Intermediate
30 min

Convert a higher input voltage to a lower output easily with TPS628510 and PIC32MX795F512L

Synchronous step-down supremacy!

Step Down 5 Click with Fusion for PIC32 v8

Published Aug 01, 2023

Click board™

Step Down 5 Click

Dev Board

Fusion for PIC32 v8

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC32MX795F512L

Unlocking the full potential of modern electronics, our step-down converter harmonizes power requirements, paving the way for energy-conscious innovations

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Step Down 5 Click is based on the TPS628510, a synchronous step-down converter from Texas Instruments, providing interface-configurable output voltage range from 0.6V to 5.5V suitable for point-of-load and post-regulation applications. This synchronous switch mode power converter is based on a peak current mode control topology and achieves fast and stable operation with an internally compensated control loop. It provides up to 0.5A load current over a wide input supply range from 2.7V to 6V and has excellent load and line regulation. In addition, it is characterized by high efficiency over a wide range of load output voltage from 0.6V to 5.5V, which can be easily adjusted using a digital potentiometer, the MCP4661 from Microchip. The TPS628510 supports

forced fixed frequency PWM operation with the MD pin of the mikroBUS™ socket set to a high logic level. Its switching frequency is internally fixed at 2.25MHz. When the MD pin is set to a low logic level, the TPS628510 operates in power save mode (PFM) at a low output current and automatically transfers to fixed-frequency PWM mode at a higher output current. In PFM mode, the switching frequency decreases linearly based on the load to sustain high efficiency down to a very low output current. Alternatively, the TPS628510 can be synchronized to an external clock signal from 1.8MHz to 4MHz, applied to the MD pin. An internal PLL allows you to change from an internal clock to an external clock during operation. Besides the operational mode

selection pin, this Click board™ also has a power-good function routed to the PG pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, indicating that the output reached desired regulation and the possibility for the MCP4661 to choose the least significant bit (LSB) of its I2C slave address by positioning SMD jumpers labeled as ADDR SEL to an appropriate position marked as 0 and 1. 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. Also, this 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.

Step Down 5 Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

Fusion for PIC32 v8 is a development board specially designed for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. It supports a wide range of Microchip's PIC32 microcontrollers regardless of their number of pins and a broad set of unique functions, such as the first-ever embedded debugger/programmer over WiFi. 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 PIC32 v8 provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access anywhere and under any circumstances at any time. Each part of the

Fusion for PIC32 v8 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the advanced integrated CODEGRIP programmer/debugger module, which offers many valuable programming/debugging options and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment, the board 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 PIC32 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 PIC32 v8 horizontal image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Type

8th Generation

Architecture

PIC32

MCU Memory (KB)

512

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

100

RAM (Bytes)

131072

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
NC
NC
RST
NC
NC
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Mode Selection
PD1
PWM
Power Good Indicator
PE8
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
I2C Clock
PA2
SCL
I2C Data
PA3
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Schematic

Step Down 5 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 PIC32 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
v8 SiBRAIN Access MB 1 - upright/background 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 via UART Mode

1. Once the code example is loaded, pressing the "FLASH" button initiates the build process, and programs it on the created setup.

2. After the programming is completed, click on the Tools icon in the upper-right panel, and select the UART Terminal.

3. After opening the UART Terminal tab, first check the baud rate setting in the Options menu (default is 115200). If this parameter is correct, activate the terminal by clicking the "CONNECT" button.

4. Now terminal status changes from Disconnected to Connected in green, and the data is displayed in the Received data field.

UART_Application_Output

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Step Down 5 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • stepdown5_set_wiper_0_pos - Step Down 5 set wiper 0 position

  • stepdown5_set_r1_resistance - Step Down 5 set potentiometer 0 resistance

  • stepdown5_set_output - Step Down 5 set output voltage

Open Source

Code example

This example can be found in NECTO Studio. Feel free to download the code, or you can copy the code below.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief Step Down 5 Click example
 *
 * # Description
 * This library contains API for the Step Down 5 Click driver.
 * This driver provides the functions to set the output voltage treshold.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initialization of I2C module and log UART.
 * After driver initialization, default settings sets output voltage to 0.6 V.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * This example demonstrates the use of the Step Down 5 Click board™ by changing 
 * output voltage every 5 seconds starting from 0.6 V up to 3.3 V.
 * 
 *
 * @author Stefan Ilic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "stepdown5.h"

static stepdown5_t stepdown5;
static log_t logger;

/**
 * @brief Output level printing function.
 * @details This function is used to log value of the selected voltage to UART terminal.
 * @param[in] sel_level : Selected voltage level.
 * @return Nothing.
 * @note None.
 */
static void print_selected_output_level ( uint8_t sel_level );

void application_init ( void ) 
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    stepdown5_cfg_t stepdown5_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.
    stepdown5_cfg_setup( &stepdown5_cfg );
    STEPDOWN5_MAP_MIKROBUS( stepdown5_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( I2C_MASTER_ERROR == stepdown5_init( &stepdown5, &stepdown5_cfg ) ) 
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    if ( STEPDOWN5_ERROR == stepdown5_default_cfg ( &stepdown5 ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void ) 
{
    for ( uint8_t n_cnt = STEPDOWN5_OUTPUT_0V6; n_cnt <= STEPDOWN5_OUTPUT_3V3; n_cnt++ )
    {
        stepdown5_set_output( &stepdown5, n_cnt );
        log_printf( &logger, " Selected output is:" );
        print_selected_output_level ( n_cnt );
        Delay_ms( 5000 );
    }
}

void main ( void ) 
{
    application_init( );

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

static void print_selected_output_level ( uint8_t sel_level )
{
    switch ( sel_level )
    {
        case ( STEPDOWN5_OUTPUT_0V6 ):
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " 0.6V\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case ( STEPDOWN5_OUTPUT_1V5 ):
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " 1.5V\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case ( STEPDOWN5_OUTPUT_2V5 ):
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " 2.5V\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case ( STEPDOWN5_OUTPUT_3V3 ):
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " 3.3V\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        default:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " ERROR\r\n" );
        }
    }
}

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

Additional Support

Resources

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