReceived, the application should

use the rtPhyGetRxPacket() function to copy the packet to a local buffer.

The para meters of the rtPhyGetRxPacke t() are two pointer s . The *pLength pointer is a pointer to an unsigned 8-bit

variable to store the p acket len gth. This can poin t to a local packet length variable. The value of RxPacke tLength is

only valid when RxPacketReceived is s et; so, the value must be copied. The *rxBuffer pointer points to an array of

bytes to which the buffer is copied. The buffer must be 64-bytes to accommodate the largest possible received

packet.

AN474

Rev. 0.1 13

3.2. PreProcessor PHY

The Run-time PHY offers complete flexibility to change any or all of the parameters at run-time. However, the run-

time code does take about 4k of code memory, and the calculations may take thousands of additional clock cycles.

Most wireless applications are limited to one RF band and one particular data rate. For these applications, it is

more code-efficient to calcu late all o f the RF regis ter se ttings in ad vanc e and store the se re gister settin gs in code -

constant arrays.

The RunTime PHY code example is installed by default in the following location:

C:\SiLabs\MCU\Examples\Si100x\EZRadioPRO\PreProcessorPHY\

The test set-up for the PreProccessor PHY is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6. PreProcessor PHY Test Set-up

The Pre-Processor PHY uses the ANSI C preprocessor to calculate the register settings. The preprocessor is used

to calculate the numerical value using long constants for the PHY user settings and macros to implement the

calculate the re gister values are in th e ppPhy_const.h header file. These equations are essentially identical to the

Run-time PHY equations in macro form. The code constant arrays are declared in ppPhy_const.c.

The C preprocess will calculate values using a 32-bit long integer as long as one of the operands is declared using

a trailing L. It is important that the user PHY settings are declared using a trailing L for correct calculations. The

code or adding the code array to the watch window in the IDE.

The advantage of using the C preprocessor is that it does not cost anything in terms of code size and computation

time. Also, once the code is debugged and error-free, the chances of making an error in entering the register

values may be reduced.

While the preprocessor code has been tested for some common frequencies and data rates, every possible

permutation has not been tested; so, it is recommended that the user double-check the values calculated by the

preprocessor against the Excel spreadsheet.

Si1000

Daughtercard

ppPhyRx

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

Hyper-

Terminal

ppPhyRx

Workspace

ppPhyTx

Workspace

Si1000

Daughtercard

ppPhyTx

Firmware

USB

Debug

Adapter

Si1000

Motherboard

USB VCP

USB

IDE IDE

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14 Rev. 0.1

3.2.1. PHY Initialization

The ppPhyInitRadio() function will write all of the values in the ppPhySettings array to the registers in the

ppPhyRegisters array. The values in the ppPhySettings array are calculated by the C preprocessor. These two

arrays also have build options for a TRANSMITTER_ONLY or RECEIVER_ONLY build. This reduces the code size

by an additional few bytes and saves a few in structions.

Note that ppPhyInitRadio() does not calculate the register values. The values are already calculated by the C

preprocessor. However, many bytes are written to the radio to set the registers.

The ppPhyInitRadio() should be called after ppPhyInit(). Again, the radio register values are not persistent if the

radio is put into shutdown mode; so, ppPhyInitRadio() should be called after ppPhyReStart().

The Pre-Processor PHY does not have a Set function. The user settings are defined in the ppPhy_defs.h file. The

project must be recompiled after changing one of the user settings.

3.2.2. Radio Power Modes

The radio power mode management functions are the same as the Run-time PHY.

3.2.3. Transmission and Reception

The transmission and reception functions are the same as the Run-Time PHY.

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intending to use the Silicon Labs products. Characterization data, available modules and peripherals, memory sizes and memory addresses refer to each specific device, and "Typical"

parameters provided can and do vary in different applications. Application examples described herein are for illustrative purposes only. Silicon Labs reserves the right to make changes

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