This component is EOL, please see its replacement M0151

USB Expander and Debug Add-On Board User Guide

VOXL USB Expander and Debug Add-On board adds an additional USB2 connector and allows VOXL to be put into fastboot or emergency boot modes.

Support

Table of contents

1. Summary
2. Board Connections
3. Specification
4. USB2 Host Pinout
5. Connecting to VOXL
6. Connecting a USB2 Peripheral
7. Forcing the VOXL into Fastboot to Unbrick
8. Using the Debug Console
9. Forcing the VOXL into Emergency Boot

Summary

The VOXL USB Expander and Debug Add-On board provides:

• Ability to connect an additional USB2 peripheral device to VOXL
• A debug console for low level system debugging
• A switch that will force VOXL to boot into fastboot mode (for reflashing the System Image if the unit is bricked in the field)
• A switch that will force VOXL to boot into emergency boot mode (used at the factory only)
  • NOTE: newer versions of the board don’t have this switch populated

Board Connections

Specification

USB2 Host Pinout

Pin 1 is marked in the Board Connections graphic above.

Connecting to VOXL

To connect the USB Expander and Debug Add-On board to VOXL:

• Attach the daughter board’s J1 connector to VOXL’s J13 connector

Connecting a USB2 Peripheral

A USB2 peripheral can be connected via a JST GHR-04V-S connector following the pinouts specified in the datasheet.

To validate the connection:

• Power off the VOXL
• Attach the USB Expander and Debug Add-On board
• Ensure the FASTBOOT labeled switch is set to off
• Ensure the EMERG BOOT labeled switch is set to off
  • NOTE: if your board is missing the EMERG BOOT switch, this is OK as its default un-populated state is OFF
• Attach the USB2 peripheral
• Power on the VOXL
• Connect a Micro USB cable to VOXL’s USB port and connect to a Linux PC

Open the terminal in the Linux PC and run the following:

adb shell

Now you’re inside VOXL, run the following, where in this use case we’ve attached a Flight Core board to the USB2 Host connector (showing up as the STMicroelectronics MCU):

/ # lsusb
...
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0483:a32f STMicroelectronics
...

Forcing the VOXL into Fastboot to Unbrick

Follow the unbrick procedure found at docs.modalai.com/unbrick-voxl

Using the Debug Console

You’ll need two MicroUSB cables for this procedure.

• Power off the VOXL
• Attach the USB Expander and Debug Add-On board
• Ensure the FASTBOOT labeled switch is set to off
• Ensure the EMERG BOOT labeled switch is set to off
• Connect a Micro USB cable to VOXL’s USB port and connect to a Linux PC
• Connect a second Micro USB cable to the Add-On board’s Micro USB port and connect to a Linux PC. It may display as FT232R USB UART and will exist as /dev/ttyUSB0
• Power on the VOXL

Open Terminal A in the Linux PC and run the following command (if screen isn’t installed, first run apt install screen):

screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200
[HIT ENTER]

Open Terminal B in the Linux PC and run the following commands:

adb shell
reboot

You should now see debug information in Terminal A:

[10] Opening SSR Glink Port success
[20] Glink Connection between APPS and RPM established
[20] Glink Connection between APPS and RPM established
[40] UFS init success
[80] pm8x41_get_is_cold_boot: cold boot
[90] Unable to locate /bootselect partition
[90] Loading (boot) image (57376768): start
[300] Loading (boot) image (57376768): done
[310] use_signed_kernel=1, is_unlocked=1, is_tampered=0.
[310] decompressing kernel image: start
[630] decompressing kernel image: done
[640] Best match DTB tags 291/00000008/0x00000003/30001/20009/10013/0/0/940319e2/51297
[650] Using pmic info 0x20009/0x10013/0x0/0x0 for device 0x20009/0x10113/0x0/0x0
[650] cmdline: noinitrd rw console=ttyHSL0,115200,n8 androidboot.hardware=qcom ehci-hcd.park=3 msm_rtb.filter=0x37 lpm_levels.sleep_disabled=0 rootwait net.ifnames=0 androidboot.bootdevice=624000.ufshc androidboot.serialno=a0259b4a androidboot.baseband=apq root[670] Updating device tree: start
[680] Updating device tree: done
[680] RPM GLINK UnInit
[690] booting linux @ 0x80080000, ramdisk @ 0x82200000 (0), tags/device tree @ 0x82000000
[690] Jumping to kernel via monitor

Forcing the VOXL into Emergency Boot

This is typically done at the factory and not in the field by a normal user. To force the VOXL to boot into emergency boot mode:

• Power off the VOXL
• Attach the USB Expander and Debug Add-On board
• Ensure the FASTBOOT labeled switch is set to off
• Ensure the EMERG BOOT labeled switch is set to on
• Attach
• Power on the VOXL

The device will show up on a Linux PC as Qualcomm, Inc. Gobi Wireless Modem:

/ lsusb
...
Bus 001 Device 015: ID 05c6:9008 Qualcomm, Inc. Gobi Wireless Modem (QDL mode)
...