NINA-B1 series - System integration manual
UBX-15026175 - R16
System description
Page 9 of 63
C1-Public
While using NINA-B1 with a battery, it is important that the battery type can handle the peak power
of the module. In case of battery supply, consider adding extra capacitance on the supply line to avoid
capacity degradation. See the NINA-B1 series data sheet [2] for information about voltage supply
requirement and current consumption.
Table 2: Summary of voltage supply requirements
☞
The current requirement shown in Table 2 is given for u-connectXpress software with UART
communication. It does not include any additional I/O current required for the use of any
external push buttons, LEDs, or other interfaces. The peak current consumption of the entire
design must be considered in battery powered solutions.
1.4.2
Digital I/O interfaces reference voltage (VCC_IO)
On the NINA-B1 series modules, the I/O voltage level is the same as the supply voltage and
VCC_IO
is
internally connected to the supply input
VCC
.
When using NINA-B1 with a battery, the I/O voltage level will vary with the battery output voltage,
depending on the charge of the battery. Level shifters might be needed depending on the I/O voltage
of the host system.
1.4.3
VCC application circuits
The power for NINA-B1 series modules is provided any of the following sources through the VCC pins:
•
Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS)
•
Low Drop Out (LDO) regulator
•
Battery
An SMPS is the ideal choice when the available primary supply source has higher value than the
operating supply voltage of the NINA-B1 series modules. The use of an SMPS provides the best power
efficiency for the overall application and minimizes current drawn from the main supply source.
⚠
While selecting SMPS, ensure that the AC voltage ripple at switching frequency is kept as low as
possible. Layout shall be implemented to minimize impact of high frequency ringing.
The use of an LDO linear regulator is convenient for a primary supply with a relatively low voltage
where the typical 85-90% efficiency of the switching regulator leads to minimal current saving. Linear
regulators are not recommended for high voltage step-down as they will dissipate a considerable
amount of energy.
DC-DC efficiency should be evaluated as a tradeoff between active and idle duty cycle of the specific
application. Although some DC-DC converters can achieve high efficiency at extremely light loads, the
typical DC-DC efficiency quickly degrades as the idle current drops below a few mA. The degradation
has negative impact on the battery life.
Due to the low current consumption and wide voltage range of the NINA-B1 series module, a battery
can be used as a main supply. The capacity of the battery should be selected to match the application.
Care should be taken so that the battery can deliver the peak current required by the module. See the
NINA-B1 series data sheet [2]
for electrical specifications.
It is best practice to include decoupling capacitors on the supply rails close to the
NINA-B1 series module. Depending on the design of the power routing on the host system,
capacitance might not be needed.
Rail
Voltage requirement
Current requirement (peak)
VCC
1.7 V–3.6 V
15 mA
