Intermediate
30 min

Experience the next level of charging efficiency with MCP73113 and STM32F030R8

Your devices deserve the best charging experience

Charger 5 click with Nucleo-64 with STM32F030R8 MCU

Published Feb 26, 2024

Click board™

Charger 5 click

Dev Board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F030R8 MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32F030R8

Say goodbye to low battery anxiety with our reliable charging solution

A

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Charger 5 Click is based on the MCP73113, a single-cell Li-Po/Li-Ion battery charge from Microchip, along with the digital potentiometer chip labeled as MCP4161, from the same company. This click can easily and securely charge and fast-charge batteries on many devices that use 3.7V Li-Po/Li-Ion batteries. The constant charging current on the MCP73113 is set by a resistor connected between the PROG pin and the VCC; instead of using the conventional resistor, this board employs the MCP4161 digital potentiometer IC, which allows setting the constant charging current via the SPI interface. This way, the constant charging current can be set from 100mA to 950mA. The MCP73113 charger features several different battery charging protection and optimization schemes to keep the charging process safe and efficient. The undervoltage protection shuts the charger circuit down if the connected input voltage is below the threshold value.

The overvoltage protection will also put the device in shutdown mode if the input voltage exceeds the threshold value. Also, the connected input voltage should be 150mV greater than the battery voltage, or else it will remain in a power-down state. This prevents the battery from draining in case there's no input voltage. Therefore, the input voltage range should stay between 5V and 6.5V. The device is resistant to voltage spikes up to 18V on its input connector, but for proper operation, the input voltage should stay in the recommended voltage range. The connected battery voltage is constantly monitored. If it drops below the charging threshold and if all the other input voltage charging conditions are met, the charging process will start. When the battery is charged to the factory-set threshold, the charging will be stopped to prevent battery overcharging. The charging threshold for the MCP73113 charger IC used on this click is set to 4.2V.

If a Li-Ion battery is discharged below 3V, it must be pre-charged with around 10% of the full charge current. This means that the charging current, in this case, will be 10% of the fast charging current set by the MCP4161 digital potentiometer. Charger 5 click detects a short circuit on the battery connector. The short circuit is also reported in case of a faulty battery cell. If such an event occurs, the charger will enter the shutdown mode. The MCP73113 charger IC features thermal management too, which regulates the charging current, based on the die temperature. If the IC die is heated over 150°C, the device will be shut down. The onboard SMD jumper selector selects voltage for the digital potentiometer IC and SPI logic levels. There are also two onboard connectors. One connector is a screw terminal used to connect the external power supply (5V to 6.5V). The other connector is the Li-Po/Li-Ion battery 2.54mm header connector.

Charger 5 click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F030R8 MCU offers a cost-effective and adaptable platform for developers to explore new ideas and prototype their designs. This board harnesses the versatility of the STM32 microcontroller, enabling users to select the optimal balance of performance and power consumption for their projects. It accommodates the STM32 microcontroller in the LQFP64 package and includes essential components such as a user LED, which doubles as an ARDUINO® signal, alongside user and reset push-buttons, and a 32.768kHz crystal oscillator for precise timing operations. Designed with expansion and flexibility in mind, the Nucleo-64 board features an ARDUINO® Uno V3 expansion connector and ST morpho extension pin

headers, granting complete access to the STM32's I/Os for comprehensive project integration. Power supply options are adaptable, supporting ST-LINK USB VBUS or external power sources, ensuring adaptability in various development environments. The board also has an on-board ST-LINK debugger/programmer with USB re-enumeration capability, simplifying the programming and debugging process. Moreover, the board is designed to simplify advanced development with its external SMPS for efficient Vcore logic supply, support for USB Device full speed or USB SNK/UFP full speed, and built-in cryptographic features, enhancing both the power efficiency and security of projects. Additional connectivity is

provided through dedicated connectors for external SMPS experimentation, a USB connector for the ST-LINK, and a MIPI® debug connector, expanding the possibilities for hardware interfacing and experimentation. Developers will find extensive support through comprehensive free software libraries and examples, courtesy of the STM32Cube MCU Package. This, combined with compatibility with a wide array of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), including IAR Embedded Workbench®, MDK-ARM, and STM32CubeIDE, ensures a smooth and efficient development experience, allowing users to fully leverage the capabilities of the Nucleo-64 board in their projects.

Nucleo 64 with STM32F030R8 MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M0

MCU Memory (KB)

64

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

64

RAM (Bytes)

8192

You complete me!

Accessories

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 comes equipped with two proprietary mikroBUS™ sockets, allowing all the Click board™ devices to be interfaced with the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with no effort. This way, Mikroe allows its users to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™, such as WiFi, GSM, GPS, Bluetooth, ZigBee, environmental sensors, LEDs, speech recognition, motor control, movement sensors, and many more. More than 1537 Click boards™, which can be stacked and integrated, are at your disposal. The STM32 Nucleo-64 boards are based on the microcontrollers in 64-pin packages, a 32-bit MCU with an ARM Cortex M4 processor operating at 84MHz, 512Kb Flash, and 96KB SRAM, divided into two regions where the top section represents the ST-Link/V2 debugger and programmer while the bottom section of the board is an actual development board. These boards are controlled and powered conveniently through a USB connection to program and efficiently debug the Nucleo-64 board out of the box, with an additional USB cable connected to the USB mini port on the board. Most of the STM32 microcontroller pins are brought to the IO pins on the left and right edge of the board, which are then connected to two existing mikroBUS™ sockets. This Click Shield also has several switches that perform functions such as selecting the logic levels of analog signals on mikroBUS™ sockets and selecting logic voltage levels of the mikroBUS™ sockets themselves. Besides, the user is offered the possibility of using any Click board™ with the help of existing bidirectional level-shifting voltage translators, regardless of whether the Click board™ operates at a 3.3V or 5V logic voltage level. Once you connect the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with our Click Shield for Nucleo-64, you can access hundreds of Click boards™, working with 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image

Li-Polymer Battery is the ideal solution for devices that demand a dependable and long-lasting power supply while emphasizing mobility. Its compatibility with mikromedia boards ensures easy integration without additional modifications. With a voltage output of 3.7V, the battery meets the standard requirements of many electronic devices. Additionally, boasting a capacity of 2000mAh, it can store a substantial amount of energy, providing sustained power for extended periods. This feature minimizes the need for frequent recharging or replacement. Overall, the Li-Polymer Battery is a reliable and autonomous power source, ideally suited for devices requiring a stable and enduring energy solution. You can find a more extensive choice of Li-Polymer batteries in our offer.

Charger 5 Click accessories image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
NC
NC
RST
SPI Chip Select
PB12
CS
SPI Clock
PB3
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
SPI Data IN
PB5
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
NC
NC
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Schematic

Charger 5 click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo-64 with STM32F030R8 MCU as your development board.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image hardware assembly
Nucleo 64 with STM32F401RE MCU front image hardware assembly
LTE IoT 5 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
LTE IoT 5 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Nucleo-64 with STM32XXX MCU Access MB 1 Mini B Conn - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Clicker 4 for STM32F4 HA MCU Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

After loading the code example, pressing the "DEBUG" button builds and programs it on the selected setup.

Application Output Step 1

After programming is completed, a header with buttons for various actions available in the IDE appears. By clicking the green "PLAY "button, we start reading the results achieved with Click board™.

Application Output Step 3

Upon completion of programming, the Application Output tab is automatically opened, where the achieved result can be read. In case of an inability to perform the Debug function, check if a proper connection between the MCU used by the setup and the CODEGRIP programmer has been established. A detailed explanation of the CODEGRIP-board connection can be found in the CODEGRIP User Manual. Please find it in the RESOURCES section.

Application Output Step 4

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Charger 5 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • charger5_generic_write - Generic write function

  • charger5_generic_read  -Generic read function

  • charger5_increment_wiper - Increment wiper function

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 Charger 5 Click example
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of the Charger 5 click board.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes peripherals and pins used for the Charger 5 click and prepares
 * the Charger 5 click for properly working.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Demonstrates the use of driver functions. It will set charging current to
 * 500 mA, then will increment that value by 10 steps, and after that will
 * decrement it by 5 steps.
 *
 * ## Note
 * Increment/decrement command can only be issued to volatile memory locations.
 *
 * \author Nemanja Medakovic
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "charger5.h"

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

static charger5_t charger5;
static log_t console;

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init( void )
{
    charger5_cfg_t charger5_cfg;
    log_cfg_t console_cfg;

    //  Click initialization.
    charger5_cfg_setup( &charger5_cfg );
    CHARGER5_MAP_MIKROBUS( charger5_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    charger5_init( &charger5, &charger5_cfg );
    charger5_default_cfg( &charger5 );

    /** 
     * 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( console_cfg );
    log_init( &console, &console_cfg );
    log_printf( &console, "***  Charger 5 initialization done  ***\r\n" );
    log_printf( &console, "***************************************\r\n" );
}

void application_task( void )
{
    charger5_generic_write( &charger5, CHARGER5_REG_WIPER0_VOL,
                            CHARGER5_CURRENT_500MA );
    log_printf( &console, "Output current is set to 500 mA.\r\n" );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );

    charger5_increment_wiper( &charger5, CHARGER5_REG_WIPER0_VOL,
                              CHARGER5_STEPS_10 );
    log_printf( &console, "Output current value is incremented by 10 steps.\r\n" );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );

    charger5_decrement_wiper( &charger5, CHARGER5_REG_WIPER0_VOL,
                              CHARGER5_STEPS_5 );
    log_printf( &console, "Output current value is decremented by 5 steps.\r\n" );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );
}

void main( void )
{
    application_init( );

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


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

Additional Support

Resources