Generate greater output DC voltage with BD8316GWL and ATmega32

Boost your projects to new heights

Published Nov 01, 2023

Click board™

Boost 7 Click

Dev. board

EasyAVR v7

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

ATmega32

Don't compromise on power - choose this boost converter for superior voltage regulation and consistent results every time!

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Boost 7 Click is based on the LT1945, a dual step-up and inverted DC/DC converter from Rohm Semiconductor that boosts an input voltage to a higher level required by an output load. The BD8316GWL switching regulator feature integrated N-channel FETs and power P-channel MOSFETs alongside a Soft Start feature. Each converter inside the LT1945 is designed with up to 200mA current limit generating well-regulated positive and negative outputs of ±3.3V or ±5V, making the BD8316GWL ideal for various portable applications. As mentioned, the BD8316GWL can configure the positive and negative output voltage

in the ±3.3V or ±5V range. The desired output voltage can be selected by positioning SMD jumpers labeled as V- SEL and V+ SEL to an appropriate position. It is also possible to control the activity of the output channels via two mikroBUS™ pins, SB1 and SB2 pins. These pins are routed to a default position of the AN and PWM pins of the mikroBUS™ socket. By setting these pins to a high logic state, we put the converter outputs to an active state, and regulated voltages are available at the output terminals. In the same way, setting these pins to a low logic level disables the channels. This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage

levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. Additionally, there is a possibility for the BD8316GWL power supply selection via jumper labeled as VIN SEL to supply the BD8316GWL from an external power supply terminal in the range from 2.5V to 5.5V or with a selected voltage from mikroBUS™ power rails. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

Features overview

Development board

EasyAVR v7 is the seventh generation of AVR development boards specially designed for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. It supports a wide range of 16-bit AVR microcontrollers from Microchip and has a broad set of unique functions, such as a powerful onboard mikroProg programmer and In-Circuit debugger over USB. The development board is well organized and designed so that the end-user has all the necessary elements in one place, such as switches, buttons, indicators, connectors, and others. With four different connectors for each port, EasyAVR v7 allows you to connect accessory boards, sensors, and custom electronics more

efficiently than ever. Each part of the EasyAVR v7 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. An integrated mikroProg, a fast USB 2.0 programmer with mikroICD hardware In-Circuit Debugger, offers many valuable programming/debugging options and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment. Besides it also includes a clean and regulated power supply block for the development board. It can use a wide range of external power sources, including an external 12V power supply, 7-12V AC or 9-15V DC via DC connector/screw terminals, and a power source via the USB Type-B (USB-B)

connector. Communication options such as USB-UART and RS-232 are also included, alongside the well-established mikroBUS™ standard, three display options (7-segment, graphical, and character-based LCD), and several different DIP sockets which cover a wide range of 16-bit AVR MCUs. EasyAVR v7 is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem for rapid development. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping and development thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

Architecture

AVR

MCU Memory (KB)

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

RAM (Bytes)

2048

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Negative Channel Control

PA7

RST

SCK

MISO

MOSI

Power Supply

3.3V

Ground

GND

Positive Channel Control

PD4

PWM

INT

SCL

SDA

Power Supply

Ground

GND

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

EasyAVR v7 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the EasyAVR v7 as your development board.

NECTO Output Selection Step Image hardware assembly

In the advanced settings, pay special attention to the Redirect standard output field. By default, it is set to Application output as the method of displaying final results. To show results via a UART terminal, select the “UART” option in that field and click the “SAVE” button. You will be returned to the Compiler field, and now you can move on to the next step by pressing the “NEXT” button.

GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly

GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly

EasyAVR v7 Access DIP MB 1 - upright/background hardware assembly

NECTO Compiler Selection Step Image hardware assembly

Necto DIP image step 7 hardware assembly

EasyPIC PRO v7a Display Selection Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Boost 7 Click driver.

Key functions:

boost7_enable_out1 This function enables the OUT1 (V-) by setting the STB1 pin to high logic state.
boost7_disable_out1 This function disables the OUT1 (V-) by setting the STB1 pin to low logic state.
boost7_enable_out2 This function enables the OUT2 (V+) by setting the STB2 pin to high logic state.

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief Boost 7 Click Example.
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of Boost 7 click board by controlling
 * the V- and V+ outputs state.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the driver and logger.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Toggles the V- and V+ outputs state every 5 seconds and displays their state
 * on the USB UART.
 *
 * @author Stefan Filipovic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "boost7.h"

static boost7_t boost7;   /**< Boost 7 Click driver object. */
static log_t logger;      /**< Logger object. */

void application_init ( void ) 
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    boost7_cfg_t boost7_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );

    // Click initialization.
    boost7_cfg_setup( &boost7_cfg );
    BOOST7_MAP_MIKROBUS( boost7_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( DIGITAL_OUT_UNSUPPORTED_PIN == boost7_init( &boost7, &boost7_cfg ) ) 
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void ) 
{
    log_printf( &logger, " OUT1 (V-) : ENABLED\r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, " OUT2 (V+) : DISABLED\r\n\n" );
    boost7_enable_out1 ( &boost7 );
    boost7_disable_out2 ( &boost7 );
    Delay_ms( 5000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " OUT1 (V-) : DISABLED\r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, " OUT2 (V+) : ENABLED\r\n\n" );
    boost7_disable_out1 ( &boost7 );
    boost7_enable_out2 ( &boost7 );
    Delay_ms( 5000 );
}

void main ( void ) 
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END