GE863-PRO3 Hardware User Guide
1vv0300773a Rev. 0 - 24/01/08
Reproduction forbidden without Telit Communications S.p.A. written authorization - All Rights Reserved page 41 of 64
In order to interface the Telit GE863-PRO3 with a PC com port or a RS232 (EIA/TIA-232) application a
level translator is required. This level translator must
• invert the electrical signal in both directions
• change the level from 0/3V to +15/-15V
Actually, the RS232 UART 16450, 16550, 16650 & 16750 chipsets accept signals with lower levels on
the RS232 side (EIA/TIA-562) , allowing for a lower voltage-multiplying ratio on the level translator.
Note that the negative signal voltage must be less than 0V and hence some sort of level translation is
always required.
The simplest way to translate the levels and invert the signal is by using a single chip level translator.
There are a multitude of them, differing in the number of driver and receiver and in the levels (be sure
to get a true RS232 level translator not a RS485 or other standards).
By convention the driver is the level translator from the 0-3V UART level to the RS232 level, while the
receiver is the translator from RS232 level to 0-3V UART.
In order to translate the whole set of control lines of the UART you will need:
• 5 driver
• 3 receiver
NOTE: The digital input lines working at 2.8V/3.1VCMOS have an absolute maximum input voltage of
3,75V; therefore the level translator IC shall not be powered by the +3.8V supply of the module. Instead it
shall be powered from a +2.8V / +3.1V (dedicated or 3.1V_OUT) power supply.
This is because in this way the level translator IC outputs on the module side (i.e. GE863-PRO3 inputs) will
work at +3.8V interface levels, stressing the module inputs at its maximum input voltage.
This can be acceptable for evaluation purposes, but not on production devices.
NOTE: In order to be able to do in circuit reprogramming of the GE863-PRO3 GPRS firmware, the serial
port on the Telit GE863-PRO3 shall be available for translation into RS232 and either it's controlling ARM
device shall be placed into tristate, disconnected or as a gateway for the serial data when module
reprogramming occurs.
Only RXD, TXD, GND and the On/off module turn on pad are required to the reprogramming of the module,
the other lines are unused.
All applicator shall include in their design such a way of reprogramming the GE863-PRO3.
NOTE: In order to be able to do in circuit reprogramming of the GE863-PRO3 ARM Application software,
the serial port DEBUG on the Telit GE863-PRO3 shall be available for translation into RS232 when module
reprogramming occurs.
Only DRXD, DTXD, GND and the ON/OFF*-AP module turn on pad are required to the reprogramming of
the module, the other lines are unused.
All applicator shall include in their design such a way of reprogramming the GE863-PRO3.