NXP Semiconductors UM12012 FRDM-MCXA153 Board User Manual

NXP Semiconductors UM12012 FRDM-MCXA153 Board

Specifications

• MCU: NXP MCXA1xx MCU (part number: MCXA153VLH)
• Core: Arm Cortex-M33
• Speed: Up to 96 MHz
• Industrial communication protocol support
• Brushless direct current (BLDC) motor / permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) control
• Integrated sensor interfaces: MIPI-I3C, I2C, and SPI
• Compatible with Arduino UNO R3 and Mikroe click boards
• Development tools compatibility: NXP MCUXpresso IDE, IAR Embedded Workbench, and Arm Keil MDK
• Lead-free and RoHS-compliant

Board Overview

The FRDM-MCXA153 board is a design and evaluation platform based on the NXP MCXA1xx MCU. It is designed for industrial and consumer Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The board features one Arm Cortex-M33 core running at speeds of up to 96 MHz. It supports
industrial communication protocols, BLDC motor/PMSM control, and integrated sensor interfaces (MIPI-I3C, I2C, and SPI).

Document information

the NXP MCXA1xx MCU.

Board overview

The FRDM-MCXA153 board is a design and evaluation platform based on the NXP MCXA1xx MCU. The MCXA1xx MCU is a low-power microcontroller for industrial and consumer Internet of Things (IoT) applications. It has one Arm Cortex-M33 core running at speeds of up to 96 MHz. It supports industrial communication protocol, brushless direct current (BLDC) motor / permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) control, and integrated sensor interfaces (MIPI-I3C, I2C, and SPI).
The board is compatible with the Arduino UNO R3 and Mikroe click boards. It can be used with a wide range of development tools, including NXP MCUXpresso IDE, IAR Embedded Workbench, and Arm Keil MDK. The board is lead-free and RoHS-compliant.
For debugging the MCXA1xx MCU, the FRDM-MCXA153 board uses an onboard (OB) debug probe, MCU-Link OB, which is based on another MCU, LPC55S69. The MCXA1xx MCU and the LPC55S69 MCU are also referred to as “target MCU” and “debug MCU”, respectively, in this document.
This document provides details about the FRDM-MCXA153 board interfaces, power supplies, clocks, connectors, jumpers, push buttons, and LEDs.

Block diagram
Figure 1 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 board block diagram.

Board features
Table 1 lists the features of the FRDM-MCXA153 board. Table 1. FRDM-MCXA153 features

core, running at speeds of up to 96 MHz.

Note: For details on the MCXA1xx MCU, see MCXA1xx Reference Manual and MCXA1xx Low-Power MCU sub-family Data Sheet.

Table 1. FRDM-MCXA153 features…continued

J7 (DNP)
LPSPI1 module| Arduino socket connector J2
LPI2C interface| LPI2C0 module| mikroBUS socket connector J5, Pmod connector J7 (DNP), and Arduino socket connector J2
I3C interface| I3C0 module| Digital temperature sensor (P3T1755DP)
Pmod connector| | Pmod connector J7 (DNP)
mikroBUS socket| | Two mikroBUS socket connectors J5 and J6
Arduino socket| | Four Arduino socket connectors J1, J2, J3, and J4
Debug interface| | MCU-Link onboard debug probe with a USB Type-C connector J15 for debugging the MCXA1xx MCU
Power supply| | The following power supply options are available:

• Two USB Type-C connectors, each can receive 5 V external power
•   5-9 V input supply option from Arduino socket connector J3

Clocks| | 8 MHz clock for target MCU (MCXA1xx) and 16 MHz clock for debug MCU (LPC55S69)
Orderable part number| | FRDM-MCXA153

Kit contents
Table 2 lists the items included in the FRDM-MCXA153 board hardware kit.
Table 2. Kit contents

Board pictures
Figure 2 shows the top-side view of the FRDM-MCXA153 board with MCXA1xx MCU highlighted.

Figure 2. Board top-side view

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Connectors
Figure 4 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 board connectors.

Note: External debugger connector (J18), which is shown populated in Figure 4, is not populated on the FRDM-MCXA153 boards shipped to customers.
Table 3 describes the connectors available on the FRDM-MCXA153 board.
Table 3. FRDM-MCXA153 connectors

Part identifier| PCB label| Connector type| Description| Reference section
---|---|---|---|---
J1| | 2×8-position receptacle| Arduino socket connectors| Section 2.10
J2| 2×10-position receptacle
J3| 2×8-position receptacle
J4| 2×6-position receptacle
J5| mikroBUS SOCKET BOARD| 1×8-position receptacle| mikroBUS socket connectors| Section 2.9
J6| 1×8-position receptacle
J7 (DNP)| PMOD| 2×6-pin/position connector| Pmod connector| Section 2.8
J8| MCU USB| USB Type-C connector| USB full-speed connector| Section 2.3
J9 (DNP)| GND| 1-pin/position connector| GND test point connectors| For more information on these connectors, see FRDM-MCXA153

board schematics.

J10 (DNP)| GND| 1-pin/position connector
J11 (DNP)| GND| 1-pin/position connector
J12 (DNP)| GND| 1-pin/position connector

Table 3. FRDM-MCXA153 connectors…continued

Part identifier| PCB label| Connector type| Description| Reference section
---|---|---|---|---
J13 (DNP)| POWER| 1-pin/position connector| Power test point connectors|
J14 (DNP)| POWER| 1-pin/position connector
J15| MCU-Link| USB Type-C connector| MCU-Link USB connector| Section 3.6
J18 (DNP)| EXT_ DEBUGGER| 2×5-pin/position connector| Target MCU external debugger connector| Section 3.2
J19| CLKOUT| 1-position receptacle| Clock output test point connector| Section 2.2
J20| I3C_SDA| 1-pin header| I3C data test point connector| Section 2.7
J21| I3C_SCL| 1-pin header| I3C clock test point connector
J22 (DNP)| | 1×3-pin/position connector| 5 V DC voltage regulator| Section 2.1
J25 (DNP)| MCU-Link VCOM| 1×3-pin/position connector| MCU-Link VCOM connector| Section 2.4

Jumpers
Figure 5 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 board jumpers.

Table 4 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 board jumpers. Table
FRDM-MCXA153 jumpers

Part identifier| Jumper type| Description| Reference section
---|---|---|---
JP1 (DNP)| 1×2-pin header| Target MCU (MCXA1xx) analog power enable jumper. JP1 is not populated on the board. When populated| Section 2.1
Part identifier| Jumper type| Description| Reference section
---|---|---|---
| | (after removing resistor R66), it can be used to serve the

following two purposes:

• To produce the target MCU analog power supply, VDDA_MCU.
• To measure the current consumption of analog IPs of the target MCU. For more details, see Section 2.1.1.

|
JP2| 1×2-pin header| Target MCU digital power enable jumper:

• Open: The target MCU digital power supply, VDD_MCU, is OFF.
• Shorted (default setting): The target MCU digital power supply, VDD_MCU, is produced.

JP2 can also be used to measure current consumption of digital IPs of the target MCU. For more details, see Section 2.1.1.

JP3 (DNP)| 1×2-pin header| Target MCU total (analog + digital) power enable jumper. JP3 is not populated on the board. When populated (after removing resistor R2), it can be used to serve the following two purposes:

• To produce the target MCU analog + digital power supply, MCU_VDD_P3V3.
• To measure the total current consumption of the target MCU. For more details, see Section 2.1.1.

JP6 (DNP)| 1×2-pin header| Board (except target MCU) power enable jumper. JP6 is not populated on the board. When populated (after removing resistor R68), it can be used to serve the following two purposes:

• To produce the board (except target MCU) power supply, VDD_BOARD.
• To measure the current consumption of the board (except target MCU). For more details, see Section 2.1.1.

JP20| 1×2-pin header| MCU-Link SWD disable jumper:

• Open (default setting): MCU-Link serial wire debug (SWD) feature is enabled. MCU-Link can be used to drive SWD of the target MCU.
• Shorted: MCU-Link SWD feature is disabled. This setting of JP20 can be used when connecting an external debugger through connector J18 (not populated) for debugging the target MCU.

| Section 3.2
JP8| 1×2-pin header| MCU-Link (LPC55S69) ISP mode enable jumper:

• Open (default setting): MCU-Link follows the normal boot sequence (MCU-Link boots from internal flash if a boot image is found). With the internal flash erased, the MCU-Link normal boot sequence falls through to In- System Programming (ISP) boot mode.
• Shorted: MCU-Link is forced to ISP mode (USB1). Use this setting to reprogram the MCU-Link internal flash with a new image or use the MCUXpresso IDE with the CMSIS-DAP protocol.

| Section 3.4
Part identifier| Jumper type| Description| Reference section
---|---|---|---
| | Note: By default, MCU-Link flash is preprogrammed with

a version of CMSIS-DAP firmware.

|
JP19| 1×2-pin header| MCU-Link VCOM port disable jumper:

• Open (default setting): MCU-Link virtual communication (VCOM) port is enabled.
• Shorted: MCU-Link VCOM port is disabled.

| Section 3.7
JP10| 1×2-pin header| MCU-Link SWD clock enable jumper:

• Open: MCU-Link SWD clock is disabled.
• Shorted (default setting): MCU-Link SWD clock is enabled. MCU-Link drives SWD of the target MCU.

| For more information on these jumpers, see FRDM- MCXA153 board schematics.

Push buttons
Figure 6 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 board push buttons.

Table 5 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 board push buttons.
Table 5. FRDM-MCXA153 push buttons

(RESET_b), which wakes up the target MCU from any mode. Keep SW1 pressed for a reasonable period of time to let the MCU perform a JTAG boundary scan.
SW2| ISP| ISP button| Helps the target MCU boot code to determine if the MCU should enter into the ISP mode. It connects to the target MCU pin P3_29.
Part identifier| PCB label| Name/function| Description
---|---|---|---
| | | The main purpose of this button is to force the target

MCU into ISP mode at boot time. To do this, hold down this button while pressing and releasing the reset button, or while connecting power to the board.

If an application in the target MCU internal flash is crashing or disabling the SWD port unintentionally, the ISP mode can be useful to recover control of the board.

SW3| WAKEUP| Wake-up button| Wakes up the target MCU from Deep Power-Down mode. It connects to the target MCU pin P1_7.

LEDs

The FRDM-MCXA153 board provides numerous light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for monitoring system status. The information collected from the LEDs can be used for debugging purposes.
Figure 7 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 board LEDs.

Table 6 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 board LEDs that correspond to the target MCU. The board also has some MCU-Link specific LEDs, which are described in Section 3.8.
Table 6. FRDM-MCXA153 LEDs

Part identifier| PCB label| LED color| Description (when LED is ON)
---|---|---|---
D4| POWER| Green| LDO_3V3 supply is available.
D14| RESET| Red| Indicates system reset activity. When board reset is initiated, for example, by pressing the reset button (SW1), D14 turns ON.
D15| RGB| Red/green/blue| User application LED. It can be controlled through a user application.

Functional description

This section contains the following subsections:

• Section 2.1 “Power supplies”
• Section 2.2 “Clocks”
• Section 2.3 “USB interface”
• Section 2.4 “LPUART interface”
• Section 2.5 “LPSPI interface”
• Section 2.6 “LPI2C interface”
• Section 2.7 “I3C sensor”
• Section 2.8 “Pmod connector”
• Section 2.9 “mikroBUS socket”
• Section 2.10 “Arduino socket”

power supplies
The FRDM-MCXA153 board is powered up using the following primary power supplies:

• External 5 V power through USB Type-C connector J8
• External 5 V power through USB Type-C connector J15
• 5-9 V power from Arduino socket connector J3, pin 16

The primary power supplies are used to produce secondary power supplies for the board to power up other board components, including the MCXA1xx MCU, MCU- Link, I3C sensor, push buttons, and LEDs.
Table 7 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 board power supplies.
Table 7. FRDM-MCXA153 power supplies

Power source| Manufacturer and part number| Power supply| Description
---|---|---|---
External supply through USB Type-C connector J8| | P5V_USB_FS (5 V)| One of the three power source options for SYS_5V0 supply
External supply through USB Type-C connector J15| | P5VMCU LINK_USB (5 V)| • Second power source option for SYS_5V0 supply

•   Provides USB1_VBUS power to the LPC55S69 MCU (MCU-Link)

Arduino socket connector J3, pin 16| | P5-9V_VIN (5-9 V)| Supplies power to 5 V DC voltage regulator J22 (not populated)
Voltage regulator J22 (DNP)| | P5V_HDR_IN (5 V)| Third power source option for SYS_5V0 supply
From P5V_USB_FS / P5V_MCULINK USB / P5V_HDR_IN

supply

Note: _By  default, the option to produce SYS_5V0 supply from P5V_HDRIN supply is disabled.

| | SYS_5V0 (5 V)| Supplies power to:

• LDO voltage regulator U2
• mikroBUS socket connector J5
• Arduino socket connector J3

LDO voltage regulator U2| Torex Semiconductor XC6227C331PR-G| LDO_3V3 (3.3 V)|

• Produces MCU_VDD_P3V3 supply through either 2.7 Ω resistor R2 or jumper JP3 (not populated)

Power source| Manufacturer and part number| Power supply| Description
---|---|---|---
| | |

• Produces VDD_BOARD supply through either 0 Ωresistor R68 or jumper JP6 (not populated)
• Supplies power to:
• Power LED D4
•  Arduino socket connector J3

From LDO_3V3 supply through resistor R2 or jumper JP3 (DNP)| | MCUVDD P3V3 (3.3 V)|

• Produces VDD_MCU supply through either 0 Ω resistor R1 (not populated) or jumper JP2
• Produces VDDA_MCU supply through either 0 Ω resistor R66 or jumper JP1 (not populated)
•   Produces VDD_USB supply

From MCUVDD P3V3 supply through resistor R1 (DNP) or jumper JP2| | VDD_MCU| Supplies digital power (VDD) to the MCXA1xx MCU
From MCUVDD P3V3 supply through resistor R66 or jumper JP1 (DNP)| | VDDA_MCU| •   Supplies analog power (VDD_ANA/VREFH) to the MCXA1xx MCU

•   Supplies power to Arduino socket connector J2

From MCU_VDD_P3 V3 supply| | VDD_USB| Supplies VDD_USB power to the MCXA1xx MCU
From LDO_3V3 supply through resistor R68 or jumper JP6 (DNP)| | VDD_BOARD (3.3 V)|

• Produces the following power supplies:
• VDD_P3T
• MCU_LINK_3V3
• VREF_MCULINK
• Provides VDDA power to the LPC55S69 MCU (MCU- Link)
• Supplies power to:
• Push buttons SW1, SW2, and SW3
• Reset LED D14
• RGB LED D15
•  Pmod connector J7 (not populated)
•  mikroBUS socket connector J6
• Arduino socket connector J3
• MCU-Link LEDs D5, D7, and D8
• Target MCU external debugger connector J18 (not populated)

From VDD_BOARD supply| | VDD_P3T| Supplies power to I3C sensor U8
MCU_LINK_3 V3 (3.3 V)| Provides VDD, USB0_3V3, and USB13V3 powers to the LPC55S69 MCU (MCU-Link)
VREF MCULINK| Provides VREFP power to the LPC55S69 MCU (MCU- Link)

Current measurement
The FRDM-MCXA153 board supports current measurement using an ampere meter (ammeter) on power supplies shown in Table 8.

Table 8. Power supplies with current measurement support

Power supply| Description| Current measurement jumper| Current measurement steps
---|---|---|---
VDDA_MCU| Target MCU (MCXA1xx) analog power| JP1 (DNP)|

1. Remove resistor R66 and populate JP1.
2. Connect the ammeter between pins 1 and 2 of JP1.

VDD_MCU| Target MCU digital power| JP2|

1. Open JP2.
2.  Connect the ammeter between pins 1 and 2 of JP2.

MCU_VDD_P3V3| Target MCU total (analog + digital) power| JP3 (DNP)|

1. Remove resistor R2 and populate JP3.
2. Connect the ammeter between pins 1 and 2 of JP3.

VDD_BOARD| Board (except target MCU) power| JP6 (DNP)|

1. Remove resistor R68 and populate JP6.
2. Connect the ammeter between pins 1 and 2 of JP6.

Clocks
Table 9 provides details about inputs clocks on the FRDM-MCXA153 board
. Table 9. FRDM-MCXA153 clocks

Clock generator| Manufacturer and part number| Clock| Frequency| Destination
---|---|---|---|---
Crystal Y1 (DNP)| Diodes Incorporated FY0800027| XTAL48M, EXTAL48M| 8 MHz| MCXA1xx MCU
Crystal Y2| KYOCERA AVX CX3225GA16000 D0PTVCC| MCULINK[P, N]_16

MHz

| 16 MHz| LPC55S69 MCU

The MCXA1xx MCU also provides a clock output CLKOUT, which can be accessed by populating clock output test point connector J19.

USB interface
The MCXA1xx MCU has one Universal Serial Bus Full Speed (USBFS) module (USBFS0), which supports only Device mode. The FRDM-MCXA153 board implements support for the USBFS module through a USB Type-C connector, J8. The USB connector works in Device mode. It also flows 5 V power in the board.

LPUART interface
The MCXA1xx MCU has three Low-Power Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (LPUART) modules: LPUART0, LPUART1, and LPUART2. The FRDM-MCXA153 board supports communication only with the LPUART0 and LPUART2 modules.
Figure 8 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 LPUART diagram.

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Table 10 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 LPUART connections.
Table 10. LPUART connections

LPUART

module

| Peripheral devices
---|---
Part identifier| Manufacturer and part number| Description
LPUART0| U4| NXP LPC55S69JEV98| MCU-Link, a 32-bit MCU based on the Arm Cortex- M33 core with speeds of up to 150 MHz.
| | | MCU-Link can be used as a USB-to-UART bridge to debug the target MCU (MCXA1xx) through a VCOM port.
| J25 (DNP)| —| MCU-Link VCOM header, a 1×3-pin header for accessing the MCU- Link VCOM port through an external connection. J25 is not populated on the board. J25 pinout is defined as follows:
| | |

• Pin 1: MCULINK_VCOM_TX

| | |

• Pin 2: GND

| | |

• Pin 3: MCULINK_VCOM_RX

LPUART2| J5| —| One of the two mikroBUS socket connectors that allows a UART connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in mikroBUS click board.

Table 10. LPUART connections…continued

LPUART

module

| Peripheral devices
---|---
Part identifier| Manufacturer and part number| Description
| J1| —| One of the four Arduino socket connectors that allows a UART connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in Arduino board.

LPSPI interface
The MCXA1xx MCU has two Low-Power Serial Peripheral Interface (LPSPI) modules: LPSPI0 and LPSPI1. Each LPSPI module supports two modes: Master mode (with support for up to four peripheral chip selects) and Slave mode.
The FRDM-MCXA153 board supports communication with both the LPSPI modules of the MCXA1xx MCU.
Figure 9 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 LPSPI diagram.

Table 11 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 LPSPI connections.
Table 11. LPSPI connections

connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in mikroBUS click board.
LPSPI module| Peripheral chip select| Peripheral devices
---|---|---
Part identifier| Description
| | J7 (DNP)| Pmod connector, which allows a SPI connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in Pmod board. J7 is not populated on the board.
LPSPI1| PCS1| J2| One of the four Arduino socket connectors that allows a SPI connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in Arduino board.

LPI2C interface
The MCXA1xx MCU has one Low-Power Inter-Integrated Circuit (LPI2C) module, LPI2C0, which supports serial I2C communication through a pair of control and data signals.
The FRDM-MCXA153 board supports communication with the LPI2C0 module.
Figure 10 shows the FRDM-MCXA153 LPI2C diagram.

Table 12 describes the FRDM-MCXA153 LPI2C devices. The I2C address of each device depends on the plugged-in board/module.

Table 12. LPI2C devices

connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in mikroBUS click board.
J7 (DNP)| Pmod connector, which allows an I2C connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in Pmod board. J7 is not populated on the board.
J2| One of the four Arduino socket connectors that allows an I2C connection between the target MCU and the plugged-in Arduino board.

I3C sensor
The FRDM-MCXA153 board provides a digital temperature sensor, which is supported through the Improved Inter-Integrated Circuit (I3C) module (I3C0) of the MCXA1xx MCU. Table 13 describes the I3C sensor.
Table 13. I3C sensor

Part identifier| Manufacturer and part number| Description| 7-bit I2C address
---|---|---|---
U8| NXP P3T1755DP| Temperature-to-digital converter with an on-chip band gap temperature sensor and support for over- temperature detection. It operates in the temperature range from -40 ℃ to +125 ℃ with ±0.5 ℃ accuracy. It has a temperature register to store the digital temperature reading that can be read by a controller via the 2-wire serial I3C (up to 12.5 MHz) or I2C (up to 3.4 MHz) interface.

For more information on P3T1755DP, visit nxp.com.

| 0x90

The FRDM-MCXA153 board also provides the following two I3C test point connectors

• J20: Supports I3C data signal.
• J21: Supports I3C clock signal.

The temperature reading from the U8 sensor can be read through an external device controller by populating test point connectors J20 and J21.

Pmod connector
Digilent Pmod (peripheral module) devices are small I/O interface boards that can be easily integrated with programmable logic and embedded control boards for expanding their capabilities.
The FRDM-MCXA153 board supports a Pmod connector J7 (Digilent PPPC062LJBN-RC) for expanding the capabilities of the board. The J7 connector is not populated on the board. If populated, it can be used to access the SPI and I2C ports of the MCXA1xx MCU. It can be used to work with a remote host, or as an interface to a Pmod expansion board.
Table 14 shows the pinout of the Pmod connector J7.
Table 14. Pmod connector pinout

mikroBUS socket
A mikroBUS socket is a pair of 1×8 position receptacles (connectors) with a proprietary pin configuration and silkscreen markings. It allows maximum hardware expandability with the least number of pins.
The FRDM-MCXA153 board has a mikroBUS socket with two 1×8 position receptacles, J5 and J6. Figure 11 shows the pinouts of the mikroBUS socket connectors.

The FRDM-MCXA153 mikroBUS socket supports different types of add-on boards, called click boards, which are plug-and-play solutions to add new functionality to the board design. A click board has a pair of 1×8 pin headers that connect to the two receptacles of a mikroBUS socket.
MikroElektronika (MIKROE) is one of the manufacturers of click boards. You can find details of some example click boards for the FRDM-MCXA153 mikroBUS socket at MIKROE website.

Arduino socket
The FRDM-MCXA153 board has an Arduino socket with the following four connectors:

• J1: 2×8-position receptacle
• J2: 2×10-position receptacle
• J3: 2×8-position receptacle
• J4: 2×6-position receptacle

The two 2×8-position receptacles are placed diagonally opposite to each other. The socket is pin-compatible with an Arduino Uno revision 3 (R3) board.

The Arduino socket allows communication with the following modules of the target MCU

• Low-Power Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter 2 (LPUART2)

• Low-Power Serial Peripheral Interface 1 (LPSPI1)
  • Low-Power Inter-Integrated Circuit 0 (LPI2C0)

• Analog-to-Digital Converter 0 (ADC0)

• Pulse Width Modulator 0 (PWM0)
  Figure 12 shows the pinouts of the Arduino socket connectors.

MCU-Link OB debug probe

MCU-Link is a debug probe architecture jointly developed by NXP and Embedded Artists. The MCU-Link architecture is based on the LPC55S69 MCU, which is based on the Arm Cortex-M33 core.
The MCU-Link architecture is configurable to support different debug feature options. The architecture is used both in standalone debug probes (such as MCU-Link Pro) and for onboard debug probes in evaluation boards (such as FRDM- MCXA153). The onboard implementation of MCU-Link is referred to as MCU-Link OB.
The FRDM-MCXA153 board implements a subset of the MCU-Link architecture features, as mentioned in Section 3.1. For more details on the MCU-Link architecture, visit the MCU-Link Debug Probe Architecture page.
The MCU-Link OB on the FRDM-MCXA153 board is factory-programmed with the firmware based on the NXP CMSIS-DAP protocol. The firmware also supports all other features supported in the hardware. A custom version of the J-Link firmware to make MCU-Link OB compatible with J-Link LITE is also available. However, this firmware version supports only limited features, including debug/SWO and VCOM. For information on how to update the firmware, see Section 3.4.

Supported MCU-Link features
MCU-Link includes several mandatory and optional features. Table 15 summarizes the MCU-Link features supported on the FRDM-MCXA153 board.
Table 15. Supported MCU-Link features

allows SWD-based debugging with SWO for profiling and/or low overhead debug standard I/O communication.
Virtual communication (VCOM) serial port| MCU-Link adds a serial COM port on the host computer and connects it to the target MCU while working as a USB-to- UART bridge.
External debug probe support| The MCU-Link interface supports debugging the target MCU (MCXA1xx) using an external debug probe, instead of MCU-Link. Support for an external debug probe is enabled by disabling the SWD feature.
External target support[1]| MCU-Link can also be used to debug an external target.
[1] J-Link firmware does not support this feature.

Supported debug scenarios
Table 16 describes the debug scenarios supported on the FRDM-MCXA153 board.
Table 16. Supported debug scenarios

Debug scenario| Feature support| Required jumper/connector settings
---|---|---
Use MCU-Link for debugging the MCXA1xx MCU| SWD: Enabled| MCU-Link SWD disable jumper JP20 is open.
Target MCU external debugger connector J18 (DNP) is not used for external connection.
VCOM: Enabled| MCU-Link VCOM port disable jumper JP19 is open.
Use an external debugger for debugging the MCXA1xx MCU| SWD: Not supported| Short JP20.
Populate J18 and connect the external debugger to it.
VCOM: Supported| JP19 is open.
Debug scenario| Feature support| Required jumper/connector settings
---|---|---
Use MCU-Link for debugging an external target| SWD: Enabled| JP20 is open.
Populate J18 and connect the external target to it.
VCOM: Not supported| Short JP19.

MCU-Link host driver and utility installation
The MCU-Link debug probe is supported on Windows 10/11, MacOS X, and Ubuntu Linux platforms. It uses standard OS drivers. For Windows, the installation program also includes information files to provide user-friendly device names.
Support for MCU-Link can be enabled using the Linkserver utility, which is an NXP GDB server and flash utility that supports many NXP debug probes. Running the Linkserver installer also installs all the drivers and a firmware update utility required for MCU-Link.
NXP recommends you to use the Linkserver utility for installing the MCU-Link drivers and firmware update utility, unless you are using MCUXpresso IDE version 11.6.1 or earlier. For more details on this utility, visit the https://nxp.com/linkserver page.
Note: Installing the Linkserver utility (using the Linkserver installer) only installs the device drivers required for MCU-Link, it does not update the MCU- Link firmware. The Linkserver installation package includes the utilities that are used to update the firmware. If you are using MCUXpresso IDE version 11.6.1 or earlier, you must install the firmware update utility version 2.263, which is not included in the Linkserver installation package.

If you cannot use the Linkserver utility, follow these steps to install the MCU-Link drivers and firmware update utility

1. Visit the board page on the NXP website (not available yet).
2. Go to the Design Resources > Software section. Under the Development Software category, MCU-Link installation packages for Windows, MacOS, and Linux platforms are available.
3. Download the MCU-Link installation package applicable to your host OS.
4. Run the installer program (for Windows) or install the firmware package (for MacOS or Linux).

You are recommended to update the MCU-Link firmware on your board to the latest firmware version to get the latest functionality. Steps to update the firmware are provided in Section 3.4. Before updating the firmware, check if the MCU-Link firmware you want to use is compatible with the MCUXpresso IDE installed on your host computer (see Table 17).

Table 17. Compatibility between MCU-Link firmware and MCUXpresso IDE

MCU-Link firmware version| USB driver type| CMSIS-SWO

support

| FreeMASTER support via| Supported MCUXpresso IDE versions
---|---|---|---|---
SWD / JTAG| USB bridge
V1.xxx and V2.xxx| HID| No| Yes| Yes| MCUXpresso 11.3 or later
V3.xxx (up to and including V3.108)| WinUSB| No| Yes| FreeMASTER V3.2.2

or later

| MCUXpresso 11.7.0 or later
V3.117 and later| WinUSB| Yes| Yes| FreeMASTER V3.2.2

or later

| MCUXpresso 11.7.1 or later

Updating MCU-Link firmware
When updating the MCU-Link firmware, MCU-Link must be powered up in ISP mode. To configure MCU-Link in ISP mode and update MCU-Link firmware, follow these steps:

1. Disconnect the board from the host computer, short jumper JP8, and reconnect the board. The red MCU-Link status LED D7 lights up and stays on. For more details on MCU-Link LEDs, see Section 3.8.
2. Navigate to the MCU-LINK_installer_Vx_xxx directory, where Vx_xxx indicates the version number, for example, V3.108.
3. Follow the instructions in the readme.txt to find and run the firmware update utility for CMSIS-DAP or J-Link firmware version.
4. Disconnect the board from the host computer, open jumper JP8, and reconnect the board. The board enumerates on the host computer as a WinUSB or HID device (depending on the firmware version).

Note

•  Starting version V3.xxx, the MCU-Link firmware uses WinUSB instead of HID for higher performance. However, it requires MCUXpresso IDE version 11.7.0 or higher.
• MCU-Link firmware versions starting V3.117 provide CMSIS-SWO support, which means they can enable SWO-related features in non-NXP IDEs.

Using MCU-Link with development tools
The MCU-Link debug probe can be used with IDEs supported within the MCUXpresso ecosystem, such as MCUXpresso IDE, MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code, IAR Embedded Workbench, and Arm Keil MDK.

Using MCU-Link with MCUXpresso IDE
The MCUXpresso IDE recognizes any type of MCU-Link probe that uses either CMSIS-DAP or J-Link firmware. When you start a new debug session, the IDE checks for all the available debug probes. For all the probes it finds, the IDE displays the probe types and unique identifiers in the Probes discovered dialog box.
If a debug probe requires a firmware update, the probe is displayed with a warning in the Probes discovered dialog box. For each such probe, the latest firmware version is indicated and a link to download the latest firmware package is provided. To update the firmware for the MCU-Link debug probe, see the instructions provided in Section 3.4.
You are advised to use the latest MCU-Link firmware to take the benefit of the latest functionality. However, the MCU-Link firmware version you can use depends on the MCUXpresso IDE installed on your host computer. To check the compatibility of the MCU-Link firmware you want to use with your MCUXpresso IDE, see Table 17.

Using MCU-Link with MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code
The MCU-Link debug probe can be used with the MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code extension from NXP. This extension uses the Linkserver debug server. To work with MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code, install the Linkserver utility using the MCUXpresso Installer tool or as described in Section 3.3. For more details on MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code, visit the MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code page.

Using MCU-Link with third-party IDEs
The MCU-Link debug probe can be used with IAR Embedded Workbench and Arm Keil MDK, and may also work with other third-party tools. Refer to the documentation for these products, covering the use of generic CMSIS-DAP probes or J-Link probes (depending on the firmware image you are using).

MCU-Link USB connector
The FRDM-MCXA153 board has a USB Type-C connector J15, which allows you to connect MCU-Link with your host computer. It can also be used to supply 5 V power to the board.

VCOM port (USB to target UART bridge)
MCU-Link supports the VCOM serial port feature, which adds a serial COM port on the host computer and connects it to the target MCU while working as a USB- to-UART bridge.
In the FRDM-MCXA153 board, MCU-Link is connected to the LPUART0 port of the target MCU. To use MCU-Link as a USB-to-UART bridge, verify the following jumper settings and connect the J15 connector on the board to the USB port of the host computer:

• Jumper JP8 is open (MCU-Link boots normally)
• Jumper JP19 is open (MCU-Link VCOM port is enabled)

When you boot the FRDM-MCXA153 board, a VCOM port with the name MCU-Link Vcom Port (COMxx) is enumerated on the host computer, where “xx” may vary from one computer to another. Each MCU-Link based board has a unique VCOM number associated with it.
The VCOM function can be disabled by shorting jumper JP19, before powering up the board. Changing the jumper JP19 setting (open/short) after powering up the board has no impact on the VCOM function in terms of how MCU-Link behaves.

MCU-Link status LEDs
The FRDM-MCXA153 board has seven status indicator LEDs for MCU-Link. Table 18 lists these LEDs and describes how each LED behaves in different MCU-Link modes.

Table 18. MCU-Link LEDs

ISP (firmware update) mode
D5| USB_ACTIVE| Green| Indicates USB communication. The LED lights up after successful USB enumeration at startup, and then stays ON.| The LED remains OFF.| The LED remains OFF.
D7| ISP_EN| Red| Indicates MCU-Link status / SWD activity. It blinks rapidly at startup, if an error occurs.

The LED acts as a heartbeat LED (fades in/ out repeatedly), with SWD activity overlaid.

| The LED remains OFF.| The LED lights up when MCU-Link (LPC55S69) boots in ISP mode.
D8| VCOM_ACTIVE| Green| Indicates if the VCOM port is receiving/sending data. The LED lights up when MCU-Link boots, and then blinks when debug activity happens.| Indicates if the VCOM port is receiving/ sending data. The LED lights up when MCU- Link boots, and then blinks when debug activity happens.| The LED remains OFF.

Board errata

Not applicable for the current board revision.

Related Documentation

Table 19 lists some additional documents and resources that you can refer to for more information on
the FRDM-MCXA153 board. Some of these documents may be available only under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). To access such a document, contact a local NXP field applications engineer (FAE) or sales representative.
Table 19. Related Documentation

Contact an NXP FAE / sales representative
MCXA1xx Low-Power MCU sub- family Data Sheet| Provides information about electrical characteristics, hardware design considerations, and ordering information.
MCXA153VLH_P07H Errata| Lists all known silicon errata for the MCXA1xx MCU.
FRDM-MCXA153 board design files| Board schematics, assembly layout

Acronyms

Table 20 lists the acronyms used in this document.
Table 20. Acronyms

Revision history

Table 21 summarizes the revisions to this document.
Table 21. Revision history

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References

• Automotive, IoT & Industrial Solutions | NXP Semiconductors
• LinkServer for Microcontrollers | NXP Semiconductors

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