Testing ST25R3916 project using ST25R3911B dev kits

[gabriel.neves]

We made a board with the ST25R3916 and we still do not have the ST25R3916-DISCO dev kit to debug the project using the ST25R3916 GUI software. We just have the following dev kits for the previous ST25R3911B IC: ST25R3911B-DISCO and the ST25DX-Discovery MBoard.

I tried to update the FW of the 3911B-DISCO dev kit, which has the same MCU of the ST25R3916-DISCO, with the firmware STSW-ST25R011 to communicate with the ST25R3916 GUI software, but it didn't work.

Is there any way to adapt the firmware STSW-ST25R011 to work with some 3911B's dev kit and connect to the ST25R3916 GUI software? If you could provide a .bin file with this adaptation would help us a lot.

Thanks for your help.

[Brian TIDAL]

Hi,

The STSW-ST25R011 package contains all source files to compile firmware for the ST25R3916‑DISCO board. The UM2513  document describes the features of the STSW-ST25R011 firmware.

By default, the ST25R3916 demo runs on the ST25R3916‑DISCO LCD. In order to switch to PC mode (i.e. controlled from the PC GUI), the firmware has to be restarted in USB mode as explained in §3.7 (USB mode) of the UM2513 User Manual: To enter USB mode the user must reset the motherboard while keeping the user button (blue) pushed. The screen must be as shown in Figure 16. To leave this mode, another reset is required, while leaving the user button not pushed. In USB mode the ST25R3916 Discovery GUI PC software has full control over the ST25R3916-DISCO kit.

Also make sure to  connect the ST25 Discovery board to the PC with the micro USB port and not with the ST-LINK mini USB port.

Let us know whether this solves your issue.

Rgds

BT

[ben_hw_sw]

Could you update STSW-ST25R011 it contains an old version 1.0.0 not updated towards STSW-ST25R010 v1.1.0 (PC software installer for ST25R3916-DISCO which use a newer Firmware 1.1.0) ?

[Ulysses HERNIOSUS]

​Hi,

please check, the software should now be updated to 1.1.0.

Regards, Ulysses

[gabriel.neves]

Hi Brian, thanks for your reply.

Could you tell me in which MCU pin the user button is connected in the ST25R3916‑DISCO Mboard? I didn't find its schematic online. Is the user button a pull up or pull down button?

I will update my ST25R3911B-DISCO board with the STSW-ST25R011 firmware and connect an external button in the same MCU pin, so I can try to connect with the ST25R3916 Discovery GUI PC software.

[Brian TIDAL]

​Hi,

The STSW-ST25R011 package is for ST25R3916‑DISCO, not for ST25R3911B-DISCO. The peripheral and pin assignment are different on those 2 boards and STSW-ST25R011 is not expected to run on  ST25R3911B-DISCO.

The ST25R3916‑DISCO and the ST25R3911B-DISCO does not have the same USB PID. The ST25R3916 Discovery graphical user interface is designed for ST25R3916 and uses the ST25R3916-DISCO PID to enable the communication with this device. Therefore, the ST25R3916 Discovery graphical user interface cannot communicate with ST25R3911B (unless you modify the USB PID).

Let's focus on your initial issue. Would you please confirm my understanding of your setup and share more details:

• ST25DX-Discovery MBoard: is it MB1396 revision A?
• ST25R3916 custom board
  • connected to the ST25DX-Discovery MBoard as a daughter board
  • or having its own MCU?
• Communication interface used between the MCU and the ST25R3916: SPI or I2C?
• your plan is to use the ST25R3916 Discovery graphical user interface to communicate with the ST25DX-Discovery MBoard + custom ST25R3916 board through USB ? In that case, you just need to run the STSW-ST25R011 package on ST25DX-Discovery MBoard and switch to USB mode as previously described. If your plan is to have your own firmware running on your own MCU, make sure to have the proper USB PID (see USBD_PID_FS value in usbd_desc.c)

Regarding your question on the user button;

#define ST25_DISCOVERY_KEY_BUTTON_PIN                           GPIO_PIN_6

#define ST25_DISCOVERY_KEY_BUTTON_GPIO_PORT                     GPIOE

(see st25_dsicovery.h)

   gpio_initstruct.Pin = BUTTON_PIN[Button];

   gpio_initstruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_INPUT;

   gpio_initstruct.Pull = GPIO_PULLDOWN;

   gpio_initstruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_HIGH;

   HAL_GPIO_Init( BUTTON_PORT[Button], &gpio_initstruct );

(see st25_discovery.c)

Rgds

BT

[gabriel.neves]

Hi Brian,

some information about my setup:

• I just have the ST25DX-Discovery MBoard version MB1283-B, which uses the MCU STM32F405. This dev board has another MCU compared to the ST25D Discovery MBoard version MB1396-B (which is intended to be used with the ST25R3916 Discovery GUI).
• I also have available the ST25R3911B-DISCO, which has a MCU of the same family (STM32L476) as the ST25D Discovery MBoard version MB1396-B. So I'm trying to adapt the STSW-ST25R011 package to run in the 3911B-DISCO.
• My custom board just has the ST25R3916 on it, and communicates with the host through SPI.

Thanks for the information about the user button pin.

[Brian TIDAL]

Hi,

how do you plan to connect your ST25R3916 custom board to the ST25R3911B-DISCO? Do you plan to remove some R30x resistor and use the P204 connector?

Rgds

BT

​

[gabriel.neves]

Yes, I'm using exactly like you said.

[Ulysses HERNIOSUS]

Hi Gabriel,

IMO you have two one options:

1. Adapt STSW-ST25R011 to use SPI + CS + INT as needed by the ST25R3911B-DISCO board. Also disable/adapt the user button in SW. In SW you should be able to find all the pins on Port A and E.
2. Use an NUCLEO-L476RG to run the STSW-ST25R011 as is against your board. Unfortunately some pins used by STSW-ST25R011 are not available on the Nucleo-L476 (Port E pins on STM32L476VG vs STM32L476RG)

Regards, Ulysses