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LMore.2
Associate II
January 27, 2025
Solved

STM32C071 LQFP 32pin, need some help for first time design

  • January 27, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 1563 views

I've already become familiar with the NUCLEO-C071 by creating some additional hardware (display, encoder, etc.). Now, I want to design a board using the smaller 32-pin version. However, in this smaller version, I find some differences that I don't know how to address (I have read the datasheet thoroughly multiple times but cannot find any answers):

1) In the 64-pin version, pin 6 is the VBAT to connect a battery or a supercapacitor to maintain the RTC operation in case of power loss. Where has it gone in the 32-pin version?

2) In the 64-pin version, both the quartz for the CPU and for the RTC can be mounted. Can you confirm that in the 32-pin version, the CPU only works without quartz? Even for managing USB?

Thank you to anyone who can help me.

Luca.

Best answer by TDK

> But without VBAT, how can the RTC stay functional when there's no power supply?

RTC is powered from VDD. The hardware should be designed to source power from a battery or the main power using a diode or other power selection. Have a pin indicate when the main source is gone and it's only being powered by a battery. The chip should enter a low power mode during that case and wait for power to return on a wakeup pin.

 

4 replies

Chris21
Associate II
January 27, 2025

I have not used this device, but it appears to allow one crystal connection on the smaller packages, used as either HSE or LSE.  From the Reference Manual:

"For the devices housed in 48-pin packages, the HSE and LSE oscillators have separate
input and output pins (see HSE_NOT_REMAPPED bit of the FLASH option bytes). On
packages with less than 48 pins, HSE and LSE oscillators have one common input pin
OSCX_IN and one common output pin OSCX_OUT, which restricts their use to one at a
time (the other must be disabled)."

There is no mention of a VBAT pin, apparently this microcontroller does not have that feature unlike most STM32s.

LMore.2
LMore.2Author
Associate II
January 28, 2025

Cool!, I didn't realize that the quartz was for both.

But without VBAT, how can the RTC stay functional when there's no power supply?

The only solution seems to power everything with a backup battery and try to consume as little power as possible by going into deep sleep mode.

Tnks

Andrew Neil
Super User
January 28, 2025

Yes - that!

 

PS:

As well as batteries, there's supercaps, etc ...

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.
Andrew Neil
Super User
January 27, 2025

What's the full part number you're considering?

 


@LMore.2 wrote:

1) In the 64-pin version, pin 6 is the VBAT to connect a battery or a supercapacitor to maintain the RTC operation in case of power loss. Where has it gone in the 32-pin version?.


With the smaller packages, there just aren't enough pins for everything - this is one of the things you lose.

 

Application Note AN5673Getting started with STM32C0 MCU hardware development:

https://www.st.com/resource/en/application_note/an5673-getting-started-with-stm32c0-mcu-hardware-development-stmicroelectronics.pdf

 

And check out all the other Application Notes - see the 'Documentation' tab on the Product Page for whichever part you'll be using; eg,

https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32c071rb.html#documentation

 

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.
TDK
January 27, 2025

> 1) In the 64-pin version, pin 6 is the VBAT to connect a battery or a supercapacitor to maintain the RTC operation in case of power loss. Where has it gone in the 32-pin version?

VBAT isn't on either chip. Pin 6 is PF3. Where are you seeing that it's VBAT?

TDK_0-1738008771359.png

 

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LMore.2
LMore.2Author
Associate II
January 28, 2025

You are right! My mistake, sorry.

The schematic of NUCLEO-C071 misled me as it lists pin PF3/VBAT (see attached image). I hadn't read the note that says 'fitted: G0 MCU with VBAT'. So using C071, VBAT is never present.

 

LMore2_0-1738061535522.png

 

TDK
January 28, 2025

Great. Your other question is answered by @Chris21 above. 32-pin can't use a crystal as there is no OSC_OUT pin. The chip does support Crystal-less USB as a device.

TDK_0-1738073125737.png

 

"If you feel a post has answered your question, please click ""Accept as Solution""."
Andrew Neil
Super User
February 6, 2025
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.