Debugging; On-Board Debugger; Virtual Com Port - Silicon Laboratories BG22 Explorer Kit User Manual

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UG509: BG22 Explorer Kit User's Guide

Debugging

4. Debugging

The BG22 Explorer Kit contains an on-board SEGGER J-Link Debugger that interfaces to the target EFR32BG22 using the Serial Wire

Debug (SWD) interface. The debugger allows the user to download code and debug applications running in the target EFR32BG22.

Additionally, it provides a virtual COM port (VCOM) to the host computer that is connected to the target device's serial port, for general

purpose communication between the running application and the host computer. The Packet Trace Interface (PTI) is also supported by

the on-board debugger, which offers invaluable debug information about transmitted and received packets in wireless links. The on-

board debugger is accessible through the USB Micro-B connector.

The on-board debugger is a SEGGER J-Link debugger running on an EFM32 Giant Gecko. The debugger is directly connected to the

debug and VCOM pins of the target EFR32BG22.

When the debug USB cable is inserted, the on-board debugger is automatically activated, and takes control of the debug and VCOM

interfaces. This means that debug and communication will not work with an external debugger connected at the same time. The on-

board LDO is also activated, providing power to the board.

The virtual COM port is a connection to a UART of the target EFR32BG22 and allows serial data to be sent and received from the

device. The on-board debugger presents this as a virtual COM port on the host computer that shows up when the USB cable is inser-

ted.

Data is transferred between the host computer and the debugger through the USB connection, which emulates a serial port using the

USB Communication Device Class (CDC). From the debugger, the data is passed on to the target device through a physical UART

connection.

The serial format is 115200 bps, 8 bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit by default.

Note: Changing the baud rate for the COM port on the PC side does not influence the UART baud rate between the debugger and the

target device.

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