Produce an output voltage less than its input thanks to the MPM3632C and TM4C129EKCPDT
Voltage on demand
Published Jul 31, 2023
Click board™
Buck 10 Click
Dev. board
Fusion for Tiva v8
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
TM4C129EKCPDT
Discover the transformative magic of our buck converter solution – small in size but with a colossal impact on your power needs!
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Hardware Overview
How does it work?
Buck 10 Click is based on the MPM3632C, an 18V 3A ultra-low profile DC-to-DC power module by Monolithic Power Systems (MPS). This IC is a valley current mode-controlled power module responding faster than the traditional peak current mode control. Therefore it has a better response to transients. This IC requires minimal external components, making the whole device robust and easy to work with. The feedback voltage on the FB pin determines the output voltage. Buck 10 click is equipped with a voltage divider and an SMD jumper labeled OUT SEL. This jumper can connect one of two available voltage divider resistors, setting the output to either 3.3V or 5V. These two voltages are the most commonly used in embedded development. The over-current protection is based on cycle-by-cycle limiting
of the inductor current. If the output voltage starts to drop during the current limiting interval, causing the FB voltage to drop under 84% of the internal reference, the device enters the hiccup mode, shutting down the output. After a fixed period, the device will try to re-enable the output. If the short-circuit condition still exists, it will shut down the output again, repeating the whole process until the short-circuit condition disappears. The hiccup mode greatly reduces the short-circuit current, protecting the device when the output is shorted to ground. Thanks to its ability to work with the high-duty cycle of the internal switching PWM signal, the MPM3632C requires the input voltage to be only about 0.7V above the output voltage to maintain the regulation. However, if the input voltage drops
under 3.1V, the device cannot operate properly. Therefore, the under-voltage protection shuts down the device as a protection measure. The under-voltage protection is disabled once the input voltage exceeds 3.6V. This small hysteresis of 0.5V prevents erratic behavior in border cases. The MPM3632C operates at a very high switching frequency of 3 MHz, which allows a good compromise between the efficiency and the device's size, with no external coil needed and a minimal number of other external components. As mentioned before, the voltage of the power supply at the input terminal should stay within the range between 4V and 18V. However, if the output voltage is set to 5V, the voltage at the input should be approximately 5.7V to 6V at least to provide good regulation at the output.
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.
Microcontroller Overview
MCU Card / MCU
Type
8th Generation
Architecture
ARM Cortex-M4
MCU Memory (KB)
512
Silicon Vendor
Texas Instruments
Pin count
128
RAM (Bytes)
262144
Used MCU Pins
mikroBUS™ mapper
Take a closer look
Click board™ Schematic
Step by step
Project assembly
Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Fusion for Tiva v8 as your development board.
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 Buck 10 Click driver.
Key functions:
buck10_set_device_mode- This function enables and disables output of this board
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 Buck 10 Click Example.
*
* # Description
* Demo application shows basic usage of Buck 10 Click.
*
* The demo application is composed of two sections :
*
* ## Application Init
* Configuring Clicks and log objects.
* Settings the Click in the default configuration.
*
* ## Application Task
* Enable and Disable device every 5 seconds.
*
* @note
* Input voltage recommended range - from 4V to 18V
* Low-side valley current limit - from 3A to 3.9A
* Low-side negative current limit - (-2.5A)
* Output voltage - 3.3V or 5V
*
* @author Stefan Ilic
*
*/
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "buck10.h"
static buck10_t buck10; /**< Buck 10 Click driver object. */
static log_t logger; /**< Logger object. */
void application_init ( void ) {
log_cfg_t log_cfg; /**< Logger config object. */
buck10_cfg_t buck10_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.
buck10_cfg_setup( &buck10_cfg );
BUCK10_MAP_MIKROBUS( buck10_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
if ( buck10_init( &buck10, &buck10_cfg ) == DIGITAL_OUT_UNSUPPORTED_PIN ) {
log_error( &logger, " Application Init Error. " );
log_info( &logger, " Please, run program again... " );
for ( ; ; );
}
log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}
void application_task ( void ) {
buck10_set_device_mode ( &buck10, BUCK10_DEVICE_ENABLE );
log_printf(&logger, "Output:\t ENABLED\r\n");
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
buck10_set_device_mode ( &buck10, BUCK10_DEVICE_DISABLE );
log_printf(&logger, "Output:\t DISABLED\r\n");
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
}
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;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
