mikroe_gps_lea6s

LEA-6S - GPS Click (Mikroe)

Summary

This project shows the implementation of a GPS Click driver using LEA-6S from Mikroe Integrated with Silicon Labs platform based on UART communication.

GPS click is a compact solution for adding GPS functionality to your device. It carries the u-blox LEA-6S high-performance position engine. The click is designed to run on a 3.3V power supply and communicates with the target MCU through UART. GPS click can simultaneously track up to 16 satellites while searching for new ones. The LEA-6S module’s TTFF (time to first fix) is less than one second — this is the measure of time necessary for a GPS receiver to get satellite signals and navigation data, and based on this information, calculate a position (a fix).

Table Of Contents

• Required Hardware
• Hardware Connection
• Setup
  • Create a project based on an example project
  • Start with an empty example project
• How It Works
• Report Bugs & Get Support

Required Hardware

• 1x Silicon Labs BLE Explorer Kit based on the EFR32 SoC, such as:

  • BGM220-EK4314A
  • BG22-EK4108A
  • xG24-EK2703A
  • xG22-EK2710A

  or

  1x Silicon Labs Wi-Fi Development Kit based on SiWG917, such as:

  • SIWX917-DK2605A
  • SIWX917-RB4338A + Si-MB4002A
  • SiW917Y-EK2708A

• 1x GPS Click board based on LEA-6S

• Option: 1x GPS/GNSS Magnetic Mount Antenna

Hardware Connection

The Silicon Labs Explorer Kit boards feature a mikroBUS™ socket, allowing the GPS Click board to connect easily via the mikroBUS header. Ensure that the 45-degree corner of the GPS board aligns with the 45-degree white line on the Explorer Kit. The hardware connection is illustrated in the image below.

For the Silicon Labs boards that do not have a mikroBUS™ socket, consider using the Wire Jumpers.

The tables below provide an overview of the pin connections.

Silicon Labs BLE Explorer Kit:

Description	BRD4314A	BRD4108A	BRD2703A	BRD2710A	↔	GPS Click
UART Receive	PB2	PB2	PD5	PB2	↔	TX
UART Transmit	PB1	PB1	PD4	PB1	↔	RX
RESET	PC6	PC6	PC8	PC6	↔	RST
Time Pulse	PB3	PB3	PB1	PB3	↔	TP

Silicon Labs Wi-Fi Development Kit:

Description	BRD4338A + BRD4002A	BRD2605A	BRD2708A	↔	GPS Click
UART Receive	GPIO_29 [P33]	GPIO_29 [EXP11]	ULP_GPIO_6	↔	TX
UART Transmit	GPIO_30 [P35]	GPIO_30 [EXP13]	ULP_GPIO_7	↔	RX
RESET	GPIO_46 [P24]	GPIO_10 [EXP23]	GPIO_30	↔	RST
Time Pulse	GPIO_47 [P26]	GPIO_11 [EXP22]	UULP_VBAT_GPIO_2	↔	TP

Tip

The GPS antenna needs to be connected to the GPS click board to ensure that the satellite signals can be received.

Setup

You can either create a project based on an example project or start with an empty example project.

Important

• Make sure that the Third Party Hardware Drivers extension is installed as part of the SiSDK. If not, follow this documentation.
• Third Party Hardware Drivers extension must be enabled for the project to install the required components from this extension.

Tip

To show all components in the Third Party Hardware Drivers extension, the Evaluation quality must be enabled in the Software Component view.

Create a project based on an example project

1. From the Launcher Home, add your board to My Products, click on it, and click on the EXAMPLE PROJECTS & DEMOS tab. Find the example project filtering by gps.

2. Click Create button on the Third Party Hardware Drivers - LEA-6S - GPS Click (Mikroe) example. Example project creation dialog pops up -> click Create and Finish and Project should be generated.

   

3. Build and flash this example to the board.

Start with an empty example project

1. Create an "Empty C Project" for your board using Simplicity Studio v5. Use the default project settings.

2. Copy the file app/example/mikroe_gpsclick_lea6s/app.c into the project root folder (overwriting the existing file).

3. Open the .slcp file. Select the SOFTWARE COMPONENTS tab and install the following components:

   • If the BLE Explorer Kit is used:

     • [Services] → [Timers] → [Sleep Timer]
     • [Services] → [IO Stream] → [IO Stream: EUSART] → default instance name: vcom
     • [Services] → [IO Stream] → [IO Stream: USART] → default instance name: mikroe
     • [Application] → [Utility] → [Log]
     • [Third Party Hardware Drivers] → [Sensors] → [LEA-6S - GPS Click (Mikroe)]

   • If the Wi-Fi Development Kit is used:

     • [WiSeConnect 3 SDK] → [Device] → [Si91x] → [MCU] → [Service] → [Sleep Timer for Si91x]
     • [Third Party Hardware Drivers] → [Sensors] → [LEA-6S - GPS Click (Mikroe)] → use default configuration
     • [WiSeConnect 3 SDK] → [Device] → [Si91x] → [MCU] → [Peripheral] → [USART] → disable "USART0 DMA". Select the corresponding pins according to the table provided in Hardware Connection

4. Enable Printf float

   • Open Properties of the project.
   • Select C/C++ Build → Settings → Tool Settings → GNU ARM C Linker → General → Check Printf float.

5. Build and flash this example to the board.

How It Works

This example reads and processes data from GPS clicks. You can launch Console that's integrated into Simplicity Studio or use a third-party terminal tool like Tera Term to receive the data from the USB. A screenshot of the console output is shown in the figure below.

Report Bugs & Get Support

To report bugs in the Application Examples projects, please create a new "Issue" in the "Issues" section of third_party_hw_drivers_extension repo. Please reference the board, project, and source files associated with the bug, and reference line numbers. If you are proposing a fix, also include information on the proposed fix. Since these examples are provided as-is, there is no guarantee that these examples will be updated to fix these issues.

Questions and comments related to these examples should be made by creating a new "Issue" in the "Issues" section of third_party_hw_drivers_extension repo.