Beginner
10 min

Develop fast and accurate asset-tracking solution with MIA-M10Q and TM4C129ENCZAD

Ultra-low-power GNSS receiver for high-performance positioning capabilities

GNSS 14 Click with Fusion for Tiva v8

Published Feb 09, 2024

Click board™

GNSS 14 Click

Dev. board

Fusion for Tiva v8

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

TM4C129ENCZAD

Enhance asset tracking with a professional-grade GNSS receiver, featuring exceptional sensitivity and rapid signal acquisition for optimal position availability, even in challenging environments

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

GNSS 14 Click is based on the MIA-M10Q, a standard precision GNSS module from u-blox. Super-S (Super-Signal) technology offers great RF sensitivity and can improve the dynamic position accuracy with small antennas or in non-line-of-sight scenarios. It possesses the SMA antenna connector with an impedance of 50Ω, which can connect the appropriate GNSS antenna that MIKROE offers, like GPS&GLONASS Passive Antenna, for improved range and received signal strength. u-blox receiver includes a time pulse function that provides pulses with a configurable pulse period, pulse length, and polarity (rising or falling edge). It also features a backup voltage

supply option. You can attach a battery to the GNSS 14 Click over the BAT connector. GNSS 14 Click uses a standard 2-wire UART interface to communicate with the host MCU with commonly used UART RX and TX pins and a baud rate from 4800 up to 921600bps. You can also use an I2C interface for the same purpose, but only in slave mode with a maximum bit rate of 400kbps. In both cases, the UBX and NMEA protocols are supported. The timepulse signal is available over the TP pin. The external interrupt signal over the EIT can be used for time mark feature, time aiding, and wake-up from power save modes. The RST pin allows you to reset the GNSS module with a Low

logic state. In addition to these pins, this Click board™ also has one digital I/O pin marked IO6, with the possibility of defining the purpose of this pin depending on the user's needs. It is only necessary to emphasize that when assigning a different function to an I/O, ensure that the default function is disabled where applicable. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

GNSS 14 Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

Fusion for TIVA v8 is a development board specially designed for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. It supports a wide range of microcontrollers, such as different 32-bit ARM® Cortex®-M based MCUs from Texas Instruments, regardless of their number of pins, and a broad set of unique functions, such as the first-ever embedded debugger/programmer over a WiFi network. The development board is well organized and designed so that the end-user has all the necessary elements, such as switches, buttons, indicators, connectors, and others, in one place. Thanks to innovative manufacturing technology, Fusion for TIVA v8 provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access

anywhere and under any circumstances at any time. Each part of the Fusion for TIVA v8 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. An advanced integrated CODEGRIP programmer/debugger module offers many valuable programming/debugging options, including support for JTAG, SWD, and SWO Trace (Single Wire Output)), and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment. Besides, it also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development board. It can use a wide range of external power sources, including a battery, an external 12V power supply, and a power source via the USB Type-C (USB-C) connector.

Communication options such as USB-UART, USB HOST/DEVICE, CAN (on the MCU card, if supported), and Ethernet is also included. In addition, it also has the well-established mikroBUS™ standard, a standardized socket for the MCU card (SiBRAIN standard), and two display options for the TFT board line of products and character-based LCD. Fusion for TIVA v8 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.

Fusion for Tiva v8 horizontal image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Type

8th Generation

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M4

MCU Memory (KB)

1024

Silicon Vendor

Texas Instruments

Pin count

212

RAM (Bytes)

262144

You complete me!

Accessories

Active GPS antenna is designed to enhance the performance of your GPS and GNSS Click boards™. This external antenna boasts a robust construction, making it ideal for various weather conditions. With a frequency range of 1575.42MHz and a 50Ohm impedance, it ensures reliable signal reception. The antenna delivers a gain of greater than -4dBic within a wide angular range, securing over 75% coverage. The bandwidth of +/- 5MHz further guarantees precise data acquisition. Featuring a Right-Hand Circular Polarization (RHCP), this antenna offers stable signal reception. Its compact dimensions of 48.53915mm and a 2-meter cable make it easy to install. The magnetic antenna type with an SMA male connector ensures a secure and convenient connection. If you require a dependable external antenna for your locator device, our active GPS antenna is the perfect solution.

GNSS 14 Click accessories 1 image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

User-Configurable I/O
PE3
AN
Reset
PB6
RST
ID COMM
PE7
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
External Interrupt
PD0
PWM
Timepulse Output
PB4
INT
UART TX
PA1
TX
UART RX
PA0
RX
I2C Clock
PB2
SCL
I2C Data
PB3
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

GNSS 14 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Fusion for PIC v8 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Fusion for Tiva v8 as your development board.

Fusion for PIC v8 front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
SiBRAIN for PIC32MZ1024EFK144 front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Board mapper by product7 hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
NECTO Compiler Selection Step Image hardware assembly
NECTO Output Selection Step Image hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Necto image step 7 hardware assembly
Necto image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Necto PreFlash Image 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 GNSS 14 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • gnss14_parse_gngga - This function parses the GNGGA data from the read response buffer

  • gnss14_reset_device - This function resets the device by toggling the RST pin

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 GNSS 14 Click Example.
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of GNSS 14 Click board by reading and displaying
 * the GNSS coordinates.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the driver and resets the Click board.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Reads the received data, parses the GNGGA info from it, and once it receives the position fix
 * it will start displaying the coordinates on the USB UART.
 *
 * ## Additional Function
 * - static void gnss14_clear_app_buf ( void )
 * - static err_t gnss14_process ( gnss14_t *ctx )
 * - static void gnss14_parser_application ( char *rsp )
 *
 * @author Nenad Filipovic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "gnss14.h"

// Application buffer size
#define APP_BUFFER_SIZE             500
#define PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE         200

static gnss14_t gnss14;
static log_t logger;

static uint8_t app_buf[ APP_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
static int32_t app_buf_len = 0;

/**
 * @brief GNSS 14 clearing application buffer.
 * @details This function clears memory of application buffer and reset its length.
 * @note None.
 */
static void gnss14_clear_app_buf ( void );

/**
 * @brief GNSS 14 data reading function.
 * @details This function reads data from device and concatenates data to application buffer. 
 * @param[in] ctx : Click context object.
 * See #gnss14_t object definition for detailed explanation.
 * @return @li @c  0 - Read some data.
 *         @li @c -1 - Nothing is read.
 * See #err_t definition for detailed explanation.
 * @note None.
 */
static err_t gnss14_process ( gnss14_t *ctx );

/**
 * @brief GNSS 14 parser application.
 * @param[in] rsp Response buffer.
 * @details This function logs GNSS data on the USB UART.
 * @return None.
 * @note None.
 */
static void gnss14_parser_application ( char *rsp );

void application_init ( void ) 
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    gnss14_cfg_t gnss14_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.
    gnss14_cfg_setup( &gnss14_cfg );
    GNSS14_MAP_MIKROBUS( gnss14_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( UART_ERROR == gnss14_init( &gnss14, &gnss14_cfg ) ) 
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    gnss14_reset_device( &gnss14 );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void ) 
{
    if ( GNSS14_OK == gnss14_process( &gnss14 ) ) 
    {
        if ( app_buf_len > ( sizeof ( GNSS14_RSP_GNGGA ) + GNSS14_GNGGA_ELEMENT_SIZE ) ) 
        {
            gnss14_parser_application( app_buf );
        }
    }
}

int main ( void ) 
{
    /* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
    #ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
    preinit();
    #endif
    
    application_init( );
    
    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }

    return 0;
}

static void gnss14_clear_app_buf ( void ) 
{
    memset( app_buf, 0, app_buf_len );
    app_buf_len = 0;
}

static err_t gnss14_process ( gnss14_t *ctx ) 
{
    int32_t rx_size = 0;
    char rx_buf[ PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    if ( GNSS14_DRV_SEL_UART == ctx->drv_sel )
    {
        rx_size = gnss14_generic_read( ctx, rx_buf, PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE );
    }
    else if ( ( GNSS14_DRV_SEL_I2C == ctx->drv_sel ) )
    {
        if ( GNSS14_OK == gnss14_generic_read( ctx, rx_buf, 1 ) )
        {
            if ( GNSS14_DUMMY != rx_buf[ 0 ] )
            {
                rx_size = 1;
            }
        }
    }
    if ( rx_size > 0 ) 
    {
        int32_t buf_cnt = 0;
        if ( ( app_buf_len + rx_size ) > PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE ) 
        {
            gnss14_clear_app_buf(  );
            return GNSS14_ERROR;
        } 
        else 
        {
            buf_cnt = app_buf_len;
            app_buf_len += rx_size;
        }
        for ( int32_t rx_cnt = 0; rx_cnt < rx_size; rx_cnt++ ) 
        {
            if ( rx_buf[ rx_cnt ] ) 
            {
                app_buf[ ( buf_cnt + rx_cnt ) ] = rx_buf[ rx_cnt ];
            }
            else
            {
                app_buf_len--;
                buf_cnt--;
            }
        }
        return GNSS14_OK;
    }
    return GNSS14_ERROR;
}

static void gnss14_parser_application ( char *rsp )
{
    char element_buf[ 100 ] = { 0 };
    if ( GNSS14_OK == gnss14_parse_gngga( rsp, GNSS14_GNGGA_LATITUDE, element_buf ) )
    {
        static uint8_t wait_for_fix_cnt = 0;
        if ( strlen( element_buf ) > 0 )
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "\r\n Latitude: %.2s degrees, %s minutes \r\n", element_buf, &element_buf[ 2 ] );
            gnss14_parse_gngga( rsp, GNSS14_GNGGA_LONGITUDE, element_buf );
            log_printf( &logger, " Longitude: %.3s degrees, %s minutes \r\n", element_buf, &element_buf[ 3 ] );
            memset( element_buf, 0, sizeof( element_buf ) );
            gnss14_parse_gngga( rsp, GNSS14_GNGGA_ALTITUDE, element_buf );
            log_printf( &logger, " Altitude: %s m \r\n", element_buf );
            wait_for_fix_cnt = 0;
        }
        else
        {
            if ( wait_for_fix_cnt % 5 == 0 )
            {
                log_printf( &logger, " Waiting for the position fix...\r\n\n" );
                wait_for_fix_cnt = 0;
            }
            wait_for_fix_cnt++;
        }
        gnss14_clear_app_buf(  );
    }
}

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

Additional Support

Resources

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