Create a load-switching solution with L9026 and STM32G474RE
Save your energy when a load isn't needed
Published Nov 08, 2024
Click board™
SolidSwitch 2 Click
Dev. board
Nucleo 64 with STM32G474RE MCU
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
STM32G474RE
Provide power across different loads with individual control of each one
A
A
Hardware Overview
How does it work?
SolidSwitch 2 Click is based on the L9026, an automotive multi-channel relay driver optimized for automotive relay and LED applications from STMicroelectronics. Eight channels of the L9026 represent two high-side and six configurable high-side/low-side drivers, which can be driven by an SPI interface or by two dedicated parallel inputs (IN0 and IN1 pins routed to the PWM and INT pins of the mikroBUS™ socket). Operating from an external power supply from 3V up to 18V, it provides a maximum current of 1A on its output terminals. This board is an excellent choice for automotive, resistive, and inductive applications (LEDs and relays) and capacitive loads.
As mentioned, this Click board™ communicates with MCU through a standard SPI interface to control and configure the loads and the device. The L9026 also offers advanced diagnostic and protection features such as short-to-ground, open load, overcurrent, and overtemperature detections, with status feedback of all diagnostic functions provided via the SPI interface. Besides, the L9026 also features Idle mode for reduced current consumption, controlled via IDL pin routed to the AN pin of the mikroBUS™ socket and the “Limp home” mode. This mode allows using two selected drivers in particularly faulty conditions, such as SPI fault, micro fault, or supply undervoltage.
The device can guarantee operations under a cranking scenario with a supply voltage down to 3V, ensuring a low quiescent current under reset conditions. 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-64 with STM32G474R 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.
Microcontroller Overview
MCU Card / MCU
Architecture
ARM Cortex-M4
MCU Memory (KB)
512
Silicon Vendor
STMicroelectronics
Pin count
64
RAM (Bytes)
128k
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.
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 Nucleo 64 with STM32G474RE MCU 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 SolidSwitch 2 Click driver.
Key functions:
solidswitch2_write_registerThis function writes a desired data to the selected register by using SPI serial interface.solidswitch2_toggle_in0_pinThis function toggles the IN0 pin logic state.solidswitch2_toggle_in1_pinThis function toggles the IN1 pin logic state.
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 SolidSwitch 2 Click example
*
* # Description
* This example demonstrates the use of SolidSwitch 2 click board by controlling the output state.
*
* The demo application is composed of two sections :
*
* ## Application Init
* Initializes the driver and performs the click default configuration which maps outputs as follows:
* OUT2 - IN0,
* OUT3 - IN1,
* OUT4-5 - PWM GEN,
* OUT6-7 - PWM LED.
*
* ## Application Task
* Changes the PWM GEN (max to min) and PWM LED (min to max) duty cycle and toggles the IN0 and IN1
* pins every 250ms. The duty cycle values and INx toggle messages will be displayed on the USB UART.
*
* @author Stefan Filipovic
*
*/
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "solidswitch2.h"
static solidswitch2_t solidswitch2;
static log_t logger;
void application_init ( void )
{
log_cfg_t log_cfg; /**< Logger config object. */
solidswitch2_cfg_t solidswitch2_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.
solidswitch2_cfg_setup( &solidswitch2_cfg );
SOLIDSWITCH2_MAP_MIKROBUS( solidswitch2_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
if ( SPI_MASTER_ERROR == solidswitch2_init( &solidswitch2, &solidswitch2_cfg ) )
{
log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
for ( ; ; );
}
if ( SOLIDSWITCH2_ERROR == solidswitch2_default_cfg ( &solidswitch2 ) )
{
log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
for ( ; ; );
}
log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}
void application_task ( void )
{
for ( uint16_t duty_cycle = SOLIDSWITCH2_MIN_DUTY_CYCLE; duty_cycle <= SOLIDSWITCH2_MAX_DUTY_CYCLE; duty_cycle += 5 )
{
if ( SOLIDSWITCH2_OK == solidswitch2_write_register ( &solidswitch2, SOLIDSWITCH2_REG_PWM_GEN_DC,
( uint8_t ) ( SOLIDSWITCH2_MAX_DUTY_CYCLE - duty_cycle ) ) )
{
log_printf ( &logger, " PWM GEN DC: %u\r\n", ( SOLIDSWITCH2_MAX_DUTY_CYCLE - duty_cycle ) );
}
if ( SOLIDSWITCH2_OK == solidswitch2_write_register ( &solidswitch2, SOLIDSWITCH2_REG_PWM_LED_DC, ( uint8_t ) duty_cycle ) )
{
log_printf ( &logger, " PWM LED DC: %u\r\n", duty_cycle );
}
solidswitch2_toggle_in0_pin ( &solidswitch2 );
log_printf ( &logger, " Toggle IN0 pin\r\n" );
solidswitch2_toggle_in1_pin ( &solidswitch2 );
log_printf ( &logger, " Toggle IN1 pin\r\n\n" );
Delay_ms ( 250 );
}
}
void main ( void )
{
application_init( );
for ( ; ; )
{
application_task( );
}
}
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
