Sierra Wireless HL781x

Product Technical Specification

41114133
Rev. 8
Product Technical Specification

Important Due to the nature of wireless communications, transmission and reception of data can
Notice never be guaranteed. Data may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors) or be totally lost.
Although significant delays or losses of data are rare when wireless devices such as the
Sierra Wireless product are used in a normal manner with a well-constructed network, the
Sierra Wireless product should not be used in situations where failure to transmit or
receive data could result in damage of any kind to the user or any other party, including
but not limited to personal injury, death, or loss of property. Sierra Wireless accepts no
responsibility for damages of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data transmitted
or received using the Sierra Wireless product, or for failure of the Sierra Wireless product
to transmit or receive such data.

Safety and Do not operate the Sierra Wireless product in areas where blasting is in progress, where
Hazards explosive atmospheres may be present, near medical equipment, near life support
equipment, or any equipment which may be susceptible to any form of radio interference.
In such areas, the Sierra Wireless product MUST BE POWERED OFF. The Sierra
Wireless product can transmit signals that could interfere with this equipment.
Do not operate the Sierra Wireless product in any aircraft, whether the aircraft is on the
ground or in flight. In aircraft, the Sierra Wireless product MUST BE POWERED OFF.
When operating, the Sierra Wireless product can transmit signals that could interfere with
various onboard systems.

Note: Some airlines may permit the use of cellular phones while the aircraft is on the ground and
the door is open. Sierra Wireless products may be used at this time.

The driver or operator of any vehicle should not operate the Sierra Wireless product while
in control of a vehicle. Doing so will detract from the driver or operator’s control and
operation of that vehicle. In some states and provinces, operating such communications
devices while in control of a vehicle is an offence.

Limitation of The information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent
Liability a commitment on the part of Sierra Wireless. SIERRA WIRELESS AND ITS AFFILIATES
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ANY AND ALL DIRECT, INDIRECT,
SPECIAL, GENERAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY
DAMAGES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE OR
ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR REVENUE ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO
USE ANY SIERRA WIRELESS PRODUCT, EVEN IF SIERRA WIRELESS AND/OR ITS
AFFILIATES HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR
THEY ARE FORESEEABLE OR FOR CLAIMS BY ANY THIRD PARTY.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Sierra Wireless and/or its affiliates
aggregate liability arising under or in connection with the Sierra Wireless product,
regardless of the number of events, occurrences, or claims giving rise to liability, be in
excess of the price paid by the purchaser for the Sierra Wireless product.

Patents This product may contain technology developed by or for Sierra Wireless Inc. This product
includes technology licensed from QUALCOMM®. This product is manufactured or sold by
Sierra Wireless Inc. or its affiliates under one or more patents licensed from MMP
Portfolio Licensing.

Rev. 8 May 2023 2 41114133

 Preface

Copyright © 2023 Sierra Wireless. All rights reserved.

Trademarks Sierra Wireless®, AirLink®, AirVantage® and the Sierra Wireless logo are registered
trademarks of Sierra Wireless.
Windows® and Windows Vista® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Macintosh® and Mac OS X® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the
U.S. and other countries.
QUALCOMM® is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Used under
license.
Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact
Information
Sales information and technical Web: sierrawireless.com/company/contact-us/
support, including warranty and returns Global toll-free number: 1-877-687-7795
6:00 am to 5:00 pm PST

Corporate and product information Web: sierrawireless.com

Revision
History

Revision Release date Changes

number

1.0 June 2021 Creation

2.0 May 2022 Updated:

• Current consumption values
3.0 May 2022 Added:
• Taiwan NCC Statement

Rev. 8 May 2023 3 41114133

Product Technical Specification

4.0 September 2022 Updated:

• Table 3-7, Table 3-8, Table 3-9, Table 4-10 values
• Table 3-9 changed to Cat-NB
• For Table 3-14:
• NB1 UL peak throughput value changed from 62.5 to 45.7
• Subcarriers uplink changed from 3 to 12
• For Table 3-15
• Changed HL7810 to HL7812
• Removed duplicate MCS.TBS:13
• Changed NB2 UL peak throughput from 109 kbps to 159 kbps
• Changed Subcarriers uplink from 3 to 12
• Table 8-1 and Table 8-2 values
Added:
• Added Standby for Table 3-6, Table 3-7, Table 3-8, Table 3-9
• Added note for flash wear out feature under Table 3-5
5.0 October 2022 Updated:
• Table 8-1 Band 8
Added:
• Added RF Circuit
6.0 December 2022 Updated:
• Current Consumption—Added TX power in note
• Table 3-6, Table 3-7, Table 3-8, Table 3-9—Updated the PSM values, eDRX
values, DRX running current value
• Table 4-19—Modified max wakeup timing for T1 and T2
• Table 4-20—Modified typ wakeup timing
• Table 4-21—Modified max wakeup timing for T2
• Added information under Current Consumption
7.0 April 2023 Updated:
• Updated pin definition for C21 on Table 2-2
• Removed BAT_RTC from Figure 1-2
• Added Japan Radio and Telecom Approval
8.0 May 2023 Updated:
• Updated Figure 2-1 for C21, changed VBAT_BB to NC

Rev. 8 May 2023 4 41114133

 Contents
1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.1 Supported RF Bands/Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
1.2 Common Flexible Form Factor (CF3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.3 Physical Dimensions and Connection Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.4 General Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.5 Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.6 Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
1.7 Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2: Pad Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.1 Pin Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
2.2 Pad Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3: Power Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.1 Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.2 Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.2.1 Digital I/O Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.3 3GPP Power Saving Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.3.1 Power Saving Mode (PSM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.3.2 Extended DRX (eDRX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.4 HL781x Low Power Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.5 Current Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

4: Detailed Interface Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

4.1 VGPIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4.1.1 I/O Behavior in Hibernate Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4.2 USIM Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4.2.1 eSIM Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4.2.2 External UIM1 Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4.2.3 UIM1_DET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4.3 USB Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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Product Technical Specification

4.4 General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4.5 Main Serial Link (UART1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
4.5.1 Ring Indicator (UART1_RI or Alternative) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.5.2 UART1_RTS/UART1_CTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.5.3 UART Application Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.6 Power On Signal (POWER_ON_N) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
4.6.1 Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.7 Power Down, Off, and VBAT Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4.7.1 Software Power Off in Unmanaged Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4.7.2 Emergency Power Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
4.8 Reset Signal (RESET_IN_N) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
4.9 Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.10 Clock Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4.11 Debug Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4.11.1 Diagnostic Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4.11.2 Modem Logs Interface (MLI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
4.12 Wake Up Signal (WAKEUP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4.12.1 Wakeup from Low Power Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
4.12.2 Wakeup from OFF Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
4.12.3 Wakeup from Lite Hibernate Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4.12.4 Wakeup from Hibernate Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
4.13 RF Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.13.1 RF Antenna Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.13.2 LTE RF Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.13.3 2G RF Interface (HL7812 only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4.14 TX Burst Indicator (TX_ON) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4.15 Tx/Rx Activity Indicator; External RF Voltage Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.16 GNSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4.16.1 GNSS Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

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 Contents

5: Mechanical Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

6: Design Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
6.1 Power Supply Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
6.2 UIM1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
6.3 USB Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
6.4 ESD Protection for I/Os . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
6.5 Hibernate—Isolation Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
6.5.1 VGPIO Monitoring and Buffer Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
6.6 Radio Frequency Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
6.6.1 Antenna Matching Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
6.6.2 RF Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

7: Reliability Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
7.1 Preconditioning Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
7.2 Performance Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
7.3 Aging Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
7.4 Characterization Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

8: Legal Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
8.1 Disposing of the Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
8.2 Compliance Acceptance and Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
8.3 Regulatory and Industry Approvals/ Certifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
8.4 Japan Radio and Telecom Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
8.5 Important Compliance Information for North American Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
8.6 Legal Information – Taiwan NCC Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

9: Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
9.1 Website Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
9.2 Reference Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
9.3 Terms and Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
9.4 Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Rev 8 May 2023 7 41114133

 1
1: Introduction
This document defines the high-level product features and illustrates the interfaces for
Sierra Wireless HL781x Modules (HL7810, HL7812), designed for M2M and Internet
of Things (IoT) markets. It covers the hardware aspects of the product series,
including electrical and mechanical. For additional documentation (e.g. Firmware
Customer Release Notes, AT Command Reference, etc.), refer to the module page at
source.sierrawireless.com.
HL781x collectively identifies HL7810 and HL7812. Variant-specific content is
identified where applicable. The HL781x supports a variety of interfaces such as USB
FS, UART, ADC, GPIOs, and also supports the low power consumption hibernation
modes to provide customers with flexibility in implementing high-end solutions.The
key differentiators between HL781x variants are regulatory and industrial approvals/
certifications, and supported radio access technologies (RATs)-HL7810 supports Cat-
M1/NB-IoT while HL7812 supports Cat-M1/NB-IoT/2G.

Note: Sierra Wireless modules are shipped factory-programmed with industry or mobile
operator approved firmware, according to the specific SKU ordered. Periodically, newer
firmware versions become available and can include new features, bug fixes, or critical security
updates. Sierra Wireless strongly recommends that customers establish their own production
capability for updating module firmware on their assembled end platform, in the event that a
newer firmware must be installed before deployment. Sierra Wireless also recommends
customers design their products to support post-deployment FOTA upgrades using the
AirVantage cloud platform.

1.1 Supported RF Bands/Connectivity

The HL781x is a Sierra Wireless Ready-to-Connect (R2C) module that supports the
use of its embedded SIM (eSIM) or an external SIM for global data connectivity on the
RF bands detailed in the following module-specific tables.
For details about using the HL781x's eSIM with Sierra Smart Connectivity, refer to [6]
Sierra Wireless Ready-to-Connect Module Integration Guide (Doc# 41113385). For
additional information on Sierra Smart Connectivity, explore www.sierrawireless.com
or contact Sierra Wireless.

Note: The Sierra Wireless eSIM is SKU-dependent and not included in all modules. Contact
Sierra Wireless for details.

Rev 8 May 2023 8 41114133

 Introduction

Table 1-1: HL781x Supported RF Bands/Connectivity

Transmit (TX) Receive (Rx)
Module RF Band Cat-M1 Cat-NB2 2G
Frequency (MHz) Frequency (MHz)

LTE B1 1920–1980 2110–2170 Y Y

LTE B2 1850–1910 1930–1990 Y Ya

LTE B3 1710–1785 1805–1880 Y Y

LTE B4 1710–1755 2110–2155 Y Ya

LTE B5 824–849 869–894 Y Ya

LTE B8 880–915 925–960 Y Y

LTE B12 699–716 729–746 Y Ya

LTE B13 777–787 746–756 Y Ya

HL7810
HL7812
LTE B18 815–830 860–875 Y Y

LTE B19 830–845 875–890 Y Y

LTE B20 832–862 791–821 Y Y

LTE B25 1850–1915 1930–1995 Y Ya

LTE B26 814–849 859–894 Y Ya

LTE B28 703–748 758–803 Y Y

LTE B66 1710–1780 2110–2200 Y Ya

LTE B85 698-716 728-746 Y Ya

GSM 850 824–849 869–894 Y

E-GSM 900 880–915 925–960 Y

HL7812
DCS 1800 1710–1785 1805–1880 Y

PCS 1900 1850–1910 1930–1990 Y

a. To ensure FCC compliance near NB band edges, Cat-NB2 supported TX channel ranges do not include outer channels. Sup-
ported channel ranges are:
• B2: 18602–19198 • B4: 19952–20398 • B5: 20402–20648 • B12: 23012–23178
• B13: 23182–23278 • B25: 26042–26688 • B26: 26692–27038 • B66: 131974 - 132670
• B85: 134004–134179

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Product Technical Specification

1.2 Common Flexible Form Factor (CF3)

The HL781x belongs to Sierra Wireless’ Common Flexible Form Factor (CF3) family
of WWAN modules. These modules share a compatible footprint. The CF3 form factor
provides a unique solution to a series of problems faced commonly in the WWAN
module space as it:
• Accommodates multiple radio technologies (from GSM to LTE advanced) and
band groupings
• Offers electrical and functional compatibility
• Provides direct mount, as well as socket mount (depending on customer needs,
• e.g. for use in development kits or for prototype development)

1.3 Physical Dimensions and Connection

Interface
HL781x modules are compact, robust, fully shielded industrial-grade embedded
modules with the dimensions noted in Table 1-2

Table 1-2: Module Dimensions a

Parameter Nominal Tolerance Units

Length 18.0 ±0.10 mm

Width 15.0 ±0.10 mm

Thickness 2.4 ±0.20 mm

Weight 1.17 ±0.24 g

a. Typical dimensional values, accurate as of the release date of this document.

All electrical and mechanical connections to the HL781x module are made through
the 86 Land Grid Array (LGA) pads on the bottom side of the PCB.

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 Introduction

Figure 1-1: Mechanical Overview

Table 1-3 describes the LGA pads.

Table 1-3: LGA Pad Types / Distribution

Pad Type Quantity Dimensions Pitch

Signal pads 66 pads 1.0×0.5 mm 0.8 mm

16 inner pads 1.0×1.0 mm 1.825 mm/1.475 mm

Ground pads
4 outer corner pads 0.85×0.97 mm -

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Product Technical Specification

1.4 General Features

Table 1-4 summarizes the HL781x's features.

Table 1-4: General Features

Feature Description

Small form factor (86-pad solderable LGA pad). See Physical Dimensions and Connection
Interface for details.
Physical Metal shield can
RF connection pads (RF_MAIN and RF_GNSS)
Baseband signals connection

3.2–4.35 V supply voltage (VBAT_BB, VBAT_RF)

Power supply • Single supply (recommended)—VBAT (VBAT_BB tied to VBAT_RF) or
• Dual supplies—Single supply each for VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF
2G (HL7812 only)
• 850/900 Power Class 4 (33 dBm), GPRS Class 10
• 1800/1900 Power Class 1 (30 dBm), GPRS Class 10
Cat-M1
• Power Class 3 (23 dBm)
• Cat-NB2
• Power Class 3 (23 dBm)
GNSS
• GPS—1575.42 MHz
RF • GLONASS—1589.0625–1605.375 MHz
See GNSS details.
Note: The GNSS receiver and LTE/GSM receiver share the same RF resources, therefore
GNSS can only be used when the module is not actively connected on LTE/GSM. An example
of a suitable implementation of GNSS in an end product would be the use of GNSS positioning
for asset management applications where infrequent and no real-time position updates are
required.

Note: The GNSS feature is not supported in NB-IoT mode.

1.8V support
SIM extraction / hot plug detection
SIM interface SIM/USIM support
Conforms with ETSI UICC Specifications
Supports SIM application tool kit with proactive UICC commands

AT command interface—3GPP 27.007 standard, plus proprietary extended AT commands

Application interface CMUX multiplexing over UART
USB Full Speed (FS)

Rev 8 May 2023 12 41114133

 Introduction

Table 1-4: General Features (Continued)

Feature Description

2G (HL7812 only)
• GPRS Class 10
Cat-M1
• 3GPP Rel. 14:
• Up to 1100 kbit/s UL, 590 kbit/s DL
• HARQ-ACK bundling in HD-FDD
• 10 DL HARQ processes
• Faster frequency returning
• Release Assistance Indication
• Half-duplex
• Channel bandwidth—1.4 MHz
• LTE carrier bandwidth—1.4/3/5/10 /15/20 MHz
• Extended Coverage Mode A
• PSM (Power Save Mode)
• I-DRX (Idle Mode Discontinuous Reception)
• C-DRX (Connected Mode Discontinuous Reception)
• Idle mode mobility
• Connected mode mobility
• eDRX (Extended Discontinuous Reception)
• Control Plane CIoT Optimization (Data over NAS)
NB-IoT
Protocol stack • 3GPP Rel. 14:
• Up to 158 kbit/s UL, 127 kbit/s DL
• 2 HARQ processes
• Release Assistance Indication
• Long DRX values with regular wake-up cycle)
• Cat-NB2
• Half-duplex
• Channel bandwidth—180 kHz
• LTE carrier bandwidth—1.4/3/5/10 /15/20 MHz
• Operational mode—In-band, Guard band, Standalone
• Control Plane CIoT Optimization (Data over NAS)
• NIDD over SGi tunneling
• NIDD over SCEF
• Extended coverage
• PSM (Power Save Mode)
• I-DRX (Idle Mode Discontinuous Reception)
• C-DRX (Connected Mode Discontinuous Reception)
• Idle mode mobility
• eDRX (Extended Discontinuous Reception)
Flexible selection
• Manual system selection across RATs
• Dynamic system selection across RATs (preferred RAT)

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Product Technical Specification

Table 1-4: General Features (Continued)

Feature Description

Multiple cellular packet data profiles

Sleep mode for minimum idle power draw
Mobile-originated PDP context activation / deactivation
Connectivity Static and Dynamic IP address. The network may assign a fixed IP address or dynamically
assign one using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).
PDP context type (IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6)
RFC1144 TCP/IP header compression

Operating temperature ranges

Environmental • Class A: -30°C to +70°C
• Class B: -40°C to +85°C
RTC Real Time Clock (RTC)

1.5 Architecture
Figure 1-2 presents an overview of the HL781x's internal architecture and external
interfaces.

Figure 1-2: Architecture Overview

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 Introduction

1.6 Interfaces
The HL781x provides the following interfaces and peripheral connectivity:
• (1) VGPIO (1.8V)— See VGPIO
• (1) 1.8V USIM— See USIM Interface
• (1) USB 2.0 FS— See USB Interface.
• (12) GPIOs— See General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO).
• (1) 8-wire UART— See Main Serial Link (UART1).
• (1) Active low power on signal (will be available in a future firmware release)—
See Power On Signal (POWER_ON_N).
• (1) Active low reset signal— See Reset Signal (RESET_IN_N).
• (2) ADC— See Analog to Digital Converter (ADC).
• (2) System clock out (32.768 kHz and 26 MHz)— See Clock Interface.
• (1) 4-wire UART for debug interface only— See Debug Interfaces.
• (1) Wake up signal— See Wake Up Signal (WAKEUP).
• (1) Main RF Antenna— See RF Interface.
• (1) TX_ON indicator— See TX Burst Indicator (TX_ON).
• (1) GNSS Antenna — See GNSS.
• (1) External PA Voltage Control Indicator— SeeTx/Rx Activity Indicator; External
RF Voltage Control.

Table 1-5: ESD Specifications a

Category Connection Specification

• Power supply (C61, C62, C63) IEC-61000-4-2 (Electrostatic Discharge Immunity Test)
Operational • RF ports (C38, C49) • ±6 kV Contact
• ±8 kV Air
Unless otherwise specified:
Non-operational All pins • JESD22-A114 ± 250 V Human Body Model
• JESD22-C101C ± 250V Charged Device Model
a. ESD protection is highly recommended on customer platform. For details, see ESD Protection for I/Os

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Product Technical Specification

1.7 Environmental Specifications

The environmental specifications for operation and storage of the HL781x are defined
in Table 1-6.

Table 1-6: Environmental Specifications

Parameter Range Operating Class

-30°C to +70°C Class A

Ambient Operating Temperature
-40°C to +85°C Class B

Ambient Storage Temperature -40°C to +85°C -

Class A is defined as the operating temperature range within which the device:
• Shall exhibit normal function during and after environmental exposure.
• Shall meet the minimum requirements of 3GPP or appropriate wireless
standards.
Class B is defined as the operating temperature range within which the device:
• Shall remain fully functional during and after environmental exposure
• Shall exhibit the ability to establish any of the device’s supported call modes
(SMS, Data, and emergency calls) at all times even when one or more environ-
mental constraint exceeds the specified tolerance.
• Unless otherwise stated, full performance should return to normal after the
excessive constraint(s) have been removed.

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 2
2: Pad Definition
Sierra Wireless HL781x pins are divided into three categories.
• Core functions and associated pins— Cover all the mandatory features for M2M
connectivity and will be available by default across the CF3 module family. These
Core functions are always available and always at the same physical pad
locations. A customer platform using only these functions and associated pads is
guaranteed to be forward and/or backward compatible with the next generation of
CF3 modules.
• Extension functions and associated pins— Bring additional capabilities to the
customer. Whenever an Extension function is available on a module, it is always
at the same pad location.
• Custom functions and associated pins— Module-specific functionality. If a custom
function is available on another module, there is no guarantee that it will be at the
same pad location.
For example:
• UART1 interface is a "Core" function on pins C2–C9 that is available on all CF3
modules (including HL781x).
• USB interface is an "Extension" function on pins C12–C13 that is available on
HL781x modules, but may not be available on certain other CF3 modules.
• UART0 signals are "Custom" functions on pins C57 and C58. These signals may
or may not be available on other CF3 modules and, if available, may be on
different pins.
Pins marked as "Not connected" should not be used.

2.1 Pin Types

Table 2-1 lists a series of codes used to identify pin characteristics throughout this
document.

Table 2-1: Pin Type Codes

Code Definition Code Definition

AI Analog Input O Digital Output

ANT Antenna PD Pull-down enabled

GND Ground PI Power In

I Digital Input PO Power Out

I/O Digital Input/Output PU Pull-up enabled

N/A Not applicable

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Product Technical Specification

Table 2-2: Pin Definitions

Voltage Supply Recommendation for Isolate

Pin Signal Name Group I/O Function CF3
Domain unused pads required a

C1 GPIO1 GPIOb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) General purpose input/output Leave open Yes Extension

C2 UART1_RIc UART1b O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Ring Indicator Leave open Yes Core

C3 UART1_RTS UART1b I 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Request To Send Mandatory connection Yes Core

C4 UART1_CTS UART1b O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Clear To Send Mandatory connection Yes Core

C5 UART1_TX UART1b I 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Transmit Data Mandatory connection Yes Core

C6 UART1_RX UART1b O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Receive Data Mandatory connection Yes Core

C7 UART1_DTR UART1b I 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Data Terminal Ready Leave open Yes Core

C8 UART1_DCD UART1b O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Data Carrier Detect Leave open Yes Core
b
C9 UART1_DSR UART1 O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART1 Data Set Ready Leave open Yes Core

C10 GPIO2 GPIOb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) General purpose input/output Leave open Yes Core

C11 RESET_IN_N H/W Controld I Internal Bias Input reset signal Leave open No Core

C12 USB_D- USB I/O 3.3V USB Data Negative (Full Speed) Leave open No Extension

C13 USB_D+ USB I/O 3.3V USB Data Positive (Full Speed) Leave open No Extension

Not Not
C14 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

Not Not
C15 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

If USB is:
• Not used—Leave
C16 USB_VBUS USB PI 5V USB VBUS open No Extension
• Used—Mandatory
connection

Not Not
C17 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

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 Pad Definition

Table 2-2: Pin Definitions (Continued)

Voltage Supply Recommendation for Isolate

Pin Signal Name Group I/O Function CF3
Domain unused pads required a

Not Not
C18 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

Not Not
C19 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

Not Not
C20 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

Not Not
C21 NC Not Connected Leave open No
connected connected

C22 26M_CLKOUT Clockb O 1.8V (VGPIO) 26 MHz System Clock Output Leave open Yes Extension

C23 32K_CLKOUT Clockb O 1.8V (VGPIO) 32.768 kHz System Clock Output Leave open Yes Extension

C24 ADC1 ADCb AI 1.8V (VGPIO) Analog to digital converter Leave open Yes Extension

C25 ADC0 ADCb AI 1.8V (VGPIO) Analog to digital converter Leave open Yes Extension

C26 UIM1_VCC UIMb PO 1.8V USIM1 Power supply Leave open No Core

C27 UIM1_CLK UIMb O 1.8V (VGPIO) USIM1 Clock Leave open No Core

C28 UIM1_DATA UIMb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) USIM1 Data Leave open No Core

C29 UIM1_RESET UIMb O 1.8V (VGPIO) USIM1 Reset Leave open No Core

C30 RF_DIV_GND_1 Ground GND Ground Ground Mandatory connection No Extension

Not Not
C31 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

C32 RF_DIV_GND_2 Ground GND Ground Ground Mandatory connection No Extension

C33 Reserved Reserved Reserved Leave openf No Extension

C34 Reserved Reserved Reserved Leave openf No Extension

C35 Reserved Reserved Reserved Leave openf No Extension

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Product Technical Specification

Table 2-2: Pin Definitions (Continued)

Voltage Supply Recommendation for Isolate

Pin Signal Name Group I/O Function CF3
Domain unused pads required a

C36 Reserved Reserved Reserved Leave openf No Extension

C37 RF_GNSS_GND_1 Ground GND Ground Ground (RF_GNSS) Mandatory connection No Core

C38 RF_GNSS Antenna ANT GNSS antenna input Leave open No Extension

C39 RF_GNSS_GND_2 Ground GND Ground Ground (RF_GNSS) Mandatory connection No Core

C40 GPIO7 GPIOb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) General purpose input/output Leave open Yes Core

GPIO8 I/O General purpose input/output Core

b
C41 GPIO 1.8V (VGPIO) Leave open Yes
Tx/Rx activity indicator/External
VBAT_PA_EN O Custom
RF voltage control

Not Not
C42 NC Not Connected See footnotee No
connected connected

C43 Reserved Reserved Reserved Leave openf No Extension

C44 WAKEUP H/W Controld I 1.8V Wake up signal Mandatory connection No Extension

GPIO voltage output (reference

C45 VGPIO Power PO 1.8V (VGPIO) Leave open No Core
voltage)

C46 GPIO6 GPIOb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) General purpose input/output Leave open Yes Core

Not Not
C47 NC Not Connected Leave opene No
connected connected

C48 RF_MAIN_GND_1 Ground GND Ground Ground (RF_MAIN) Mandatory connection No Core

Main RF antenna input/output

C49 RF_MAIN Antenna ANT Mandatory connection No Core
(Rx/Tx)

C50 RF_MAIN_GND_2 Ground GND Ground Ground (RF_MAIN) Mandatory connection No Core

GPIO14 GPIOb I/O General purpose input/output Extension

C51 1.8V (VGPIO) (MLI debug) UART3 Clear To Leave open Yes
UART3_CTS UART3b O Custom
Send

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 Pad Definition

Table 2-2: Pin Definitions (Continued)

Voltage Supply Recommendation for Isolate

Pin Signal Name Group I/O Function CF3
Domain unused pads required a

GPIO10 GPIOb I/O General purpose input/output Extension

C52 1.8V (VGPIO) (MLI debug) UART3 Transmit Leave open Yes
UART3_TX UART3b I Custom
data

GPIO11 GPIOb I/O General purpose input/output Extension

C53 1.8V (VGPIO) Leave open Yes
(MLI debug) UART3 Request To
UART3_RTS UART3b I Custom
Send

GPIO15 GPIOb I/O General purpose input/output Extension

C54 1.8V (VGPIO) Leave open Yes
(MLI debug) UART3 Receive
UART3_RX UART3b O Custom
data

C55 UART0_RX UART0b O 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Receive data Leave open Yes Extension

C56 UART0_TX UART0b I 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Transmit data Leave open Yes Extension

C57 UART0_CTS UART0b O 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Clear To Send Leave open Yes Custom

C58 UART0_RTS UART0b I 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Request To Send Leave open Yes Custom

Active-low Power On control

C59 POWER_ON_N H/W Controld I Internal Bias Leave open No Core
signal

C60 TX_ON Indicationb O 1.8V (VGPIO) TX transmission indication Leave open Yes Extension

3.2V (min)
C61 VBAT_RF Power PI 3.7V (typ) 4.35V Power supply Mandatory connection No Core
(max)

3.2V (min)
C62 VBAT_RF Power PI 3.7V (typ) 4.35V Power supply Mandatory connection No Core
(max)

3.2V (min)
C63 VBAT_BB Power PI 3.7V (typ) 4.35V Power supply Mandatory connection No Core
(max)

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Product Technical Specification

Table 2-2: Pin Definitions (Continued)

Voltage Supply Recommendation for Isolate

Pin Signal Name Group I/O Function CF3
Domain unused pads required a

UIM1_DET UIM1b I UIM1 Detection Core

C64 1.8V (VGPIO) Leave open Yes
GPIO3 GPIOb I/O General purpose input/output Extension

C65 GPIO4 GPIOb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) General purpose input/output Leave open Yes Extension

C66 GPIO5 GPIOb I/O 1.8V (VGPIO) General purpose input/output Leave open Yes Extension

CG1-
GND Ground GND Ground Ground Mandatory connection No Core
CG4

G1-
GND Ground GND Ground Ground Mandatory connection No Core
G16

a. The host platform should isolate these signals during module Hibernate mode to prevent back-powering the module. For details, see Hibernate—Isolation Requirements.
b. By default, signals in group (GPIO, UART, UIM1, ADC, Clock, Indication) are hardware-configured as inputs and are in an undefined state during OFF, reset, and Hibernate
modes. The host should ignore all activity on these signals until the module has initialized and reached AT-READY (UART1_CTS transitions from high to low (and stays low) and
VGPIO is high, indicating the UART and USB interfaces are ready). For timing details, see Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default) and Wakeup from OFF Mode. For further infor-
mation regarding pre- and post-AT-READY signal states, contact Sierra Wireless.
c. UART1_RI cannot be used in Hibernate mode. A GPIO (GPIO2 by default) can be configured as an alternate ring indicator. For details, see Ring Indicator (UART1_RI or Alterna-
tive).
d. Hardware Control signals are available in all module operational modes and determine module behavior. For recommendations on managing these signals, see associated signal
topics in Detailed Interface Specifications.
e. Pin is not connected internally, but is reserved for future use. Leave unconnected to ensure compatibility with other Sierra Wireless CF3 modules.
f. Pin is connected internally, leave open.

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 Pad Definition

2.2 Pad Configuration

GPIO8 / VBAT_PA_EN
GPIO14 / UART3_CTS
RF_MAIN_GND_2

RF_MAIN_GND_1

RF_GNSS_GND_2

RF_GNSS_GND_1
RF_MAIN

Reserved

Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
RF_GNSS
WAKEUP
VGPIO
GPIO6

GPIO7
Core pin

NC

NC
Extension pin
Custom pin

C51
C50
C49
C48
C47
C46
C45
C44
C43
C42
C41
C40
C39
C38
C37
C36
C35
C34
GND CG4 CG3 GND

GPIO10 / UART3_TX C52 C33 Reserved

GPIO11 / UART3_RTS C53 C32 RF_DIV_GND_2
GPIO15 / UART3_RX C54 C31 NC
UART0_RX C55 C30 RF_DIV_GND_1
UART0_TX C56 G13 G14 G15 G16 C29 UIM1_RESET
UART0_CTS C57 C28 UIM1_DATA
UART0_RTS C58 G9 G10 G11 G12 C27 UIM1_CLK
POWER_ON_N C59 GND C26 UIM1_VCC
TX_ON C60 G5 G6 G7 G8 C25 ADC0
VBAT_RF C61 C24 ADC1
C62 G1 G2 G3 G4 C23 32K_CLKOUT
VBAT_RF
VBAT_BB C63 C22 26M_CLKOUT
UIM1_DET/ GPIO3 C64 C21 NC
GPIO4 C65 C20 NC
GPIO5 C66 C19 NC

C10
C11
C12
C13
C14
C15
C16
C17
C18
C1
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
C7
C8
C9
GND CG1 CG2 GND
GPIO1

GPIO2

NC
NC
USB_D‐
UART1_RTS

USB_VBUS
UART1_TX

UART1_DCD

USB_D+
RESET_IN_N

NC
NC
UART1_DSR
UART1_CTS

UART1_RX
UART1_RI

UART1_DTR

Figure 2-1: Pad Configuration (Top View through Module)

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 3
3: Power Specifications

Note: If not specified, all electrical values are given for VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF = 3.7V, operating
temperature of 25°C. and with conducted 50 load on RF port(s).

3.1 Power Supply

The module is supplied through the VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF signals.
For standard applications, VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF must be tied externally to the same
power supply. For some specific applications (e.g. applications requiring a lower
VBAT_RF), the module supports separate VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF connection as per
Table 3-1.
Table 3-1 and Table 3-2 describe the Power Supply interface.

Table 3-1: Power Supply Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O Description

C63 VBAT_BB PI Power supply (baseband)

C61, C62 VBAT_RF PI Power supply (radio

frequency)

C30, C32, C37, C39, C48, C50, CG1– CG4, GND Ground
G1–G16

Caution: Operation outside the minimum/maximum specified operating voltage (Table 3-2) is not
recommended, and functional operation of the device and specified typical performance are neither
implied nor guaranteed.

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 Power Specifications

Table 3-2: Power Supply Current Requirements

Parameter Min Typ Max Unit Notes

VBAT_BB voltage 3.2 3.7 4.35 V Must be within

min/max values
VBAT_RF voltage Full Specification 3.2 3.7 4.35 V overall operating
conditions (including
VBAT_RF voltage Extended Range 2.8a 3.7 4.35 V voltage ripple, droop,
and transient)

Power Supply Ripple - - 100b mVpp

VBAT_BB - - 180 mA

VBAT_RF (LTE) - - (HL7810) 300 mA

Max Supply (HL7812) 400
Current
(HL7812 only) - 1.9 2.5 A
VBAT_RF (2G)
Peak Current

a. 3GPP performance is not guaranteed for VBAT_RF from 2.8-3.2V. Note that operation in this range requires a separate
VBAT_RF supply.
b. Measured at nominal supply voltage (3.7V), nominal ambient temperature (25°C), and with conducted 50 load on RF port(s).

Note: The host power supply should be capable of supplying VBAT_BBmax + VBAT_RFmax.

3.2 Electrical Specifications

3.2.1 Digital I/O Characteristics

The I/O characteristics for supported digital interfaces/signals are described in Table 3-3.
These interfaces/signals include:
• UARTs
• GPIOs
• Clock output signals
• UIM1
• TX_ON
• External PA voltage control indicator
These signals are not available in Hibernate mode since VGPIO is OFF.

Note: The host platform should isolate these signals during module Hibernate mode to prevent
back-powering the module. For details, see Hibernate—Isolation Requirements.

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Product Technical Specification

Table 3-3: Digital I/O Electrical Characteristics (1.80V) a

Parameter Description Min Max Unit

VIH Logic High Input Voltage 0.7 × VGPIO VGPIO V

VIL Logic High Input Voltage 0 0.3 × VGPIO V

VOH Logic High Input Voltage 0.8 × VGPIO V

VOL Logic High Input Voltage 0.2 × VGPIO V

IO Output Current 2 4 mA

IRPD Internal Pull-Down Resistor current 11 43 A

IRPU Internal Pull-Up Resistor current 11 44 A

RPU Internal Pull-Up Resistor 13 45 k

RPD Internal Pull-Down Resistor 13.6 45 k

a. VGPIO=1.8V (See VGPIO.)

3.3 3GPP Power Saving Features

This section describes 3GPP power saving features (PSM, eDRX) that are supported by
the HL781x module. Per 3GPP specifications, these features pertain to the module’s
cellular communication.
The HL781x also features low power modes that contribute to power savings by
selectively limiting or turning off other elements of the module, such as memory states, I/O
states, etc. (For details, see HL781x Low Power Modes.)

3.3.1 Power Saving Mode (PSM)

Power Saving Mode (PSM) is a 3GPP feature that allows the Sierra Wireless HL781x to
minimize power consumption by registering on a PSM-supporting LTE network and then
entering PSM state for a configured duration.

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 Power Specifications

Module connected, typical current consumption

Idle mode, accessible from network, lower current consumption than connected mode
Connected

PSM (very low current consumption compared to connected mode)

Idle
PSM dorm ant

T3324 PSM dormant perio d (T3412 – T3324)

(Active Timer)

PSM Duration Timer (Extended‐T3412)

Module may be wo ken at an y time by host app lic ation, or wakes automatically when T3412 expires

Figure 3-1: PSM—Timers

When the module enters the PSM state:

1. The module remains active (accessible from the network) in a lower-power idle state
for a short period (T3324 Active Timer).
2. The module then drops to a very-low power ‘dormant’ state for the remainder of the
PSM duration or until the host platform wakes the module to initiate a network contact.
During this dormant period, the module is not accessible from the network.
3. After the module contacts the network (for either reason), the process repeats.
Using PSM, an HL781x-based host platform can reduce power consumption significantly
because:
• It can enter a very low power state (~1.8 A) during a very long PSM dormant period.
• The platform can wake the HL781x at any time to initiate data transaction immediately
with minimal overhead (signaling/procedure) since the network keeps the module
registered during the entire PSM period.
Typical candidates for PSM are systems (such as monitors and sensors) that:
• Require long battery life (low power consumption)
• Infrequently send mobile originated data (every few hours, days, weeks, etc.), with
optional reply data from the network
• Tolerate modules being inaccessible for long periods of time
• Do not use mobile-terminated voice/data/SMS. If the host platform needs the module
to be able to receive mobile-terminated data, eDRX is a more suitable option.
Figure 3-2 describes an example of a module operating in PSM. In a typical application,
the module will always be woken from the dormant state to transmit data (illustrated in the
’Typical MO Use Case’ portion of the figure). This is accomplished by setting the T3412
timer much longer than anticipated transmission frequency.
However, if the module is not woken by the host, a TAU will be sent when T3412 expires
(illustrated in the ’Default PSM Use Case’ portion of the figure). By setting the T3412
longer, unnecessary TAU transmissions can be avoided.
For a more detailed explanation of PSM, refer to [4] HL78xx Low Power Modes
Application Note (Doc# 2174229).

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Product Technical Specification

Typical MO Use Case Default PSM Behaviour ON T3412 Expiry

(most power‐efficient)
2. User enables PSM.
3. Module requests user‐specified Active
Timer and PSM Timer.
4. Network responds with negotiated 8. Module transmits data to 11. Module transmits periodic TAU
1. Module attaches on timers to use. the network. to the network .
network 5. Module enters and stays in idle mode
until it remains uninterrupted for the
Power Consumption Active Timer duration. 9. PSM process repeats ( enable PSM,
request timers, etc.) 12. PSM process repeats
6. Module enters
PSM (dormant, very
low power)
10. PSM Timer expires
and module wakes to
7. Interrupted Transmit send periodic TAU.
by WAKE_UP.
data
ATTACH TAU
(Possible
Connected Rx)
BOOT BOOT BOOT
Idle Idle Idle
PSM dormant PSM dormant PSM dormant

T3324 (Active Timer) T3324 (Active Timer)

Extended‐T3412 (PSM Timer)

Extended‐T3412 (PSM Timer) (Interrupted by UE using WAKE_UP) (Runs until timer expires)

Figure 3-2: Power Saving Mode—Use Cases Example

3.3.2 Extended DRX (eDRX)

3.3.2.1 eDRX Overview
Extended Idle DRX (I-eDRX) is a 3GPP-specified extension of the Discontinuous
Reception (DRX) low power consumption feature. This extension reduces the number of
paging opportunities (PO) the module must monitor while in idle state, resulting in a
corresponding decrease in power consumption.
Many data module applications are tolerant to delays in downlink data packets so
extending the period between paging opportunities would allow for current consumption
savings for these applications.

Module operating in connected

state
Network releases UE due to eDRX
inactivity
Power Consumption

Paging Opportunity
Calibrations

Connected Idle

Very long sleep duration – low consumption for entire duration

PTW

eDRX Cycle
Module op erating in Idle eDRX (TI‐e DRX)

Module operating in connected

state
Network releases UE due to DRX
inactivity
Power Consumption

Paging Opportunity

Regular DRX intervals

Connected Idle

Module op erating in Idle DRX (TI‐DRX)

Figure 3-3: eDRX vs DRX

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 Power Specifications

As shown in Figure 3-3, the HL7812 supports eDRX, taking advantage of the feature by
monitoring a set number of paging opportunities in a Paging Time Window (PTW) and
then entering a low power state between PTWs. This sequence (PTW followed by low
power state) comprises a single eDRX cycle. The size of the PTW and the length of the
eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) are negotiated between the module (which submits desired values
when enabling eDRX) and the network (which indicates the values that will actually be
used).
The module remains in I-eDRX until it detects a page from the network during a PO or
needs to access the network (e.g. to make a data connection, send a mobility TAU or
periodic TAU, etc.), at which time it returns to the connected state.
Note that for a short period of time immediately after the module is released from
connected state by the network and enters idle state, it has a few extra short wake ups for
clock calibration (shorter than a single PO). Figure 3-4 shows an eDRX power
consumption profile with a periodic TAU event. Notice that after the TAU, the eDRX
81.92s cycle is restored slowly by several iterations from 10s to 20s then to 40s before
reaching the 81.92s wake. This behavior is an HL781x design feature and cannot be
modified.

Figure 3-4: eDRX Power Consumption Profile Interruption

For a more detailed explanation of eDRX, refer to HL78xx Low Power Modes Application
Note.

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3.3.2.2 Configuring eDRX

Table 3-4 describes available methods for configuring eDRX.

Table 3-4: eDRX-Related Commands

AT Command Description

AT+CEDRXS AT+KEDRXCFG Enable/disable eDRX and configure related settings

AT+CEDRXRDP Display current eDRX settings

For example:
• Use AT+CEDRXS to configure the desired TI-eDRX value.
• During the network attach or TAU process:
· Module sends eDRX request with the settings (as specified in AT+CEDRXS) to the
network.
· Network response indicates if the module may use eDRX and the eDRX param-
eters that should be used. The network may adjust the eDRX parameters from
those requested by the module.
• If eDRX is accepted by the network, the module only needs to monitor during the
eDRX paging opportunities. The module may enter low power mode state between
the eDRX paging opportunities (depending on the module configuration).
Note that:
• eDRX parameters must be carefully selected to match the intended use case(s) for
the module.
· Given that the module can only be paged at an eDRX paging opportunity:
· Longer eDRX cycles will delay (increase the latency of) mobile terminated data
reception.
· Shorter eDRX cycles will reduce the latency but will also reduce the eDRX power
savings.
· Setting a cycle longer than 81.92s may not improve power saving significantly,
since the module will wake every 81.92s to do a clock calibration.
The duration of the eDRX cycle should be appropriately selected for the specific use
case.
• Network-side store and forward is supported— Packets will be stored until the
module's next eDRX paging opportunity or, if the network has a storage time limit,
until that limit is reached.

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3.3.2.3 Concurrent PSM and eDRX

eDRX may be performed during the Active Timer (T3324) window of PSM. For example, if
PSM and eDRX are configured with the following settings:
• PSM:
· T3412 (PSM Timer)— 86400s (24 hours)
· T3324 (Active Timer)— 327.68s (~5.5 minutes)
• eDRX:
· eDRX cycle time— 81.92s
Assuming the network does not attempt to contact the module after the module leaves the
connected state and enters PSM idle state, the module will stay in the idle state for
327.68 seconds (the Active Timer).
While in the idle state, the module will be in eDRX power saving mode for 4 cycles of
81.92 seconds each, and then go to PSM dormant state for ~23h55m until the T3412
timer expires. At that point the module wakes, sends a periodic TAU, and then the PSM
process repeats.

3.4 HL781x Low Power Modes

In addition to the 3GPP power saving features Power Saving Mode (PSM) and Extended
DRX (eDRX), the HL781x supports the low power modes in Table 3-5.

Table 3-5: Low Power Modes

Hardware Wake-Up Signal
Power Mode Possible Modem State Impact on Module Sources

Sleep Stack OFF, DRX, eDRX, • 26 MHz system clock is OFF WAKEUP
PSM, No service • Application processor is idle UART1_DTRa
• Modem is out-of-coverage, sleeping, RTC alarm event
or off
• I/Os are retained

Lite Hibernate Stack OFF, eDRX, PSM, • 26 MHz system clock is OFF WAKEUP
No service • Application processor is OFF UART1_DTRa
• Modem is out-of-coverage, sleeping, RTC timeout interrupt
or off
• Flash memory and most RAM is off
(some retention memory remains
on)
• I/Os are retained

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Table 3-5: Low Power Modes (Continued)

Hardware Wake-Up Signal
Power Mode Possible Modem State Impact on Module Sources

Hibernate Stack OFF, eDRX, PSM, • 26 MHz system clock is OFF WAKEUP
No service • Application processor is OFF RTC timeout interrupt
• Modem is OFF
• Flash memory and most RAM is off
(some retention memory may
remain on, PSM/eDRX-dependent)
• I/Os are not retained (e.g. in an
undefined state)

OFF Stack OFF • 26 MHz system clock is OFF & RTC WAKEUP
clock is OFF
• Application processor is OFF
• Modem is OFF
• Flash memory and RAM off
• I/Os are not retained (e.g. in an
undefined state)

a. Only if configured with +KSLEEP <mngt> parameter set to 0

An end product uses the AT+KSLEEP command to specify the preferred lowest power
mode. Then when the module sleeps, its power management algorithm determines the
appropriate mode based on the module's current operating requirements.

Note: When a module that is configured for PSM enters Hibernate mode, its non-persistent configu-
rations are lost (just like when it power cycles). Refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide
(Doc# 41111821), Command Timeout and Other Information to identify commands that manage
persistent configurations.

Warning: If USB_VBUS is powered and the USB interface is enabled, it will not be possible to
enter Lite Hibernate or Hibernate mode.

For additional low power mode details (including the relationship between 3GPP power
saving features and HL781x power modes), refer to HL78xx Low Power Modes
Application Note (Doc# 2174229). For band selection details (which impact power
consumption), refer to HL78xx Customization Guide Application Note (Doc# 2174213).

Note: To prevent flash wear out, the module includes a feature for flash wear out protection. This
feature prevents entering Hibernate mode if less than 30 minutes passed since the last Hibernate
mode, or less than 30 minutes of Hibernate sleep is expected.

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 Power Specifications

3.5 Current Consumption

This section describes the HL781x module’s current consumption under various power
states/modes.
• Low Power Current Consumption Modes— Table 3-6 to Table 3-9
• Connected Mode— Table 3-10 to Table 3-14

Important: The module’s current consumption will depend on the actual operating/environmental
conditions of the customer platform.
The current consumption measurements presented in this section (Table 3-6 to Table 3-14) are
typical values obtained under the following test conditions:
• Nominal supply voltage—3.7V, TX power—0 dBm
• Nominal ambient temperature—25°C
• PSM connect type (call box equipment setting)—test mode
• eDRX test conditions:
• Cat-M1 eDRX paging cycle—1.28 sec
• Cat-NB eDRX paging cycle—2.56 sec
• Conducted 50 load on RF port(s)
• External UICC/USIM that can be activated

• In addition, the following conditions apply to Hibernate and OFF mode measurements:
• VGPIO is OFF
• Customer platform ensures module I/Os are not driven > 0.2V
• External UICC/USIM that is pre-configured to allow the module to automatically disable
the USIM power.
(See [4] HL78xx Low Power Modes Application Note (Doc# 2174229) for details.)
• WAKEUP signal Low

For detailed low power current consumption information, refer to %%[4] HL78xx Low Power Modes
Application Note (Doc# 2174229).

Note: To be able to enter PSM mode when the module’s lowest attainable power state is
Lite Hibernate or Hibernate (i.e., +KSLEEP <level> is 1 or 2) and LwM2M is enabled (AutoConnect
is enabled by default), the host must not de-assert the WAKEUP pin until it receives a CEREG:4
unsolicited result code.

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Table 3-6: HL7810 LPM Current Consumption - Cat-M1 a

Modem Radio Lowest Power
State Mode Details Typ Unit

• Module is switched off by AT command

(+CPWROFF)
OFF OFF 2.8 A
• Power supplies (VBAT_BB, VBAT_RF) are
connected

TAU—Occurrence is network dependent 41 Ah

Hibernate 2.8 A
Floor current during PSM dormant
Lite Hibernate 31 A

PSM Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 24h 10c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 36c A

Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 1h 95c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 90c A

Calibration—Applies to eDRX 81.92s and longer 3 Ah

Hibernate 27 A
Floor current during eDRX
Lite Hibernate 29 A

eDRXd Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 81.92s 41e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 1.28s 42e A

Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 20.48s 90e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 1.28s 93e A

Sleep 3 mA
1.28s
Hibernate 2 mA

DRX Sleep 2.5 mA

2.56s
Hibernate 1.3 mA

Running DRX independent, +KSLEEP=2 or Wake active 40 mA

Module registered, Idle mode, without TX

Standby 15 mA
power/data transfer

a. Values measured under following conditions:

- Good channel conditions (SINR > 5 dB)
- Static scenario
b. Cycle (Lite Hibernate or Hibernate) includes boot, cell acquisition, network attach, wait for timer expiry, and back to Sleep
c. Values are T3324-dependent.
d. See Extended DRX (eDRX) for details.
e. Values are PTW and DRX-dependent. Values will have some difference due to a number of active cycles being sampled.

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Table 3-7: HL7812 LPM Current Consumption - Cat-M1 a

Modem Radio Lowest Power
State Mode Details Typ Unit

• Module is switched off by AT command and

VBATs are connected
OFF OFF 1.8 A
• Power supplies (VBAT_BB, VBAT_RF) are
connected

TAU—Occurrence is network dependent 43 Ah

Hibernate 1.8 A
Floor current during PSM dormant
Lite Hibernate 30 A

PSM Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 24h 8c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 33c A

Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 1h 85c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 90c A

Calibration—Applies to eDRX 81.92s and longer 3 Ah

Hibernate 30 A
Floor current during eDRX
Lite Hibernate 32 A

eDRXd Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 81.92s 50e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 1.28s 52e A

Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 20.48s 100e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 1.28s 110e A

Sleep 3 mA
1.28s
Hibernate 2 mA

DRX Sleep 2.5 mA

2.56s
Hibernate 1.3 mA

Running DRX independent, +KSLEEP=2 or Wake active 40 mA

Module registered, Idle mode, without TX

Standby 15 mA
power/data transfer

a. Values measured under following conditions:

- Good channel conditions (SINR > 5 dB)
- Static scenario
b. Cycle (Lite Hibernate or Hibernate) includes boot, cell acquisition, network attach, wait for timer expiry, and back to Sleep
c. Values are T3324-dependent.
d. See Extended DRX (eDRX) for details.
e. Values are PTW and DRX-dependent. Values will have some difference due to a number of active cycles being sampled.

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Table 3-8: HL7810 LPM Current Consumption - NB a

Modem Radio
State Lowest Power Mode Details Typ Unit

• Module is switched off by AT command.

OFF OFF • Power supplies (VBAT_BB, VBAT_RF) are 2.8 A
connected.

TAU—Occurrence is network dependent 43 Ah

Hibernate 2.8 A
Floor current during PSM dormant
Lite Hibernate 31 A

PSM Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 24h 12c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 33c A

Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 1h 120c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 115c A

Calibration—Applies to eDRX 81.92s and longer 4 Ah

Hibernate 28 A
Floor current during eDRX
Lite Hibernate 32 A

eDRXd Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 81.92s 70e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 2.56s 72e A

Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 20.48s 210e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 2.56s 212e A

Sleep 4.5 mA
1.28s
Hibernate 3.8 mA

Sleep 3.5 mA
2.56s
DRX Hibernate 2.3 mA

Sleep 2.5 mA
10.24s
Hibernate 1 mA

Running DRX independent, +KSLEEP=2 or Wake active 45 mA

Module registered, Idle mode, without TX

Standby 15 mA
power/data transfer

a. Values measured under following conditions:

- Good channel conditions (SINR > 5 dB)
- Static scenario
b. Cycle (Lite Hibernate or Hibernate) includes boot, cell acquisition, network attach, wait for timer expiry, and back to Sleep
c. Values are T3324-dependent.
d. See Extended DRX (eDRX) for details.
e. Values are PTW and DRX-dependent. Values will have some difference due to a number of active cycles being sampled.

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Table 3-9: HL7812 LPM Current Consumption - Cat-NB a

Modem Radio
State Lowest Power Mode Details Typ Unit

Module is switched off by AT command and VBATs

OFF OFF 1.8 A
are connected

Hibernate 1.8 A
Floor current during PSM dormant
Lite Hibernate 30 A

Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 24h 8c A

PSM
Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 33c A

Hibernate Cycleb • T3412 = 1h 117c A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • T3324 = 20s 120c A

TAU—Occurrence is network dependent 48 Ah

Calibration—Applies to eDRX 81.92s and longer 4 Ah

Hibernate 30 A
Floor current during eDRX
Lite Hibernate 33 A
eDRXd
Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 81.92s 75e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 2.56s 80e A

Hibernate Cycleb • eDRX cycle (TI-eDRX) = 20.48s 220e A

Lite Hibernate Cycleb • PTW and DRX = 2.56s 227e A

Sleep 4.2 mA
1.28s
Hibernate 3.5 mA

Sleep 3.2 mA
2.56s
DRX Hibernate 2 mA

Sleep 2.2 mA
10.24s
Hibernate 0.6 mA

Running DRX independent, +KSLEEP=2 or Wake active 45 mA

Module registered, Idle mode, without TX

Standby 15 mA
power/data transfer

a. Values measured under following conditions:

- Good channel conditions (SINR > 5 dB)
- Static scenario
b. Cycle (Lite Hibernate or Hibernate) includes boot, cell acquisition, network attach, wait for timer expiry, and back to Sleep
c. Values are T3324-dependent.
d. See Extended DRX (eDRX) for details.
e. Values are PTW and DRX-dependent. Values will have some difference due to a number of active cycles being sampled.

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 Power Specifications

Table 3-10: HL7810 Current Consumption - LTE Cat-M1 Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values) a

LTE Cat-M1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 23 dBm 200-240 mA

• Modem State: Connected 13, 18, 19, 20, 25,
0 dBm 120-190 mA
• 4RB DL at MCS 14 1RB_UL at 26, 28, 66, 85
MCS 15
• Maximum 3 UL sub-frames and 3
DL sub-frames every 10 ms
• Transferring UDP payload data
rates: concurrent 280 kbps DL + 45
kbps UL

a. Ranges reflect variations between band/channel combinations

Table 3-11: HL7812 Current Consumption — LTE Cat-M1 Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values) a

LTE Cat-M1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 23 dBm 170-230 mA

• Modem State: Connected 13, 18, 19, 20, 25,
0 dBm 120-140 mA
• 4RB DL at MCS 14 1RB_UL at 26, 28, 66, 85
MCS 15
• Maximum 3 UL sub-frames and 3
DL sub-frames every 10 ms
• Transferring UDP payload data
rates: concurrent 280 kbps DL +
45 kbps UL

a. Ranges reflect variations between band/channel combinations

Table 3-12: HL7810 Current Consumption - LTE NB-1 Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values)

NB1 DL peak throughput (27.2kbps) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 23 dBm 110-140 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz 13, 18, 19, 20, 25,
0 dBm 90-125 mA
26, 28, 66, 85
Subcarriers downlink: 12 MCS.TBS:13
MCS.TBS:13

NB1 UL peak throughput (62.5kbps) 23 dBm 120-150 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz
0 dBm 100-130 mA

Subcarriers uplink:3 MCS.TBS:13

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Table 3-13: HL7810 Current Consumption - LTE NB-2 Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values)

NB2 DL peak throughput (134kbps) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 23 dBm 150-220 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz 13, 18, 19, 20, 25,
0 dBm 100-170 mA
26, 28, 66, 85
Subcarriers downlink: 12 MCS.TBS:13
MCS.TBS:13

NB2 UL peak throughput (109kbps) 23 dBm 300-360 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz
0 dBm 150-310 mA

Subcarriers uplink:3 MCS.TBS:13

Table 3-14: HL7812 Current Consumption - LTE NB-1 Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values) a,b

NB1 DL peak throughput (27.2kbps) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 23 dBm 100-110 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz 13, 18, 19, 20, 25,
26, 28, 66, 85 0 dBm 90-100 mA

Subcarriers downlink: 12
MCS.TBS:13

NB1 UL peak throughput (45.7 kbps) 23 dBm 100-120 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz
0 dBm 80-90 mA

Subcarriers uplink: 12
MCS.TBS:13

a. Typical average current values for 1 time slot.

b. Measured at 3.7V, 25°C.

Table 3-15: HL7812 Current Consumption - LTE NB-2 Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values)

NB2 DL peak throughput (134 kbps) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 23 dBm 160-190 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz 13, 18, 19, 20, 25,
0 dBm 120-130 mA
26, 28, 66, 85
Subcarriers downlink: 12 MCS.TBS:13

NB2 UL peak throughput (159 kbps) 23 dBm 220-285 mA

UL Subcarrier spacing: 15KHz
0 dBm 150-170 mA

Subcarriers uplink: 12 MCS.TBS:13

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 Power Specifications

Table 3-16: HL7812 Typical Current Consumption - 2G Connected Mode

Parameter Band Output Power Avg. Current (Typical Values)

PCL5 850/900 MHz 32.5 dBm 290 mA

PCL19 5 dBm 130 mA

PCL0 1800/1900 MHz 29.5 dBm 220 mA

PCL15 0 dBm 120 mA

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 4
4: Detailed Interface Specifications
This chapter describes the interfaces supported by the Sierra Wireless HL781x and
provides specific voltage, timing, and circuit recommendations for those interfaces, as
appropriate

4.1 VGPIO
The VGPIO (GPIO voltage output) 1.8 V supply state is:
• ON (available)— Voltage output is high when module is in Active, Sleep, or Lite
Hibernate mode
• OFF (not available)— Voltage output is low when module is in OFF, Reset, or
Hibernate mode
VGPIO can be used to:
• Pull-up signals such as I/Os. For additional details, see I/O Behavior in Hibernate
Mode.
• Supply LED drivers
• Indicate the module power state
• Control buffering of module I/O (required in Hibernate)
Table 4-1 and Table 4-2 describe the VGPIO supply.

Table 4-1: VGPIO Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Description

C45 VGPIO PO GPIO voltage supply

a. Signal direction with respect to the module

Refer to the following table for the electrical characteristics of the VGPIO supply.

Table 4-2: VGPIO Electrical Characteristics

Parameter Min Typ Max Unit Remarks

Voltage level 1.75 1.8 1.85 V Applies to Active,

Sleep, and Lite
Hibernate modes

Current Active, Sleep – – 25 mA Total current supplied

capability by VGPIO should not
exceed 25 mA.

Lite Hibernate – – 1 mA

Output capacitance – – 1 F External decoupling

capacitance should not
exceed 1 F.

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 Detailed Interface Specifications

4.1.1 I/O Behavior in Hibernate Mode

The following behaviors apply, only in Hibernate mode, to I/Os that are referenced to
VGPIO (i.e. UART, GPIO, Clock, UIM1, Indication, and ADC signal groups— see
Table 2-2); they do not apply in Lite Hibernate or Sleep modes.
• VGPIO is OFF (voltage output is low)

Note: The host platform should isolate these signals during module Hibernate mode to prevent
back-powering the module. For details, see Hibernate—Isolation Requirements.

• No I/O should be biased as no internal source exists. The maximum allowed voltage
is ±0.2V at any I/O.
• All I/Os that are referenced to VGPIO will be in an undefined state.
The host should ignore all activity on these signals until the module has initialized and
reached AT-READY state (i.e. when UART1_CTS transitions from high to low (and stays
low) and VGPIO is high). For timing details, see Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default)
and Wakeup from Low Power Modes.

4.2 USIM Interface

The HL781x implements a USIM interface that can be used to control either:
• the module’s eSIM (internal, embedded SIM—optional and SKU-dependent)
or
• an external 1.8V USIM (UIM1); 3V USIM is not supported
To associate USIM1 with the eSIM or external USIM, use the AT+KSIMSEL command.
For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide (Doc# 41111821).

4.2.1 eSIM Interface

eSIM is an internal interface supporting Sierra Smart Connectivity. For details about using
the HL781x’s eSIM with Sierra Smart Connectivity, refer to [6] Sierra Wireless Ready-to-
Connect Module Integration Guide (Doc# 41113385). For additional information on Sierra
Smart Connectivity, explore www.sierrawireless.com or contact Sierra Wireless.

4.2.2 External UIM1 Interface

The USIM1 interface is fully compliant with GSM 11.11 recommendations concerning
USIM functions.
Table 4-3 describes the USIM1 interface.

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Table 4-3: UIM1 Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Description I/O Type

C26 UIM1_VCC PO USIM1 Power supply 1.8V (VGPIO)

C27 UIM1_CLK O USIM1 Clock 1.8V (VGPIO)

C28 UIM1_DATA I/O USIM1 Data 1.8V (VGPIO)

C29 UIM1_RESET O USIM1 Reset 1.8V (VGPIO)

C64 UIM1_DETb I USIM1 Detection 1.8V (VGPIO)

a. Signal direction with respect to the module

b. Buffer is required if UIM_DET1 is powered from host; not required if powered from VGPIO. UIM1_DET can be used as GPIO3
if external SIM is not required.

Note: UIM1_VCC max output current is 50 mA in Active and Sleep modes, 1 mA in Lite Hibernate,
and Off in Hibernate. For UIM1 electrical interface details, see UIM1.

4.2.3 UIM1_DET
UIM1_DET is used to detect the insertion or removal of a USIM in the USIM socket
connected to the main USIM interface (UIM1).
When a USIM is:
• Inserted— UIM1_DET is HIGH.
• Removed— UIM1_DET is LOW.

Note: In Hibernate mode, UIM1_DET is in an undefined state.

To enable or disable the USIM detect feature, use the AT+KSIMDET command. For
details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.

4.3 USB Interface

The HL781x provides a full speed USB 2.0 interface that conforms to the Universal Serial
Bus Specification, Revision 2.0.
Table 4-4 and Table 4-5 describe the USB interface.

Table 4-4: USB Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Description

C12 USB_D- I/O USB Data Negative

C13 USB_D+ I/O USB Data Positive

C16 USB_VBUS PI USB VBUS

a. Signal direction with respect to the module

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Table 4-5: USB Electrical Characteristics

Parameter Min Typ Max Unit

Voltage at pins USB_D+ / USB_D- 3.15 3.3 3.45 V

USB_VBUS 4.75 5.0 5.25 V

Important: For USB operation, USB_VBUS is a mandatory connection. The host must ensure
USB_VBUS is provided before establishing USB communication.
When USB operation is enabled, the lowest power mode supported is Active—the module cannot
enter Low Power state.
When USB operation is disabled, the lowest power mode supported is Hibernate.

For USB enumeration timing, refer to Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default) and Wakeup
from OFF Mode.
Simultaneous UART and USB is supported by default, but can be affected by the
+KUSBCOMP command. For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.

4.4 General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO)

The HL781x provides several GPIOs, some of which are multiplexed with other signals,
as described in Table 4-6. For electrical specifications, see Table 3-3.

Table 4-6: GPIO Pin Descriptions

Pad # Signal Name Alternate Function Default State a I/O Type

C1 GPIO1 - Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C10 GPIO2 Alternative default Ring Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

Indicator (Active High
Output)

C40 GPIO7 - Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C41 GPIO8 VBAT_PA_EN (Output) Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C46 GPIO6 - Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C51 GPIO14 UART3_CTS (Output) Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C52 GPIO10 UART3_TX (Input) Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C53 GPIO11 UART3_RTS (Input) Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C54 GPIO15 UART3_RX (Output) Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C64 GPIO3 UIM1_DET (Input) Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C65 GPIO4 - Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

C66 GPIO5 - Input Pull-down 1.8V (VGPIO)

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a. Default state is software-controlled when module has initialized and reached AT-READY state. Default state is configurable by
customer using AT+KGIOCFG command. For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide (Doc# 41111821).

Table 4-6 notes the default state for each signal.

By default, at power up, all GPIOs are configured as inputs. During power up, power
down, reset and Hibernate, the signals are in an undefined state. Therefore, the host
should ignore all activity on I/Os until the module has reached AT-READY state (i.e. when
UART1_CTS transitions from high to low (and stays low) and VGPIO is high). For timing
details, see Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default) and Wake Up Signal (WAKEUP).

4.5 Main Serial Link (UART1)

The HL781x implements the UART1 serial interface (up to 921.6 kbps, default rate of
115.2 kbps) for communication between the module and a PC or host processor. UART1
consists of a flexible, 8-wire asynchronous serial, 1.8V interface that complies with RS-
232 interface. UART1 can also be used to upgrade the module firmware locally.
Simultaneous UART and USB is supported by default, but can be affected by the
+KUSBCOMP command. For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.

Note: The host platform may use UART1 as an 8-wire, 4-wire, or 2-wire interface as shown in
Figure 4-1, Figure 4-2, and Figure 4-3.

Note that in Hibernate mode the host platform (MCU) interfaces can remain powered— it
is important that the host interfaces do not back-power the module.
The UART1 interface is not active during Hibernate mode, so the host should ignore all
activity on UART1 during Hibernate. If the module will enter Hibernate mode, Sierra
Wireless recommends adding buffer circuits to ensure UART signals are not driven high
(i.e. >0.2V).
Note that a buffer is not required in Lite Hibernate mode. For detailed information, refer to
I/O Behavior in Hibernate Mode.
Table 4-7 describes the UART1 interface.

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Table 4-7: UART1 Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name a Default State b,c Active I/O Type Description

C2 UART1_RI Output L 1.8V (VGPIO) Ring Indicator

Data reception, SMS, etc.

C3 UART1_RTS Input with pull-down L 1.8V (VGPIO) Request To Send

C4 UART1_CTS Output L 1.8V (VGPIO) Clear To Sendd

The module is ready to receive
AT commands.

C5 UART1_TX Input with pull-down - 1.8V (VGPIO) Transmit data

C6 UART1_RX Output - 1.8V (VGPIO) Receive data

C7 UART1_DTR Input with pull-up L 1.8V (VGPIO) Data Terminal Readye

C8 UART1_DCD Output L 1.8V (VGPIO) Data Carrier Detect

Signal data connection in
progress

C9 UART1_DSR Output L 1.8V (VGPIO) Data Set Ready

Signal UART interface is ON

a. Signals are named with respect to the host device (i.e. DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) convention—PC view). For example,
UART1_RX is the signal used by the host to receive data from the module.
b. Signal direction with respect to the module. For example, UART1_RX is an output from the module to the host.
c. Default state is software-controlled when module has initialized and reached AT-READY state.
d. Host can monitor UART1_CTS and VGPIO to determine when the module is ready to receive AT commands (AT-READY). The
UART1 inter- face is not active during Hibernate mode, so the host should ignore all activity on UART1_CTS during Hibernate.
e. UART1_DTR has software-controlled pull-up (PU) (if enabled by using AT+KSLEEP with the <mngt> parameter set to 0),
which is active only when module has initialized and reached AT-READY state. When the signal is low, the module wakes in all
operational modes except Hibernate. When the signal is high, the module can enter sleep mode or lite hibernate mode but not
hibernate mode.

Note: If possible, it is highly recommended to add 0 on every line on the host platform to help the
debug process. This will force the UART signal layout to the top PCB layer and allow access to the
signal on the resistors.

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4.5.1 Ring Indicator (UART1_RI or Alternative)

UART1_RI is an active-low output signal that indicates incoming events (e.g. SMS, data
reception, etc.).
The signal is available in all power modes except Hibernate mode. In Hibernate mode, the
UART_RI signal is in an undefined state.
Therefore, if a customer platform requires a RI signal to wake its host processor on SMS
or IP reception, an alternative signal must be used.
The AT+KRIC command can configure GPIO2 (by default) as an inverted RI signal
(RI_inverse_gpio). (For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide (Doc#
41111821) and HL78xx Low Power Modes Application Note (Doc# 2174229)).

Note: Because GPIO2 is in an undefined state while in (and exiting) Hibernate, use the following
recommendations when GPIO2 is used as an RI signal: If firmware is used, enable the internal PD
on GPIO2 using AT+KRIC (default state is No Pull).

4.5.2 UART1_RTS/UART1_CTS
UART1_RTS (Request to Send) is an active-low input signal used for module flow control
(in combination with UART1_CTS).
By default, the UART1_RTS signal state is software-controlled as pull-down, and the host
platform must drive this signal. The signal can be configured as a pull-up using the
AT+KHWIOCFG command (minimum firmware version 4.6.8)— for details, refer to
HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide (Doc# 41111821)
For detailed UART1 flow control information (including use of UART1_RTS and
UART1_CTS), refer to HL78xx Low Power Modes Application Note (Doc# 2174229)).

4.5.3 UART Application Examples

HL781x Customer
Platform
TP
UART1_RX R RXD
TP
UART1_CTS R CTS
TP
UART1_DSR R DSR
TP
UART1_DCD Buffer R DCD
circuit TP
UART1_RI R RI
TP
UART1_DTR R DTR
TP
UART1_TX R TXD
TP
UART1_RTS R RTS

Note: R is a 0Ω resistor (default value)

Figure 4-1: 8-wire UART Application Example

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HL781x Customer
Platform
TP
UART1_RX R RXD
TP
UART1_CTS Buffer R CTS
circuit TP
UART1_TX R TXD
TP
UART1_RTS R RTS

Note: R is a 0Ω resistor (default value)

Figure 4-2: 4-wire UART Application Example

HL781x Customer
Platform
TP
UART1_RX R RXD
Buffer
circuit TP
UART1_TX R TXD

Note: R is a 0Ω resistor (default value)

Figure 4-3: 2-wire UART Application Example

Note: All UART signals operate at 1.8V. A voltage level shifter is required when connecting to a 3V3
domain.

4.6 Power On Signal (POWER_ON_N)

The POWER_ON_N hardware control signal can be used by the host platform to turn the
module on.
The signal is internally biased high by default. Bias voltage is dependent on the module
mode— 1.3–1.4V in Active or Sleep mode, and 1.1–1.2V in Hibernate or Lite Hibernate
mode.
The module has two possible operational modes— Host-managed and unmanaged:
• Unmanaged (default configuration)— The module starts regardless of the
POWER_ON_N state. In this mode, the POWER_ON_N signal must be left open.

Note: If RESET_IN_N is low, the module will not start until RESET_IN_N is released.

• Host-Managed— A low-level pulse must be provided by the host to switch the module
ON. Use an open drain/open collector type circuit to drive the signal low (< 0.3V (Input
Voltage-Low (V))).
Table 4-8 and Table 4-9 describe the POWER_ON_N signal.

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Table 4-8: POWER_ON_N Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Description

C59 POWER_ON_Nb I Powers the module ON

a. Signal direction with respect to the module

b. Signal provided by host. Does not need to be buffered, and can be directly connected to module
using an open drain/collector type circuit.

Table 4-9: POWER_ON_N Electrical Characteristics

Parameter Min Typ Max Unit

Input Voltage-Low (v) – – 0.3 V

To ensure safe power on, the module VBAT (VBAT_BB/VBAT_RF) must be discharged
below 0.3V before re-applying VBAT power.

4.6.1 Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default)

COLD START HARDWARE RESET SOFTWARE RESET

(RESET_IN_N) (AT+CFUN=1,1)

VBAT_RF
VBAT_BB T1 HW RESET AT+CFUN=1,1

RESET_IN_N
T5

VGPIO T6
T2 T2

I/O State
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX

UART1_CTS
T3 T3
T4 T4

USB Bus
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
T8 T8 T7

State: OFF ON AT‐READY OFF ON AT‐READY S/W Reset AT‐READY

Figure 4-4: Power On and Reset Sequence (unmanaged POWER_ON_N)

Important: At completion of T4/T8/T7, the module is ready to receive AT commands ("AT-

READY") via UART1 or USB.

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Table 4-10: POWER_ON_N Timing (unmanaged) a

Parameter Min Typ Max b Unit

T1: Delay between VBAT_BB and RESET_IN_N – – 200 ms

T2: Delay between RESET_IN_N and VGPIO – – 60 ms

T3: Delay between VGPIO and UART1_CTS – – 100 s

T4: Delay – – 10 s

T5: HW RESET_IN_N assertion time 100 – – s

T6: Off delay between VGPIO and RESET_IN_N – – 30 s

T7: Delay between software reset and AT-READY (UART/USB) – – 10 s

T8: Delay between VGPIO and USB enumeration – – T3max + T4max s

a. Timing of first power cycle after FOTA/FW upgrade is not captured in this table.
b. Measurements taken with HL78xx Development Kit

4.7 Power Down, Off, and VBAT Removal

4.7.1 Software Power Off in Unmanaged Mode

To power down the module via software:
1. Initiate the power down process:
a. Use the +CPWROFF command (For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands
Interface Guide (Doc# 41111821).):
AT+CPWROFF
OK
b. Immediately after receiving the "OK" response, set WAKEUP low.
2. Monitor VGPIO— When VGPIO is low (e.g. < 0.2 V), the module is in OFF mode.
(Note— The module can be woken from OFF mode by setting WAKEUP high. For
timing details, see Wake Up Signal (WAKEUP)
3. It is now safe to remove power (VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF) from the module.

Note: While the module is in OFF mode, the host platform (MCU) interfaces can remain powered.
To prevent these signals from back-powering the module, the host platform should make sure to
isolate them—the signals should not be driven high (i.e. > 0.2 V).

If the module is back-powered, the VGPIO low value will be higher (e.g. 0.8~1.1 V).

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4.7.2 Emergency Power Removal

The Software Power Off in Unmanaged Mode procedure (which uses AT commands)
should be used to safely power down the module.
However, if the module’s UART and USB interfaces cannot be accessed, or are
unresponsive (i.e. do not respond after an AT command is issued (see Command
Timeout appendix in HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide), the following procedure can
be used to power down the module, if necessary.

Important: This procedure should be used with caution. If the module is interrupted while
processing certain AT commands or performing a firmware upgrade, or the procedure is not
followed correctly, the module may become unusable.

4. Set RESET_IN_N low, and keep it asserted.

5. Monitor VGPIO- When VGPIO is low (e.g. < 0.2 V), the module is powered down.
6. Remove VBAT (both VBAT_BB and VBAT_RF) power.
7. Monitor VBAT- When VBAT is discharged below 0.3V, de-assert RESET_IN_N.

Note: :To power up the module, it is critical that VBAT be fully discharged (or below 0.3V) and that
RESET_IN_N must be de-asserted. For details, refer to Unmanaged POWER_ON_N (Default).

While the module is in OFF mode, the host platform (MCU) interfaces can remain
powered. To prevent these signals from back-powering the module, the host platform
should make sure to isolate them-the signals should not be driven high (i.e. > 0.2 V).
If the module is back-powered, the VGPIO low value will be higher (e.g. 0.8~1.1 V).

4.8 Reset Signal (RESET_IN_N)

The RESET_IN_N hardware control signal can be used to reset the module in any power
state.
To reset the module, assert RESET_IN_N low for 100s (minimum)—this action
immediately resets the module. For timing details, see Figure 4-4 (HARDWARE RESET
segment).
Use an open drain/open collector type circuit to drive the signal low (< 0.3V (Input
Voltage-Low (V))),
Do not add a pull-up resistor on this signal as it is internally biased high by default. The
bias voltage depends on the module operating state- 1.3-1.4V in Active and Sleep modes,
and 1.1-1.2V in Hibernate and Lite Hibernate modes.

Note: For power-sensitive applications, the module does not reach minimal power consumption
when held in reset. Therefore, it is not recommended to hold the module in reset state for long
periods.

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Warning: RESET_IN_N should only be used to reset the module if it is unresponsive to AT

commands and a power cycle cannot be performed. If used inappropriately (e.g. to reset during a
firmware upgrade), memory corruption can occur.

As an alternative, Sierra Wireless recommends implementing a software reset using AT+CFUN=1,1.

For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide (Doc# 41111821)

Warning: During a module reset:

- All I/Os will be in an undefined state.
- I/Os must not be driven high (over 0.2 V), otherwise the module may be damaged
- RESET_IN_N must not be set low during a power cycle, otherwise the module
will not boot.
- VBAT_BB must always be >3.2V when reset is asserted.

Table 4-11 and Table 4-12 describe the RESET_IN_N signal.

Table 4-11: RESET_IN_N Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Active Description

C11 RESET_IN_Nb I L Reset signal

a. Signal direction with respect to the module.

b. Signal provided by host. Does not need to be buffered, and can be directly connected to module using an open drain/collector
type circuit.

Refer to the following table for the electrical characteristics of the RESET_IN_N interface.

Table 4-12: RESET_IN_N Electrical Characteristics

Parameter Min Typ Max Unit

Input Voltage-Low – – 0.3 V

Reset assertion time 0.1 1 – ms

4.9 Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)

The HL781x provides two general purpose ADC signals (ADC0, ADC1). These converters
are 12-bit resolution ADCs with voltage range of 0–1.8V.
Typical ADC use is for monitoring external signals. The AT+KADC command is used to
read the ADC values. For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.
Table 4-13 describes the ADC signals.

Table 4-13: ADC Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Description I/O Type

C24 ADC1 AI Analog to digital converter 1.8V (VGPIO)

C25 ADC0 AI Analog to digital converter 1.8V (VGPIO)

a. Signal direction with respect to the module.

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4.10 Clock Interface

The HL781x supports two digital clock output signals.
These signals are disabled by default. To enable (or disable) these signals, use the
AT+KHWIOCFG command. For details, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.

Note: To reduce noise and radiated spurious emission (RSE), disable the clock signals if they are
not being used.

Table 4-14 describes the clock signals.

Table 4-14: Clock Interface Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a Voltage Supply Domain Description

C22 26M_CLKOUT O 1.8V (VGPIO) 26 MHz Digital Clock output

C23 32K_CLKOUT O 1.8V (VGPIO) 32.786 kHz Digital Clock output

a. Signal direction with respect to the module.

4.11 Debug Interfaces

The HL781x provides two 4-wire debug port interfaces (Diagnostic Interface, Modem
Logs) that can be used with the AT interface for full debug capability.

Note: All UART signals operate at 1.8V. A voltage level shifter is required when connecting to a 3V3
domain.

UART interfaces are not active during Hibernate mode, so the host should ignore all
activity on UART interfaces during Hibernate. If the module will enter Hibernate mode,
Sierra Wireless recommends adding buffer circuits to ensure module I/Os are not driven
high (i.e. >0.2V).
To enable debug interfaces, refer to HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.

4.11.1 Diagnostic Interface

The Diagnostic interface is implemented over UART0. When the module begins to boot,
UART0 is enabled at 115200 baud and writes an initial boot log.
Availability and behavior of UART0 after the initial boot log is written depends on the
configured debug mode (using the AT command +SWITRACEMODE):
• Customer mode (AT+SWITRACEMODE=CUSTOMER)— UART0 is disabled after the
initial boot log is written.
• Debug mode (AT+SWITRACEMODE=LOG or AT+SWITRACEMODE=SFPLOG)—
UART0 remains enabled for logging. Unless configured differently using +SWITRAC-
EMODE options, the default baud rate (921600) and default flow control (enabled) are
used. With flow control enabled (4-wire logging), UART0_CTS is asserted. To receive
logging data, the host must assert UART0_RTS, and then use UART0_RX/

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 Detailed Interface Specifications

UART0_TX to receive/send data.

With flow control disabled (2-wire logging), note that the host must be fast enough to
capture all data streamed from the module so that log files are not corrupted.
• Boot mode for firmware upgrades (using SFT (Standalone File Tool))— UART0
remains enabled for 2-wire communication (flow control is disabled by default;
UART0_CTS is not asserted, and UART0_RTS is ignored).
Note that Flow control may be enabled using AT+KBOOTCFG=1, but is not required for
successful firmware upgrades.
For SFT details, refer to HL780x Firmware Update Methods Application Note.

Table 4-15: Diagnostic Interface Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name a Default State b , c Active I/O Type Description

C55 UART0_RX Output — 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Receive Data

C56 UART0_TX Input — 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Transmit Data

C57 UART0_CTS Output L 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Clear to Send

C58 UART0_RTS Input L 1.8V (VGPIO) Debug Request to Send

a. Signals are named with respect to the host device (i.e. DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) convention—PC view). For example,
UART0_RX is the signal used by the host to receive data from the module.
b. Signal direction with respect to the module. For example, UART0_RX is an output from the module to the host.
c. Default states are for the module in Debug mode with flow control enabled.
In Debug and Boot modes, with flow control disabled, UART0_CTS and UART0_RTS are disabled.
In Customer mode, all signals are disabled.

Note: It is highly recommended to provide access through Test Points to this interface (required for
customer platform debugging).

UART0
HL781x Diagnostic Interface Customer
Platform

TP 0
C55
UART0_RX
TP 0
C56
UART0_TX Buffer
circuit TP 0
C57
UART0_CTS
TP 0
C58
UART0_RTS

Figure 4-5: Diagnostic Interface connection example

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4.11.2 Modem Logs Interface (MLI)

Table 4-16: Modem Logs Interface Pin Description
Pad # Signal Name I/O a I/O Type Description

C51 GPIO14 O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART3_CTSb

C52 GPIO10 I 1.8V (VGPIO) UART3_TXb

C53 GPIO11 I 1.8V (VGPIO) UART3_RTSb

C54 GPIO15 O 1.8V (VGPIO) UART3_RXb

a. Signal direction with respect to the module. For example, GPIO14 is an output from the module to the host.
b. Signals are named with respect to the host device (i.e. DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) convention—PC view). For example,
UART3_RX is the signal used by the host to receive data from the module.

Note: To enable use of the UART3 interface for customer platform debugging, it is highly recom-
mended to provide access through Test Points to these 4 GPIOs.

UART3
HL781x Modem Logs Interface (MLI) Customer
Platform

TP 0
C54
GPIO15 / UART3_RX
TP 0
C52
GPIO10 / UART3_TX Buffer
circuit TP 0
C51
GPIO14 / UART3_CTS
TP 0
C53
GPIO11 / UART3_RTS

Figure 4-6: Modem Logs Interface connection example

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4.12 Wake Up Signal (WAKEUP)

The WAKEUP hardware control signal is used to wake the module from low power modes
(Sleep, Lite Hibernate, Hibernate, OFF) by driving the signal high to 1.8V.
The module will not enter or return to low power mode while the WAKEUP signal is high.
Table 4-17 and Table 4-18 describe the WAKEUP signal.

Table 4-17: WAKEUP Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a I/O Type Description

C44 WAKEUPb I 1.8V Wakes the module up

from low power mode

a. Signal direction with respect to the module.

b. Signal provided by host. Signal does not need to be buffered, and can be directly connected to the module.

Table 4-18: WAKEUP Electrical Characteristics

Parameter Minimum Typical Maximum Unit

VIL – – 0.3 V

VIH 1.2 – – V
a
Wakeup assertion time 100 – – s

Internal PD – 100K – Ω

a. Assertion time—Time required to keep WAKEUP at high level to ensure module can wake up successfully.

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4.12.1 Wakeup from Low Power Modes

This section describes the module’s signal behaviors when waking from the low power
modes defined in Table 3-5.

4.12.2 Wakeup from OFF Mode

Figure 4-7 and Table 4-19 describe signal behavior when WAKEUP is used to wake the
module from OFF mode.

Wake up from OFF

mode

VBAT_RF
VBAT_BB

WAKEUP

VGPIO
T1

I/O State
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

UART1_CTS
T2
T3

USB BUS
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
T4

State: OFF ON AT‐READY

Figure 4-7: Wake up from OFF Mode

Table 4-19: WAKEUP Timing (from OFF Mode)

Parameter Min Typ Max a Unit

T1: Delay between WAKEUP and VGPIO – – 1 ms

T2: Delay between VGPIO and UART1_CTS – – 20 s

T3: Delay – – 4 s

T4: Delay between VGPIO and USB enumeration – – T2max + T3max s

a. Measurements taken with HL78xx Development Kit

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4.12.3 Wakeup from Lite Hibernate Mode

Figure 4-8 and Table 4-20describe the module’s signal behaviors when WAKEUP is used
to wake the module from Lite Hibernate mode.

Wakeup from Lite

Lite Hibernate
Hibernate

VBAT_RF
VBAT_BB

WAKEUP

T1

VGPIO

UART1_CTS

AT‐READY

Figure 4-8: Wake up from Lite Hibernate Mode

Table 4-20: WAKEUP Timing (from Lite Hibernate Mode)

Parameter Min Typ Max a Unit

T1: Delay between WAKEUP and AT-READY – 1 80 ms

a. Measurements taken with HL78xx Development Kit

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4.12.4 Wakeup from Hibernate Mode

Figure 4-9 and Table 4-21 describe the module’s signal behaviors when WAKEUP is used
to wake the module from Hibernate mode.

Wakeup from
Hibernate
Hibernate

VBAT_RF
VBAT_BB

WAKEUP

VGPIO
T1

I/O State
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

UART1_CTS
T2
T3

ON AT‐
READY

Figure 4-9: Wake up from Hibernate Mode

Table 4-21: WAKEUP Timing (from Hibernate Mode)

Parameter Min Typ Max a Unit

T1: Delay between WAKEUP and VGPIO – – 1 ms

T2: Delay between VGPIO and UART1_CTS high – – 20 µs

T3: UART1_CTS high to AT-READY – – 80 ms

a. Measurements taken with HL78xx Development Kit

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4.13 RF Interface
The RF interface of the Sierra Wireless HL781x provides a single RF antenna connection
for the transmission/reception of RF signals.
Contact Sierra Wireless technical support for assistance in integrating the Sierra Wireless
HL781x on applications with embedded antennas.

4.13.1 RF Antenna Connection

A 50 RF track (with maximum VSWR 1.1:1, and 0.5 dB loss) is recommended to
connect the module’s RF_MAIN to standard RF antenna connectors (e.g. SMA, U.FL,
etc).
Table 4-22 describes the module’s RF interface.

Table 4-22: RF Main Pin Description

Pad # RF Signal Impedance VSWR Rx (max) VSWR Tx (max)

C48 GND – – –

C49 RF_MAIN 50 2.5:1 2.5:1

C50 GND – – –

4.13.2 LTE RF Interface

4.13.2.1 Maximum Output Power
The HL781x module’s LTE maximum transmitter output power for all bands in normal
operation conditions (25°C) is specified in Table 4-23.

Table 4-23: HL7810 / / HL7812 Conducted Tx Max Output Power Tolerances - LTE a
LTE Bands Min Typ Max Units Notes

All bands 21.5b 23 24.5 dBm Power class 3

a. Under normal operating conditions (25°C)

b. Additional power reduction is applied to the lowest and highest supported channels for each band — see Table 1-1 footnote "a"
for supported Tx channel ranges. (e.g. applies to B2 channels 18602 and 19198)

4.13.2.2 Rx Sensitivity
The module's LTE receiver sensitivity is specified in the following tables.

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Table 4-24: HL781x Typical Conducted Cat-M1 RX Sensitivity a

LTE Band Typical Reference Sensitivity Level @ 95% of Maximum Throughput

@ +25°C (dBm) @ Class A (dBm) 3GPP Limit (dBm) b

B1 -104 -102.5 -102.3

B2 -104 -103 -100.3

B3 -105 -103.5 -99.3

B4 -104 -102.5 -102.3

B5 -105 -104 -100.8

B8 -105 -103 -99.8

B12 -105 -103.5 -99.3

B13 -105 -104 -99.3

B18 -105 -104 -100.3

B19 -105 -104 -102.3

B20 -105 -104 -99.8

B25 -105 -103 -100.3

B26 -105 -104.5 -100.3c

B28 -105 -104 -100.8

B66 -104 -102.5 -102.3c

B85 -105 -104 -102.3

a. Test conditions per 3GPP TS 36.521-1 v13: Bandwidth: 5MHz on Reference Measurement Channel.
b. Displayed limits derived from 3GPP TS 36.521-1 V16.3.0, Table 7.3EA-2, adjusted by +0.7 dB for measurement uncertainty.
c. Band not defined by 3GPP therefore no associated limit.

Table 4-25: HL781x Typical Conducted NB1/NB2 RX Sensitivity a

LTE Band Typical Reference Sensitivity Level @ 95% of Maximum Throughput

@ +25°C (dBm) @ Class A (dBm) 3GPP Limit (dBm) b

B1 -113 -111.5 -107.5

B2 -113.5 -112.1 -107.5

B3 -114 -112.5 -107.5

B4 -113 -111.6 -107.5

B5 -113.5 -112.3 -107.5

B8 -113 -111.8 -107.5

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Table 4-25: HL781x Typical Conducted NB1/NB2 RX Sensitivity a (Continued)

LTE Band Typical Reference Sensitivity Level @ 95% of Maximum Throughput

@ +25°C (dBm) @ Class A (dBm) 3GPP Limit (dBm) b

B12 -112.5 -111.2 -107.5

B13 -113 -111.8 -107.5

B18 -113.5 -112.2 -107.5

B19 -113.5 -112.2 -107.5

B20 -113 -111.7 -107.5

B25 -113 -111.7 -107.5

B26 -113.8 -112.5 -107.5

B28 -113 -111.7 -107.5

B66 -113 -111.5 -107.5

B85 -113.5 -112.5 -107.5

-107.5

-107.5

a. Test conditions per 3GPP TS 36.521-1 v13: on DL Reference Measurement Channel defined
b. Displayed limits derived from 3GPP TS 36.521-1 V16.3.0, Table 7.3F.1.3-1, adjusted by +0.7 dB for measurement uncertainty

4.13.3 2G RF Interface (HL7812 only)

The HL7812 module is a GPRS only device (no EGPRS support) supporting GSM
multislot class 10 (4 DL/2UL max (5 slots)).

4.13.3.1 Tx Output Power

The module's 2G maximum transmitter output power is specified in Table 4-26.

Table 4-26: HL7812 Conducted Tx Max Output Power Tolerances - 2G a,b

RF Band Min Typ Max Units Notes

GSM 850 31.5 32.5 33.5 dBm GMSK mode (Class 4; 2 W, 33 dBm)

E-GSM 900 31.5 32.5 33.5 dBm GMSK mode (Class 4; 2 W, 33 dBm)

DCS 1800 28.5 29.5 30.5 dBm GMSK mode (Class 1; 1 W, 30 dBm)

PCS 1900 28.5 29.5 30.5 dBm GMSK mode (Class 1; 1 W, 30 dBm)

a. Stated power tolerances satisfy 3GPP TS 51.010-1 requirements for normal (25°C) and Class A (extreme) conditions.
b. Stated power tolerances for input voltage of 3.7V.

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Product Technical Specification

4.13.3.2 Rx Sensitivity
The module's GPRS receiver sensitivity is specified in Table 4-27.

Table 4-27: Typical Conducted RX Sensitivity - GPRS Bands a

GPRS Band Parameters Typical Reference Sensitivity Level @ 95% of Maximum
Throughput

@ +25°C (dBm) @ Class A (dBm) Standard Limit (dBm)

GSM 850 10% BLER; GMSK CS1 -110 -108 -102

E-GSM 900 10% BLER; GMSK CS1 -110 -108 -102

DCS 1800 10% BLER; GMSK CS1 -112 -110 -102

PCS 1900 10% BLER; GMSK CS1 -112 -110 -102

a. Stated sensitivity values satisfy 3GPP TS 51.010-1 requirements for normal (25°C) and Class A (extreme) conditions

4.14 TX Burst Indicator (TX_ON)

The HL781x provides the TX_ON signal for TX activity indication.

Note: This signal is currently available for LTE Cat-M1. Support for LTE Cat-NB1 (HL7810 /HL7812)
and 2G (HL7812) will be available in a future firmware release.

Table 4-28: TX_ON Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a I/O Type Description

C60 TX_ON O 1.8V (VGPIO) High during Tx activity

a. Signal direction with respect to the module

TX_ON

TX activity
Transmitting

T advance

Figure 4-10: TX_ON State High during TX Activity

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 Detailed Interface Specifications

To enable/disable this feature, use the AT+KHWIOCFG command. For details, refer to
HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.

Table 4-29: TX_ON Characteristics

Parameter Typical

Tadvance 30 s

4.15 Tx/Rx Activity Indicator; External RF

Voltage Control
The HL781x provides the VBAT_PA_EN signal for RF activity (Tx/Rx) indication.
Depending on customer requirements, it can be also be used to select the module
VBAT_RF power source during RF activity, and support antenna switching.
To enable/disable this feature, use the AT+KHWIOCFG command. For details, refer to
HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide.
Table 4-30, Figure 4-11 and Table 4-31 describe the VBAT_PA_EN signal.

Table 4-30: VBAT_PA_EN Pin Description

Pad # Signal Name I/O a I/O Type Description

GPIO8 I/O
C41 1.8V (VGPIO) High during Tx/Rx activity
VBAT_PA_EN O

a. Signal direction with respect to the module

GPIO8 /
VBAT_PA_EN

Tx & Rx Tx / Rx activity Tx / Rx activity

activity

T advance T delay

Figure 4-11: VBAT_PA_EN State during Tx/Rx Activity

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Product Technical Specification

Table 4-31: VBAT_PA_EN Characteristics (TBC)

Parameter Min Max

Tadvance 0.4 ms 5 ms

Tdelay 10 s 20 s

4.16 GNSS
The HL781x's GNSS implementation supports GPS L1 and GLONASS G1 operation.

Note: The GNSS receiver and LTE/GSM receiver share the same RF resources, therefore GNSS
can only be used when the module is not actively connected on LTE/GSM. An example of a suitable
implementation of GNSS in an end product would be the use of GNSS positioning for asset
management applications where infrequent and no real-time position updates are required.

Table 4-32 describes the GNSS antenna specifications. Note that the HL781x does not
support an active GPS/GNSS antenna.

Table 4-32: GNSS Antenna Specifications

Characteristics Value Unit

Frequency GPS L1 1563–1587 MHz

GLONASS G1 1593–1610 MHz

RF Impedance (RF_GNSS pad) 50 W

VSWR max 2:1 –

4.16.1 GNSS Performance

Table 4-33 summarizes the HL781x module’s GNSS performance characteristics.

Table 4-33: GNSS Performance

Parameters Conditions Typical Value

Sensitivity Cold Start -145.8 dBm

Hot Start -152 dBm

Tracking -161 dBm

Time To First Fix (TTFF) Cold start, Input power -130 dBm 39s

Hot start, Input power -130 dBm 1s

2D Position Error Input power -130 dBm 1.29 m

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 5
5: Mechanical Drawings
For tolerances, refer to Table 1-2 and Table 1-3.

Figure 5-1: Mechanical Drawing

Note: HL7812 shield displayed. (HL7810 shield does not have center cutouts.)

Figure 5-2: Dimensions Drawing

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Product Technical Specification

Figure 5-3: Footprint Drawing

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 6
6: Design Guidelines
6.1 Power Supply Design
When designing the power supply, make sure VBAT_BB/VBAT_RF meet the
requirements listed in Table 3-2— Sierra Wireless recommends adding a 30% design
margin, if possible.
Careful attention should be paid to the following:
• Power supply design— A low-ripple, low-noise source such as LDO, battery, or
switching power supply (SMPS) is recommended.
• (HL7812 GSM Tx) Capacity to deliver high current peaks in a short time
· VBAT_BB/VBAT_RF must support peak currents with an acceptable voltage drop
that guarantees the minimum required VBAT_BB/VBAT_RF value.
• VBAT_BB/VBAT_RF signal voltage must never exceed the maximum value,
otherwise the module may be severely damaged.
· If necessary, add a voltage limiter to the module’s power supply lines to ensure
VBAT will never receive a voltage surge over 4.35V. There are a few protection
options from a basic linear regulator to a voltage limiter, as simple as a Zener diode.
• ESD protection is recommended on VBAT_BB/VBAT_RF supply rails— Sierra
Wireless recommends Diodes Inc part number D8V0L1B2LP3-7.
• Both over-voltage protection and ESD protection devices will increase platform
current consumption.
• All ground pins (C30, C32, C37, C39, C48, C50, CG1–CG4, G1–G16) must be
connected to the same net.

6.2 UIM1
UIM1 can operate at clock rates up to 5 MHz.
Most UIM1 signal lines do not require a buffer during Hibernate, and can be directly
connected to the UIM card or holder. A buffer is required for UIM_DET1 if powered from
the host (not required if powered from VGPIO).
Decoupling capacitor(s) must be added to UIM1_VCC and UIM1_DET, as close as
possible to the UIM card. Decoupling capacitors for UIM1_CLK, UIM1_RST, and
UIM1_DATA are recommended to be added as placeholders for potential EMC issues.
The two resistors (RCLK and RDAT) should be added as placeholders to compensate for
potential layout issues. Both can be populated to slew the UIM1 signals, if required.
The UIM1_DATA trace should be routed away from the UIM1_CLK trace.
Keep the distance between the module and the UIM holder as short as possible.
Sierra Wireless recommends using the following ESD protection on the UIM1 interface:
• INFINEON ESD112-B1-02EL E6327— UIM1_CLK, UIM1_DATA, UIM1_RESET
• Diodes Inc D8V0L1B2LP3-7 — UIM1_VCC, UIM1_DET
Figure 6-1 illustrates the recommended implementation of a UIM interface

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Product Technical Specification

UIM1_VCC C1
1 uF
100 nF 1 nF ESD
DNI

UIM1_RESET C2

100 nF ESD
DNI
C3
UIM1_CLK
RCLK
0ohm 100 nF ESD C4
DNI
C5
HL781x RDATA C6
UIM Holder
DNI

GND C7

UIM1_DATA C8

100 nF
ESD
DNI
VGPIO C9

100 nF ESD
DNI

UIM1_DET C10
1 kohm
1 nF

Figure 6-1: EMC and ESD Components Close to the USIM

6.3 USB Interface

The USB interfaces requires 90 differential pair routing to the host side.
For USB operation, USB_VBUS is a mandatory connection. The host must ensure
USB_VBUS is provided before establishing USB communication.
When the USB interface is externally accessible, ESD protection is required on the
USB_VBUS, USB_D+ and USB_D- signals.
CONNECTOR

USB_VBUS
Common USB_D+
mode
choke USB_D‐

HL781x

Figure 6-2: ESD Suppressors for USB FS

Sierra Wireless recommends using the following for ESD and EMI protection:
• ESD diodes— INNOCHIPS ULCE0505A015FR for USB data lines, and Diodes Inc
D8V0L1B2LP3-7 for USB_VBUS
• Optional common mode choke for EMI protection, depending on customer require-
ments— Panasonic EXC24CG900U

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 Design Guidelines

6.4 ESD Protection for I/Os

ESD protection is highly recommended where module signals (GPIO, UART, H/W control,
Indication, ADC, Clock) are externally accessible and potentially subjected to ESD by the
user. Sierra Wireless recommends using Diodes Inc D8V0L1B2LP3-7.

6.5 Hibernate—Isolation Requirements

While the module is in Hibernate mode, the host platform (MCU) interfaces can remain
powered.

Important: To prevent these signals from back-powering the module, the host platform should
make sure to isolate them—the signals should not be driven high (e.g. > 0.2 V).

To ensure the host platform does not back-power the module:

• The host can add a buffer circuit to isolate module I/O during Hibernate. Sierra
Wireless recommends using VGPIO to tristate I/O signals.
• The MCU can tristate any I/O that does not have an external PU/PD.

Note: A buffer is not required in Lite Hibernate mode.

If adding a buffer circuit, consider the signal type:

• Bidirectional (Input/Output) signals— For module I/O signals (e.g. GPIOs), an analog
switch that can tri-state both the output and the input can be used (e.g. Texas Instru-
ments TMUX1511). As shown in Figure 6-3, I/O signals connected to the buffer will be
tri-stated.
• Directional (Input) signals— For module inputs (e.g. UART1_TX), a logic buffer with
output tri-state mode can be used (e.g. Texas Instruments SN74LVC1G126). As
shown in Figure 6-4, the signal is controlled and, when disabled, the output signal is
tri-stated.

Note: Parts and usage descriptions above are intended as examples to assist the host platform
designer in developing an appropriate solution for the platform. Selection and use of specific parts is
the responsibility of the host platform designer.

Control of the buffer circuit is based on the status of VGPIO— for details, see VGPIO
Monitoring and Buffer Control.

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Product Technical Specification

Bi‐directional buffer
Various signal
typ es (GPIO,
UART, etc.)

VGPIO Buffer EN

Customer
HL781x Optional Voltage Platform
Detection Circuit

Figure 6-3: Example-Buffer - Bidirectional Signal

Directional buffer

Input signal
(e.g. UART1_TX)

VGPIO
Buffer EN
Customer
HL781x Optional Voltage Platform
Detection Circuit

Figure 6-4: Example-Buffer - Directional Signal

6.5.1 VGPIO Monitoring and Buffer Control

Because the host platform can remain powered in Hibernate and Reset states, the host
platform must react quickly, when VGPIO transitions low, to ensure signals do not back-
power the module.
The host platform can monitor VGPIO to determine the HL781x module’s current
operating mode— for details, see VGPIO.
To ensure faster detection of VGPIO transitions, Sierra Wireless recommends adding an
optional voltage detection circuit (as shown in Figure 6-3 and Figure 6-4) to monitor and
detect the transition low, and then control (enable/disable) the associated buffer circuit.

Note: VGPIO can be used to directly connect to the buffer enable signal but the host platform must
ensure that all host outputs are not driven high (i.e. > 0.2 V) before the module enters Hibernate
mode.

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 Design Guidelines

6.6 Radio Frequency Integration

The HL781x is equipped with an external antenna.

6.6.1 Antenna Matching Circuit

A 50 line matching circuit between the module, the customer's board and the RF
antenna is required as shown in Figure 6-5.
Because matching is dependent on the customer’s platform, values marked as ‘TBD’ for
the recommended components must be determined by the customer.

RF_GNSS

HL781x
TBD
RF_MAIN
TBD TBD 33pF

Figure 6-5: Antenna Connection

Sierra Wireless recommends using the following ESD diodes:

• Panasonic EZAEG1N50AC for RF_MAIN
• Diodes Inc. D5V0X1B2LP3-7 for RF_GNSS

6.6.2 RF Circuit
The RF signal must be routed on the application board using tracks with a 50
characteristic impedance.
The characteristic impedance depends on the dielectric, the track width and the ground
plane spacing.
It is recommended to use stripline design if the RF path is fairly long (more than3 cm),
since microstrip design is not shielded. Consequently, the RF (transmit) signal may
interfere with neighboring electronic circuits. In the same way, the neighboring electronics
(micro-controllers, etc.) may interfere with the RF (receive) signal and degrade the
reception performance.
The RF trace on the development board is routed from the module antenna port to the RF
connector (SMA). The RF trace is designed as a 50 coplanar stripline and its length is
24.8 mm.

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Product Technical Specification

The following drawings show the location of the Sierra Wireless HL781x on the
development board, the routing cross section and the top view of the RF trace on the
development board.

RF connector main GPS connector

Embedded module

RF connector
(AUX)

Figure 6-6: Module Location on Development Board

GPS connector
W = 11.2 Mil
G = 24 Mil

RF trace end vias

to connect to the
HL781x antenna
port at one end
and the RF
connector at the
other end.

Ground vias RF trace routing

Figure 6-7: Development Board RF Trace Design

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 7
7: Reliability Specification
The Sierra Wireless HL781x will be tested against the Sierra Wireless Industrial Reliability
Specification defined below.

7.1 Preconditioning Test

Per JESD22A113, this tests the preconditioning of non-hermetic surface mount devices
prior to reliability testing.

Table 7-1: Preconditioning Test

Designation Condition

Preconditioning Test PCRM 2 reflow cycles with Tmax 245-250°C

7.2 Performance Test

Table 7-2: Performance Test
Designation Condition

Performance Test Standard: N/A

PT3T & PTRT
Special conditions:
• Temperature:
• Class A: -30°C to +70°C
• Class B: -40°C to +85°C
• Rate of temperature change: ± 3°C/min
• Recovery time: 3 hours
Operating conditions: Powered

Duration: 14 days

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Product Technical Specification

7.3 Aging Tests

Table 7-3: Aging Tests
Designation Condition

High Temperature Operating Life test Standard: IEC 60068-2-2, Test Bb

HTOL
Special conditions:
• Temperature: +85°C
• Temperature variation: 1°C/min
Operating conditions: Powered ON with a power cycle of 45 minutes ON and 15
minutes Idle

Duration: 20 days

Thermal Shock Test Standard: IEC 60068-2-14, Test Na

TSKT
Special conditions:
• Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
• Temperature Variation: less than 30s
• Number of cycles: 300
• Dwell Time: 10 minutes
Operating conditions: Unpowered

Duration: 7 days

Humidity Test Standard: IEC 60068-2-3, Test Ca

HUT
Special conditions:
• Temperature: +85°C
• RH: 85%
Operating conditions: Powered on, DUT is powered up for 15 minutes and OFF
for 15 minutes.

Duration: 10 days

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 Reliability Specification

7.4 Characterization Tests

Designation Condition

Low Temperature and Cold Start Special conditions:

Cycles • Temperature: -40°C
LTCS • AT commands read or write memory
Operating conditions: 5 mins powered ON, 30 mins powered OFF (1 power
cycle)

Duration: 5 days

Component Solder Wettability CSW Standard: JESD22 - B102, Method 1/Condition C, Solderability Test Method

Special conditions:
• Test method: Surface mount process simulation test (preconditioning 16 h
±30 minutes dry bake)

Operating conditions: Unpowered

Duration: 1 day

Unprotected Free Fall Test FFT1 Standard: IEC 680068-2-32, Test Ed

Special conditions:
• Number of drops: 6 drops per unit (1 drop per direction: ±X, ±Y, ±Z)
• Height: 1m
Operating conditions: Unpowered

Duration: 1 day

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 8
8: Legal Information
8.1 Disposing of the Product
This electronic product is subject to the EU Directive 2012/19/EU for Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). As such, this product must not
be disposed of at a municipal waste collection point. Please refer to local
regulations for directions on how to dispose of this product in an
environmental friendly manner.

8.2 Compliance Acceptance and Certification

The Sierra Wireless HL7810/ /Sierra Wireless HL7812 is designed to be compliant with
the 3GPP Release 14 E-UTRA Specification for Mobile Terminated Equipment.The Sierra
Wireless HL7812 is designed to be compliant with the 3GPP Release 9 UTRA and
Release 13 E-UTRA Specifications for Mobile Terminated Equipment.
Final regulatory and operator certification requires regulatory agency testing and approval
with the fully integrated UE host device incorporating the Sierra Wireless HL7810/ /Sierra
Wireless HL7812 module.
The OEM host device and, in particular, the OEM antenna design and implementation will
affect the final product functionality, RF performance, and certification test results.

Note: Tests that require features not supported by the Sierra Wireless HL7810 / /Sierra Wireless
HL7812 (as defined by this document) are not supported.

8.3 Regulatory and Industry Approvals/

Certifications
The Sierra Wireless HL7810/ /Sierra Wireless HL7812 module is designed to meet, and
upon commercial release, will meet the requirements of the following regulatory bodies
and regulations, where applicable:
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States
• The Certification and Engineering Bureau of Industry Canada (IC)
• (HL7810) The National Communications Commission (NCC) of Taiwan, Republic of
China
• Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council
(Australia and New Zealand)
• Radio Equipment Directive (RED) of the European Union
• Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) of Japan
Upon commercial release, the following industry certifications will have been obtained,
where applicable:
• GCF
• PTCRB

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 Legal Information

Additional certifications and details on specific country approvals may be obtained upon
customer request — contact your Sierra Wireless account representative for details.
Additional testing and certification may be required for the end product with an embedded
HL7810 / /HL7812 module and are the responsibility of the OEM. Sierra Wireless offers
professional services-based assistance to OEMs with the testing and certification
process, if required.

8.4 Japan Radio and Telecom Approval

The HL7810 and HL7812 modules have been granted Japan radio and telecom approvals
with the approval numbers shown below.
• HL7810:

• HL7812:

8.5 Important Compliance Information for

North American Users
The Sierra Wireless HL7810 and Sierra Wireless HL7812 modules have been granted
modular approval for mobile applications under:
• Sierra Wireless HL7810— FCC ID: N7NHL78A
• Sierra Wireless HL7812— FCC ID: N7NHL78C
• Sierra Wireless HL7810— IC ID: 2417C-HL78A
• Sierra Wireless HL7812— IC ID: 2417C-HL78C
Integrators may use these modules in their end products without additional FCC/IC
(Industry Canada) certification if they meet the following conditions. Otherwise, additional
FCC/IC approvals must be obtained.
1. The end product must use the RF trace design approved with the HL7810 or HL7812.
The Gerber file of the trace design can be obtained from Sierra Wireless upon
request.
2. At least 20 cm separation distance between the antenna and the user’s body must be
maintained at all times.
3. To comply with FCC/IC regulations limiting both maximum RF output power and
human exposure to RF radiation, the maximum antenna gain including cable loss in a
mobile-only exposure condition must not exceed the limits stipulated in Table 8-1.

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Product Technical Specification

Table 8-1: Product Name Antenna Gain Specifications

Device Technology Band Frequency (MHz) Maximum antenna gain (dBi)

Standalone Collocated

B2 1850–1910 6 6

B4 1710–1755 5.5 5.5

B5 824-829 6 4

Sierra B8 897.5-900.5 6 4
Wireless HL7810 B12 699-716 6 4
LTE
Sierra B13 777-787 6 4
Wireless HL7812 B25 1850-1915 6 6

B26 814-849 6 4

B66 1710-1780 5.5 5.5

B85 698-716 6 4

Sierra GPRS G850 824-849 3 1

GPRS
Wireless HL7812 GPRS G1900 1850-1910 2 2

4. The HL7810 or HL7812 may transmit simultaneously with other collocated radio
transmitters within a host device, provided the following conditions are met:
· Each collocated radio transmitter has been certified by FCC/IC for mobile appli-
cation.
· At least 20 cm separation distance between the antennas of the collocated trans-
mitters and the user’s body must be maintained at all times.
· The radiated power of a collocated transmitter must not exceed the EIRP limit stipu-
lated in Table 8-2.

Table 8-2: HL7810, HL7812 Collocated Radio Transmitter Specifications

Device Technology Frequency (MHz) EIRP Limit (dBm)

WLAN 2.4 GHz 2400–2500 30

Collocated transmittersa WLAN 5 GHz 5150–5850 30

BT 2400–2500 16

a. Valid collocated transmitter combinations: WLAN+BT; WiGig+BT. (WLAN+WiGig+BT is not permit-

ted.)

5. A label must be affixed to the outside of the end product into which the HL7810 or
HL7812 is incorporated, with a statement similar to the following:
· (HL7810)— This device contains FCC ID: N7NHL78A / IC: 2417C-HL78A
· (HL7812)— This device contains FCC ID: N7NHL78C / IC: 2417C-HL78C

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 Legal Information

6. A user manual with the end product must clearly indicate the operating requirements
and conditions that must be observed to ensure compliance with current FCC/IC RF
exposure guidelines.
The end product with an embedded HL7810 or HL7812 may also need to pass the FCC
Part 15 unintentional emission testing requirements and be properly authorized per FCC
15. If this module is intended for use in a portable device, you are responsible for
separate approval to satisfy the SAR requirements of FCC Part 2.1093 and IC RSS-102.

8.6 Legal Information – Taiwan NCC Statement

減少電磁波影響，請妥適使用.

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 9
9: Appendix
For more details, several references can be consulted, as detailed below.

9.1 Website Support

Check source.sierrawireless.com for the latest documentation available for HL781x
modules.

9.2 Reference Documents

[1] Sierra Wireless HL78xx Series Customer Process Guidelines (Doc# 41112095)
[2] Sierra Wireless HL78xx AT Commands Interface Guide (Doc# 41111821)
[3] AirPrime HL Series Development Kit User Guide (Doc# 4114877)
[4] HL78xx Low Power Modes Application Note (Doc# 2174229)
[5] HL78xx Customization Guide Application Note (Doc# 2174213)
[6] Sierra Wireless Ready-to-Connect Module Integration Guide (Doc# 41113385)
[7] Sierra Wireless HL78xx Firmware Update Methods Application Note (Doc# 2174259)

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 Appendix

9.3 Terms and Abbreviations

Term / Abbreviation Definition

Active state All sub-systems, including the MAP process, are up and running. User
can access module via UART (e.g. to configure/query module settings/
states, and send/receive data.

ADC Analog to Digital Converter

AT Attention (prefix for modem commands)

AT-READY Module is initialized and ready to accept AT commands

Cat-M1 LTE enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC) Category M1

(3GPP Release 14)

Cat-NB1 LTE Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) Category NB1 (3GPP

Release 14)

CF3 Common Flexible Form Factor

CLK Clock

DTR Data Terminal Ready

DRX Discontinuous Reception

eDRX Extended DRX

EIRP Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power

EMC Electro-Magnetic Compatibility

EMI Electro-Magnetic Interference

EN Enable

ESD Electro-Static Discharges

ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute

GLONASS Global Navigation Satellite System

GND Ground

GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System

GPIO General Purpose Input Output

GPRS General Packet Radio Service

GPS Global Positioning System

GSM Global System for Mobile communications

Hi Z High impedance (Z)

IC Industry Canada

I/O Input/Output

LED Light Emitting Diode

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Product Technical Specification

Term / Abbreviation Definition

MAX Maximum

MIN Minimum

N/A Not Applicable

PA Power Amplifier

PC Personal Computer

PCB Printed Circuit Board

PCL Power Control Level

periodic TAU See TAU

PSM Power Save Mode

PTW Paging Transmission Window

PWM Pulse Width Modulation

RF Radio Frequency

RST Reset

RTC Real Time Clock

RX Receive

SIM Subscriber Identification Module

SINR Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio

SW Software

TAU Tracking Area Update

• TAU—An update sent when the PSM parameters are changed or
when the module changes location.
• periodic TAU—Sent by the module to notify its availability to the
network.

TBC To Be Confirmed

TBD To Be Determined To Be Defined

TP Test Point

TX Transmit

TYP Typical

UART Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter

UICC Universal Integrated Circuit Card

USB Universal Serial Bus

UIM User Identity Module

UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

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 Appendix

Term / Abbreviation Definition

USIM UMTS Subscriber Identity Module

VBAT_BB Main Supply Voltage from Battery or DC Adapter

VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio

9.4 Ordering Information

Model Name Description Part Number

HL7810 HL7810 embedded module Contact Sierra Wireless for the latest SKU.

HL7812 HL7812 embedded module Contact Sierra Wireless for the latest SKU.

DEV-KIT HL781x Development Kit 6001210

Rev. 8 May 2023 85 41114133