GOWIN GW1NRF Bluetooth FPGA Module User Guide

: June 6, 2024
: GOWIN

Table of Contents

Testing GW1NRF4 Development Board Functionality
Creating an GW1NRF MCU and FPGA Project
Load and test MCU and FPGA designs
Support and Feedback
Revision History
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

GOWIN GW1NRF Bluetooth FPGA Module User Guide

Testing GW1NRF4 Development Board Functionality

Step 1: Download and Install

Computer

GW1NRFSocSdkSetup_1.0.exe
GOWIN EDA for Windows
- Download – https://www.gowinsemi.com/en/support/download_eda/
- License – https://www.gowinsemi.com/en/support/license/

Smartphone/Tablet

Alpwise i-BLE App in iOS App Store or Google Play Store

Step 2: Program and Test FPGA

Plug in DK-BLE-CEIT-ASSEM Development Board
Ensure drivers install and jumpers are set properly
Open GOWIN Programmer (Start → Gowin → Gowin Programmer)
Scan for devices
Click ‘Scan Device’ icon
Select ‘GW1NRF-4B’ and click ‘OK’
Set FPGA bitstream to program
Double click the blank cell under ‘FS File’ for the GW1NRF device
Access Mode: Embedded Flash Mode
File name: (Navigate to GW1NRF4_FPGA_BLINK_1_21_2020.fs)
Click Save
Click ‘Program/Configure’ icon
Observe blue LED blinking from successful FPGA programming

Step 3: Program BLE and MCU

Start → Programs → Gowin Semiconductor → GW1NRF Config Editor.
Select Driver: Jtag.
Select ‘Read from Device’.
File → Upload Patch.
Navigate to ‘findme_MCU_GPIO7.emp’.
Select Driver: Jtag.
Destination: IRAM.
Check boxes ‘Reset After Upload’ & ‘Check for Test Mode’.
Click Upload; Red LED should turn on after upload.

Step 4: Test BLE and MCU

Open the Alpwise i-BLE App on your smartphone or tablet.
Click ‘Play Bluetooth low energy’.
Click ‘GW1NRF FindMe’ from the list of Bluetooth devices.
Click the ‘Find Me’ Profile.
Push ‘No Alert’ → Red LED on the board should turn off.
Push ‘High Alert’ → Red LED on the board should turn on.

Creating an GW1NRF MCU and FPGA Project

Step 1: Setup Synopsys Metaware Lite

1. Download and get license for Metaware Lite
https://www.synopsys.com/cgi-bin/arcmwtk_lite/reg1.cgi
2. Install Metaware Lite
3. Start → Programs → Gowin Semiconductor → ‘Setup Project Files’

Step 2: Setup Metaware Lite for GW1NRF4

Start → Programs → Synopsys Inc → MetaWare Lite IDE P-2019.09-1
Create an Eclipse workspace path and click ‘OK’
Click ‘Create a New Workspace’
Specify the following path: ‘C:\ProgramData\GW1NRFsdk’
Click ‘OK’; Metaware Lite will reopen
Run the scrip of the C:\ProgramData\GW1NRFsdk\sw\ide_project.bat’
File → Import → General, Existing Projects
Select Root Directory: ‘C:\ProgramData\GW1NRFsdk\sw’
Click ‘Finish’

Note!

Metaware compiler version 11.8 in Metaware 2020.03 introduced new optimizations impacting functionality of GW1NRF SDK. On temporary basis, the workaround proposed is to modify include file “platform.h” in directory <libs/em_hw_api/includes>. The external reference to gPlatform_Config declaration should be changed:

From:
_extern const volatile Platform_Configuration_t gPlatformConfig;

To:
_extern volatile Platform_Configuration_t gPlatformConfig;

Step 3: Compile MCU C Code

Navigate in Project Explorer to sw  projects  findme  findme.c
On line 153 change the alert LED to GPIO 0 #define GPIO_FINDME_ALERT_LED ( 0 )
Project  Build All (if there is any error run ‘clean’)

Note!

There is some path issue with the BLESW_EM9304FOTA path in the GW1NRF SoC SDK Install.

MCU and FPGA Connectivity

FPGA Constraint File 10 Name

| MCU 10 Name
---|---
p17|

GPIO 0

p18

| GPIO 1
p19|

GPIO 2

p20

| GPIO 3
p22|

GPIO 4

Step 4: Synthesize and Load FPGA Design

Open GOWIN EDA
Open the ‘fpga_led_blink’ project
Observe led.v
led.v creates a counter that controls an out ‘led’. The counter runs when input ‘enable’ is active high.
Observe led.cst
‘enable’ is set to connect to p17, which is connected to MCU GPIO 0 based on the table in the previous slide
‘led’ is connected to package pin 8; this is connected to the blue led on the development board
Clock the ‘Process’ tab in GOWIN EDA; right click on ‘Place & Route’ and select ‘Rerun All’

Resulting Design

Now, we use Alpwise i-BLE App to control enable of a counter design in the FPGA. The enable turns the LED off or allows it to blink with the counter inside the FPGA.

Load and test MCU and FPGA designs

Load FPGA file:
*\GW1NRF_Getting_Started_v1\fpga_led_blink\impl\pnr\fpga_project.fs
Same procedure as “Testing GW1NRF4 Development Board Functionality → Step 2: Program and Test FPGA”
Load MCU elf file:
C:\ProgramData\GW1NRFsdk\sw\projects\findme\findme.elf
Same procedure as “Testing GW1NRF4 Development Board
Functionality → Step 4: Test BLE and MCUStep 2: Program and Test FPGA”
Test control of the FPGA led via BLE
Run Alpwise i-BLE App
Same procedure as “Testing GW1NRF4 Development Board Functionality → Step 4: Test BLE and MCUStep 2: Program and Test FPGA”
led should be off or blinking based on the alert state in the Alpwise App.

Support and Feedback

Gowin Semiconductor provides customers with comprehensive technical support. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to contact us directly by the following ways.
Website: www.gowinsemi.com
E-mail:support@gowinsemi.com

Revision History

Date	Version	Description
4/3/2020	1.0E	Initial version published.
11/10/2020	1.1E	“Step 2: Setup Metaware Lite for GW1NRF4” in the section of

“Creating an GW1NRF MCU and FPGA Project” updated.
3/19/2021| 1.2E| The note information in the section of “Creating an GW1NRF MCU and FPGA Project” updated.

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