Unified Development Platform (UDP)
Silicon Labs offers an innovative, new approach in hardware support with the Unified Development Platform (UDP), featuring a unified mother board, modular boards, integrated LCD and ample real estate for prototyping, expansion and integration.
The UDP platform supports all of the following:
- MCU code and firmware development (IDE, Configuration Wizard, example codes etc.)
- RF design and optimization (WDS support, automatic board detection and firmware download, sample RF code, run-time PHY interface etc.)
- Networks and protocol stacks (such as the wireless M-Bus stack)
Available Development Kits
Getting Started
The Unified Development Platform motherboard accepts four types of boards: the target MCU card, the I/O expander card, the radio card, and the EZLink card. The motherboard can be used with an MCU card alone without an I/O card, radio card, or EZLink card.
Motherboard
The motherboard connects the MCU card, I/O expander, and radio cards together. In addition, the motherboard provides extra access points to the MCU card to add peripherals to the system. The motherboard provides USB connectivity with a Silicon Labs CP2105 USB-to-Dual-UART bridge and a Silicon Labs C8051F384 8051 USB microcontroller. The motherboard can be powered from USB, an AC adapter, or a battery pack with the capability to vary the power supply and measure the current consumption of the target MCU board. Finally, the motherboard provides RF measurement circuitry for radio development.
UDP Motherboard Firmware Update Utility
Use the UDP Motherboard Firmware Update Utility to update the motherboard and ensure compatibility with the latest products.
MCU Card
The target MCU cards enable application development on the desired MCU. The card connects to the MCU Card expansion slot in the UDP motherboard and provides complete access to the MCU resources. Each expansion board has a unique ID that can be read out of an EEPROM or MCU on the board, which enables software tools to recognize the connected hardware and automatically select the appropriate firmware image. The target MCU card can also be detached from the UDP and used alone as a development or demonstration tool.
I/O Card
The I/O cards add peripherals to the MCU cards to enable specific code development. The card connects to the I/O card expansion slot in the UDP motherboard. Each expansion board has a unique ID that can be read out of an EEPROM or MCU on the board, which enables software tools to recognize the connected hardware and automatically select the appropriate firmware image.
RF Cards
The UDP system supports wireless development and evaluation capability using the radio and EZLink cards. The cards connect to the radio card and EZLink slots in the UDP motherboard.
Silicon Labs’ free Eclipse-based integrated development environment (IDE) includes a compiler, debugger and an online dashboard for application-critical information such as a software library with example code, data sheets, schematics, PCB footprints, app notes, active version tracking and automatic updates. A centerpiece of the IDE is a GUI-based AppBuilder software, quickly and graphically select their peripheral mix and properties, set up clocking modes, customize pinouts and generate source code – all without having to write a line of code or read a data sheet.