AWS IoT Click

How does it work?

AWS IoT Click is based on the ESP32-C3-MINI-1-N4-A, a general-purpose 2.4GHz WiFi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth® 5 LE combo module from Espressif Systems that comes with an onboard PCB antenna. This module's core is the ESP32C3 series of SoC RISCV single-core 32-bit microprocessor (ESP32-C3FN4), a chip with an embedded flash of 4MB and a clock speed of up to 160MHz. Since flash is packaged in the ESP32-C3FN4 chip rather than integrated into the module, the ESP32-C3-MINI-1-N4-A has a smaller package size. Thanks to its rich set of features necessary to implement AWS IoT services, this Click board™ is ideal for smart homes, industrial automation, health care, consumer electronics, and generic IoT sensor hubs and data logger applications.

As the name suggests, this Click board™ is related to the AWS IoT platform (https://aws.amazon.com/iot/), a cloud-based platform provided by Amazon Web Services that enables secure and scalable IoT device connectivity, management, and data collection. The platform offers services and tools that allow IoT devices to connect and interact with other devices and cloud services securely. These services include a device gateway, management, data collection, rules engine, analytics, and security features such as device authentication, encryption, and access control. Now, with the AWS IoT Click board™, users can quickly and easily build IoT solutions that can connect to AWS IoT services and leverage the full capabilities of the AWS IoT platform.

The AWS IoT Click interfaces with a host MCU through UART communication, which involves sending AT commands using RX and TX pins operating at a rate of 115200bps. It is also equipped with a USB type C connector, which allows the board to be powered and configured by a personal computer (PC) using CP2102N, a compact USB to a serial UART interface bridge. The onboard LDO regulator, the NCP1117, supplies the necessary 3.3V power, during the standalone use-case, to the board obtained from the USB voltage. Alternatively, users can control the AWS IoT Click using the Start Quick Connect demo application.

NOTE: The Start Quick Connect demo application enables you to effortlessly establish a connection with AWS IoT in a matter of minutes, without any dependencies to install or download and build source code and without requiring an AWS account. For further details, please refer to our AWS IoT User Guide.

Besides the UART pins, the AWS IoT Click also employs other pins of the mikroBUS™ socket to enhance its functionality. For example, the WK pin is utilized as a module wake-up pin, the EVT pin detects significant events during operation, and the device enable pin RST offers a switch operation to turn ON/OFF the module. Moreover, the board features a RESET button that can be used to reset the device to its default settings, ensuring efficient and reliable operation.

Besides the reset button, this Click board™ also comes with a download button, labeled Boot, that allows users to download firmware through the serial port. To activate this feature, users need to hold down the BOOT button and then press the RESET button, which will initiate the Firmware Download mode. Alternatively, users can achieve the same result by setting the BT pin of the mikroBUS™ socket to a low logic state. This feature provides an easy and efficient way to download firmware onto the module, simplifying the development process and enabling faster iteration.

Also, on the left side of the board, it is possible to find an additional unpopulated header that offers full support for debugging and programming capabilities. With this header, the user can use a JTAG interface for programming and debugging, available through the JTAG interface pins (TDO, TCK, TDI, and TMS).

This Click board™ can only be operated with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

Specifications

Pinout diagram

This table shows how the pinout on AWS IoT Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).

Notes	Pin					Pin	Notes
Boot Control	BT	1	AN	PWM	16	EVT	Event Detection
Reset	RST	2	RST	INT	15	WK	Mode Wake-Up
	NC	3	CS	RX	14	TX	UART TX
	NC	4	SCK	TX	13	RX	UART RX
	NC	5	MISO	SCL	12	NC
	NC	6	MOSI	SDA	11	NC
Power Supply	3.3V	7	3.3V	5V	10	NC
Ground	GND	8	GND	GND	9	GND	Ground

Onboard settings and indicators

AWS IoT Click electrical specifications

Software Support

We provide a library for the AWS IoT Click as well as a demo application (example), developed using MIKROE compilers. The demo can run on all the main MIKROE development boards.

Package can be downloaded/installed directly from NECTO Studio Package Manager (recommended), downloaded from our LibStock™ or found on Mikroe github account.

Library Description

This library contains API for AWS IoT Click driver.

Key functions

• awsiot_reset_device This function resets device by toggling the RST pin state.

• awsiot_send_cmd This function send command string by using UART serial interface.

Example Description

This example demonstrates the use of AWS IoT Click board™ by bridging the USB UART to mikroBUS UART which allows the click board to establish a connection with the AWS IoT over the Quick Connect demo application without an AWS account.

void application_task ( void ) 
 { 
     app_buf_len = uart_read( &logger.uart, app_buf, PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE ); 
     if ( app_buf_len > 0 )  
     { 
         uart_write ( &awsiot.uart, app_buf, app_buf_len ); 
         awsiot_clear_app_buf( ); 
     } 
     app_buf_len = uart_read( &awsiot.uart, app_buf, PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE ); 
     if ( app_buf_len > 0 )  
     { 
         uart_write ( &logger.uart, app_buf, app_buf_len ); 
         awsiot_clear_app_buf( ); 
     } 
 }

The full application code, and ready to use projects can be installed directly from NECTO Studio Package Manager (recommended), downloaded from our LibStock™ or found on Mikroe github account.

Other Mikroe Libraries used in the example:

• MikroSDK.Board
• MikroSDK.Log
• Click.AWSIoT

Additional notes and informations

Depending on the development board you are using, you may need USB UART click, USB UART 2 Click or RS232 Click to connect to your PC, for development systems with no UART to USB interface available on the board. UART terminal is available in all MIKROE compilers.

mikroSDK

This Click board™ is supported with mikroSDK - MIKROE Software Development Kit. To ensure proper operation of mikroSDK compliant Click board™ demo applications, mikroSDK should be downloaded from the LibStock and installed for the compiler you are using.

For more information about mikroSDK, visit the official page.