Title- Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) – STM32L431

Name: ABDUR ROUF Student ID: 2130130222

Date of Lab: 30/05/2024

Introduction:
The Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) is a high-speed, synchronous serial communication protocol designed to
enable communication between a microcontroller and one or more peripheral devices. The STM32L431, a
member of STMicroelectronics' STM32L4 series, leverages this protocol to deliver efficient and reliable data
exchange capabilities. Featuring multiple SPI modules, the STM32L431 supports simultaneous communication
with various peripherals, enhancing its versatility in complex applications. This microcontroller can operate in
both master and slave modes, providing flexibility for diverse system architectures. It offers configurable data
frame sizes, various clock phase and polarity settings, and supports full-duplex communication, ensuring
compatibility with a wide array of SPI-compatible devices. Additionally, the STM32L431's SPI interface includes
advanced features such as hardware-based CRC generation and checking, multi-master capability, and support
for different communication speeds up to several megabits per second. Coupled with its low-power
consumption and high-performance ARM Cortex-M4 core, the STM32L431 is well-suited for applications
requiring robust and efficient communication, such as sensor interfacing, data acquisition systems, control
systems, and portable medical devices. Its extensive peripheral integration and flexible configuration options
make it a powerful choice for developers looking to implement reliable and high-speed serial communication
in their projects.

The Preliminary/Pre-lab Questions can be raised:

- What is SPI and how does it differ from other communication protocols like I2C or UART?
- What is clock polarity (CPOL) and clock phase (CPHA) in SPI communication, and how do they affect data
transmission?
- What are the advantages of using interrupts in SPI communication?
- What are the typical issues that might arise during SPI communication and how can they be debugged?
- What precautions should be taken to ensure reliable SPI communication in noisy or electrically harsh
environments?

Purpose of the Lab:

The primary objective of this experiment is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the
Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol and its implementation on the STM32L431 microcontroller platform.
SPI is a widely used synchronous serial communication protocol, particularly in embedded systems, due to its
simplicity, high data transfer rates, and versatility. By delving into this experiment, participants will delve into
the intricacies of configuring the SPI peripheral on the STM32L431, encompassing aspects such as master and
slave mode operation, clock polarity and phase configurations, and data transmission and reception
mechanisms. Through hands-on exploration, students will gain practical insights into initializing and managing
the SPI interface, enabling seamless interaction with a variety of external devices such as sensors, displays,
memory chips, and more. Moreover, the experiment will emphasize the significance of interrupt handling in
SPI communication, allowing for efficient utilization of system resources and enhancing real-time data
processing capabilities. By comprehensively grasping the nuances of SPI communication and its integration
with the STM32L431 microcontroller, participants will develop critical skills in embedded systems design,
troubleshooting, and optimization, empowering them to tackle complex engineering challenges with
confidence and proficiency.
Materials:
The laboratory experiment requires the following consumables and equipment:
1. Wires
2. LEDs (Various Colors)
3. Push buttons
4. Capacitors
5. Various Sensors (e.g., motion sensors)
6. Various connectors (e.g., headers)
7. Microcontroller board (e.g., Raspberry Pi)
8. GPIO breakout board
9. Sensors (e.g., temperature sensor, light sensor)
10. Actuators (e.g., relays)
11. Computer or laptop for programming
12. USB cable (for connecting microcontroller to computer)

Procedure:
The procedures for the SPI-STM32L431 lab experiment involve a series of steps to configure, program, and
interface within the STM32L431 microcontroller environment. Here's an outline of the typical procedures for
the lab:

1. Setup and Initialization:

- Connect the STM32L431 microcontroller to the development environment.
- Configure the SPI peripheral and GPIO pins for SPI communication.

2. Master Mode Configuration:

- Set up the STM32L431 microcontroller as an SPI master.
- Define communication parameters such as clock frequency, polarity, and phase.

3. Data Transmission:
- Implement code to transmit data from the master to the slave device.

4. Slave Mode Configuration (Optional):

- Optionally, configure another device as an SPI slave.
- Configure the slave device to receive data from the master.

5. Interrupt Handling:
- Implement interrupt handling routines to manage SPI-related interrupts.

6. Testing and Validation:

- Compile and upload the code to the STM32L431 microcontroller.
- Connect the master and slave devices via the SPI interface.
- Run the program and observe data transmission between the devices.

7. Troubleshooting and Optimization:

- Address any issues encountered during testing, such as data corruption or communication failures.
- Optimize the SPI communication code for efficiency and reliability.
8. Documentation and Analysis:
- Document the experiment setup, configuration settings, and code implementation details.
- Analyze experimental results, including data transmission rates and system performance.

Data:
To conduct the experiment on SPI communication with the STM32L431 microcontroller, several key pieces of
data are required. Firstly, detailed documentation or datasheets for the STM32L431 microcontroller and any
external devices intended for communication (e.g., SPI peripherals, sensors, or other microcontrollers) are
essential. This documentation should provide information on pin assignments, SPI peripheral registers, clock
configurations, and interrupt handling mechanisms. Additionally, access to an Integrated Development
Environment (IDE) compatible with STM32 microcontroller programming, such as STM32CubeIDE or Keil
μVision, is necessary for writing, compiling, and uploading code to the microcontroller. Furthermore,
knowledge of the specific SPI communication parameters required for the experiment, including clock
frequency, polarity, phase, and data frame format, is crucial for configuring the SPI peripheral correctly.
Finally, debugging tools such as oscilloscopes or logic analyzers may be beneficial for monitoring SPI signals
and troubleshooting any communication issues that arise during the experiment. By gathering and utilizing
this data effectively, students can successfully execute the SPI communication experiment with the
STM32L431 microcontroller.

Description of Variables:

The Code :
#define GLOBLE_VAR
#include "includes.h"
int main(void)
{
uint32_t mMainLoopCount;
uint8_t send_data[11]={'S','P','I','-','T','e','s','t','!','\r','\n'};
DISABLE_INTERRUPTS;
mMainLoopCount=0;
 gpio_init(LIGHT_BLUE, GPIO_OUTPUT, LIGHT_OFF);
uart_init(UART_User,115200);
spi_init(SPI_1,SPI_MASTER,6000,0,0);
spi_init(SPI_2,SPI_SLAVE,6000,0,0);
spi_enable_re_int(SPI_2);
ENABLE_INTERRUPTS;
printf("Prompt??Test of the SPI??\r\n");
printf("Prompt??Master send message to Slave\r\n");
printf("Prompt??Open the UART messagebox to check the result\r\n");
for(;;)
{
mMainLoopCount++;
if(mMainLoopCount<=20000000) continue;
mMainLoopCount=0;
gpio_reverse(LIGHT_BLUE);
printf("SPI\r\n");
spi_sendN(SPI_1,11,send_data);
printf("SPI\r\n\n");
}
}

Results:
Analysis:
After completing the lab experiment, the questions could be answered accordingly, as written below:

- What is SPI and how does it differ from other communication protocols like I2C or UART?
- SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) is a synchronous serial communication protocol used primarily for short-
distance communication in embedded systems. It allows for high-speed data transfer between a master
device and one or more slave devices. SPI uses four main lines:
1. MOSI (Master Out Slave In): Line for sending data from the master to the slave.
2. MISO (Master In Slave Out): Line for sending data from the slave to the master.
3. SCK (Serial Clock): Clock signal generated by the master to synchronize data transmission.
4. SS/CS (Slave Select/Chip Select): Line to select the slave device with which the master wants to
communicate.
- Differences from I2C and UART:
- I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit): I2C is also a synchronous communication protocol but uses only two lines
(SDA for data and SCL for clock). It supports multiple masters and slaves on the same bus and includes built-in
addressing and arbitration mechanisms. It is slower compared to SPI but requires fewer pins.
- UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter): UART is an asynchronous communication protocol
that uses two lines (TX for transmit and RX for receive). Unlike SPI and I2C, UART does not use a clock signal
for synchronization; instead, it relies on a predefined baud rate. UART is typically used for communication
between a microcontroller and peripheral devices or between computers and peripherals.

- What is clock polarity (CPOL) and clock phase (CPHA) in SPI communication, and how do they affect data
transmission?
- Clock Polarity (CPOL) and Clock Phase (CPHA) are two parameters that define the clock signal behavior in
SPI communication, determining the exact timing of data sampling and data changes.
- CPOL: Determines the idle state of the clock signal.
- CPOL = 0: Clock idle state is low (0).
- CPOL = 1: Clock idle state is high (1).
- CPHA: Determines which clock edge the data is sampled on.
- CPHA = 0: Data is sampled on the leading edge (first edge) of the clock pulse.
- CPHA = 1: Data is sampled on the trailing edge (second edge) of the clock pulse.
- The combination of CPOL and CPHA defines four possible SPI modes:
- Mode 0: CPOL = 0, CPHA = 0
- Mode 1: CPOL = 0, CPHA = 1
- Mode 2: CPOL = 1, CPHA = 0
- Mode 3: CPOL = 1, CPHA = 1

- What are the advantages of using interrupts in SPI communication?

- Interrupts allow the microcontroller to perform other tasks instead of continuously polling the SPI status
registers, increasing overall system efficiency and responsiveness. Interrupts enable immediate processing of
SPI events, such as data reception or transmission completion, improving the system's real-time performance.
By relying on hardware interrupts, the CPU can handle multiple concurrent processes more effectively,
reducing the load on the processor. In low-power applications, interrupts can help save energy by allowing the
CPU to enter sleep modes and wake up only when needed for SPI communication.

- What are the typical issues that might arise during SPI communication and how can they be debugged?
 - Typical Issues in SPI Communication:
- Clock Mismatch: Incorrect clock settings between master and slave can lead to data corruption.
- Timing Issues: Incorrect CPOL/CPHA settings can cause misalignment in data sampling.
- Noise and Interference: Electrical noise can introduce errors in data transmission.
- Slave Select Issues: Improper handling of the SS/CS line can result in communication with the wrong slave
device or no communication at all.
- Buffer Overruns: If the master sends data faster than the slave can process, buffer overruns can occur,
leading to data loss.
- Debugging Methods:
- Oscilloscope or Logic Analyzer: Use these tools to visually inspect the SPI signals, ensuring correct timing
and voltage levels.
- Software Debugging: Implement error-checking mechanisms like CRC and use debugging statements to log
data and statuses.
- Check Configurations: Verify that the SPI configuration parameters (clock speed, CPOL, CPHA) are correctly
set in both the master and slave devices.
- Isolation and Testing: Test each component of the SPI setup individually to isolate and identify the source
of the problem.

- What precautions should be taken to ensure reliable SPI communication in noisy or electrically harsh
environments?
- To ensure reliable SPI communication in noisy or electrically harsh environments, several precautions are
essential. Using shielded cables can significantly reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI), while proper
grounding ensures that all devices share a common ground, preventing ground loops and minimizing noise.
Twisted pair cables for SPI lines are also effective in minimizing electromagnetic interference. Implementing
ferrite beads or low-pass filters on SPI lines helps suppress high-frequency noise. Ensuring signal integrity by
maintaining appropriate signal rise and fall times for the SPI clock speed is crucial. Employing pull-up or pull-
down resistors on SPI lines prevents floating states, which can lead to unreliable communication. Additionally,
placing decoupling capacitors near the power supply pins of SPI devices can mitigate noise from the power
supply. A well-designed PCB layout with short, direct traces for SPI lines, avoiding parallel runs with noisy
signals, further enhances the reliability of SPI communication. By taking these measures, the impact of noise
and electrical interference on SPI communication can be minimized, ensuring robust and reliable operation.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the experiment on SPI communication using the STM32L431 microcontroller provided valuable
insights into the implementation and functionality of this widely-used protocol. By configuring the
microcontroller in both master and slave modes, students gained hands-on experience in setting up and
managing SPI peripherals, understanding the significance of clock polarity and phase, and handling data
transmission and reception efficiently. The experiment highlighted the benefits of using interrupts to enhance
system performance and reduce CPU load, demonstrating the practical advantages of efficient communication
strategies in embedded systems. Furthermore, the troubleshooting and optimization processes equipped
students with essential skills for identifying and resolving common issues in SPI communication, ensuring
robust data transfer even in challenging environments. By implementing best practices for noise reduction and
signal integrity, participants learned to ensure reliable SPI communication in electrically harsh conditions.
Overall, this experiment not only reinforced theoretical knowledge but also fostered practical skills essential
for designing and implementing reliable embedded systems, preparing students for more complex engineering
challenges in the future.