A17803 Evaluation Kit User Guide

Description

The A17803 evaluation kit provides an easy way to evaluate the Allegro A17803 integrated circuit (IC) using a computer running Microsoft Windows. The downloadable demonstration application provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays the measured angle from the A17803 and provides configuration control using Manchester or SPI protocols.

Features

The kit features a four-cycle coil design printed on the sensor board, a rotatable four-cycle target mounted atop the board, a microcontroller that decodes sensor data, and a Windows application downloadable from the Allegro software website.

Evaluation Kit Contents

The hardware includes:

• STM Nucleo-L432KC microcontroller board (white board; see Figure 1, left)
• A17803 programming board (plugs into the microcontroller board)
• A17803 sensor board (see Figure 1, right)
• Four-cycle inductive target (mounted to the sensor board)
• Ten-pin ribbon cable (see Figure 1, center)
• Micro-USB cable (connects the microcontroller board to a computer; see Figure 1, far left)

Figure 1: A17803 Evaluation Kit

Using the Evaluation Kit

Accessing the Software Website

Allegro hosts software and firmware for its supported devices at https://registration.allegromicro.com/. Access to the content requires Allegro approval of a request from a registered account. NOTE: Permission can only be granted after hardware delivery.

Unregistered Users

1. Navigate to https://registration.allegromicro.com/.
2. Select "Create an Account".
3. In the Account Type section, select the Allegro Software radial menu option.
4. In the Customer Information section, complete the required fields.
5. In the Create a Password section, complete the required fields.
6. In the Registered Parts section, click the Add Part button.
7. In the Add Part dropdown menus, make the following selections:
   • Select category: Inductive Position Sensor
   • Select sub-category: Motor Position Sensor
   • Select part: A17803
8. Click the Create an Account button.

Registered Users

1. Navigate to https://registration.allegromicro.com/.
2. Log in.
3. Select "Find a Part".
4. In the Select by Part Number field, type the part number.
5. Locate the part number in the list below the search input, and click the Add button.

Software Files

The A17803 software is hosted at https://registration.allegromicro.com/#/parts/A17803. The following files are available for download:

• Demonstration Application: This is the Windows program. Download, unzip, and run the .exe file to start the program.
• Firmware Image: This is the microcontroller firmware for the related demonstration application.
• Command Library: This library is a set of .dll files that can be useful for MATLAB. This library is not used for evaluation kit functionality.

Firmware Management

A firmware version is preinstalled on the microcontroller. However, the preinstalled version might not be compatible with the latest demonstration application. Each version of the demonstration application requires installation of a specific firmware version, as indicated by the files included together as part of a release. For example, the demonstration application version 0.7.3 requires firmware version 1.3.4, as shown in Figure 2.

Determine if the microcontroller firmware requires an update and download an update (if needed) as follows:

1. Connect the USB cable between the computer and the microcontroller board.
2. Download the latest demonstration application.
3. Unzip the application folder.
4. Run the .exe file.
5. Click the Setup menu.
6. Click Communication Setup.
7. If the COM port is not listed as "Active", change the COM port selection until the Communication field changes to "Active".
8. Compare the stated version number with the .hex file version on the software website (see Figure 3). If the version number of the software on the website is greater than the version number of the firmware installed on the microcontroller, the firmware on the microcontroller requires an update for the latest demonstration application to function properly.
9. If needed as determined in the previous step, install new firmware onto the microcontroller as follows:
   • Download the firmware .hex file from the Allegro website.
   • Download and install the STM32CubeProgrammer software from the STMicroelectronics website (www.st.com).
   • Connect the USB cable between the computer and the microcontroller board.
   • Run STM32.
   • On the main window, click the Connect button.
   • Click the Open File tab, and browse to the firmware .hex file.
   • Click the Download button.
   • Close STM32 and unplug the USB cable.

Figure 2: Software Release On Allegro Website

Figure 3: Version of Installed Firmware

Running the Demonstration Application

1. Connect the hardware, including connection of the USB cable from the computer to the microcontroller board, as shown in Figure 1.
2. Run the demonstration application .exe file in Windows.
3. Ensure the application successfully detects the correct COM port:
   • If the sidebar on the right side of the GUI displays the correct COM port number and a red Power Off button (as shown in Figure 4), the application successfully detects the COM port.
   • If the sidebar at the right of the GUI displays the status "Unconnected", manually select the correct COM port as follows:
     • Click Setup.
     • Click Communication Setup.
     • Change the COM port selection until the Communication field changes to "Active".
4. Ensure the Device Setup options in the Setup menu are configured properly. The controller must use a precisely-timed output interruption sequence to power-up the A17803 and enable memory access. This sequence must occur before an access code can be sent. This sequence requires information about the in-use configuration of the A17803. The Device Setup option in the Setup menu provides this required information (see Figure 5).
   • If the output configuration is set to the default configuration, the A17803 in the sensor board is configured with SENT output (free-running) on pin 1, with a tick time of 1 µs. This is also the standard configuration to enable communication.
   • If the output configuration changes in EEPROM, change the Device Setup configuration to permit communication with the A17803 post-repower.
5. After the application detects the COM port (as shown in Figure 4), click the Power On button to power up the A17803.
6. Leverage application functions as desired:
   • To display the measured electrical angle of the target, select the desired option: "Read Once" or "Start Reading".
   • To change the angle, hand-rotate the target.
   • To change the output mode or other configuration settings, use the menu options.
   See Figure 6.

Figure 4: Application When COM Port Is Detected

Figure 5: Device Setup

Figure 6: Running the Application

Using the Memory Tab

The Memory tab is used to read or write any field in the A17803 memory. The Memory tab includes tabs for Direct Memory, EEPROM, Shadow Memory, and Volatile Memory. When a field is selected, the lower panel of the GUI displays a short description about that field. To use this interface, select the checkbox that precedes the desired field(s), then click an action button in the panel located to the right.

To change the device programming, use the EEPROM tab as follows: 1) Click the relevant checkboxes; 2) Enter the desired values in the Value fields; and 3) Click the Write Selected button. The newly written values should display in subsequent executions of the Read Selected button.

The Show dropdown menu toggles the display between the field name and the memory location of the selected field. To search and filter for a particular field or address, use the Search Name and Descriptor search field.

NOTE: Certain changes to IC programming do not take effect until a power-cycle is performed via the Power Off and Power On buttons.

Figure 7: Memory Tab

Schematic Programmer Board

The programmer board schematic details the components and connections for the programmer board, including the Manchester interface, SPI interface, analog signals interface, voltage translator, and multiplexers. It also shows the Nucleo pinout and connections to various headers and sockets.

Key components include:

• U2: TXU0304QPWRQ1 Voltage translator 3.3V => 5V
• U5: 74VHC245PW,118 Bus Transceiver
• U4: SN74CBT3257CPW Analog MUX
• U3: SN74LV4052APWR Digital MUX
• U1: SN74LVC1G3157DBVR VCC switch
• J1: SBH11-PBPC-D05 Connector
• J5: SBH11-PBPC-D05ST-BK Connector
• header1, header2: Connectors
• RB1-RB4: Bumpers
• C1-C6, C11: Capacitors
• R1-R9: Resistors
• NUCLEO_L432KC: Microcontroller board

Nucleo Pinout:

The Nucleo board pinout details connections for BT_DIR, DMUX_INH, DMUX_A, MHT_OUT, DMUX_B, AMUX_OE, SPI_ENABLE, CS_3.3V, MOSI_3.3V, MISO_3.3V, SINN_3.3V, SINP_3.3V, BUS_IN, COSN_3.3V, COSP_3.3V, VCC_ON, SCLK_3.3V, +3.3V, GND, VIN, NRST, 5V, A7-A0, AVDD, 3V3, D13.

Note: D5 (PB6) must be set to input mode for reading analog signals.

Schematic Sensor Board

The sensor board schematic details the A17803/A17802 IC and its associated components, including input connectors, coils, and a voltage regulator. It shows the connections for the sensor signals (SINP/MISO/MHT, SINN/MOSI/A/SENT, COSP/SCLK/B/INC, COSN/CSN/I/PWM), DUTVCC, DUTGND, and the four-cycle coils (R1P, R1N, R2P, R2N).

Key components include:

• U1: A17803 /A17802 IC
• J1: SBH11-PBPC-D05-ST-BK Connector
• Cbyp, C1, C2: Capacitors
• RLED: Resistor for LED
• LED: Green LED
• R1, R2: Jumpers
• RB1-RB4: Bumpers
• X1: Crystal Oscillator

Layout Programmer Board

Diagrams illustrating the physical layout of the programmer board components.

Layout Sensor Board

Diagrams illustrating the physical layout of the sensor board components, including dimensions.

Bill of Materials

Programmer Board

Table 1 lists the components for the programmer board, including their designator, description, manufacturer, part number (P/N), and supplier information.

Notable components include:

• U2: TXU0304QPWRQ1
• U5: 74VHC245PW,118
• U4: SN74CBT3257PW
• U3: SN74LV4052APWR
• U1: SN74LVC1G3157
• J1: PREC001DAAN-RC
• J5: SBH11-PBPC-D05ST-BK
• header1, header2: Connectors
• RB1-RB4: 3M SJ61A11 Bumpers
• Capacitors (C1-C6, C11)
• Resistors (R1-R4, R5-R8)
• NUCLEO_L432KC: STMicroelectronics
• Flat cable assembly

Sensor Board

The Bill of Materials for the sensor board includes:

• Cbyp: Chip capacitor
• RLED: Fixed resistor
• LED: Vishay VLMTG1300-GS08
• C1, C2: Murata Capacitors
• R1, R2: Vishay Jumpers
• RB1-RB4: 3M Bumpers
• U1: Allegro A17802PLEATR IC
• J1: Sullins Connector
• PCB

Related Links

• A17803 product web page
• Allegro software portal

Application Support

• Technical assistance

Revision History

Date: March 18, 2025

Description: Initial release