DIGI ConnectCore User Manual
ConnectCore® for i.MX6 SBC
Hardware Reference Manual
Revision history—90001499
Revision Date Description
E June 2017 Modified regulatory and certification information as
F July 2017 Add RGB values to parallel display interface chart.
G April 2018 Update boot mode resistor configuration table.
H April 2019 Add Brazilian regulatory information.
J October 2019 Add XBee socket note.
K July 2020 Modify XBee socket connection details; add link to variants
Trademarks and copyright
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property of their respective owners.
© 2020 Digi International Inc. All rights reserved.
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or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this manual at any time.
Warranty
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Customer support
Gather support information: Before contacting Digi technical support for help, gather the following
information:
Product name and model
Product serial number (s)
Firmware version
Operating system/browser (if applicable)
Logs (from time of reported issue)
Trace (if possible)
Description of issue
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Steps to reproduce
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Contact us at +1 952.912.3444 or visit us at www.digi.com/support.
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Contents
About this guide
Additional resources 6
ConnectCore 6 SBC overview
Introduction 8
Features and functionality 8
Placement - top side 10
Placement - bottom side 10
SBC block diagram 11
Variants 11
ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces
DC-in connector 13
Power LED 13
Overvoltage protection 14
5V load switch 14
SBC coin cell connector 15
SBC boot configuration 16
SBC boot source switches 16
5V supply connector 17
3.3V supply connector 18
Boot mode 19
Power and reset functions 20
5V supply connector 20
3.3V supply connector 21
JTAG 21
SWD 23
SBC console port 24
SATA 26
microSD 27
Gigabit Ethernet 28
Gigabit Ethernet PHY address 29
USB OTG 31
USB host 32
PCI express mini card 34
SBC micro-SIM card slot 38
XBee 39
Parallel display 41
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LVDS 44
HDMI 47
MIPI display 49
MIPI camera 51
Parallel camera 53
Audio 56
CAN 58
CAN termination resistors 59
UART 60
I2C 62
SPI 64
GPIO and user LEDs 65
Specifications
Electrical specifications 69
Supply voltages 69
Mechanical specifications 70
Environmental specifications 71
WLAN specifications 71
Bluetooth specifications 71
Regulatory information
Maximum power and frequency specifications 73
Europe 73
Declarations of Conformity 73
CE mark 73
Brazil 74
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About this guide
This guide provides information about the Digi ConnectCore 6 embedded core module family.
Additional resources
For additional information, see the most recent NXP i.MX6 processor reference manual and related
documentation at: http://www.nxp.com/products/microcontrollers-and- processors/arm-
processors/i.mx-applications-processors/i.mx-6-processors:IMX6X_SERIES.
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ConnectCore 6 SBC overview
Introduction 8
Features and functionality 8
Variants 11
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ConnectCore 6 SBC overview Introduction
Introduction
The ConnectCore 6 SBC is a Pico-ITX board featuring the Digi ConnectCore 6 module that integrates
an NXP i.MX6 application processor, DDR3 DRAM memory, eMMC memory, WLAN/Bluetooth module,
power management IC for optimized power consumption applications and a programmable
microcontroller assistant for supporting additional interfaces.
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides a selection of I/O interfaces including two USB 2.0 ports, one micro
USB OTG connector, micro SD card slot, HDMI, audio jack for stereo audio output and a gigabit
Ethernet port. All these connectors together with the main power connector are located on the front
edge of the board making them easily accessible if the board is assembled into an enclosure.
The ConnectCore 6 SBC also provides several multimedia connectors including two LVDS displays,
MIPI CSI-2 camera, MIPI DSI display, two 8-bit parallel cameras and a 24-bit parallel display.
Additional on board connectors provide support for SATA interface, JTAG, SWD, and console debug
ports, a coin cell connector to supply the RTC, and expansion connectors for USB, two CAN ports, I2C,
SPI, three UART ports, twelve GPIOs and audio input and output.
The board provides a mini-PCIe socket for connecting full or half size PCI express mini cards. A microSIM card is connected to the mini PCIe slot making the ConnectCore 6 SBC ready for a mini PCIe
cellular card.
The ConnectCore 6 SBC also has a connector for a Digi XBee module.
The board is powered from a single 5V DC supply. Two expansion connectors with 5V and 3.3V are
provided to supply external circuitry. An overvoltage circuit protects the board from input voltages up
to 12V.
Features and functionality
n ConnectCore 6 module
l i.MX6 single/dual/quad ARM Cortex-A9 cores operating at speeds of up to 1.2GHz
l 64-bit DDR3-1066 memory interface with a density up to 2Gbytes
l 8-bit eMMC support
l Optional IEEE802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0
n Power from a fix 5VDC power supply, +/- 5%
l +5V load switch
l External 3.3V power supply connected to PCIe minicard socket
n Overvoltage protection circuit
n Boot source configuration (eMMC, microSD, SATA)
n Coin-cell connector to supply the on module RTC
n Power button and reset button
n Power LED to show the status of the main supply
n 5V supply connector to supply external devices
n 3.3V supply connector to supply external devices
n Debug
l Standard IEEE 1149.1 JTAG interface
l Single Wired Debug (SWD) interface for the microcontroller assistant (MCA)
l Console serial port
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ConnectCore 6 SBC overview Features and functionality
n Storage
l SATA interface
l microSD card slot
n Multimedia
l Two LVDS interfaces supporting 4 differential data pairs each
l 24-bit parallel LCD interface
l HDMI 1.4 interface
l MIPI DSI display
l MIPI CSI-2 camera
l Two 8-bit parallel camera interfaces
l AC97 audio CODEC with stereo headphone jack
n Communication
l Gigabit Ethernet interface
l Mini PCIe slot supporting full size and half size mini PCIe cards
l microSIM card slot connected to the mini PCIe slot
l USB OTG with micro AB USB connector
l Two USB Host 2.0 with stacked USB A type connector
l XBee socket for Digi XBee THT modules
n Expansion
l One USB Host 2.0 port
l Two CAN ports
l Three UART ports (one TTL level and two RS-232)
l SPI
l I2C
l Audio connector with MIC, LINE-IN and LINE-OUT
l GPIO connector with 4 analog inputs and 8 digital GPIO signals
l Power connector with reset and power signals
n User interface
l Three user LEDs (green, yellow, red)
n Dimensions
l Pico-ITX form factor, 100mm x 72mm
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ConnectCore 6 SBC overview Features and functionality
Placement - top side
Placement - bottom side
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ConnectCore 6 SBC overview Variants
SBC block diagram
The figure below shows the block diagram of the ConnectCore 6 SBC.
ConnectCore for i.MX6 Single Board Computer
Variants
See the Digi ConnectCore 6 product page for a list of variants.
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces
DC-in connector 13
SBC coin cell connector 15
SBC boot configuration 16
Power and reset functions 20
5V supply connector 20
3.3V supply connector 21
JTAG 21
SWD 23
SBC console port 24
SATA 26
microSD 27
Gigabit Ethernet 28
USB OTG 31
USB host 32
PCI express mini card 34
SBC micro-SIM card slot 38
XBee 39
Parallel display 41
LVDS 44
HDMI 47
MIPI display 49
MIPI camera 51
Parallel camera 53
Audio 56
CAN 58
UART 60
I2C 62
SPI 64
GPIO and user LEDs 65
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces DC-in connector
DC-in connector
The ConnectCore 6 SBC has a +5V DC-In power connector (J1) to provide power to the system. A DCJack connector is used to connect the DC-In power supply.
Power LED
A green LED near the power connector shows the status of the power input. This LED is ON when a
valid power supply is present. If the power supply voltage is higher than 5.5V the overvoltage
protection circuit will block the power supply input and the power LED will turn off.
LED
POWER VSYS Green LED
Signal Note
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces DC-in connector
Overvoltage protection
An overvoltage protection circuit is implemented on the ConnectCore 6 SBC. If the voltage value of the
DC-In supply signal is higher than 5.5V the supply input is disconnected of the system.
CAUTION! The maximum input voltage of the ConnectCore 6 SBC should never exceed the 12
VDC. Voltages over this limit may cause permanent damage to the board.
5V load switch
The ConnectCore 6 SBC has several interfaces that have to be powered from a 5V supply. This supply
comes from a Load switch, whose input comes directly from the DC Power Jack showed above. The
SIP32401A is a slew rate controlled load switch designed for 1.1V to 5.5V operation. The SIP32401A
features a low voltage control logic interface which is commanded by the PWR_EN signal (PMIC_
GPIO7). On low power mode this load switch will be disabled. The following table lists the interfaces of
the ConnectCore 6 SBC that are sourced from the Load switch.
Interface Comments
LVDS0 Supply for the backlight of the LVDS0 display
LVDS1 Supply for the backlight of the LVDS1 display
HDMI Supply for the HDMI display
Parallel display Supply for the parallel display
5V power connector Supply for external circuitry
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces SBC coin cell connector
SBC coin cell connector
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides a 2-pin, 1.25mm pitch straight connector for connecting an external
coin cell or super capacitor to power the RTC interface when the main supply is off. If higher voltage is
present on the main supply, it will be used as a power source for the RTC.
The following table shows the pinout of the coin cell connector.
Pin Signal Comments
1 VCC_LICELL Power supply for RTC
2 GND Ground
There are three types of components that can be connected to this connector: lithium coin cells
(primary cell: non-rechargeable), lithium coin cells (secondary cell: rechargeable), and supercaps.
CAUTION! When a primary lithium coin cell is connected, the PMIC backup battery charger
must be turned off and this pin is used strictly as an input. It is hazardous to attempt to
charge primary lithium cells as they may vent or explode.
Secondary lithium coin cells are only made available directly to manufacturers of equipment that could
use them. Manufacturers are normally required to design products to prevent users from gaining
access to this part. This is because there is a danger to the user if by replacing it, they fit a primary
type (the only sort that they are likely to be able to source) into the charging circuit. When a secondary
lithium coin cell is used, both the charging current and the termination voltage are programmable.
When a supercap is used, both the charge current and termination voltage should be set to the
maximum values.
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces SBC boot configuration
The advantage of using a primary lithium coin cell is that the energy density usually allows years of
service since the self- discharge rate is low. The advantage of using a secondary lithium coin cell is
that the self-discharge rate is usually sufficient to allow a few months of support for the RTC before it
must be recharged. The advantage of the supercap is that it is intrinsically safe and can out-last the
primary lithium coin cell option. However, the self discharge rate is high, meaning that a 1F capacitor
at 25° C is likely to support the RTC for approximately five to ten days.
A programmable constant charge current charger with a programmable top-off charging voltage is
provided for charging of secondary lithium-manganese coin cell batteries and super capacitors.
Charging current is programmable from 100uA to 6mA. Termination voltage is programmable from
+1.1 to +3.1V.
The minimum voltage of the coin cell supply is +2V. The maximum voltage of the coin cell supply is
+3.6V.
Note Connector part number: MOLEX 53047-0210
SBC boot configuration
SBC boot source switches
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides the following switches to configure the boot source.
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces SBC boot configuration
Pos1 Pos2 Comments
Off Off Boot from eMMC
Off On Boot from microSD
On Off Boot from SATA
On On Reserved
5V supply connector
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides a 2-pin, 1.25mm pitch straight connector with a regulated 5V supply
for powering external circuitry. The 5V supply is generated on the on-board 5V regulator and it is also
used on the ConnectCore 6 SBC on the USB, displays and camera interfaces. The maximum current
available on the 5V connector is 1A.
Note Connector part number: MOLEX 53047-0210
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces SBC boot configuration
3.3V supply connector
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides a 2-pin, 1.25mm pitch straight connector with a regulated 3.3V
supply for powering external circuitry. The 3.3V supply is generated on a buck regulator of the
ConnectCore 6 module and it is used to power several interfaces on the ConnectCore 6 module and on
the ConnectCore 6 SBC. The maximum current available on the 3.3V connector is 1A.
Note Connector part number: MOLEX 53047-0210
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces SBC boot configuration
Boot mode
ConnectCore 6 SBC provides four resistors to configure the boot mode. These resistors are used to
override the boot mode configuration selected on the ConnectCore 6 module. By default these four
resistors are not populated and the ConnectCore 6 SBC will boot with the default boot mode selected
on the module.
The following table shows the resistors configuration for the different boot modes.
R24 R25 R28 R29 Boot mode
Not populated Not populated Not populated Not populated
Not populated Not populated Populated Populated Boot from fuses
Populated Not populated Not populated Populated Serial downloader
Not populated Populated Populated Not populated Boot from board settings
Note If no resistors are populated (default configuration on the SBC) internal 10K resistors on the
SOM will select the boot mode "Boot from board settings".
Note A different resistor configuration than the ones listed on the table might prevent the
ConnectCore 6 SBC from booting.
Module default boot mode
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces Power and reset functions
Power and reset functions
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides a Power button that supports the following functionality:
Function Description
Power On Short press when the board is OFF.
Power Off Long press for 10 seconds when the board is ON or in SLEEP mode.
Wake-up Short press when the board is in SLEEP mode.
Sleep Short press when the board is ON.
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides a Reset button, used to reset the ConnectCore 6 module. When the
reset button is pressed the main power supply is disconnected, powering off all the circuitry on the
board.
5V supply connector
The ConnectCore 6UL provides a 2-pin, 1.25 mm pitch straight connector with a regulated 5V supply
for powering external circuitry. The 5V supply is generated on the on-board 5V regulator, which is also
used internally in the ConnectCore 6UL SBC for powering interfaces such as the displays (LCD and
LVDS) and the USB VBUS.
The following table shows the pinout of the 5V supply connector.
Pin Signal name Description
1 5V 5V power line
2 GND
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces 3.3V supply connector
3.3V supply connector
The ConnectCore 6UL provides a 2-pin, 1.25 mm pitch straight connector with a regulated 3.3V supply
for powering external circuitry. The 3.3V supply is generated on a buck regulator of the ConnectCore
6UL PMIC (3V3_EXT power domain), which is also used internally for powering many interfaces of the
ConnectCore 6UL SBC carrier board.
The following table shows the pinout of the 3.3V supply connector.
Pin Signal name Description
1 3V3 3.3V power line
2 GND
JTAG
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides two options for accessing the i.MX6 JTAG Debug port. The first one is
a 2x5, 1.27 mm pitch pin header footprint on the top side of the board. The following table shows the
pinout of the JTAG connector.
Pin Signal Comments
1 3.3V Supply voltage of the JTAG interface
2 JTAG_TMS Test mode state signal
3 GND
4 JTAG_TCK Test clock signal
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces JTAG
Pin Signal Comments
5 GND
6 JTAG_TDO Test data output signal
7 -
8 JTAG_TDI Test data input signal
9 GND
10 POR_N Board reset/CPU reset
Note By default, the connector is not populated.
The second option is the Tag Connect footprint placed on the bottom side of the board. This Tag
Connect is compliant with the ARM 10-pin standard. The JTAG Tag Connect is highlighted in the
following picture.
Note You can use Tag-Connect’s TC2050-IDC-NL “No Legs” Plug-of-Nails™ cable (part number:
TC2050-IDC-NL) to make direct contact with the pads.
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ConnectCore 6 SBC interfaces SWD
SWD
The ConnectCore 6 SBC provides two options for programming and debugging the Kinetis
microcontroller assistant of the ConnectCore 6 module. The first one is a 2x5, 1.27 mm pitch pin
header footprint on the top side of the board. The following table shows the pinout of the SWD
connector.
Pin Signal Comments
1 VLDO_MCA Supply voltage of the Kinetis MCA
2 SWD_DIO SWD bidirectional data pin
3 GND
4 SWD_CLK SWD clock signal
5 GND
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 GND
10 MCA_RESET_N Reset signal for Kinetis MCA
The second option is the Tag Connect footprint placed on the bottom side of the board. This Tag
connector is compliant with the ARM 10-pin standard. The SWD Tag Connect is highlighted in the
following picture.
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