Roving Networks RN-41-EK, RN-42-EK User’s Guide
RN-4142-EK-UG
RN-41-EK & RN-42-EK Evaluation Kit
User’s Guide
© 2012 Roving Networks. All rights reserved.
RN-4142-EK-UG Version 1.0 12/10/12
Copyright © 2012 Roving Networks. All rights reserved. Roving Networks
is a registered trademark of Roving Networks. Apple Inc., iPhone, iPad,
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Roving Networks reserves the right to make corrections, modifications,
and other changes to its products, documentation and services at any
time. Customers should obtain the latest relevant information before placing orders and should verify that such information is current and complete.
Roving Networks assumes no liability for applications assistance or customer’s product design. Customers are responsible for their products and
applications that use Roving Networks components. To minimize customer product risks, customers should provide adequate design and operating safeguards.
Roving Networks, Inc.
102 Cooper Court
Los Gatos, CA 95032
+1 (408) 395-5300
www.rovingnetworks.com
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Roving Networks products are not authorized for use in safety-critical
applications (such as life support) where a failure of the Roving Networks
product would reasonably be expected to cause severe personal injury or
death, unless officers of the parties have executed an agreement specifically governing such use.
RN-4142-EK-UG
1.0 OVERVIEW
This document describes the hardware and software setup for Roving Networks RN-41-EK and
RN-42-EK evaluation boards. The RN-41-EK and RN-42-EK evaluation boards are fiel d-ready,
Bluetooth SIG qualified prototyping platforms for the RN41 and RN42 modules, respectively. The
boards have the flexibility to connect directly to PCs via a standard USB interface (via the F TDI
chipset) or to embedded processors through the TTL UART interface. The status LEDs,
dipswitches, and signal headers enable rapid prototyping and integration into existing systems.
You configure and control the modules from a console with a simple ASCII command language.
Once the configuration is set up, the module can connect over Bluetooth. You use the evaluation
kit to configure the Bluetooth module using the command interface, create connections, and
transfer data. See “Resources & Related Documents” on page 16 for information on available
documentation.
The RN-41-EK and RN-42-EK evaluation boards support the serial port profile (SPP) and human
interface device (HID) profiles. The instructions in this document use the SPP profile. For more
information on these profiles and how to switch between them, refer to the Bluetooth Command
Reference & Advanced Information User’s Guide.
2.0 EVALUATION KIT DESCRIPTION
The evaluation kit includes the hardware required to conn ect the eva luatio n board to your computer. See Table 2-1. To evaluate the module on the evaluation board, you need a computer with
a USB port running the Microsoft Windows or Mac OS-X operating system.
Note: Before beginning your evaluation, you may need to install the FTDI driver for the
USB cable. You can download the driver (as well as other tools and utilities) from
the Roving Networks website at http://www.rovingnetworks.com/support.php.
TABLE 2-1: EVALUATION KIT CONTENTS
Hardware Description
Evaluation board Contains the Bluetooth module, status LEDs, and
dipswitches.
Mini-USB cable Links your computer to the evaluation board.
Figure 2-1 describes the evaluation board’s interfaces and connectors.Table 2-2 describes the
status LEDs. The green LED indicates the status of the Bluetooth connection and when the
device is in configuration mode. The RN41 and R N42 modules are pin compatiable; therefore,
the description applies to both the RN-41-EK and RN-42-EK boards. Refer to “RN-41-EK &
RN-42-EK Schematic” on page 17 for the board’s schematic.
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FIGURE 1-1: RN-41-EK & RN-42-EK EVALUATION BOARD, Note 1
87615432 1211109
615432
GPIO Signal
Header 2 (J2)
Pin 13
Top
RN-4142-EK-UG
PCB Trace
Antenna
Programming
Header (J3)
GPIO Signal
Header 1 (J1)
USB
Interface
LED
Indicators
(S = Green
A = Red)
Bottom
Configuration
Switches
Note 1: This figure shows the RN-42-EK board. The RN-41-EK board is similar.
GPIO Signal Header 1 (J1) GPIO Signal Header 2 (J2) Programing Header (J3)
20191813 17161514 24232221
Pin Description Pin Description Pin Description
1 GPIO6 13 GPIO4 1 SPI_MISO
2 GPIO7 14 GPIO3 2 SPI_MOSI
3 RESET_N 15 GPIO2 3 SPI_SCK
4 No Connect 16 CTS 4 SPI_SS
5 No Connect 17 RTS 5 3.3 V
6 No Connect 18 TXD 6 GND
7 No Connect 19 RXD
8 Sensor Input 1 (AIO1) 20 GPIO11 Configuration Switches
9 Shutdown (SHDN) 21 GPIO10
Switch Description
10 No Connect 22 GPIO9 1 Restore Factory Defaults
11 3.3 V 23 GPIO8 2 Automatic Discovery
12 GND 24 Sensor Input 0 (AIO0) 3 Automatic Master
4 Default Baud Rate
PCB Trace
Antenna
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TABLE 2-2: STATUS LEDS
Mode Green LED (S) Red LED (A)
Fast blink, 10 times per second Command mode –
Blinks twice per second Boot up, remotely configurable –
Blinks once per second Discoverable/idle Data over the UART
Solid on
Connected –
3.0 HARDWARE SETUP
To set up the evaluation hardware, perform the following steps:
1. Connect the mini-USB cable to your computer’s USB port and to the evaluation board’s
mini-USB connector. This connection provides power to the board and provides a data
connection to the command console.
Note: Windows prompts you to install the FTDI drivers (that create a virtual COM port to
the module’s USB port) if they are not already installed. You can download the drivers from the Support page on the Roving Networks website at http://www.rovingnet-
works.com/support.php.
RN-4142-EK-UG
2. Note the COM port to which you have attached the cable.
Figure 3-1 shows the completed hardware setup for the evaluation boards.
FIGURE 1-2: COMPLETED HARDWARE SETUP
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RN-4142-EK-UG
UART
Bluetooth Interface
Bluetooth
Module
Command
Mode
$$$ $$$
A
B
User Data
Bluetooth
Host
A
B
4.0 USING THE EVALUATION KIT
You program Roving Networks Bluetooth devices over the Bluetooth link or through the serial
interface (USB port) using a simple ASCII command language, which is similar to the ind ustrystandard Hayes A T protocol. set commands configure the module and get commands echo the
current configuration. Configuration settings modified with the set command do not take effect
until the module has been rebooted, even though the get command may show otherwise.
This section assumes that you have a working knowledge of Bluetooth operation and communications. To configure the Roving Networks devices you need a Bluetooth-enabl ed PC (either
built-in or using a USB Bluetooth dongle). You can only configure one device at a time. Once
configured, device settings are saved (independent of power down) until they are explicitly
changed or the factory defaults are restored.
Note: For detailed information on the ASCII commands you use to configure the Bluetooth
module, refer to the Bluetooth Command Reference & Advanced Information User’s
Guide.
4.1 Command Mode vs. Data Mode
The Bluetooth device operates in two modes: data mode (default) and command mode. Upon
power up the device is in data mode. While in data mode, the module is essentially a data pipe.
When the module receives data from a remote Bluetooth device over a serial port profile (SPP)
connection, it strips the Bluetooth headers and trailers and passes the user data to the UART.
When data is written to the UART, the module constructs the Bluetooth packet and sends it out
over the Bluetooth SPP connection. Thus, the entire process of sending/receiving data to the
host is transparent to the end microprocessor. See Figure 1-1.
FIGURE 1-3: DATA & COMMAND MODES
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