This document describes how to interface a Stellaris LM3S811 microcontroller with a DAC7311 digital-to-analog converter using SPI communication. It provides details on the SPI configuration of the Stellaris, the pinout and connections of the DAC7311 evaluation board, and code examples to generate waveforms from the DAC output by transmitting data over SPI. Evaluation board layout diagrams and actual connection snapshots are shown.

1. Interfacing Stellaris to DAC (SPI)
Stellaris LM3S811 EVM to DAC7311 Data Converter EVM
Abstract
The DAC7311 is low power, single channel, voltage output digital-to-analog
12-bits converters (DAC). It is monotonic by design and provides excellent
linearity and minimizes undesired code-to-code transient voltage. By
interfacing the DAC7311 with Stellaris LM3S811 through SPI, we can increase
the range of suitable application for Stellaris to another level.
Related code and additional information are provided.
Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Stellaris LM3S811 Synchronous Serial Interface (SSI) 2
2.1 Frame Format 2
2.2 Evaluation board layout & Connection 4
3. DAC7311 EVM 6
3.1 Pin Configuration 6
3.2 Digital Interface 6
3.3 Power Supplies 7
3.4 Default Jumper Location 7
3.5 Actual DAC7311 Snapshot 8
4. Establish communication between Stellaris and DAC7311 9
4.1 Functions used in demo code 10
5. Reference 14
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2. 1. Introduction
This application report will enhance the already feature-rich Stellaris
LM3S811 microcontroller with DAC capability using DAC7311 through
SPI. The demo code will generate square wave, saw-tooth wave or
Sinusoidal wave from the DAC7311 output. It offers the customer an
easy solution and will definitely shorten the development process.
2. Stellaris LM3S811 Synchronous Serial Interface (SSI)
The Stellaris Synchronous Serial Interface (SSI) is a master or slave
interface for synchronous serial communication with peripheral devices
that have either Freescale SPI, MICROWIRE, or Texas Instruments
synchronous serial interface. In the demo code, we will be using the
Freescale SPI format.
The Stellaris SSI module has the following features:
• Master or slave operation
• Programmable clock bit rate and prescale
• Separate transmit and receive FIFOs, 16 bits wide, 8 locations
deep
• Programmable interface operation for Freescale SPI, MICROWAVE,
or Texas Instruments synchronous serial interfaces
• Programmable data frame size for 4 to 16 bits
• Internal loopback test mode for diagnostic/debug testing
*The information on Stellaris LM3S811 SPI is mostly taken from Stellaris LM3SS811
Datasheet. The information provided above and below should be enough to understand
and use the SPI feature. For more information, please refer to section 12, page 400 from
the datasheet.
2.1 Frame Format
To interface with the DAC7311, the Freescale SPI frame type will be
chosen. The Freescale SPI interface is a four-wire interface where the
SSIFss signal behaves as a slave select. The main feature of the
Freescale SPI format is that the inactive state and phase of the SSIClk
signal are programmable through the SPO and SPH bits within the
SSISCR0 control register.
SPO Clock Polarity Bit:
When the SPO clock polarity control bit is low, it produces a steady state
low value on the SSIClk pin. If the SPO is high, a steady state high
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3. value is placed on the SSIClk pin when data is not being transferred.
SPH Phase Control Bit:
The SPH phase control bit selects the clock edge that captures data and
allows it to change state. It has the most impact on the first bit
transmitted by either allowing or not allowing a clock transition before
the first data capture edge. When the SPH phase control bit is low, data
is captured on the first clock edge transition. If the SPH bit is high, data
is captured on the second clock edge transition.
Freescale SPI Frame Format with SPO=1 and SPH=0:
This will be the frame format used for the Stellaris to establish
connection with DAC7311.
Figure 1. Freescale SPI Frame Format (Single Transfer) with SPO=1 and SPH=0
Figure 2. Freescale SPI Frame Format (Continuous Transfer) with SPO=1 and SPH=0
In this configuration, during idle periods:
• SSIClk is forced High
• SSIFss is forced High
• The transmit data line SSITx is arbitrarily forced Low
• When the SSI is configured as a master, it enables the SSIClk pad
• When the SSI is configured as a slave, it disables the SSIClk pad
If the SSI is enabled and there is valid data within the transmit FIFO,
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4. the start of transmission is signified by the SSIFss master signal being
driven Low, which causes slave data to be immediately transferred onto
the SSIRx line of the master. The master SSITx output pad is enabled.
One half period later, valid master data is transferred to the SSITx line.
Now that both the master and slave data have been set, the SSIClk
master clock pin becomes Low after one further half SSIClk period. This
means that data is captured on the falling edges and propagated on the
rising edges of the SSIClk signal.
In the case of a single word transmission, after all bits of the data word
are transferred, the SSIFss line is returned to its idle High state one
SSIClk period after the last bit has been captured.
However, in the case of continuous back-to-back transmissions, the
SSIFss signal must be pulsed high between each data word transfer.
This is because the slave select pin freezes the data in its serial
peripheral register and does not allow it to be altered if the SPH bit is
logic zero. Therefore, the master device must raise the SSIFss pin of the
slave device between each data transfer to enable the serial peripheral
data write. On completion of the continuous transfer, the SSIFss pin is
returned to its idle state one SSIClk period after the last bit has been
captured.
2.2 Evaluation Board Layout & Connections
To use the SPI function, need to connect SCLK, SFSS and STx to the
DAC7311. SCLK, SFSS and STx are highlighted as red in picture 1 on
page 5.
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5. Picture 1. LM3S811 EVM Layout
During testing, the actual device pin snapshot is provided below. It is
connected exactly as mentioned above. Both the LM3S811 and
DAC7311 shared the same ground from the external power supply (See
picture 2 on page 5).
Picture 2. Actual LM3S811 used during testing
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6. 3. DAC7311 EVM
The DAC7311 Evaluation Module is an evaluation board containing all
the necessary components to evaluate the 6-pin, high-performance,
digital-to-analog converters from Texas Instruments.
3.1 Pin Configuration
Figure 3. DAC7311 Pin Configuration from datasheet.
3.2 Digital Interface
SCLK from Stellaris LM3S811 will get connected to J1.3. SFSS will get
connected to J1.1. STx will get connected to J1.11. See figure 4 on page
7 for the definition of each pin.
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7. Figure 4. Digital Interface
3.3 Power Supplies
The DAC EVM board requires a single +5-VDC power supply for proper
operation. This 5-V supply powers the voltage reference and the
external reference buffer. See figure 5 on page 7 for the definition of
each pin.
Figure 5. Power Supplies
3.4 Default Jumper Locations
To interface with the Stellaris LM3S811, JP1 must get set to Pins2-3
from the default locations. JP2 and JP3 remained as default. See figure
6 on page 7 for default jumper table.
Figure 6. Default Jumper Locations
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8. 3.5 Actual DAC7311 Snapshot
See picture 3 on page 8 for how DAC7311 was actually connected
during testing.
Picture 3. Actual DAC7311 during testing
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9. 4. Establish communication between Stellaris and DAC7311
As mentioned in section 2 and 3, connect SCLK, SFSS and STx from the
Stellaris LM3S811 to J1.3, J1.1 and J1.11 respectively. See picture 4 on
page 9 for how the two boards are connected.
Picture 4. Stellaris to DAC7311 EVM
After the hardware connections are properly connected. For Stellaris
LM3S811 to communicate with DAC5571, it must generate a proper
sequence. The proper serial write operation and data input register
diagram are provided on page 9 and 10.
Figure 7. Serial Write Operation
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10. Figure 8. DAC7311 12-bit Data Input Register
4.1 Functions used in demo code
Once open the .eww file for the demo program. To output the correct
write operation, use the function below.
OneCycle: It will output one correct write sequence for the DAC7311 to
accept. See picture 5 on page 10.
Picture 5. OneCycle Function
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11. To output the different waveforms, simply uncomment the function. See
picture 6 on page 11.
Picture 6. Different output options.
The different waveforms are generated using the OneCycle functions.
See picture 7 on page 12 for the square waveform function. For more
information, all these waveform functions are defined in the beginning
of the demo code.
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12. Picture 8. Square wave function
Square wave output from DAC7311:
Figure 9. Square Wave Output
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13. Saw-tooth wave output from DAC7311:
Figure 10. Saw-tooth Wave Output
Sinusoidal wave output from DA7311:
Figure 11. Sinusoidal Wave Output
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14. 5. Reference
Stellaris LM3S811 Microcontroller Datasheet (DS-LM3S811-9102)
Stellaris LM3S811 Evaluation Board User’s Manual (EK-LM3S811-01)
DAC7311 Datasheet (SBAS442)
SC70 DAC EVM User’s Guide (SLAU299)
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