The **EVK-R6801** is an Evaluation Kit (EVK) developed by **u-blox** designed to test and develop applications using the **LEXI-R10** series modules. These modules are ultra-small LTE Cat 1bis cellular units targeted at IoT applications. Below is a breakdown of the key electronic components and subsystems found on the board. --- ## 1. Core Module Integration The heart of the evaluation kit is the cellular module itself, which handles all radio frequency (RF) and baseband processing. | Component | Description | | :--- | :--- | | **LEXI-R10 Module** | An LTE Cat 1bis module (single-antenna) supporting global or regional bands. | | **Antenna Interface** | SMA connectors for the cellular LTE antenna. | | **SIM Interface** | A standard mini-SIM (2FF) card slot to provide network credentials. | --- ## 2. Power Management Subsystem The EVK is designed to be powered via multiple sources to simulate real-world battery or industrial power scenarios. * **USB Power:** Can be powered directly via the USB native port or the USB-to-UART bridge. * **External Power Supply:** A DC jack or pin headers for a regulated 3.3V to 4.4V supply. * **On-board Regulators:** LDOs (Low Dropout Regulators) that step down input voltage to the specific levels required by the LEXI-R10 module and peripheral logic. --- ## 3. Connectivity and Interfaces The board breaks out the module's high-density pins into accessible connectors for debugging and peripheral integration. ### Data Interfaces | Interface | Type | Purpose | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **USB Native** | Micro-USB / USB-C | Direct access to the module's USB interface for high-speed data and firmware updates. | | **USB-to-UART** | FTDI Chip | Converts the module's UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter) to USB for AT command communication. | | **UART Headers** | Pins | Allows connection to external microcontrollers (MCU) like Arduino or STM32. | ### Indicators and Controls * **LEDs:** Status indicators for Power, Network registration, and GPIO toggling. * **Buttons:** Dedicated buttons for **Power-On** (PWR_ON) and **Reset** (RESET_N). --- ## 4. Signal Testing Points For hardware engineers, the EVK includes several "test points" to measure performance: * **Current Sensing:** A specific jumper (usually labeled J103 or similar) allows for an ammeter to be placed in series to measure the exact power consumption of the module in different states (e.g., Deep Sleep vs. Active Transmit). * **GPIO Breakout:** Headers that expose General Purpose Input/Output pins for sensors or actuators. --- ## 5. Technical Specifications Overview ```markdown - Module: u-blox LEXI-R10 (LTE Cat 1bis) - Data Rate: 10 Mbit/s Downlink, 5 Mbit/s Uplink - Operating Voltage: 3.8V Nominal - Antenna Connectors: 50 Ohm SMA - Form Factor: Rectangular evaluation board with mounting holes ``` ---