comparison minnie/doc/Design-spec @ 98:3ab69117b09f default tip

minnie/doc/Design-spec: finished in the first pass
author Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
date Sun, 01 Oct 2023 08:17:05 +0000
parents 269b330ac428
children
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97:269b330ac428 98:3ab69117b09f
332 strings, allowing the board to be recognized among other USB devices sharing 332 strings, allowing the board to be recognized among other USB devices sharing
333 the same VID:PID. 333 the same VID:PID.
334 334
335 2.5. RF plumbing 335 2.5. RF plumbing
336 336
337 The RF interface on FC Tango module is a microcoaxial connector of a type
338 compatible with Hirose U.FL and Sunridge MCB2 series, but a GSM MS development
339 board needs to bring out its RF interface on an SMA female connector. The plan
340 for FC Minnie is to use the same approach as was successfully implemented on
341 FC Caramel2: a microcoaxial cable assembly from Sunridge that goes from an
342 MCB2G plug to an SMA connector that has PCB mounting legs only for mechanical
343 securement and grounding, while the RF signal never passes through the main PCB.
344
337 2.6. SIM socket 345 2.6. SIM socket
338 346
347 The SIM 2FF socket on FC Minnie will be of the same hinged type as featured on
348 FCDEV3B and Caramel2 boards. The placement and orientation of this socket on
349 the board will need to be chosen so that it will work conveniently with SIMtrace
350 FPC cables; FCDEV3B is good in this regard, but Caramel2 is not.
351
339 2.7. Analog audio 352 2.7. Analog audio
340 353
354 Only the main analog audio channel will be brought out, not auxiliary. The main
355 audio channel will be brought out on a 2.5 mm TRRS jack in the pinout that was
356 originally established by iWOW with their DSK and has since been adopted by
357 FreeCalypso, same as on FC Caramel2. FreeCalypso HQ has a large batch of
358 FC-HDS4 headsets that have been custom-made for us in this pinout, hence it
359 makes no sense to implement any other arrangement.
360
341 2.8. Digital audio 361 2.8. Digital audio
342 362
363 Calypso MCSI is a PCM interface to the DSP part of Calypso that can be
364 configured (using the standard facilities of DSP ROM code plus TI's official
365 patches) to carry digital voice during calls, in 13-bit linear PCM sample
366 format, 8000 samples per second. This interface was first brought out and
367 experimented with on FCDEV3B, but it is also brought out on FC Tango module.
368 This interface will be brought out on FC Minnie board on a 5-pin header, in the
369 same pinout as on FCDEV3B.
370
371 The Mother of FreeCalypso has a plan to produce a gateware design for the common
372 Lattice iCEstick FPGA board that will turn this Icestick into an interface
373 adapter for Calypso PCM voice, ferrying digital PCM samples to and from a Linux
374 host by way of FT2232H UART channel on the Icestick itself. In this plan the
375 PCM interface will be connected with jumper wires directly from the Icestick
376 board to the MCSI header on FCDEV3B, FC Minnie or FC Caramel2.
377
378 3. Production notes
379
380 3.1. Manufacturing and test process overview
381
382 FC Minnie boards will be assembled at Technotronix in Anaheim, California, USA
383 and then production-tested at FreeCalypso HQ. The assembly performed at
384 Technotronix will include permanent mounting of a Tango module onto each Minnie
385 board, whereas the subsequent production test process at FreeCalypso HQ will
386 include the following steps:
387
388 * FT2232H EEPROM programming;
389 * Loading FreeCalypso firmware into Tango module flash;
390 * Preening FFS for FC Tango firmware and for FC Minnie pinmux config;
391 * Testing the GSM RF tract in all 4 bands with a CMU200;
392 * Testing the SIM socket by inserting an FCSIM1 card and verifying correct
393 SIM communication;
394 * Testing the analog audio interface by inserting an FC-HDS4 headset and
395 commanding the firmware to generate a beep;
396 * Other minor hardware tests as feasible.
397
398 3.2. Permanent coupling of Minnie board and Tango module
399
400 FC Tango modules are not meant to be casually swappable once mounted on an
401 application board such as FC Minnie:
402
403 * The module features 4 grounding legs which must be soldered; these grounding
404 legs are essential, as they carry power supply return current during GSM Tx
405 bursts. The need for soldering and desoldering should already be seen as a
406 deterrent to casual (unnecessary, just for the heck of it) module swapping,
407 but given that many hackers have absolutely no difficulty with soldering,
408 other factors should be considered too:
409
410 * The fine-pitch board-to-board connector with 80 pins is extremely delicate,
411 and can be easily damaged by unnecessary mating and unmating cycles;
412
413 * The microcoaxial connector for the RF interface is likewise very delicate and
414 subject to the same considerations.
415
416 If a *legitimate* need to remove and replace the Tango module does arise (for
417 example, if some component inside the module goes bad and you need to either
418 repair or replace the Tango module), it can certainly be done - but it should
419 NOT be done casually, just for the heck of it.