4G LTE 2 Clickis based on the LARA-R6001D from u-blox, a multi-band and multi-mode module supporting LTE Cat 1 FDD and LTE Cat 1 TDD radio access technology (18 LTE bands), with 3G UMTS/HSPA and 2G GSM/GPRS/EGPRS fallback, providing the ideal solution for uncompromised global connectivity. This Click board™ represents a data-only solution with global coverage and all relevant MNO certifications, offering great flexibility except for the support of voice/audio applications. Versatile interfaces and features make the LARA-R6001D ideally suited for a wide range of applications that require medium data speed, seamless connectivity, superior coverage, low latency, and streaming data such as asset tracking, telematics, remote monitoring, point-of-sale terminals, and more.

This module requires a 3.8V power supply. Therefore, the Click board™ incorporates an integrated buck (step-down DC-DC) converter, the TPS7A7002 by Texas Instruments, which provides a stable 3.8V power supply, capable of mitigating voltage drops at the input when a high current peak appears (typically at the StartUp of the device). The module Ignition (Power-On) pin, labelled as PWR and routed to the RST pin on the mikroBUS™ socket, enables power to be switched on and off.

The LARA-R6001D communicates with an MCU using the UART interface with commonly used UART RX and TX pins with the hardware flow control pins UART CTS, RTS, RI (Clear to Send, Ready to Send, and Ring Indicator). It operates at 115200 bps by default configuration to transmit and exchange data with the host MCU through AT commands that u-blox provides. Besides the UART interface, the LARA-R6001D also provides the possibility of using the I2C interface as an I2C host, which can communicate with I2C local devices via the I2C bus specifications. This Click board™ is also equipped with a USB type C connector for diagnostic purposes only. The module acts as a USB device and can be connected to any USB host equipped with compatible drivers.

Among its used pins, this Click board™ also possesses two additional LED indicators: the yellow LED labeled as STATUS, routed both to the mikroBUS™ AN pin (STS) and the LED, used to indicate the status of the network connection visually, and a red LED labeled as TX used to tell the transmitting status of the module.

The LTE cellular networks use spatial multiplexing antenna technology, allowing more than one antenna to be used for better reception. For that reason, besides the primary TX/RX antenna, this Click board™ uses a secondary diversity RX antenna, which allows better signal reception. Alongside the SMA connectors, the 4G LTE 2 Click also has a Nano-SIM card slot that provides multiple connections and interface options alongside several test points labelled from TP1 to TP3, enabling easy reboot and testing of the module.

This Click board™ can operate with both 3.3V and 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V MCUs can use the communication lines properly. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

SPECIFICATIONS