Frequently Asked Questions

2.4 GHz ISM-band Transceiver

Description
This FAQ answers frequently asked questions concerning ATR2406 and its use.
ATR2406
FAQ 2.4 GHz
ISM-band
Transceiver
Application Note
Preliminary
Rev. 4860AISM04/05
2
4860AISM04/05
ATR2406 FAQ [Preliminary]
1. Transmitter
1.1 T-Q1: Which Data Rates are Supported by ATR2406?
T-A1: The ATR2406s supported data rates are 72 Kbps, 144 Kbps, 288 Kbps, 576 Kbps and
1152 Kbps.
1.2 T-Q2: Is it Possible to Use Asynchronous Data Alongside Synchronous data? Does the
TX_DATA Have to be in a Special Relationship to the Reference Clock?
T-A2: TX_DATA has to be in sync with the reference clock with fast TX_DATA (1152 Kbps).
At lower data rates, there is no requirement for this, as the artificial jitter caused by not being in
synchronisation is small compared to the bit-width.
The reason is that the internal Gaussian filter circuit oversamples the transmit data at time points
which are referenced by the REF_CLK.
The oversampling is carried out 6 times per bit.
So if the transmit data is not synchronised, and, for example, a 101010 pattern is not sampled
correctly (say the 1 is sampled just 4 times, than the following 0 is sampled 8 times, etc.) the
Gaussian filtering will not work properly.
With synchronised transmit data, the oversampling will always carried out correctly
1.3 T-Q3: What is the Maximum Possible Slot Length?
T-A3: As a rule of thumb, the maximum slot length will be longer if the loop filter has bigger
capacitor values. However, the settling time for the PLL will also be increased by using a bigger
capacitor, which implies a bigger loop filter time constant. For details please see the application
note ATR2406 Loop Filter and Data Rates.
1.4 T-Q4: What is the Reason for Frequency Drift on Open-loop Systems?
Frequency drift is an issue which applies to all systems using open-loop mode.
The maximum possible slot length depends on the frequency drift at open-loop enable.
The frequency drift is determined by the leakages of the external loop filter components, the
leakage currents via the PCB and the leakage of the VTUNE input of ATR2406 which together
cause a slowly drifting frequency when the PLL is in open-loop mode.
For tips on reducing the drift and optimizing it for the application requirements please see the
application note ATR2406 Loop Filter and Data Rates.
3
4860AISM04/05
ATR2406 FAQ [Preliminary]
2. Receiver
2.1 R-Q1: The Datasheet States that Clock Recovery is only Available when the Data Rate is
Set to 1152 Kbps. Does the Clock Recovery Function Work at Data Rates other than
1152 Kbps?
R-A1: Yes and no.
It is true that clock recovery is designed to work at 1152 Kbps.
For example, if you have a 101010 pattern, the clock recovery will mark the middle of the bit
position where the microcontroller can sample the data.
However, if you have a 110011 you will get two marks at the 1s and two marks at the 0s; also,
a 11001100 pattern can be the preamble of a 576 Kbps bitstream.
So, it is possible to use clock recovery at lower bitrates (integer dividers of 1152 Kbps) by blank-
ing out the double-marks per bit using software. Figure 2-1 illustrates this issue.
Figure 2-1. Recovered Clock Versus Received Bits and Different Data Rates
2.2 R-Q2: So, in the Case of Lower Data Rates, the Microcontroller Will Need to Oversample
the Data or Use Other Sampling Techniques to Decode the Incoming Bit Stream?
R-A2: The clock recovery function is very useful at high data rates to reduce the MCU load. At
data rates below 1152 Kbps it might be more convenient for an MCU to oversample or poll the
incoming data, than to use the clock recovery function.
2.3 R-Q3: What is the Bandwidth of the RX Section?
R-A3: The bandwidth of the RX section is defined by the internal filter, which is 1450 kHz
t
1 falling slope per bit
Pin at ATR2406
2 falling slopes per bit
Pin 28
Pin 6
Pin 28
Pin 6
RXD at 576 kbps
CR at 576 kbps
RXD at 1152 kbps
CR at 1152 kbps
4
4860AISM04/05
ATR2406 FAQ [Preliminary]
2.4 R-Q4: What is the Maximum Duration for a 1 or 0 before Dataslicer Threshold Point
Drifts Away?
R-A4: One strength and big advantage of our ATR2406 compared to competing products is that
there is no analog dataslicer inside, it is a purely digital demodulator.
So, there is no drift nor are there restrictions on sync word length and data message in real
applications. The maximum transmit slot length is determined by the loop filter time constant.
For more details please see the application note ATR2406 Loop Filter and Data Rates.
2.5 R-Q5: Are there any Restrictions on Preamble Length, Sync Word Length or on Data
Message Length?
R-A5: Since ATR2406 uses a digital demodulator there are no restrictions on lengths of sync
word or data message. However, the preamble length should be 16 bits.
2.6 R-Q6: Does that Imply that the RX Clock Provided by the Device Does not Depend on any
Particular Number of Preamble Bits before it Provides an Accurate Strobe or Clock
Signal Allowing the Attached Microcontroller to Properly Sample the RX Data?
R-A6: The function of the digital demodulator can be roughly seen as follows:
Internally, there is a frequency detector to decide if the incoming data is a 0 or a 1.
This detector also includes an internal oscillator which is synchronised by the preamble, so a
premable is required to obtain synchronization.
The RX data and the RX clock are recovered from the received signal.
Therefore, the minimum preamble should be at least 16 bits (about 16 s).
3. General
3.1 G-Q2: Can I Use a Low-cost Crystal?
G-A2: The tolerance of the crystal should be less than or equal to 20ppm.
Background: A crystal frequency which is, for example, only +20ppm higher than the specified
center frequency will lead to a frequency offset of about 50 kHz at 2.45 GHz. Taking this into cal-
culation, a tolerance will cause a worst-case separation of 100 kHz. Since ATR2406 utilizes
a high deviation of 400 kHz, and the internal automatic adjustment circuit covers slightly more
than this, the worst-case offset can be accepted without impacting performance.
3.2 G-Q3: Is a Layout for an RF Demo Board Available?
Yes. You can download the actual layout, including gerber files, substrate data, bill of materials
and module description from our website: http://www.atmel.com/products/smartrf/
Please contact Marketing Manager Jrg Alber (Joerg.Alber@hno.atmel.com) for more informa-
tion or the latest documents.
5
4860AISM04/05
ATR2406 FAQ [Preliminary]
3.3 G-Q3: How Can the Power Consumption be Reduced?
G-A3: The power consumption can be reduced by using burst mode.
A data packet has to be sent as fast as possible to keep on-the-air time (OTA) as low as possi-
ble. By using small transmit and receive bursts, the average power consumption is reduced
significantly.
3.4 G-Q4: Which Kind of Substrate are you Using on your RF Demo Board?
G-A4: The substrate we are using on our RF demo board is standard FR4 (eps_r ~ 4.4) two
layers.
The substrate height is 500 m and the conductor thickness (copper) is 35 m.
All structures (track width, microstrip, etc.) are implemented in such a way that standard toler-
ances do not affect the performance of the RF demo board at all.
Beyond this, other substrate thicknesses are possible (for example, 800 m, 1000 m); how-
ever, the microstrip elements have to be adapted to this height.
3.5 G-Q5: What Loop Filter Components Should be Used?
G-A5: To obtain best dynamic performance and low frequency drift, use high-quality external
loop filter capacitors. COG-type capacitors have low leakage as well as low dielectric absorption,
both of which are important parameters on systems using open-loop modulation.
For more details, please see the application note ATR2406 Loop Filter and Data Rates.
3.6 G-Q6: How Can I Interface the ATR2406 to an AVR Microcontroller?
G-A6: This following describes how an AVR microcontroller can be connected to the ATR2406.
The main focus is on the exchange of RF data (how the data to be transmitted can be sent from
the AVR to the ATR2406, and how the data received can be brought from the ATR2406 to the
AVR microcontroller).
3.6.1 Interfacing the AVR with the ATR2406 via Synchronous UART
This is the method used by our RF firmware. This interfacing method is a very effective way of
connecting the AVR and the ATR2406 together. To get such a system working, the user has to
configure the maximum data rate of the ATR2406 and enable the clock recovery feature. The
maximum data rate is only available when using the UART in synchronous mode.
3.6.1.1 Configuration of the ATR2406
Enable the clock recovery feature for receiving of RF data
Disable the clock recovery feature for transmitting of RF data
3.6.1.2 Configuration of the AVR UART
Configure the UART in synchronous mode (set UMSEL bit in the UCSRC register)
Set the baudrate register to 1152 Kbps
6
4860AISM04/05
ATR2406 FAQ [Preliminary]
Figure 3-1. Principal Interconnection Between AVR and ATR2406
Figure 3-2. Improved Interconnection Between AVR and ATR2406
ATR2406
RF_CTRL
RF_DATA
AVR_MCU
USART
GPIO
R
13.824 MHz XTAL REF_CLK
nOLE
ENABLE
CLOCK
DATA
TX_ON
RX_ON
PU_TRX
PU_REG
GPIO1
TXD
RXD
XCK
TX_DATA
RX_DATA
RX-CLOCK
RSSI
GPIO2
GPIO3
GPIO4
GPIO5
GPIO6
GPIO7
ATR2406
RF_CTRL
RF_DATA
AVR_MCU
USART
GPIO
R
13.824 MHz XTAL REF_CLK
nOLE
ENABLE
CLOCK
DATA
TX_ON
RX_ON
PU_TRX
PU_REG
GPIO1
GPIO2
TXD
RXD
XCK
GPIO3
GPIO4
GPIO5
TX_DATA
RX_DATA
RX-CLOCK
RSSI
7
4860AISM04/05
ATR2406 FAQ [Preliminary]
3.6.2 Interfacing the AVR with the ATR2406 via Asynchronous UART
This method of interfacing the AVR with the ATR2406 enables the user to get all the possible
data rates other than 1152 Kbps.
3.6.2.1 Configuration of the ATR2406
Disable the clock recovery feature for data transmission and reception
3.6.2.2 Configuration of the AVR UART
Configure the UART in asynchronous mode (clear the UMSEL bit in the UCSRC register)
Set baudrate register to 576 Kbps, 288 Kbps,144 Kbps, or 72 Kbps
One big advantage of using the UART: Synchronisation to the incoming RF data stream is
done automatically by hardware.
3.6.3 Interfacing the AVR with the ATR2406 via SPI
This is a second possibility of interfacing the two chips, however, it is a very complex one as the
CPU load is heavily increased. First, the SCK has to be generated by software as the hardware
does not support one of the possible data rates. Second, the synchronization to the incoming RF
data stream must also be handled by software.
3.6.4 Interfacing the AVR with the ATR2406 via Software
To do this, the software has to handle all steps necessary to receive or transmit data via RF.
This method is possible at lower data rates but adds a big overhead to the software.
3.7 G-Q7 How Can I Use the ATR2406 without an AUX-regulator Transistor?
G-A7: When using the ATR2406 without the AUX regulator, the maximum allowed supply volt-
age is 2.9V to 3.6V, and the pins VREG, VS_REG, VS_IFD, VS_IFA, VS_SYN, VS_TRX need
to be connected directly to this supply voltage.
REG_CTRL must to connected to the supply voltage via a resistor (for example, 10 k).
PU_REG can be connected together with PU_TRX and controlled via one control signal by the
MCU.
3.8 G-Q8 Can I Increase the Settling Time of the PLL?
G-A8: Yes. For details, see the application note ATR2406 Loop Filter and Data Rates.
3.9 G-Q9 What are the Requirements for the PCB and Microstrip Lines of the RF Module?
G-A9: All mechanical dimensions and specifications of the used substrate and microstrip lines
can be pr ovi ded upon r equest . Pl ease cont act Mar ket i ng Manager Jr g Al ber
(Joerg.Alber@hno.atmel.com) for more information or the latest documents.
3.10 G-Q10: Why do You Use Two Capacitors in Parallel (C18 = 470 nF, C19 = 68 pF) at the VCO
Regulator (pin 13 of ATR2406) Instead of only one 470 nF, which is the Dominant Value?
G-A10: The reason for having two caps at this point, one with high capacitance and one with low
capacitance (both have different ESRs and resonant frequencies), is to obtain a wideband filter-
ing characteristic. The cap with 68 pF corresponds to any noise which has higher frequency
components improving the filtering at the VCO regulator pin of ATR2406. So this will reduce any
noise which might be coupled in on the VCO regulator.
Printed on recycled paper.
4860AISM04/05
Atmel Corporation 2005. All rights reserved. Atmel

, logo and combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are

and others, are registered trade-

marks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.
Disclaimer: The information in this document is provided in connection with Atmel products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any
intellectual property right is granted by this document or in connection with the sale of Atmel products. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN ATMELS TERMS AND CONDI-
TIONS OF SALE LOCATED ON ATMELS WEB SITE, ATMEL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY
WARRANTY RELATING TO ITS PRODUCTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL ATMEL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR INCIDEN-
TAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT
OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS DOCUMENT, EVEN IF ATMEL HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Atmel makes no
representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and reserves the right to make changes to specifications
and product descriptions at any time without notice. Atmel does not make any commitment to update the information contained herein. Atmels products are not
intended, authorized, or warranted for use as components in applications intended to support or sustain life.
Atmel Corporation Atmel Operations
2325 Orchard Parkway
San Jose, CA 95131, USA
Tel: 1(408) 441-0311
Fax: 1(408) 487-2600
Regional Headquarters
Europe
Atmel Sarl
Route des Arsenaux 41
Case Postale 80
CH-1705 Fribourg
Switzerland
Tel: (41) 26-426-5555
Fax: (41) 26-426-5500
Asia
Room 1219
Chinachem Golden Plaza
77 Mody Road Tsimshatsui
East Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2721-9778
Fax: (852) 2722-1369
Japan
9F, Tonetsu Shinkawa Bldg.
1-24-8 Shinkawa
Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0033
Japan
Tel: (81) 3-3523-3551
Fax: (81) 3-3523-7581
Memory
2325 Orchard Parkway
San Jose, CA 95131, USA
Tel: 1(408) 441-0311
Fax: 1(408) 436-4314
Microcontrollers
2325 Orchard Parkway
San Jose, CA 95131, USA
Tel: 1(408) 441-0311
Fax: 1(408) 436-4314
La Chantrerie
BP 70602
44306 Nantes Cedex 3, France
Tel: (33) 2-40-18-18-18
Fax: (33) 2-40-18-19-60
ASIC/ASSP/Smart Cards
Zone Industrielle
13106 Rousset Cedex, France
Tel: (33) 4-42-53-60-00
Fax: (33) 4-42-53-60-01
1150 East Cheyenne Mtn. Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80906, USA
Tel: 1(719) 576-3300
Fax: 1(719) 540-1759
Scottish Enterprise Technology Park
Maxwell Building
East Kilbride G75 0QR, Scotland
Tel: (44) 1355-803-000
Fax: (44) 1355-242-743
RF/Automotive
Theresienstrasse 2
Postfach 3535
74025 Heilbronn, Germany
Tel: (49) 71-31-67-0
Fax: (49) 71-31-67-2340
1150 East Cheyenne Mtn. Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80906, USA
Tel: 1(719) 576-3300
Fax: 1(719) 540-1759
Biometrics/Imaging/Hi-Rel MPU/
High Speed Converters/RF Datacom
Avenue de Rochepleine
BP 123
38521 Saint-Egreve Cedex, France
Tel: (33) 4-76-58-30-00
Fax: (33) 4-76-58-34-80
Literature Requests
www.atmel.com/literature