Datasheet RTL8191SU Datasheet (Realtek Semiconductor)

RTL8191SU

PCI-Express miniCard User’s Manual

Rev. 1.0

11 Sep 2009

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

No. 2, Innovation Road II, Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
Tel.: [phone]. Fax: [phone]
www.realtek.com.tw

RTL8191SU

COPYRIGHT

©2009 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any
means without the written permission of Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

DISCLAIMER

Realtek provides this document “as is”, without warranty of any kind, neither expressed nor implied,
including, but not limited to, the particular purpose. Realtek may make improvements and/or changes in
this document or in the product described in this document at any time. This document could include
technical inaccuracies or typographical errors.

TRADEMARKS

Realtek is a trademark of Realtek Semiconductor Corporation. Other names mentioned in this document are
trademarks/registered trademarks of their respective owners.

User’s Manual

USING THIS DOCUMENT

This document is intended for the software engineer’s reference and provides detailed programming
information.

Though every effort has been made to ensure that this document is current and accurate, more information
may have become available subsequent to the production of this guide. In that event, please contact your
Realtek representative for additional information that may help in the development process.

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Table of Contents

1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION................................................................................................................................................4

2. GENERAL FEATURES......................................................................................................................................................5

3. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS..........................................................................................................................................8

3.1. MINI PCI EXPRESS PIN ASSIGNMENT..............................................................................................................................8

3.2. MECHANICAL..................................................................................................................................................................9

3.3. ENVIRONMENTAL ............................................................................................................................................................9

3.3.1. Operating ...............................................................................................................................................................9

3.3.2. Storage....................................................................................................................................................................9

3.4. FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.........................................................................................................................................9

3.5. WARNING........................................................................................................................................................................9

4.5.1 Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement......................................................................................9

4.5.2 INDUSTRY CANADA STATEMENT................................................................................12

4.5.3 NCC 警語..........................................................................................................................................................13

List of Tables

TABLE 1. MINI PCI EXPRESS PIN ASSIGNMENT ............................................................................................................................8

TABLE 2. FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................................................9

List of Figures

FIGURE 2. RTL8191SU MINICARD MECHANICAL SPECIFICATION................................................................................................9

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1. General Description

The Realtek RTL8191SU is a highly integrated single-chip MIMO wireless LAN (WLAN) solution for the
wireless high throughput 802.11n draft specification. It combines a MAC, a 1T2R capable baseband, and
RF in a single chip. The RTL8191SU provides complete solution for a high throughput performance
wireless client.

The RTL8191SU baseband implements multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency
division multiplexing (OFDM) with 1 transmit and 2 receive paths and is compatible with 802.11n Draft
specification 2.0. Other features include one spatial streams transmission, up to two spatial streams
reception, short guard interval (GI) of 400ns, spatial spreading, and transmission over 20 MHz and 40 MHz
bandwidth. At the receiver, extended range and good minimum sensitivity is achieved by having receiver
diversity up to 2 antennas.

For legacy compatibility, direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), complementary code keying (CCK)
and OFDM baseband processing are included to support all IEEE 802.11b and 802.11g data rates.
Differential phase shift keying modulation schemes, DBPSK and DQPSK with data scrambling capability,
are available along with complementary code keying to provide the data rates of 1, 2, 5.5 and 11Mbps with
long or short preamble. The high speed FFT/IFFT paths, combined with BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, and
64QAM modulation of the individual subcarriers and rate compatible punctured convolutional coding with
coding rate of 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 5/6, provides the maximum data rate of 54 Mbps and 300 Mbps for IEEE

802.11g and 802.11n MIMO OFDM respectively.

The RTL8191SU builds in an enhanced signal detector, an adaptive frequency domain equalizer, and a
soft-decision Viterbi decoder to alleviate the severe multi-path effects and mutual interference in the
reception of multiple streams. For better detection quality, receive diversity with maximal-ratio-combine
(MRC) applying up to 2 receive paths are implemented. Robust interference detection and suppression are
provided to protect against bluetooth, cordless phone, and microwave oven. Receive vector diversity for
multi-stream application is implemented for efficient utilization of MIMO channel. Efficient IQ-imbalance,
DC offset, phase noise, frequency offset and timing offset compensations are provided for the radio
frequency front-end impairments. Selectable digital transmit and receiver FIR filters are provided to meet
the requirement of transmit spectrum mask and to reject the adjacent channel interference, respectively.

The RTL8191SU supports fast receiver automatic gain control (AGC) with synchronous and asynchronous
control loops among antennas, antenna diversity functions, and adaptive transmit power control function to
obtain the better performance in the analog portions of the transceiver.

The RTL8191SU MAC supports 802.11e for multimedia applications, 802.11i for security, and 802.11n for
enhanced MAC protocol efficiency. Using packet aggregation techniques such as A-MPDU with BA and
A-MSDU, protocol efficiency is significantly improved. Power saving mechanisms such as U-APSD,
APSD, and MIMO power saving reduces the power wasted during idle time, and compensates for the extra
power required to transmit MIMO OFDM. The RTL8191SU provides simple legacy and 20Mhz/40Mhz
co-existence mechanisms to ensure backward and network compatibility.

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User’s Manual

2. General Features

General

• 64-pin QFN

• CMOS MAC, Baseband MIMO PHY, and RF Single Chip for IEEE 802.11b/g/n compatible WLAN

• Complete 802.11n MIMO solution for 2.4GHz band

• 1x2 MIMO technology for extended reception robustness and exceptional throughput

• Maximum Tx/Rx PHY data rate up to 75M/150Mbps using 20Mhz bandwidth, 150M/300Mbps using

40Mhz bandwidth

• Compatible with 802.11n draft 2.0 specification

• Backward compatible with 802.11b/g devices while operating at 802.11n data rates

Host Interface

• Complies with PCI Express™ Base Specification Revision 1.1

Standards supported

• 802.11e QoS Enhancement (WMM, WMM-SA Client mode)

• 802.11h TPC, Spectrum Measurement

• 802.11k Radio Resource Measurement

• 802.11i (WPA, WPA2). Open, shared key, and pair-wise key authentication services

• Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) for WLAN devices

MAC Features

• Frame aggregation increase MAC efficiency (A-MSDU, A-MPDU)

• Low latency Immediate High-Throughput Block Acknowledgement (HT-BA)

• Long NAV for media reservation with CF-End for NAV release

• PHY-level spoofing to enhance legacy compatibility

• MIMO power saving mechanism

• Channel management and co-existence

• Multiple BSSID feature allowing RTL8191SU to assume multiple MAC identity when used as

wireless bridge

• Supports Wake-On-WLAN via Magic Packet and wake-up frame

• TXOP SIFS bursting guarantees multimedia bandwidth

5 Rev.1.0

Peripheral Interface

• General Purpose Input/Output (8 pins)

• 4-wire EEPROM control interface (93C46)

• Configurable LED pins (2)

• Configurable Bluetooth Coexistence Interface

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PHY Features

IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 MIMO OFDM

- 1 transmit and 2 receive paths (1T2R).

- 20MHz and 40MHz bandwidth transmission.

- Short Guard Interval (400ns).
DSSS with DBPSK and DQPSK, CCK modulations with long and short preamble.
OFDM with BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, and 64QAM modulations. Convolutional coding rate: 1/2, 2/3, 3/4,

and 5/6.
Maximum data rate 54Mbps in 802.11g and 300Mbps in 802.11n.
OFDM receive diversity with MRC using up to 2 receive paths. Switch diversity used for DSSS/CCK.
Hardware antenna diversity.
Selectable digital transmit and receiver FIR filters
Programmable scaling in transmitter and receiver to trade quantization noise against increasing probability

of clipping.

User’s Manual

Fast receiver automatic gain control (AGC).
On-chip ADC and DAC.

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3. Product specifications

3.1. Mini PCI Express Pin Assignment

Table 1. Mini PCI Express Pin Assignment

PIN# Pin Name

1 WAKE# NC 2 +3.3Vaux YES
3 COEX1 NC 4 GND YES
5 COEX2 NC 6 +1.5V NC
7 CLKREQ# NC 8 UIM_PWR NC

9 GND YES 10
11 REFCLK- NC 12
13 REFCLK+ NC 14
15 GND YES 16

PIN# Pin Name

UIM_DATA
UIM_CLK
UIM_RESET
UIM_VPP

NC
NC
NC
NC

RTL8191SU

User’s Manual

17 RESERVED NC 18 GND YES
19 RESERVED NC 20 W _DISABLE# YES
21 GND YES 22 PERST# NC
23 PERn0 NC 24 +3.3Vaux NC
25 PERp0 NC 26 GND YES
27 GND YES 28 +1.5V NC
29 GND YES 30 SMB_CLK NC
31 PETn0 NC 32 SMB_DATA NC
33 PETp0 NC 34 GND YES
35 GND YES 36 USB_D- YES
37 GND YES 38 USB_D+ YES
39 +3.3Vaux NC 40 GND YES
41 +3.3Vaux NC 42 LED_WWAN# NC
43 GND NC 44 LED_WLAN# YES
45 RESERVED NC 46 LED_WPAN# NC
47 RESERVED NC 48 +1.5V NC
49 RESERVED NC 50 GND YES
51 RESERVED NC 52 +3.3Vaux YES

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3.2. Mechanical

RTL8191SU

User’s Manual

Figure 1. RTL8191SU miniCard Mechanical Specification

3.3. Environmental

3.3.1. Operating

Operating Temperature: 0 to 70 °C
Relative Humidity: 5-90% (non-condensing)

3.3.2. Storage

Temperature: -20 to 85 °C
Relevant Humidity: 5-95% (non-condensing)

3.4. Functional Specifications

Table 2. Functional Specifications

Standard
Bus Interface

Data Rate

Media Access Control
Modulation Techniques 802.11b: CCK, DQPSK, DBPSK

IEEE802.11b; IEEE 802.11g; Draft IEEE 802.11n
Mini Card

802.11b: 11, 5.5, 2, 1 Mbps;

802.11g: 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9, 6 Mbps

802.11n:
MCS 0 to 7 for HT20MHz;
MCS 0 to 7 for HT40MHz
CSMA/CA with ACK

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802.11g: 64 QAM, 16 QAM, QPSK, BPSK

802.11n: BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM

Network architecture
Operating Channel

Frequency Range

Transmit Output Power – 1x2
(Tolerance: +1dBm, -1.5dBm)

Ad-hoc mode (Peer-to-Peer )
Infrastructure mode

2.4GHz

11: (Ch. 1-11) – United States
13: (Ch. 1-13) – Europe
14: (Ch. 1-14) – Japan (Ch14 optional)

2.400GHz ~ 2.4835 GHz

802.11 b
11Mbps

16 dBm

Receiver Sensitivity

Security
Operating Voltage

OS supported
Power Consumption TX Mode: 330mA

Antenna Type

802.11b

-76dBm@11Mbp
s z

WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK, WEP 64bit & 128bit, IEEE

802.11x, IEEE 802.11i

3.3 V ±9% I/O supply voltage
Windows XP/Vista

RX Mode: 220mA
Stand by mode Connect to AP: 44mA
Stand by mode no Connect to AP: 20mA
Radio off mode: 20mA
Two antenna connectors; 1TX, 2RX antenna diversity

802.11 g 54Mbps

14dBm

802.11g

-68@54Mbps

User’s Manual

802.11 n MCS7
13 dBm (40MHz BW)
14 dBm (20MHz BW)

802.11 n

-67dBm (MCS 7_HT20)

-64dBm (MCS 7_HT40)

RTL8191SU

3.5. Warning

4.5.1 Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one of the following measures:

- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that

to which the receiver is connected.

- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference

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RTL8191SU

received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment.
This equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator & your
body.
This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

IEEE 802.11b or 802.11g operation of this product in the U.S.A. is firmware-limited to channels 1 through

11.

This device is intended only for OEM integrators under the following conditions:
The antenna must be installed such that 20 cm is maintained between the antenna and users, and
The transmitter module may not be co-located with any other transmitter or antenna,
For all products market in US, OEM has to limit the operation channels in CH1 to CH11 for 2.4G band by
supplied firmware programming tool. OEM shall not supply any tool or info to the end-user regarding to
Regulatory Domain change.
As long as 3 conditions above are met, further transmitter test will not be required. However, the OEM
integrator is still responsible for testing their end-product for any additional compliance requirements
required with this module installed (for example, digital device emissions, PC peripheral requirements,
etc.).

IMPORTANT NOTE: In the event that these conditions can not be met (for example certain laptop
configurations or co-location with another transmitter), then the FCC authorization is no longer considered
valid and the FCC ID can not be used on the final product. In these circumstances, the OEM integrator will
be responsible for re-evaluating the end product (including the transmitter) and obtaining a separate FCC
authorization.

End Product Labeling
This transmitter module is authorized only for use in device where the antenna may be installed such that 20
cm may be maintained between the antenna and users. The final end product must be labeled in a visible
area with the following: “Contains FCC ID: TX2-RTL8191SU”.

Manual Information To the End User
The OEM integrator has to be aware not to provide information to the end user regarding how to install or
remove this RF module in the user’s manual of the end product which integrates this module.
The end user manual shall include all required regulatory information/warning as show in this manual.
Industry Canada Statement
This device complies with RSS-210 of the Industry Canada Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:

1) this device may not cause interference and

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2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of
the device

This device has been designed to operate with an antenna having a maximum gain of 3.95 dBi.
Antenna having a higher gain is strictly prohibited per regulations of Industry Canada. The required
antenna
impedance is 50 ohms.

To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that
the EIRP is not more than required for successful communication.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
IC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with IC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator & your
body.

User’s Manual

4.5.2 Industry Canada Statement

This device complies with RSS-210 of the Industry Canada Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:

1) this device may not cause interference and

2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of
the device

This device has been designed to operate with an antenna having a maximum gain of 3.95dBi.

Antenna having a higher gain is strictly prohibited per regulations of Industry Canada. The required
antenna
impedance is 50 ohms.

To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that
the EIRP is not more than required for successful communication.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

IC Radiation Exposure Statement:

This equipment complies with IC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator & your
body.

This device is intended only for OEM integrators
under the following conditions:

The transmitter module may not be co-located with any other transmitter or antenna.

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RTL8191SU

As long as conduction above is met, further transmitter test will not be required. However, the OEM
integrator is still responsible for testing their end-product for any additional compliance requirements
required with this module installed (for example, digital device emissions, PC peripheral requirements,
etc.). The antenna must be installed such that 20 cm is maintained between the antenna and users.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In the event that these conditions can not be met (for example certain laptop
configurations or co-location with another transmitter), then the IC authorization is no longer considered
valid and the IC ID can not be used on the final product. In these circumstances, the OEM integrator will be
responsible for re-evaluating the end product (including the transmitter) and obtaining a separate IC
authorization.

End Product Labeling

The final end product must be labeled in a visible area with the following: “Contains TX IC :
6317A-RTL8191SU”.

Manual Information That Must be Included

The OEM integrator has to be aware not to provide information to the end user regarding how to install or
remove.

User’s Manual

This RF module in the user’s manual of the end product which integrates this module.
The user’s manual for OEM Integrators must include the following information in a prominent location

“IMPORTANT NOTE: To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements. The antenna must not
be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter”.

4.5.3 NCC 警語

經型式認證合格之低功率射頻電機，非經許可，公司、商號或使用者均不得擅自變更頻率、加大功
率或變更原設計之特性及功能。

低功率射頻電機之使用不得影響飛航安全及干擾合法通信；經發現有干擾現象時，應立即停用，並
改善至無干擾時方得繼續使用。前項合法通信，指依電信法規定作業之無線電通信。低功率射頻電
機須忍受合法通信或工業、科學及醫療用電波輻射性電機設備之干擾。

本模組於取得認證後將依規定於模組本體標示審合格籤，並要求平台上標示「本產品內含射頻模
組：ID編號」

13 Rev.1.0

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Headquarters

No. 2, Innovation Road II, Hsinchu Science Park,
Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.realtek.com.tw

RTL8191SU

User’s Manual

14 Rev.1.0