MOTG-WiFi-ESP
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Description
MOTG-WiFi-ESP provides a low-cost solution for all embedded wireless applications. It features an ESP8266 Wi-Fi SoC, a leading platform for Wi-Fi related projects or the Internet of Things (IoT).
The MOTG-WiFi-ESP supports APSD for VoIP applications and Bluetooth co-existence interface. It contains a self-calibrated RF allowing it to work under all operating conditions.
Features
- ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module by Espressif with
- 802.11 b/g/n
- Wi-Fi Direct (P2P), soft-AP
- TCP/IP protocol stack
- 1MB Flash
- 3.3V Power supply only
- Supports 2-Wire 3.3V TTL UART interface
- On-board Reset and Flash Buttons
- On-board PCB trace antenna
Before Getting Started
Out of the box, the chipset's UART pins are not connected to the UMI of the MOTG.
MOTG-WiFi-ESP hardware allows the UART pins to be connected to either TX, RX or GPIO1, GPIO2 of the UMI. This is could be achieved by shorting the respective sides of solder bridges SB1 and SB2, using a solder blob and a soldering iron. This must be done by the User.
Unless the designer intends to use two UART MOTGs on a gen4-MOTG-AC2 or gen4-MOTG-AC4 board, the UART pins should be directed to TX, RX of the UMI as shown above.
When two UART MOTGs are being used on a gen4-MOTG-AC2 or gen4-MOTG-AC4 board, the UART pins of one of the MOTGs should be diverted to GPIO1 and GPIO2 of the UMI, as shown below. This prevents both MOTGs from using the same pins of the gen4 display module for UART communication.
Chipset Features
ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module
The ESP8266 Wi-Fi SoC is a leading platform for Wi-Fi related projects or the Internet of Things (IoT).
The ESP8266 supports APSD for VoIP applications and Bluetooth co-existence interfaces, it contains a self-calibrated RF allowing it to work under all operating conditions.
There is an almost limitless fountain of information available for the ESP8266, all of which has been provided by amazing community support.
By default, the MOTG-WiFi-ESP module comes with the AT Command set, so no programming of the WiFi module's firmware is required to get it running.
The datasheet for the ESP8266 is available from https://www.espressif.com website.
Pins, Buttons and Solder Bridges
Pin Description
| Pin | Symbol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.3V | 3.3V Input Supply |
| 2 | GND | Supply Ground |
| 3 | RX | Asynchronous Serial Receive Pin |
| 4 | N/C | Asynchronous Serial Transmit Pin |
| 5 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 6 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 7 | GPIO3 | Reset pin. An active Low pulse will reset the module |
| 8 | GPIO2 | RX Bypass |
| 9 | GPIO1 | TX Bypass |
| 10 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 11 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 12 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 13 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 14 | N/C | Not Connected |
| 15 | GND | Supply Ground |
| 16 | N/C | Not Connected |
Note
The designer can choose if the UART pins of the MOTG should be connected to either TX, RX or GPIO1, GPIO2 of the UMI. This is could be achieved by shorting the respective sides of solder bridges SB1 and SB2. This is discussed in detail in the Before Getting Started section.
Button Description
The MOTG-WiFi-ESP also has two buttons, the functionalities of which are described in the table below.
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Reset | Resets the ESP8266 module |
| Flash | Used along with Reset button to update/change firmware on ESP8266 |
The Flash button, when held down and the reset button pressed, puts the ESP8266 WiFi processor into its bootloader mode. This is required when flashing the ESP8266 with updated or alternative firmware.
Solder Bridge Description
The MOTG-WiFi-ESP also has two solder bridges. The functionality of these solder bridges is described in the table below. These are soldered by the User.
| Solder Bridge | Description |
|---|---|
| SB1 | TX Selector |
| SB2 | RX Selector |
Firmware Programming
The MOTG-WiFi-ESP comes preprogrammed with the AT command set firmware. If an updated command set is desired, or if another program is to be loaded onto the ESP8266 instead, then the default AT command set will be lost.
The following procedure outlines how to reload the ESP8266 with the AT command set:
Please download the AT command set files from the MOTG-WiFi-ESP product page on the 4D Systems website.
Extract the files to a known location on your hard drive that is easy to access.
Run the application: ESPFlashDownloadTool_v3.6.6.exe
The application window will appear.
You will notice there are six different files preloaded into the Download Path Config boxes. These need to be changed to the location where the files were extracted to.
Click the [...] mark and locate the path to the file it is referring to.
The lines will be highlighted if the files are found.
Ensure that the addresses are correct as per the picture and set to the following:
- boot_v1.6.bin - ADDR 0x0000
- user1.1024.new.2.bin - ADDR 0x01000
- esp_init_data_default.bin - ADDR 0xfc000
- blank.bin - ADDR 0x7e000
- blank.bin - ADDR 0xfe000
- blank1mb.bin - ADDR 0x0000
All of these files are located in the root folder, along with the ESPFlashDownloadTool_v3.3.4.exe file.
The following five pins of the MOTG-WiFi-ESP will be used when uploading firmware. TX, RX sides of the SB1 and SB2 should be shorted for the following procedure.
- +3.3V (not 5V tolerant)
- GND
- RX
- TX
- GPIO3 (Reset)
In this case, a gen4-MOTG-AC1 is used to gain access to the above five pins of the MOTG-WiFi-ESP. However, other gen4-MOTG-AC interface boards provided by 4D Systems could be used as well. The gen4-MOTG-AC1 is then interfaced to the gen4-PA, which essentially serves as a breakout board for the UMI pins in this setup.
Note
If you opt to use a MOTG-BREADTOOTH instead of the gen4-MOTG-AC + gen4-PA combo, the 5V supply needs to be dropped to 3.3V externally, as MOTG-BREADTOOTH does not facilitate this internally.
Lastly, a programming module is needed to program the MOTG-WiFi-ESP through the gen4-MOTG-AC + gen4-PA combo. This process does not necessarily require a 4D Systems programming module - the 4D USB programming cable or the uUSB-PA5. However, these are compatible and could be used to perform this procedure.
Carefully slide the MOTG-WiFi-ESP onto the gen4-MOTG-AC. Then connect the gen4-MOTG-AC to the gen4-PA using a 30-way FFC cable. Then connect the 4D programming module to the corresponding pins of the gen4-PA as shown in the image below.
| MOTG-WiFi-ESP | gen4-PA | 4D programming cable |
|---|---|---|
| +5V | 5V | |
| GND | GND | GND |
| RX | GPIO1 | TX |
| TX | GPIO2 | RX |
| GPIO3(Reset) | GPIO10 | RES |
Then check the com port of the programmer you are using and change it accordingly in the application.
Before anything is programmed, the ESP8266 module needs to be wiped blank. It is always best to do this before programming in any new firmware, as residual data can be left which can cause unexpected results.
To wipe the ESP8266 blank, untick all the files in the Download Path Config section, except for blank1mb.bin - ADDR 0x0000 (the last file)
Now the ESP8266 needs to be placed into bootloader mode. To do this, simply press and hold the Flash button on the MOTG-WiFi-ESP, and then press the Reset button for a second, and then finally release the Reset button. Keep holding the Flash button. A second or so later, you can release the Flash button. The ESP8266 should now be in bootloader mode.
Press the Start Button, to start the programming of the ESP8266 module.
After clicking the START button the application will SYNC as shown below.
Then the application will load and the ESP8266 is wiped blank. It will complete when the progress bar goes to the very right-hand side.
If the initiation was not successful, the loading will fail. If failed, try the procedure again till it loads.
Now the module is ready to be programmed with the firmware. This procedure is almost the same as earlier.
Tick all the files except for blank1mb.bin - ADDR 0x0000 (the only difference in the procedure compared to before).
Again, the ESP8266 needs to be placed into bootloader mode. To do this, simply press and hold the Flash button on the MOTG-WiFi-ESP, and then press the Reset button for a second, and then finally release the Reset button. Keep holding the Flash button. A second or so later, you can release the Flash button. The ESP8266 should now be in bootloader mode.
Press the Start Button, to start the programming of the ESP8266 module. When the progress bar goes to the very right-hand side, the process is complete, and the module should have been successfully loaded with the AT command set.
Mechanical Views
Schematic Details REV 1.1
Schematic Details REV 1.2
Specifications
Recommended Operating Conditions
| Parameter | Conditions | Min | Typ | Max | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 1.7 | 3.3 | 3.6 | V | |
| Operating Temperature | -20 | -- | 70 | °C | |
| Input Low Voltage (VIL) | all pins | -0.3 | -- | 0.25*VCC | V |
| Input High Voltage (VIH) | all pins | 0.75*VCC | -- | 3.6 | V |
GLOBAL CHARACTERISTICS BASED ON OPERATING CONDITIONS
| Parameter | Conditions | Min | Typ | Max | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supply Current (ICC) | -- | 215.0 | -- | mA | |
| Output Low Voltage (VOL) | -0.3 | -- | 0.1*VCC | °C | |
| Output High Voltage (VOH) | all pins | 0.8*VCC | -- | VCC | V |
Revision History
Hardware Revision
| Revision Number | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | 23/09/2016 | Initial Public Release version |
| 1.2 | 26/07/2017 | Change of the ESP module used from ESP-06 to ESP-12S |
Datasheet Revision
| Revision Number | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 | 06/01/2023 | Modified datasheet for web-based documentation |