An Introduction to USB to Serial Converter Module CP2102
15 November 2023
Ⅲ. CP2102 symbol, footprint and pin configuration
Ⅴ. Technical parameters of CP2102
Ⅵ. What are the advantages of CP2102?
Ⅶ. What is the difference between CP2102 and CH340?
Ⅷ. What are the applications of CP2102?
CP2102 is a highly integrated USB to UART bridge chip manufactured by Silicon Labs. It has the characteristics of low price and simple development. It can achieve USB to UART conversion with the simplest external circuit and the least external components. The CP2102 contains a USB 2.0 full-speed function controller, USB transceiver, oscillator, and asynchronous serial data bus (UART) with all modem control signals. All functions of the chip are integrated into a 5mm×5 mm QFN28 IC.
This chip is usually used for device firmware updates to provide users with a convenient data transmission solution. Featuring low power consumption, rapid transmission, and user-friendly operation, it finds extensive application in diverse electronic devices.
Replacements and equivalents:
• CH340
• PL2303
The CP2102 is manufactured by Silicon Laboratories. Silicon Laboratories was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA. It is a fabless global technology company that designs, manufactures and sells semiconductors, other silicon devices and software to electronic design engineers and manufacturers of Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure worldwide. Nowadays, it is a publicly traded multinational company with operations, sales and design activities around the world, and is a leader in a variety of mixed-signal products.
The symbol, footprint and pin configuration of CP2102 are shown in the figure above. Among them, it has a total of 28 pins, whose names and functions are as follows.
Pin 1 (DCD): Data carrier detect control input (active low)
Pin 2 (RI): Ring indicator control input (active low)
Pin 3 (GND): Ground supply
Pin 4 (D+): USB D+ data line
Pin 5 (D-): USB D-data line
Pin 6 (VDD): This is either 3.3V input or 3.3V ouput from regulator.
Pin 7 (REGIN): 5V input for on-chip 3.3V regulator
Pin 8 (VBUS): VBUS sense input is connected to 5V from USB to detect USB power.
Pin 9 (RST): Device reset. This is either POR or active low reset input.
Pin 10 (NC): Not connected
Pin 11 (SUSPEND Low): USB suspend state (active low)
Pin 12 (SUSPEND High): USB suspend state (active high)
Pin 13~22 (NC): Not connected
Pin 23 (CTS): Clear to send control (active low)
Pin 24 (RTS): Ready to send control output (active low)
Pin 25 (RXD): UART receive
Pin 26 (TXD): UART transmit
Pin 27 (DSR): Data set ready control input (active low)
Pin 28 (DTR): Data terminal ready control output (active low)
• It supports hardware or X-ON/X-OFF handshake.
• SUSPEND pin supports USB state suspend.
• It contains power-on reset circuit.
• It contains a 512-byte receive buffer and a 512-byte transmit buffer.
• It contains clock circuit and USB transceiver, no external circuit device is required.
• On-chip voltage adjustment can output 3.3V voltage.
• Asynchronous serial data bus compatible with all handshaking and modulator interface signals.
• High cost performance: The price of CP2102 is relatively low and has a variety of functions. It is a cost-effective chip.
• Easy to use: It supports hot swapping, allowing users to easily plug in and pull out devices without tedious driver installation. It offers a simpler and more convenient experience, leading to reduced operating and time expenses for users while enhancing equipment efficiency and flexibility.
• High-speed transmission: CP2102 supports high-speed transmission. Its maximum transmission rate can reach 1Mbps, which can meet a wide range of application needs.
• Low power consumption: Its power consumption is very low and it can work normally under USB bus power supply without external power supply.
• Good compatibility: It has good compatibility and is compatible with various operating systems and development platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Arduino, etc.
CP2102 and CH340 are both chips that implement USB to serial port conversion and are widely used in data transmission between computers and external devices. However, they differ significantly in the following aspects.
1. Driver
CP2102 requires separate driver installation to work properly, while CH340 comes with its own driver, which can be automatically recognized when plugged into USB.
2. Different manufacturers
CP2102 is manufactured by Silicon Labs of the United States, while CH340 is manufactured by Great Wall Microelectronics of China.
3. Functional characteristics
CP2102 has high stability and compatibility, and supports multiple operating systems and development environments. Although the CH340 is smaller in size and has lower power consumption, it may be more suitable for use in some special occasions.
• Industrial automation: In industrial control systems, CP2102 can be used to connect computers and various industrial equipment to achieve data transmission and remote monitoring.
• Debugging and programming: CP2102 is commonly used for debugging and programming embedded systems. By connecting it to the UART interface of the target device, developers can easily communicate with the target device through the USB interface to achieve debugging and program burning.
• Serial communication bridge: CP2102 allows serial communication devices (such as sensors, modules and microcontrollers, etc.) to be connected to the USB port of a computer or other device to achieve data transmission.
• Sensors and data acquisition: In sensor and data acquisition systems, CP2102 can be used to transfer sensor data to a computer through the USB interface for real-time monitoring, analysis and storage.
• Embedded system development: The CP2102 is commonly employed in embedded systems to serve as a communication bridge connecting microcontrollers with computers. This facilitates seamless data transfer and simplifies the debugging process for developers by linking embedded devices to computer systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does the CP2102 do?
The CP2102 USB to UART Bridge provides a complete plug and play interface solution that includes royalty-free drivers. This USB 2.0 compliant device includes 0 digital I/O pins and is availble in a 5x5 mm QFN28 package.
2. What is the output voltage of CP2102?
The CP2102-chip enables a reliabe, serial transfer of your program possible. The voltage supply works through the microUSB2. 0 Port with 3.3 V and 5.5 V output voltage. The board is protected against random electrical shorts and thereby protects the USB-Port at your computer as well.
3. What type is CP2102?
The CP2102 USB UART Board (Type C) is a USB to UART (TTL) communication module. This USB to UART Data Transfer Module supports various operating systems including Mac OS, Linux, Android, WinCE, Windows 7/8/10/11.
4. How do I connect CP2102 to my computer?
1. Connect one end of the USB cable to a USB Port on the PC. 2. Connect the other end of the USB cable to the USB connector on the CP2102 evaluation board.
5. What is CP2102 USB to TTL converter?
This is the CP2102(6-pin) USB 2.0 to TTL UART serial converter module. This is a great little tool for embedded systems that require a serial connection to a computer. The board can simply attach to a USB bus and will appear as a standard COM port.
