IA ISM-AN14

Advanced EZRadioPRO™
Lab Evaluations
Application Note
Revision 1.0r

IA ISM-AN14 Rev 1.0r 0408 ©2008, Integration Associates, Inc.

Integration Associates, Inc.
110 Pioneer Way, Unit L
Mountain View, California 94041
Tel: 650.969.4100
Fax: 650.969.4582
www.integration.com
marketing@integration.com
Advanced EZRadioPRO Lab Evaluations
Revision 1.0r
Revision Date: April 10, 2008

The information is provided “as is” without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties
of merchantability, non-infringement of intellectual property, or fitness for any particular purpose. In no
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described within, at any time, without notice.

© 2008 Integration Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. Integration Associates is a trademark of Integration
Associates, Inc. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
About This Document ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1

An Introduction to the Loadboard and Testcard ..................................................................................................................................... 2

WDS – EZRadioPRO Control Window ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

Simple register read/write operations .....................................................................................................................................................3
Batch Files and the Batch Window...........................................................................................................................................................4
Loading Existing Batch Files to run Within WDS ......................................................................................................................................5
Creating a batch file ..................................................................................................................................................................................6

Example Measurements........................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Measuring the current consumption of an EZRadioPRO device.............................................................................................................7
Measuring the output spectrum of an EZRadioPRO device....................................................................................................................7
Measuring the receiver performance of an EZRadioPRO device............................................................................................................7

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: IA4432 Test board plugged into the Loadboard..................................................................................................................2
Figure 2: Setup WDS.............................................................................................................................................................................3
Figure 3: Register read and write.........................................................................................................................................................4
Figure 4: Simple batch file....................................................................................................................................................................4
Figure 5: WDS Batch window ...............................................................................................................................................................5
Figure 6: Create batch file using the 'FIFO, Batch Windows' ..............................................................................................................6
Figure 7: Current consumption measurement ....................................................................................................................................7
Figure 8: Measurement setup for receiver parameters......................................................................................................................7

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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
This document describes how can be the Advanced RF parameters of EZRadioPRO devices may be measured under controlled
conditions using standard EZRadioPRO Test cards, the IA-MSC-DKLB2 (Load Board) and the Wireless Development Suite (WDS) –
version 2.3.0 or above.
This document assumes the user has installed the WDS Chip Configurator module found of the WDS suite to their PC. The Chip
Configurator program can be found on the WDS CDROM. Within this document the Chip Configurator module of the WDS suite will be
referred to as ‘WDS’.

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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LOADBOARD AND TESTCARD
The standard EZRadioPRO Test cards can be plugged into the 40 way connector of the Chipset Evaluation and Development
Loadboard, typically referred to as ‘The Loadboard’. The Loadboard is controlled through the WDS software via a USB port and is
designed to provide engineers the ‘hooks’ to connect various lab equipment such as spectrum analyzers or RF signal generators.
Using this platform, engineers can measure properties such as the current consumption of the EZRadioPRO device under test as well
as RF type interests such as the output spectrum, bit error rates, and selectivity. In addition, Loadboard acts as a software based
power supply allowing engineers to precisely control the voltage of the device under test between 2 … 3.6V.

Figure 1: IA4432 Test board plugged into the Loadboard

For more details about the Chipset Evaluation and Development Loadboard (version 2),
please refer to the IA MSC-UGLB2 User Guide.

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WDS – EZRADIOPRO CONTROL WINDOW

Simple register read/write operations

Running on the PC, WDS allows for quick and simple initialization of various registers in the EZRadioPRO device from a graphical
user interface:

1. Connect the Loadboard to the PC through USB connection

2. Run WDS and should automatically find any Loadboard that is connected on a virtual serial port.
3. Select the EZRadioPRO control window and the correct EZRadioPRO device from the pull down menu.

2.)
Enable the EZRadioPRO
Control window 1.)
Ensure Loadboard connects
to WDS correctly

3.)
Select the EZRadioPRO
device under test

Figure 2: Setup WDS

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 4. By selecting the required register and polling the register, an engineer can read the current value and change the setting
should he/she requires. A Register description field provides the user with a quick reference should it be required.

5.)
Send updated register
settings to the chip

1.)
Select the register by clicking on the
appropriate line

3.)
Polls the device under
test to find its current
setting

4.)
2.) Register bits can individually changed by
Description of the selected clicking on them, to simplify readback
register • orange means the bit is set to ’1’
• white means the bit is set to ’0’

Figure 3: Register read and write

Batch Files and the Batch Window

As engineers progress through their experiments, often they want to set certain registers in a certain way, as such WDS has the
ability to create , save and run batch files. Batch files can be used to configure multiple registers through the use of a single ‘click’.

The batch file is a constructed as a simple text file, but some rules have to be followed in order for the file to be run by WDS. A simple
batch file looks like follows:

#BATCHNAME IA4432_RevX2 CW F:917.5MHz

# Set power supply to 3.3V
VA1
# Set PWRDWN pin to LOW
L6

# Operating & Function Control 2: SW reset

S2 8780
Figure 4: Simple batch file

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A batch file consists of comments and Loadboard commands:
• If a line starts with the # character, then the line is considered comment line, where text can be written for commenting
purposes
• If a line starts with #BATCHNAME, then the text in this line will appear as the title of the batch above the batch command
textbox (see fig. 5)
• If a line starts with a valid Loadboard command (such as those used to change the value of an EZRadioPRO register or to set
the power supply to 3.3V), then the given command will be sent to the Loadboard through the USB interface

Loadboard Command Description

Vxx Set supply voltage (64: 2.0V – C1: 5V)
Set output bit ‘n’ to low
Ln
(Note: PowerDown pin of the EZRadio PRO device is connected to output 6)
S2xxxx Send xxxx (hexa) command to EZRadio PRO device via SPI port

Table 1: Some useful Loadboard commands

Note: Please refer to the IA MSC-UGLB2 User Guide for the complete list of the Loadboard commands.

Loading Existing Batch Files to run Within WDS

1. Select the ‘FIFO, Batch windows’ tab
2. Select one of the 4 batch boxes and load the batch file from disk (you can load up to 4 batch files at a time)
3. Batch Files load in to the selected batch text box
4. Batch files are run by clicking the ‘Run’ button (Batch files can also be looped by selecting the ‘Loop’ checkbox’

1.)
Select the ’FIFO, Batch windows’ tab

2.)
Select one of 4 batch boxes and load
the batch file from disk.

Title of the batch as

set by #BATCHNAME

3.)
Batch file loads into the
selected batch textbox
4.)
Runs the selected Batch file

Figure 5: WDS Batch window

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 Creating a batch file
Batch files are simple text files, so simple text editors can be used to create them however batch files may also be created within
WDS.

1. From the window accessed through the ‘WDS FIFO, Batch windows’ tab, select a register needs to be controlled
2. Set the register content by clicking on the relevant bits. (A bit is set to ‘1’ when orange and ‘0’ when white)
3. Allocate the register to a batch window by clicking 1 / 2 / 3 or 4.

Repeat the above two steps until all the required registers are set.

4. Comment or additional Loadboard commands can be typed directly into the batch textbox
5. It is recommended that at this point batch files can be saved for future use
6. Run the batch (select ‘Loop’ if required)

3)
Send the update to a given batch by
selecting the relevant number
1)
Select register

2)
Set register content by
clicking on the relevant bits

4)
Comments and additional
Loadboard commands may be
typed directly into the batch 5)
textbox Save the batch

6)
Run the batch

Figure 6: Create batch file using the 'FIFO, Batch Windows'

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EXAMPLE MEASUREMENTS
Measuring the current consumption of an EZRadioPRO device
The current consumption of an EZRadioPRO device can be measured through the JP3/JP4 jumpers using a standard multimeter.

Connect the multimeter to JP3

or JP4 to measure the current
Figure 7: Current consumption measurement consumption

Measuring the output spectrum of an EZRadioPRO device

EZRadioPRO devices can generate both a continuous wave signal (CW) signal and a PN9 randomly generated signal internally which
can be used modulate the output spectrum. This allows transmit based RF performance characteristics such as output power, phase
noise, spurious emissions and so forth of both un-modulated and PN9 modulated waveforms by connecting the RF output of the
EZRadioPRO Testboard to a spectrum analyzer and running an appropriate CW or PN9 batch file from WDS.

Measuring the receiver performance of an EZRadioPRO device

The received data bits of the EZRadioPRO transceiver are available on its GPIOs. The GPIOs of the EZRadioPRO device are connected
to the SMA connector of the Loadboard:
• GPIO0 is connected to DATA_IN SMA connector
• GPIO1 is connected to DATA_OUT SMA connector
• GPIO2 is connected to CLK_OUT SMA connector
Through these GPIO, the receiver RF performances such as sensitivity and selectivity can be easily measured using an RF signal
generator with a bit error rate or packet error rate measurement option.
If running a BER batch file then the received data bits are available on DATA_OUT SMA connector on the Loadboard.

RF generator
(with PER/BER option)

RF output
DATA intput

Figure 8: Measurement setup for receiver parameters

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Integration Associates, Inc.
110 Pioneer Way, Unit L
Mountain View, California 94041
Tel: 650.969.4100
Fax: 650.969.4582
www.integration.com
marketing@integration.com
wireless.support@integration.com
The specifications and descriptions in this document are based on information
available at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice.
Integration Associates assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, and
disclaims responsibility for any consequences resulting from the use of
information included herein. Additionally, Integration Associates assumes no
responsibility for the functioning of undescribed features or parameters.
Integration Associates reserves the right to make changes to the product and its
documentation at any time. Integration Associates makes no representations,
warranties, or guarantees regarding the suitability of its products for any
particular purpose and does not assume any liability arising out of the
application or use of any product or circuit, and specifically disclaims any and
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license or indemnity under the intellectual property rights of Integration
Associates or third parties. The products described in this document are not
intended for use in implantation or other direct life support applications where
malfunction may result in the direct physical harm or injury to persons. NO
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
ARE OFFERED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
©2008 Integration Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. Integration Associates is a trademark of Integration
Associates, Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.