Sierra Wireless SL9090 Cellular/PCS GSM/EDGE/CDMA/WCDMA Modem User Manual AirPrime SL9090 Hardware Integration Guide V0 1x

Sierra Wireless Inc. Cellular/PCS GSM/EDGE/CDMA/WCDMA Modem AirPrime SL9090 Hardware Integration Guide V0 1x

TempConfidential_AirPrime_SL9090_Hardware_Integration_Guide_V0.2

 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_001 01 July 27, 2012 AirPrime SL9090Product Specification
  1  Rev 1  July 27,2012  2    Important Notice Due to the nature of wireless communications, transmission and reception of data can never be guaranteed.  Data may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors) or be totally lost.  Although significant delays or losses of data are rare when wireless devices such as the Sierra Wireless modem are used in a normal manner with a well-constructed network, the Sierra Wireless modem should not be used in situations where failure to transmit or receive data could result in damage of any kind to the user or any other party, including but not limited to personal injury, death, or loss of property.  Sierra Wireless accepts no responsibility for damages of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data transmitted or received using the Sierra Wireless modem, or for failure of the Sierra Wireless modem to transmit or receive such data. Safety and Hazards Do not operate the Sierra Wireless modem in areas where blasting is in progress, where explosive atmospheres may be present, near medical equipment, near life support equipment, or any equipment which may be susceptible to any form of radio interference. In such areas, the Sierra Wireless modem MUST BE POWERED OFF. The Sierra Wireless modem can transmit signals that could interfere with this equipment. Do not operate the Sierra Wireless modem in any aircraft, whether the aircraft is on the ground or in flight. In aircraft, the Sierra Wireless modem MUST BE POWERED OFF. When operating, the Sierra Wireless modem can transmit signals that could interfere with various onboard systems. Note:   Some airlines may permit the use of cellular phones while the aircraft is on the ground and the door is open. Sierra Wireless modems may be used at this time. The driver or operator of any vehicle should not operate the Sierra Wireless modem while in control of a vehicle. Doing so will detract from the driver or operator’s control and operation of that vehicle. In some states and provinces, operating such communications devices while in control of a vehicle is an offence. Limitations of Liability This manual is provided “as is”.  Sierra Wireless makes no warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement.  The recipient of the manual shall endorse all risks arising from its use.   The information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Sierra Wireless. SIERRA WIRELESS AND ITS AFFILIATES SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ANY AND ALL DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, GENERAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR REVENUE ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY SIERRA WIRELESS PRODUCT, EVEN IF SIERRA WIRELESS AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR THEY ARE FORESEEABLE OR FOR CLAIMS BY ANY THIRD PARTY. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Sierra Wireless and/or its affiliates aggregate liability arising under or in connection with the Sierra Wireless product, regardless of the number of events, occurrences, or claims giving rise to liability, be in excess of the price paid by the purchaser for the Sierra Wireless product.
  1  Rev 1  July 27,2012  3    Patents This product may contain technology developed by or for Sierra Wireless Inc. This product includes technology licensed from QUALCOMM® 3G. This product is manufactured or sold by Sierra Wireless Inc. or its affiliates under one or more patents licensed from InterDigital Group. Copyright © 2011 Sierra Wireless. All rights reserved. Trademarks AirCard® and Watcher® are registered trademarks of Sierra Wireless. Sierra Wireless™, AirPrime™, AirLink™, AirVantage™ and the Sierra Wireless logo are trademarks of Sierra Wireless. , , ®, inSIM®, WAVECOM®, WISMO®, Wireless Microprocessor®, Wireless CPU®, Open AT® are filed or registered trademarks of Sierra Wireless S.A. in France and/or in other countries. Windows® and Windows Vista® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh and Mac OS are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. QUALCOMM® is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Used under license. Other trademarks are the property of the respective owners. Contact Information Sales Desk: Phone: 1-604-232-1488 Hours:  8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time E-mail:  sales@sierrawireless.com Post: Sierra Wireless 13811 Wireless Way Richmond, BC Canada                      V6V 3A4 Fax: 1-604-231-1109 Web:  www.sierrawireless.com Consult our website for up-to-date product descriptions, documentation, application notes, firmware upgrades, troubleshooting tips, and press releases: www.sierrawireless.com
  1  Rev 1  July 27,2012  4    Document History Version  Date  Updates 001 July 27,2012  Creation
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 5 Contents 1.INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 71.1.Hardware Development Components ............................................................................... 72.POWER INTERFACE ........................................................................................... 82.1.Power Supply .................................................................................................................... 82.2.Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) ........................................................................................... 82.3.Power States ..................................................................................................................... 93.RF INTEGRATION ............................................................................................. 103.1.Supported RF Bands ....................................................................................................... 103.1.1.Ground Connection Guidelines ................................................................................ 113.1.2.Shielding Guidelines ................................................................................................ 113.2.Antenna Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 113.2.1.Choosing the Correct Antenna and Cabling ............................................................ 113.2.2.Determining the Antenna’s Location ........................................................................ 113.3.RF Desense Sources ...................................................................................................... 124.AUDIO INTERFACE ........................................................................................... 135.REGULATORY INFORMATION ......................................................................... 145.1.Important Notice .............................................................................................................. 145.2.Safety and Hazards ......................................................................................................... 145.3.Important Compliance Information for North American Users ........................................ 156.REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 176.1.Reference Documents ..................................................................................................... 176.2.List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................ 17
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 6 List of Tables Table 1.Power Supply Requirements ............................................................................................. 8Table 2.ESD Specifications ............................................................................................................ 8 Table 3.Supported SL9090 Power States ...................................................................................... 9Table 4.Supported Frequency Ranges ........................................................................................ 10Table 5.PCM Audio Interface Features ........................................................................................ 13Table 6.Audio Pin Description ...................................................................................................... 13
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 7 1. Introduction The Sierra Wireless AirPrime SL9090 soldered-down module forms the radio component for the products in which it is embedded. Module-specific performance and physical characteristics are described in the corresponding product specification document. Note:   An understanding of network technology, and experience in integrating hardware components into electronic equipment is assumed. 1.1.  Hardware Development Components Sierra Wireless manufactures two hardware development components to facilitate the hardware integration process:   AirPrime SL Socket Board – Adapter board on which an SL module is embedded. This board may be used as a stand-alone platform for basic hardware development.   AirPrime SL Development Kit – Hardware development board on which an SL socket board is plugged. The development kit provides access to all of the interfaces supported by the SL module.  For instructions on using the SL Development Kit, see document [1] Universal Development Kit User Guide for AirPrime SL Series.
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 8 2. Power Interface 2.1. Power Supply The host device must provide power to the AirPrime soldered-down module over pins 42 and 44 (VCC_3V6) as detailed in the following table. Table 1.  Power Supply Requirements Requirement Type  Value Power Supply  3.6V (nominal) Voltage Range (VMIN – VMAX)  3.4V – 4.3V Current (instantaneous (5ms))  3A Current (continuous)  700mA Note:   The host must provide safe and continuous power to the module; the module does NOT have protection circuits to guard against electrical overstress. 2.2.  Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) The host device must provide adequate ESD protection on digital circuits and antenna ports as detailed in the following table. Note:   The level of protection required depends on the application. Table 2.  ESD Specifications Category  Connection  Specification Operational RF ports  IEC-61000-4-2 — Level (Electrostatic Discharge Immunity Test) Non-operational  Host connector interface Unless otherwise specified:   JESD22-A114 +/- 2kV Human Body Model   JESD22-A115 +/- 200V Machine Model   JESD22-C101C +/- 500V Charged Device Model Signals USIM connector ESD protection is highly recommended at the point where the USIM contacts are exposed, and for any other signals that would be subjected to ESD by the user. Other host signals
  1  Rev 1  July 27,2012  9  Power Interface 2.3. Power States The SL9090 module has five power states as detailed in the following table. Table 3.  Supported SL9090 Power States State  Description  Host Powered Module Powered USB Interface Active RF EnabledNormal (Default state)   Capable of placing / receiving calls or establishing data connections on network   USB interface is fully active   Current consumption in a call or data connection is affected by:   Radio band in use  Tx power   Receive gain settings  Data rate   Number of active Tx time slots     Airplane Mode (RF off)   ‘Airplane’ mode — Rx / Tx are disabled; USB interface is active   State entered automatically when critical voltage / temperature thresholds are exceeded. Host should consider powering off module to prevent damage to unit.     Sleep (Idle Mode)   Normal state of module between calls or data connections.   Module cycles between wake (polling the network) and sleep, at network provider-determined interval.     Off   Host power is connected   Module is powered down (drawing minimal current from host power supply)     Disconnected   Host power is disconnected from module   All module-related voltages are at 0V    
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 10 3. RF Integration 3.1.  Supported RF Bands Table 4.  Supported Frequency Ranges Band  Frequencies (MHz)  SL9090  GSM Bands GSM 850  Transmit: 824 – 849 Receive: 869 – 894   EGSM 900  Transmit: 880 – 915 Receive: 925 – 960   DCS 1800  Transmit: 1710 – 1785 Receive: 1805 – 1880   PCS 1900  Transmit: 1850 – 1910 Receive: 1930 – 1990   WCDMA Bands Band I WCDMA 2100 Transmit: 1920 – 1980 Receive: 2110 – 2170   Band II WCDMA 1900 Transmit: 1850 – 1910 Receive: 1930 – 1990   Band V  WCDMA 850 Transmit: 824 – 849 Receive: 869 – 894   Band VIII WCDMA 900 Transmit: 880 – 915 Receive: 925 – 960   WCDMA Bands RX Diversity Band I WCDMA 2100 Transmit: 1920 – 1980 Receive: 2110 – 2170   Band II WCDMA 1900 Transmit: 1850 – 1910 Receive: 1930 – 1990   Band V  WCDMA 850 Transmit: 824 – 849 Receive: 869 – 894   Band VIII WCDMA 900 Transmit: 880 – 915 Receive: 925 – 960   GPS GPS 1575.42   CDMA Bands Band Class 0   CDMA 800 (North American Cellular)   Band Class 1   CDMA 1900 (North American PCS)  
  1  Rev 1  July 27,2012  11  RF Integration 3.1.1.  Ground Connection Guidelines When connecting the module to system ground:   Prevent noise leakage by establishing a very good ground connection to the module through the host connector.   Minimize ground noise leakage into the RF. Depending on the host board design, noise could potentially be coupled to the module from the host board. This is mainly an issue for host designs that have signals traveling along the length of the module, or circuitry operating at both ends of the module interconnects. 3.1.2. Shielding Guidelines The module is fully shielded to protect against EMI and to ensure compliance with FCC Part 15 - “Radio Frequency Devices” (or equivalent regulations in other jurisdictions). Note:   This shielding must NOT be removed. 3.2. Antenna Guidelines 3.2.1.  Choosing the Correct Antenna and Cabling Consider the following points for appropriate antenna selection:   The antenna (and associated circuitry) should have a nominal impedance of 50Ω with a return loss of better than 10 dB across each frequency band of operation.   The system gain value affects both radiated power and regulatory (FCC, IC, CE, etc.) test results. 3.2.2.  Determining the Antenna’s Location Consider the following points when deciding where to place the antenna:   Antenna location may affect RF performance. Although the module is shielded to prevent interference in most applications, the placement of the antenna is still very important—if the host device is insufficiently shielded, high levels of broadband or spurious noise can degrade the module’s performance.   Connecting cables between the module and the antenna must have 50Ω impedance. If the impedance of the module is mismatched, RF performance is reduced significantly.   Antenna cables should be routed, if possible, away from noise sources (switching power supplies, LCD assemblies, etc.). If the cables are near the noise sources, the noise may be coupled into the RF cable and into the antenna.
  1  Rev 1  July 27,2012  12  RF Integration 3.3.  RF Desense Sources Common sources of interference that may affect the module’s RF performance (RF desense) include   Power supply noise   Can lead to noise in the RF signal   Module power supply ripple limit <= 100 mVp-p 1 Hz–100 kHz   Interference from other embedded wireless devices   Any harmonics, sub-harmonics, or cross-products of signals that fall in the module’s Rx range may cause spurious response, resulting in decreased Rx performance.   Tx power and corresponding broadband noise may overload or increase the noise floor of the module’s receiver, resulting in RF desense.   Severity of interference depends on proximity of other antennas to the module’s antennas.   Host electronic device-generated RF   Proximity of host electronics to the module’s antenna can contribute to decreased Rx performance.   Some devices include microprocessor and memory, display panel and display drivers, and switching mode power supplies. Note:   In practice, there are usually numerous interfering frequencies and harmonics. The net effect can be a series of desensitized receive channels.
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 13 4. Audio Interface The AirPrime SL9090 embedded module only supports digital audio interface (I2S) as summarized in the following tables. Refer to document [2] AirPrime SL9090 Product Technical Specification and Customer Design Guidelines for detailed information about the digital audio interface. Table 5.  I2S Audio Interface Features Feature  Details Implementation  I2S  interface  supported to interface with external codec Power  1.8 V (use VREF_1V8 as logic reference) Features    The I2S interface supports all the Tx/Rx, slave/master modes: Transmitter-master,   Transmitter-slave,   Teceiver-master,    Receiver-slave.  Table 6.  Audio Pin Description Pin #  Signal Name  Description  Notes 11 I2S_SCLK  I2S Clock  8 kHz 12 I2S_WS  I2S Word Select  256KHz 13 I2S_MCLK*  I2S Master Clock   14 I2S_DOUT*  I2S Data Output
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 14 5. Regulatory Information 5.1. Important Notice Because of the nature of wireless communications, transmission and reception of data can never be guaranteed. Data may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors) or be totally lost. Although significant delays or losses of data are rare when wireless devices such as the Sierra Wireless modem are used in a normal manner with a well constructed network, the Sierra Wireless modem should not be used in situations where failure to transmit or receive data could result in damage of any kind to the user or any other party, including but not limited to personal injury, death, or loss of property. Sierra Wireless and its affiliates accept no responsibility for damages of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data transmitted or received using the Sierra Wireless modem, or for failure of the Sierra Wireless modem to transmit or receive such data. 5.2.  Safety and Hazards Do not operate your AirPrime SL9090 modem:   In areas where blasting is in progress   Where explosive atmospheres may be present including refueling points, fuel depots, and chemical plants   Near medical equipment, life support equipment, or any equipment which may be susceptible to any form of radio interference. In such areas, the SL9090 modem MUST BE POWERED OFF. Otherwise, the SL9090 modem can transmit signals that could interfere with this equipment. In an aircraft, the SL9090 modem MUST BE POWERED OFF. Otherwise, the SL9090 modem can transmit signals that could interfere with various onboard systems and may be dangerous to the operation of the aircraft or disrupt the cellular network. Use of a cellular phone in an aircraft is illegal in some jurisdictions. Failure to observe this instruction may lead to suspension or denial of cellular telephone services to the offender, or legal action or both. Some airlines may permit the use of cellular phones while the aircraft is on the ground and the door is open. The SL9090 modem may be used normally at this time.
  WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 15  Regulatory Information 5.3.  Important Compliance Information for North American Users The SL90909 modem has been granted modular approval for mobile applications. Integrators may use the SL9090 modem in their final products without additional FCC/IC (Industry Canada) certification if they meet the following conditions. Otherwise, additional FCC/IC approvals must be obtained. 1.  At least 20 cm separation distance between the antenna and the user’s body must be maintained at all times. 2.  To comply with FCC/IC regulations limiting both maximum RF output power and human exposure to RF radiation, the maximum antenna gain including cable loss in a mobile-only exposure condition must not exceed 7.5 dBi in the cellular band and 3.5 dBi in the PCS band for the SL9090. 3. The SL9090 modem and its antenna must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other transmitter or antenna within a host device. 4.  The RF signal must be routed on the application board using tracks with a 50Ω characteristic impedance. Basically, the characteristic impedance depends on the dielectric, the track width and the ground plane spacing. In order to respect this constraint, Sierra Wireless recommends using MicroStrip or StripLine structure and computing the Tracks width with a simulation tool (like AppCad shown in the figure below and that is available free of charge at http://www.agilent.com).   If a multi-layered PCB is used, the RF path on the board must not cross any signal (digital, analog or supply).  If necessary, use StripLine structure and route the digital line(s) "outside" the RF structure as shown in the figure below.
  WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 16  Regulatory Information   Stripline and Coplanar design requires having a correct ground plane at both sides. Consequently, it is necessary to add some vias along the RF path. It is recommended to use Stripline design if the RF path is fairly long (more than 3cm), since MicroStrip design is not shielded. Consequently, the RF signal (when transmitting) may interfere with neighbouring electronics (AF amplifier, etc.). In the same way, the neighbouring electronics (micro-controllers, etc.) may degrade the reception performances. The GSM/GPRS connector is intended to be directly connected to a 50Ω antenna and no matching is needed. 5.  A label must be affixed to the outside of the end product into which the SL9090 modem is incorporated, with a statement similar to the following for SL9090:  This device contains FCC ID: N7NSL9090 This equipment contains equipment certified under IC: 2417C-SL9090 6.  A user manual with the end product must clearly indicate the operating requirements and conditions that must be observed to ensure compliance with current FCC/IC RF exposure guidelines. The end product with an embedded SL9090 modem may also need to pass the FCC Part 15 unintentional emission testing requirements and be properly authorized per FCC Part 15. Note:   If this module is intended for use in a portable device, you are responsible for separate approval to satisfy the SAR requirements of FCC Part 2.1093 and IC RSS-102.
 WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 17 6. References 6.1. Reference Documents [1]  Universal Development Kit User Guide for AirPrime SL Series Reference: WA_DEV_SL6087_UGD_003 [2]  AirPrime SL9090 Product Technical Specification and Customer Design Guidelines Reference: WA_DEV_SL9090_PTS_001 6.2. List of Abbreviations Acronym or Term  Definition AGC   Automatic Gain Control BER   Bit Error Rate - a measure of receive sensitivity BLER   Block Error Rate Call Box   Base Station Simulator - Agilent E8285A or 8960, Rohde & Schwarz CMU200 CDMA   Code Division Multiple Access dB   Decibel = 10 x log10 (P1/P2) P1 is calculated power; P2 is reference power  Decibel = 20 x log10 (V1/V2) V1 is calculated voltage, V2 is reference voltage dBm Decibels, relative to 1 mW - Decibel(mW) = 10 x log10 (Pwr (mW)/1mW) DUT  Device Under Test EDGE Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution EM Embedded Module ESD ElectroStatic Discharge FER  Frame Error Rate - a measure of receive sensitivity GPRS   General Packet Radio Services GPS  Global Positioning System GSM  Global System for Mobile communications Hz  Hertz = 1 cycle/second inrush current  Peak current drawn when a device is connected or powered on IS-2000  3G radio standards for voice and data (CDMA only) IS-95  2G radio standards targeted for voice (cdmaONE) LDO  Low Drop Out - refers to linear regulator MHz  MegaHertz = 10E6 Hertz (Hertz = 1 cycle/second) MIO Module Input/Output MPE  Maximum Permissible Exposure—the level of radiation to which a person may be exposed without hazardous effect or adverse biological changes OTA  Over-The-Air or Radiated through the antenna PCS  Personal Communication System - PCS spans the 1.9 GHz radio spectrum
  WA_DEV_SL9090_HWIG_0011  Rev 1  July 27,2012 18  References Acronym or Term  Definition RF Radio Frequency RMS  Root Mean Square SA Selective Availability Sensitivity (Audio)  Measure of lowest power signal that the receiver can measure Sensitivity (RF)  Measure of lowest power signal at the receiver input that can provide a prescribed BER/BLER/SNR value at the receiver output. SIM  Subscriber Identity Module SL9090  Sierra Wireless AirPrime soldered-down module used on GSM/UMTS networks SNR  Signal to Noise Ratio SOF  Start of Frame - a USB function UART  Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter UMTS  Universal Mobile Telecommunications System USB  Universal Serial Bus USIM  Universal Subscriber Identity Module VCC Supply voltage WCDMA  Wideband Code Division Multiple Access—In this document, the term “UMTS” is used instead of “WCDMA”. XIM  In this document, XIM is used as part of the contact identifiers for the USIM interface (XIM_VCC, XIM_CLK, etc.).

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