Intermediate
10 min

Reduce noise pollution with actionable data and insights using MCP4921 and STM32F091RC

Respond promptly to noise-related issues

Noise Click with Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU

Published Feb 26, 2024

Click board™

Noise Click

Dev Board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32F091RC

Our noise detection solution is engineered to identify and mitigate disruptive noise, fostering quieter and more peaceful environments

A

A

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Noise Click is based on the MCP4921, a 12-bit DAC with an SPI interface from Microchip. This single-channel DAC has a rail-to-rail output, a fast-setting time, and 450KHz of multiplier mode. The MCP4921 on the Noise Click sets the threshold in 12-bit resolution steps from 0 up to 4096. The noise from the environment this Click board™ receives through the MM034202-11, an analog MEMS microphone from DB Unlimited. It has omnidirectional directivity, a sensitivity of around -42dB, a signal-to-noise ratio of 59dB, and works in a frequency range from 100 up to 10000Hz. This Click board™ also includes two MCP6022s, a rail-to-rail input/output 10MHz Op Amps from Microchip. The operational amplifiers feature wide bandwidth up to 10MHz, low noise, low input offset voltage, and low distortion. The first MCP6022

processes the microphone signal. Then, the amplified voltages pass through the LTC1966, a precision micropower ∆∑ RMS-to-DC converter from Analog Devices. This converter has constant bandwidth independent of the input voltage, flexible rail-to-rail inputs, and outputs and is more accurate than conventional log antilog similar RMS-to-DC converters. After processing with the LTC1966, the signal then goes into the second operational amplifier, which functions as a voltage comparator, from which the interrupt signal originates. To avoid triggering the interrupt hundreds of times per second as ambient noise oscillates near the threshold, a hysteresis circuit is also employed. For that purpose, the Noise Click comes with the MAX6106, a low-cost, micropower, low-dropout, high-output-current voltage

reference of 2.048V from Analog Devices. The Noise Click uses an SPI serial interface to communicate with the host MCU over the mikroBUS™ socket. The LTC1966 RMS-to-DC converter can be turned off with the HIGH logic state on the EN pin of the mikroBUS™ socket. No matter the logic state on the enable pin, the voltage levels can still be monitored over the AN pin. When the ambient noise reaches the set threshold, the interrupt INT pin is pulled HIGH. 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.

Noise Click top side image
Noise Click bottom side image

Features overview

Development board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC 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 STM32F091RC MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M0

MCU Memory (KB)

256

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

64

RAM (Bytes)

32768

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

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Analog Output
PC0
AN
Enable
PC12
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
Interrupt
PC14
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Schematic

Noise Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU as your development board.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 front image hardware assembly
Nucleo 64 with STM32F401RE MCU front image hardware assembly
EEPROM 13 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
Nucleo-64 with STM32XXX MCU 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 via Debug Mode

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

2. After the programming is completed, a header with buttons for various actions within the IDE becomes visible. Clicking the green "PLAY" button starts reading the results achieved with the Click board™. The achieved results are displayed in the Application Output tab.

DEBUG_Application_Output

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Noise Click driver.

Key functions:

  • noise_set_cmd_reg - This function sets command register

  • noise_set_state - This function switches click ON or OFF

  • noise_read_an_pin_voltage - This function reads results of AD conversion of the AN pin and converts them to proportional voltage level

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 
 * \brief Noise click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example performs an ambient noise monitoring using the Noise click board.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Device initialization.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Reads the voltage from AN pin which presents the noise level and displays it
 * on the USB UART every 5ms. If the noise is above predefined threshold
 * (25 percents of max noise, i.e. about 0.4V) an alarm message is being shown.
 * 
 * @note 
 * We recommend using the SerialPlot tool for data visualizing.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "noise.h"

static noise_t noise;
static log_t logger;

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    noise_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * 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.
    noise_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    NOISE_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    noise_init( &noise, &cfg );

    noise_default_cfg( &noise );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    float voltage = 0;
    if ( NOISE_OK == noise_read_an_pin_voltage ( &noise, &voltage ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "%.3f\r\n", voltage );
    }
    if ( noise_check_int_pin( &noise ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " Sound overlimit detected!\r\n" );
    }
    Delay_ms ( 5 );
}

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
/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Noise click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example performs an ambient noise monitoring using the Noise click board.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Device initialization.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Reads the voltage from AN pin which presents the noise level and displays it
 * on the USB UART every 5ms. If the noise is above predefined threshold
 * (25 percents of max noise, i.e. about 0.4V) an alarm message is being shown.
 * 
 * @note 
 * We recommend using the SerialPlot tool for data visualizing.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "noise.h"

static noise_t noise;
static log_t logger;

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    noise_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * 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.
    noise_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    NOISE_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    noise_init( &noise, &cfg );

    noise_default_cfg( &noise );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    float voltage = 0;
    if ( NOISE_OK == noise_read_an_pin_voltage ( &noise, &voltage ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "%.3f\r\n", voltage );
    }
    if ( noise_check_int_pin( &noise ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " Sound overlimit detected!\r\n" );
    }
    Delay_ms ( 5 );
}

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

Additional Support

Resources

Love this project?

'Buy This Kit' button takes you directly to the shopping cart where you can easily add or remove products.