Create the ultimate solution for signal magnification with MCP6S21 and STM32F031K6

Amplify with precision

GainAMP 2 click with Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU

Published Oct 01, 2024

Click board™

GainAMP 2 click

Dev. board

Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32F031K6

Whether you're working with audio, sensor data, or other low-level signals, our 6-channel programmable gain amplifier is an ideal solution for boosting and optimizing signal quality

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

GainAMP 2 Click is based on the MCP6S21, a rail-to-rail I/O, low noise programmable gain amplifier (PGA) from Microchip. This integrated circuit features six multiplexed non-inverting inputs, with a gain that can be programmed via the SPI interface for each input individually. The channels CH0 to CH5 are the six input channels connected to the external signal sources. The internal multiplexer selects the channel that is gained and sent to the output pin. The gain stage of the MCP6S21 has eight different discrete steps of gain: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 16, and 32V/V. The rail-to-rail inputs and outputs accept voltage levels up to VCC with no distortions or phase shifting. The output voltage is offset by the resistor ladder network on

the output stage and the voltage on the voltage reference pin. Besides the VOUT pin on the ten-pole I/O connector, the MCP6S21 output pin is also routed to the AN pin of the mikroBUS™ so it can be used as the input signal for the ADC. This allows the amplified signal to be easily digitalized and processed by the MCU. Using the click board in this configuration effectively turns the GainAMP 2 click into an analog port expander with the selectable gain on its inputs. The MCP6S21 device can be put in a shutdown mode by setting the appropriate bits of the internal register via the SPI interface. While in shutdown mode, the power consumption is minimal. The device stays in Shutdown mode until a valid command is received

via the SPI. While in the shutdown mode, the device remembers the states of the internal registers, so when it awakens, it will resume working as before. The internal registers can be easily accessed by using MIKROE library functions. More information about the registers and their settings can be found in the MCP6S21 datasheet. 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. However, the 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.

Features overview

Development board

Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU board provides an affordable and flexible platform for experimenting with STM32 microcontrollers in 32-pin packages. Featuring Arduino™ Nano connectivity, it allows easy expansion with specialized shields, while being mbed-enabled for seamless integration with online resources. The

board includes an on-board ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer, supporting USB reenumeration with three interfaces: Virtual Com port, mass storage, and debug port. It offers a flexible power supply through either USB VBUS or an external source. Additionally, it includes three LEDs (LD1 for USB communication, LD2 for power,

and LD3 as a user LED) and a reset push button. The STM32 Nucleo-32 board is supported by various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as IAR™, Keil®, and GCC-based IDEs like AC6 SW4STM32, making it a versatile tool for developers.

Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M0

MCU Memory (KB)

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

RAM (Bytes)

4096

You complete me!

Accessories

Click Shield for Nucleo-32 is the perfect way to expand your development board's functionalities with STM32 Nucleo-32 pinout. The Click Shield for Nucleo-32 provides two mikroBUS™ sockets to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™. We are fully stocked with everything, from sensors and WiFi transceivers to motor control and audio amplifiers. The Click Shield for Nucleo-32 is compatible with the STM32 Nucleo-32 board, providing an affordable and flexible way for users to try out new ideas and quickly create prototypes with any STM32 microcontrollers, choosing from the various combinations of performance, power consumption, and features. The STM32 Nucleo-32 boards do not require any separate probe as they integrate the ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer and come with the STM32 comprehensive software HAL library and various packaged software examples. This development platform provides users with an effortless and common way to combine the STM32 Nucleo-32 footprint compatible board with their favorite Click boards™ in their upcoming projects.

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Signal Output

PA0

RST

SPI Chip Select

PA4

SPI Clock

PB3

SCK

SPI Slave Data OUT

PB4

MISO

SPI Slave Data IN

PB5

MOSI

Power Supply

3.3V

Ground

GND

PWM

INT

SCL

SDA

Power Supply

Ground

GND

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Click Shield for Nucleo-144 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU as your development board.

Nucleo 144 with STM32L4A6ZG MCU front image hardware assembly

Stepper 22 Click front image hardware assembly

Stepper 22 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly

Nucleo-32 with STM32 MCU Access MB 1 - upright/background hardware assembly

STM32 M4 Clicker HA MCU/Select Step hardware assembly

Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly

Debug Image Necto Step 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 GainAMP 2 Click driver.

Key functions:

gainamp2_set_channel_gain - Set the channel gain
gainamp2_get_voltage - Return voltage measured from VOUT pin
gainamp2_write_Command - Send Command

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 
 * \brief GainAmp2 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This application is programmable gain amplifier
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes and sets GainAMP 2 click channel 0 to amplify the signal 2 times
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Displays the voltage measured from VOUT pin
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "gainamp2.h"

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

static gainamp2_t gainamp2;
static log_t logger;

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

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    gainamp2_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.

    gainamp2_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    GAINAMP2_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    gainamp2_init( &gainamp2, &cfg );
    
    gainamp2_set_channel_gain ( &gainamp2, GAINAMP2_CH0, GAINAMP2_GAIN_2X );
    log_printf( &logger,"Channel 0 - aplified 2x \r\n" ); 
}

void application_task( void )
{
    log_printf( &logger,"Voltage at VOUT: %f \r\n", gainamp2_get_voltage( &gainamp2 ) );
    log_printf( &logger,"------------------------------- \r\n " );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
    	application_task( );
    }

}

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