Why is there a diode on the RX pin of the Adafruit Ultimate GPS board?












1















I can't seem to understand why there is a diode at the Rx pin on this Adafruit Ultimate GPS board. If we are sending data to the GPS, why put a diode that prevents current flow into this pin?



Adafruit Ultimate GPS Schematic










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  • 1





    Are you referring to D1? Did you read the note in the schematic telling you what it's for?

    – brhans
    5 hours ago
















1















I can't seem to understand why there is a diode at the Rx pin on this Adafruit Ultimate GPS board. If we are sending data to the GPS, why put a diode that prevents current flow into this pin?



Adafruit Ultimate GPS Schematic










share|improve this question


















  • 1





    Are you referring to D1? Did you read the note in the schematic telling you what it's for?

    – brhans
    5 hours ago














1












1








1








I can't seem to understand why there is a diode at the Rx pin on this Adafruit Ultimate GPS board. If we are sending data to the GPS, why put a diode that prevents current flow into this pin?



Adafruit Ultimate GPS Schematic










share|improve this question














I can't seem to understand why there is a diode at the Rx pin on this Adafruit Ultimate GPS board. If we are sending data to the GPS, why put a diode that prevents current flow into this pin?



Adafruit Ultimate GPS Schematic







diodes uart gps






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











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asked 5 hours ago









YNGVVYNGVV

164




164








  • 1





    Are you referring to D1? Did you read the note in the schematic telling you what it's for?

    – brhans
    5 hours ago














  • 1





    Are you referring to D1? Did you read the note in the schematic telling you what it's for?

    – brhans
    5 hours ago








1




1





Are you referring to D1? Did you read the note in the schematic telling you what it's for?

– brhans
5 hours ago





Are you referring to D1? Did you read the note in the schematic telling you what it's for?

– brhans
5 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

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3














The pull-up resistor to 3.3V and the diode means that even if you feed the circuit with 5V logic (most Arduino boards use 5V logic) the GPS chipset will see a maximum of 3.3v. The MT3339 device may be damaged or operate incorrectly if any of its pins go above its 3.3V supply rail.



If the signal RX_5V goes to a logic low the diode will conduct and pull the MT3339 RX pin to ~0.7V that it will treat as a logic low.



If RX_5V goes to 5V resistor R3 will pull the MT3339 RX up to 3.3V and the diode will be reverse biased.






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  • and that sir is the answer!!!

    – Edwin Fairchild
    32 mins ago



















2














The purpose of the diode is documented in a line of text near it on the schematic. The diode and resistor protect the RX input.






share|improve this answer
























  • I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

    – YNGVV
    5 hours ago













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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









3














The pull-up resistor to 3.3V and the diode means that even if you feed the circuit with 5V logic (most Arduino boards use 5V logic) the GPS chipset will see a maximum of 3.3v. The MT3339 device may be damaged or operate incorrectly if any of its pins go above its 3.3V supply rail.



If the signal RX_5V goes to a logic low the diode will conduct and pull the MT3339 RX pin to ~0.7V that it will treat as a logic low.



If RX_5V goes to 5V resistor R3 will pull the MT3339 RX up to 3.3V and the diode will be reverse biased.






share|improve this answer


























  • and that sir is the answer!!!

    – Edwin Fairchild
    32 mins ago
















3














The pull-up resistor to 3.3V and the diode means that even if you feed the circuit with 5V logic (most Arduino boards use 5V logic) the GPS chipset will see a maximum of 3.3v. The MT3339 device may be damaged or operate incorrectly if any of its pins go above its 3.3V supply rail.



If the signal RX_5V goes to a logic low the diode will conduct and pull the MT3339 RX pin to ~0.7V that it will treat as a logic low.



If RX_5V goes to 5V resistor R3 will pull the MT3339 RX up to 3.3V and the diode will be reverse biased.






share|improve this answer


























  • and that sir is the answer!!!

    – Edwin Fairchild
    32 mins ago














3












3








3







The pull-up resistor to 3.3V and the diode means that even if you feed the circuit with 5V logic (most Arduino boards use 5V logic) the GPS chipset will see a maximum of 3.3v. The MT3339 device may be damaged or operate incorrectly if any of its pins go above its 3.3V supply rail.



If the signal RX_5V goes to a logic low the diode will conduct and pull the MT3339 RX pin to ~0.7V that it will treat as a logic low.



If RX_5V goes to 5V resistor R3 will pull the MT3339 RX up to 3.3V and the diode will be reverse biased.






share|improve this answer















The pull-up resistor to 3.3V and the diode means that even if you feed the circuit with 5V logic (most Arduino boards use 5V logic) the GPS chipset will see a maximum of 3.3v. The MT3339 device may be damaged or operate incorrectly if any of its pins go above its 3.3V supply rail.



If the signal RX_5V goes to a logic low the diode will conduct and pull the MT3339 RX pin to ~0.7V that it will treat as a logic low.



If RX_5V goes to 5V resistor R3 will pull the MT3339 RX up to 3.3V and the diode will be reverse biased.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 1 hour ago

























answered 5 hours ago









Kevin WhiteKevin White

12.8k11521




12.8k11521













  • and that sir is the answer!!!

    – Edwin Fairchild
    32 mins ago



















  • and that sir is the answer!!!

    – Edwin Fairchild
    32 mins ago

















and that sir is the answer!!!

– Edwin Fairchild
32 mins ago





and that sir is the answer!!!

– Edwin Fairchild
32 mins ago













2














The purpose of the diode is documented in a line of text near it on the schematic. The diode and resistor protect the RX input.






share|improve this answer
























  • I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

    – YNGVV
    5 hours ago


















2














The purpose of the diode is documented in a line of text near it on the schematic. The diode and resistor protect the RX input.






share|improve this answer
























  • I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

    – YNGVV
    5 hours ago
















2












2








2







The purpose of the diode is documented in a line of text near it on the schematic. The diode and resistor protect the RX input.






share|improve this answer













The purpose of the diode is documented in a line of text near it on the schematic. The diode and resistor protect the RX input.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 5 hours ago









Elliot AldersonElliot Alderson

5,3201918




5,3201918













  • I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

    – YNGVV
    5 hours ago





















  • I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

    – YNGVV
    5 hours ago



















I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

– YNGVV
5 hours ago







I should have elaborated. Yes, I see the note on the schematic and see that if a voltage higher than 3.3V is at RX_5V then current will be blocked by D1. But I do not understand how this allows any data to be transferred to the Rx pin if D1 is blocking all current flow from RX_5V. Could it be that if RX_5V is grounded/low/off, then RX will read 0 and if RX_5V is high (~3.3V or greater), RX will read 1 while being protected from any signal >3.3V? EDIT: Just saw @Kevin White's follow-up. Thanks!

– YNGVV
5 hours ago




















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