USER GUIDE
Atmel ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro
Preface
The Atmel® ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro evaluation kit is hardware platform
to evaluate the ATmega256RFR2 microcontroller.
Supported by the Atmel Studio integrated development platform, the kit provides
easy access to the features of the Atmel ATmega256RFR2 and explains how to
integrate the device in a customer design.
The Xplained Pro MCU series evaluation kits include an on-board Embedded
Debugger, and no external tools are necessary to program or debug the
ATmega256RFR2.
The Xplained Pro extension series evaluation kits offers additional peripherals to
extend the features of the board and ease the development of customer designs.
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Table of Contents
Preface .......................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction .............................................................................. 3
1.1. Features .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... .. 3
1.2. Kit overview .. ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ... 3
2. Getting started ......................................................................... 5
2.1. Quick-start ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ... 5
2.2. Connecting the kit .. ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... .......... 5
2.3. Design documentation and related links .... .... ........... .... .... ....... ... 5
3. Xplained Pro ............................................................................ 6
3.1. Embedded Debugger ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... . 6
3.2. Hardware identification system ..... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... .. 6
3.3. Power supply ..... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ..... 7
3.3.1. Measuring ATmega256RFR2 power consumption ..... ....... 7
3.4. Standard headers and connectors ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ...... 7
3.4.1. Xplained Pro extension header ... .... ....... .... .... ........... ... 7
3.4.2. Power header . .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... . 8
4. Hardware user guide .............................................................. 9
4.1. Connectors ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... .. 9
4.1.1. I/O extension headers ... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ... 9
4.1.2. Other headers .... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ...... 12
4.2. Peripherals ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ..... 13
4.2.1. Crystals .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... . 13
4.2.2. Mechanical buttons ... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ......... 13
4.2.3. LED .... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ..... 13
4.2.4. RF ........ .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ... 13
4.2.5. Temperature sensor ... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... .... 14
4.3. Embedded Debugger implementation .......... .... .... ....... .... .... ..... 14
4.3.1. JTAG .... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... .... 14
4.3.2. Virtual COM port .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... 15
4.3.3. Atmel Data Gateway Interface .......... .... .... ........... .... .. 15
5. Agency Certification .............................................................. 16
5.1. UNITED STATES (FCC) ..... .... .... ........... .... .... ........... .... .... .... 16
5.2. European Union (ETSI) ....... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ....... 16
5.3. List of Antennae tested with this product: .... ........... .... .... ....... ... 17
6. Hardware revision history and known issues ........................ 18
6.1. Identifying product ID and revision ...... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .. 18
6.2. Revision 3 .. ........... .... .... ........... .... .... ....... .... .... ........... .... .... 18
7. Document revision history ..................................................... 19
8. Evaluation board/kit important notice .................................... 20
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1. Introduction
1.1 Features
● Atmel® ATmega256RFR2 microcontroller
● Embedded Debugger (EDBG)
● USB interface
● Programming and debugging (target) through JTAG
● Virtual COM-port interface to target via UART
● Atmel Data Gateway Interface (DGI) to target via SPI or TWI
● Four GPIOs connected to target for code instrumentation
● Digital I/O
● Two mechanical buttons (user and reset button)
● One user LED
● Five extension headers
● Antenna
● One ceramic chip antenna (2450BM15A0015E)
● One SMA connector for external antenna
● Temperature sensor and EEPROM (AT30TSE758)
● Two possible power sources
● External power
● Embedded debugger USB
● 16MHz crystal
● 32kHz crystal
1.2 Kit overview
The Atmel ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro evaluation kit is a hardware platform to evaluate the Atmel
ATmega256RFR2.
The kit offers a set of features that enables the ATmega256RFR2 user to get started using the
ATmega256RFR2 peripherals right away and to get an understanding of how to integrate the device in their
own design.
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Figure 1-1. ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro evaluation kit overview.
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2. Getting started
2.1 Quick-start
3 Steps to start exploring the Atmel Xplained Pro Platform
● Download and install Atmel Studio1.
● Launch Atmel Studio.
● Connect an USB cable to the DEBUG USB port.
2.2 Connecting the kit
When connecting Atmel ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro to your computer for the first time, the operating
system will do a driver software installation. The driver file supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of
Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows 7.
Once connected the green power LED will be lit and Atmel Studio will autodetect which Xplained Pro
evaluation- and extension kit(s) that's connected. You'll be presented with relevant information like datasheets
and kit documentation. You also have the option to launch Atmel Software Framework (ASF) example
applications. The target device is programmed and debugged by the on-board Embedded Debugger and no
external programmer or debugger tool is needed. Please refer to the Atmel Studio user guide2 for information
regarding how to compile and program the kit.
2.3 Design documentation and related links
The following list contains links to the most relevant documents and software for the ATMEGA256RFR2
Xplained Pro.
1. Xplained Pro products 3 - Atmel Xplained Pro is a series of small-sized and easy-to-use evaluation kits
for 8- and 32-bit Atmel microcontrollers. It consists of a series of low cost MCU boards for evaluation and
demonstration of features and capabilities of different MCU families.
2. ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro User Guide 4 - PDF version of this User Guide.
3. ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro Design Documentation 5 - Package containing schematics, BOM,
assembly drawings, 3D plots, layer plots etc.
4. Atmel Studio 6 - Free Atmel IDE for development of C/C++ and assembler code for Atmel
microcontrollers.
5. IAR Embedded Workbench® 7 for Atmel AVR®. This is a commercial C/C++ compiler that is available
for 8-bit AVR. There is a 30 day evaluation version as well as a 4k code size limited kick-start version
available from their website.
6. Atmel sample store 8 - Atmel sample store where you can order samples of devices.
1
http://www.atmel.com/atmelstudio
2
http://www.atmel.com/atmelstudio
3
http://www.atmel.com/XplainedPro
4
http://www.atmel.com/Images/Atmel-42079-ATMEGA256RFR2-Xplained-Pro_User-Guide.pdf
5
http://www.atmel.com/Images/Atmel-42079-ATMEGA256RFR2-Xplained-Pro_User-Guide.zip
6
http://www.atmel.com/atmelstudio
7
http://www.iar.com/en/Products/IAR-Embedded-Workbench/AVR/
8
http://www.atmel.com/system/samplesstore
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3. Xplained Pro
Xplained Pro is an evaluation platform that provides the full Atmel microcontroller experience. The platform
consists of a series of Microcontroller (MCU) boards and extension boards that are integrated with Atmel
Studio, have Atmel Software Framework (ASF) drivers and demo code, support data streaming and more.
Xplained Pro MCU boards support a wide range of Xplained Pro extension boards that are connected through
a set of standardized headers and connectors. Each extension board has an identification (ID) chip to uniquely
identify which boards are mounted on a Xplained Pro MCU board. This information is used to present relevant
user guides, application notes, datasheets and example code through Atmel Studio. Available Xplained Pro
MCU and extension boards can be purchased in the Atmel Web Store1.
3.1 Embedded Debugger
The ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro contains the Atmel® Embedded Debugger (EDBG) for on-board
debugging. The EDBG is a composite USB device of 3 interfaces; a debugger, Virtual COM Port and Data
Gateway Interface (DGI).
In conjunction with Atmel Studio, the EDBG debugger interface can program and debug the ATmega256RFR2.
On the ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro, the JTAG interface is connected between the EDBG and the
ATmega256RFR2.
The Virtual COM Port is connected to a UART port on the ATmega256RFR2 (see section “Embedded
Debugger implementation” on page 14 for pinout), and provides an easy way to communicate with the target
application through a simple terminal software. It offers variable baud rate, parity and stop bit settings. Note
that the settings on the target device UART must match the settings given in the terminal software.
The DGI consists of several physical data interfaces for communication with the host computer. Please,
see section “Embedded Debugger implementation” on page 14 for available interfaces and pinout.
Communication over the interfaces are bidirectional. It can be used to send events and values from the
ATmega256RFR2, or as a generic printf-style data channel. Traffic over the interfaces can be timestamped
on the EDBG for more accurate tracing of events. Note that timestamping imposes an overhead that reduces
maximal throughput. The DGI uses a proprietary protocol, and is thus only compatible with Atmel Studio.
The EDBG controls two LEDs on ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro, a power LED and a status LED. Table 3-1,
“EDBG LED control” shows how the LEDs are controlled in different operation modes.
Table 3-1. EDBG LED control
Operation mode Power LED Status LED
Normal operation Power LED is lit when power is
applied to the board.
Bootloader mode (idle) The power LED and the status LED blinks simultaneously.
Bootloader mode (firmware
upgrade)
For further documentation on the EDBG, see the EDBG User Guide.
3.2 Hardware identification system
All Xplained Pro compatible extension boards have an Atmel ATSHA204 crypto authentication chip mounted.
This chip contains information that identifies the extension with its name and some extra data. When an
Xplained Pro extension board is connected to an Xplained Pro MCU board the information is read and sent
to Atmel Studio. The Atmel Kits extension, installed with Atmel Studio, will give relevant information, code
examples and links to relevant documents. Table 3-2, “Xplained Pro ID chip content” shows the data fields
stored in the ID chip with example content.
Table 3-2. Xplained Pro ID chip content
Data Field Data Type Example Content
Manufacturer ASCII string Atmel’\0’
Product Name ASCII string Segment LCD1 Xplained Pro’\0’
Product Revision ASCII string 02’\0’
Activity indicator, LED flashes
every time something happens on
the EDBG.
The power LED and the status LED blinks in an alternating pattern.
1
http://store.atmel.com/
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Data Field Data Type Example Content
Product Serial Number ASCII string 1774020200000010’\0’
Minimum Voltage [mV] uint16_t 3000
Maximum Voltage [mV] uint16_t 3600
Maximum Current [mA] uint16_t 30
3.3 Power supply
The ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro kit can be powered either by USB or by an external power source through
the 4-pin power header, marked PWR. This connector is described in “Power header” on page 8. The
available power sources and specifications are listed in Table 3-3, “Power sources for ATMEGA256RFR2
Xplained Pro”.
Table 3-3. Power sources for ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro
Power input Voltage requirements Current requirements Connector marking
External power 4.3V to 5.5V Recommended
minimum is 500mA
to be able to provide
enough current
for extentions and
the board itself.
Recommended
maximum is 2A due
to the input protection
maximum current
specification.
Embedded debugger
USB
4.4V to 5.25V
(according to USB spec)
500 mA (according to
USB spec)
PWR
DEBUG USB
The kit will automatically detect which power sources are available and choose which one to use according to
the following priority:
1. External power
2. Embedded debugger USB
3.3.1 Measuring ATmega256RFR2 power consumption
As part of an evaluation of the ATmega256RFR2 it can be of interest to measure its power consumption.
Because the device has a separate power plane (VCC_MCU_P3V3) on this board it is possible to measure the
current consumption by measuring the current that is flowing into this plane. The VCC_MCU_P3V3 plane is
connected via a jumper to the main power plane (VCC_TARGET_P3V3) and by replacing the jumper with an
ampere meter it is possible to determine the current consumption. To locate the current measurement header,
please refer to Figure 1-1, “ATMEGA256RFR2 Xplained Pro evaluation kit overview.”.
Warning
Do not power the board without having the jumper or an ampere meter mounted. This can cause
the ATmega256RFR2 to be powered through its I/O pins and cause undefined operation of the
device.
3.4 Standard headers and connectors
3.4.1 Xplained Pro extension header
All Xplained Pro kits have one or more dual row, 20 pin, 100mil extension headers. Xplained Pro MCU boards
have male headers while Xplained Pro extensions have their female counterparts. Note that all pins are
not always connected. However, all the connected pins follow the defined pin-out described in Table 3-4,
“Xplained Pro extension header”. The extension headers can be used to connect a wide variety of Xplained Pro
extensions to Xplained Pro MCU boards and to access the pins of the target MCU on Xplained Pro MCU board
directly.
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