Ublox MAX-8 Series Hardware Integration Manual
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Ublox MAX-8 Series Hardware Integration Manual

Gnss modules
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MAX-8 / MAX-M8
u-blox 8 / M8 GNSS modules
Hardware Integration Manual
Abstract
This document describes the features and specifications of the u blox MAX-8 / MAX-M8 module
series.
www.u-blox.com
UBX-15030059 - R05

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Summary of Contents for Ublox MAX-8 Series

  • Page 1  MAX-8 / MAX-M8 u-blox 8 / M8 GNSS modules Hardware Integration Manual Abstract This document describes the features and specifications of the u blox MAX-8 / MAX-M8 module series. www.u-blox.com UBX-15030059 - R05...

  • Page 2: Document Information

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Document Information Title MAX-8 / MAX-M8 Subtitle u-blox 8 / M8 GNSS modules Document type Hardware Integration Manual Document number UBX-15030059 Revision and date 7-Feb-2019 Document status Production Information Product status Corresponding content status In Development / Objective Specification Target values.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Contents Document Information ..........................2 Contents ................................3 Hardware description ........................... 5 1.1 Overview ................................ 5 1.2 Configuration ............................... 5 1.3 Connecting power ............................5 1.3.1 VCC_IO: IO Supply Voltage ........................ 6 1.3.2 V_BCKP: Backup supply voltage ...................... 6 1.3.3 VCC_RF: Output voltage RF ......................
  • Page 4 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 4.2 Soldering ..............................20 4.3 EOS/ESD/EMI precautions ........................23 4.4 Applications with cellular modules ......................26 Appendix ............................... 28 Glossary ..............................28 Recommended components ......................28 Related documents ........................... 30 Revision history ............................30 Contact ................................

  • Page 5: Hardware Description

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Hardware description 1.1 Overview u-blox MAX-8 / MAX-M8 modules are standard precision GNSS positioning modules featuring the high performance u-blox 8 / M8 positioning engine. Available in the industry standard MAX form factor in a leadless chip carrier (LCC) package, they are easy to integrate and combine exceptional positioning performance with highly flexible power, design, and connectivity options.

  • Page 6: Vcc_Io: Io Supply Voltage

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 1.3.1 VCC_IO: IO Supply Voltage VCC_IO from the host system supplies the digital I/Os. The wide range of VCC_IO allows seamless interfacing to standard logic voltage levels independent of the VCC voltage level. In many applications, VCC_IO is simply connected to the main supply voltage.

  • Page 7: Vcc_Rf: Output Voltage Rf

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual ⚠ This string has to be sent once in production and will permanently turn off the single crystal feature on MAX-8C / MAX-M8C. The hot start and warm start performance will be degraded if time information is not provided to the receiver at every startup.

  • Page 8: Reset_N: Reset Input

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 1.5.1 RESET_N: Reset input Driving RESET_N low activates a hardware reset of the system. Use this pin only to reset the module. Do not use RESET_N to turn the module on and off, since the reset state increases power consumption.

  • Page 9: Ant_Det: Open Circuit Detection (Max-M8)

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 1.5.6 ANT_DET: Open Circuit Detection (MAX-M8) Antenna open circuit detection (ANT_DET) is not activated by default on the MAX-8 / MAX-M8 modules. ANT_DET can be mapped to PIO13 (EXTINT). ANT_DET is an input used to report whether an external circuit has detected an external antenna or not.

  • Page 10: Design

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Design 2.1 Pin description Function Description Remarks Power Supply Voltage Provide clean and stable supply. 1,10,12 Ground Assure a good GND connection to all GND pins of the module, preferably with a large ground plane. V_BCKP Backup Supply Backup supply voltage input pin.

  • Page 11: Minimal Design

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 2.2 Minimal design This is a minimal setup for a MAX-8 / M8 GNSS receiver: Figure 3: MAX-8 / MAX-M8 passive antenna design ☞ For information on increasing immunity to jammers such as GSM, see section 4.3. 2.3 Layout: Footprint and paste mask Figure 4 describes the footprint and provides recommendations for the paste mask for MAX-8 / MAX- M8 LCC modules.

  • Page 12: Antenna And Antenna Supervision

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 2.4 Antenna and Antenna supervision The MAX-8 / MAX-M8 modules are designed for usage with an active antenna, see section 2.4.2 2.4.1 Antenna design with passive antenna ☞ A passive antenna can be used, but require an external LNA and SAW for best performance. A design using a passive antenna requires more attention to the layout of the RF section.

  • Page 13: Antenna Design With Active Antenna

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual The LNA_EN pin (LNA enable) can be used to turn on and off an optional external LNA in power save mode in on/off operation. The VCC_RF output can be used to supply the LNA with a filtered supply voltage. ☞...

  • Page 14: Antenna Design With Active Antenna Using Antenna Supervisor (Max-M8W)

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Active antenna design powered from external supply Since the external bias voltage is fed into the most sensitive part of the receiver (i.e. the RF input), this supply should be free of noise. Usually, low frequency analog noise is less critical than digital noise of spurious frequencies with harmonics up to the GNSS frequency.

  • Page 15: Power And Short Detection Antenna Supervisor (Max-M8W)

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Abbreviation Description Active Antenna Control enabled Short Circuit Detection Enabled Open Circuit Detection enabled PDoS Short Circuit Power Down Logic enabled Automatic Recovery from Short state Table 4: Active Antenna Supervisor Message on startup (UBX binary protocol) ☞...

  • Page 16: Power, Short And Open Detection Antenna Supervisor (Max-M8W)

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual The LNA_EN signal can be used to turn on and off an external active Antenna. This reduces power consumption in Power Save Mode (Backup mode). Figure 12: External active antenna control (MAX-8C/Q and M8C/Q) Figure 13: MAX-M8W module design with external supply, active antenna (for exact pin orientation, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [2])
  • Page 17 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Figure 14: Schematic of open circuit detection (for exact pin orientation, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [2])       • Rbias Equation 1: Calculation of threshold current for open circuit detection ☞...

  • Page 18: Migration To U-Blox 8 / M8 Modules

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Migration to u-blox 8 / M8 modules 3.1 Migrating u-blox 7 designs to a u-blox 8 / M8 modules u-blox is committed to ensuring that products in the same form factor are backwards compatible over several technology generations.

  • Page 19: Software Migration

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual MAX-6 MAX-8/M8 Remarks for Migration Pin Name Typical Assignment Pin Name Typical Assignment RF_IN Matched RF-Input, DC RF_IN Matched RF-Input, DC No difference block inside. block inside. No difference ANT_ON Active antenna or ext. LNA_EN Ext.

  • Page 20: Product Handling

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Product handling 4.1 Packaging, shipping, storage and moisture preconditioning For information pertaining to reels and tapes, Moisture Sensitivity levels (MSL), shipment and MAX-8 Data Sheet and MAX- storage information, as well as drying for preconditioning, see the M8 Data Sheet [2].
  • Page 21 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual • Limit time above 217° C liquidus temperature: 40 – 60 s • Peak reflow temperature: 245° C Cooling phase A controlled cooling avoids negative metallurgical effects (solder becomes more brittle) of the solder and possible mechanical tensions in the products.
  • Page 22 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual • Ultrasonic cleaning will permanently damage the module, in particular the quartz oscillators. The best approach is to use a “no clean” soldering paste and eliminate the cleaning step after the soldering. Repeated reflow soldering Only single reflow soldering processes are recommended for boards populated with u-blox 8 / M8 modules.

  • Page 23: Eos/Esd/Emi Precautions

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual If casting is required, use viscose or another type of silicon pottant. The OEM is strongly advised to qualify such processes in combination with the u-blox 8 / M8 module before implementing this in the production.
  • Page 24 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual • Unless there is a galvanic coupling between the local GND (i.e. the work table) and the PCB GND, then the first point of contact when handling the PCB must always be between the local GND and PCB GND.
  • Page 25 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual EOS protection measures ☞ For designs with GNSS positioning modules and wireless (e.g. cellular) transceivers in close proximity, ensure sufficient isolation between the wireless and GNSS antennas. If wireless power output causes the specified maximum power input at the GNSS RF_IN to be exceeded, employ EOS protection measures to prevent overstress damage.

  • Page 26: Applications With Cellular Modules

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual 4.4 Applications with cellular modules GSM terminals transmit power levels up to 2 W (+33 dBm) peak, 3G and LTE up to 250mW continuous. Consult the data sheet for the absolute maximum power input at the GNSS receiver. See the GPS Implementation and Aiding Features in u-blox wireless modules [7].
  • Page 27 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Out-band interference Out-band interference is caused by signal frequencies that are different from the GNSS carrier (see Figure 20). The main sources are wireless communication systems such as GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, Wi-Fi, BT, etc. Figure 20: Out-band interference signals Measures against out-band interference include maintaining a good grounding concept in the design and adding a SAW or band pass ceramic filter (as recommend in Section 4) into the antenna input line...

  • Page 28: Appendix

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Appendix A Glossary Abbreviation Definition ANSI American National Standards Institute BeiDou Chinese navigation satellite system CDMA Code Division Multiple Access Electromagnetic compatibility Electromagnetic interference Electrical Overstress Electrostatic Protective Area Electrostatic discharge Galileo European navigation system GLONASS Russian satellite system Ground...
  • Page 29 MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Part Manufacturer Parts ID Remarks Parameters to consider SAFFB1G58KA0F0A GPS+GLONASS High attenuation, only for mobile application SAFFB1G58KB0F0A GPS+GLONASS Low insertion loss, Only for mobile application TAI-SAW TA1573A GPS+GLONASS Low insertion loss TA1343A GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou Low insertion loss TA0638A GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou Low insertion loss NJG1143UA2...

  • Page 30: Related Documents

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Related documents MAX-8 Data Sheet, Doc. No. UBX-16000093 MAX-M8 (FW3) Data Sheet, Doc. No. UBX-15031506 u-blox 8 / u-blox M8 Receiver Description Including Protocol Specification (Public version), Doc. UBX-13003221 GPS Antenna Application Note, Doc. No. GPS-X-08014 GPS Compendium, Doc.

  • Page 31: Contact

    MAX-8 / MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual Contact For complete contact information, visit us at www.u-blox.com. u-blox Offices North, Central and South America Headquarters Asia, Australia, Pacific Europe, Middle East, Africa u-blox America, Inc. u-blox Singapore Pte. Ltd. u-blox AG Phone: +1 703 483 3180 Phone:...

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