Introduction: A9 GSM GPRS Pudding Board AT Commands and Firmware Update

By http://acoptex.com
About: Are you an Arduino or Raspberry PI beginner looking for some quality Arduino related content? The Acoptex.com is a great way to get started with Arduino or Raspberry PI, coding and DIY electronic projects , wh…

Parts required:

1. A9 GSM GPRS development board 1 pc

2. Micro USB cable 1 pc.

3. Micro SIM card 1 pc

4. Micro SD card with SD card adapter 1 pc

5. USB to TTL/Serial adaptor/converter 1 pc

General

We will learn about the A9 GSM GPRS development board, how to use AT commands and how to upload firmware to it.

A9

The A9 is a complete quad-band GSM / GPRS module in a compact design SMD package. Its stable performance, the appearance of compact, cost-effective, could meet the diverse needs of customers.
The A9 can be used in a wide range of IoT applications and is ideal for IoT applications for home automation, industrial wireless control, wearable electronics, wireless location sensing devices, wireless location system signals and other IoT applications. A9 SMD package, through the standard SMT equipment to achieve rapid production of products, especially for automation, large-scale, low-cost modern production methods for the convenience of a variety of Internet of Things hardware terminal applications.

Features:

  • Complete quad-band GSM / GPRS module, 800/900/ 1800/1900MHz
  • SMD package for easy MP & testing
  • Low power mode, average current 2mA or less
  • Supports digital audio and analog audio, supports HR, FR, EFR, AMR voice coding
  • Support voice calls and SMS messages
  • Embedded network service protocol stack
  • Support standard GSM07.07,07.05
  • AT command and Anxin expandable command set
  • Support PBCCH
  • Supports firmware upgrade via serial port

You can find the A9 product specification here.

Signals and connections of the USB to TTL converter

You can read more about them here.

Signals and connections of the A9 GSM GPRS Development board

You can read more about it here.

Step 1: Steps:

1. Configuring the A9 pudding board with USB to TTL converter

For using this USB to UART Converter you need a software tool. Most of the development tools like MikroC Pro, Arduino has a UART Tool along with it. You can use different software tools: Terminal, USR-TCP232-Test V1.4, AiThinker_Serial_Tool_V1.2.3, coolterm, sscom3.2 , KiTTY, putty,tera term, Access port and so on. We recommend you to use AiThinker_Serial_Tool_V1.2.3 or sscom3.2, as you can save your AT commands and it's very easy to use.

  1. Do wiring.
  2. Attach GSM/GPRS antenna to A9 GSM GPRS development board.
  3. Insert a valid unlocked Micro SIM card to SIM card slot of A9 GSM GPRS development board.
  4. Insert the Micro CD card to Micro SD card slot.
  5. Plug your USB to TTL converter into your PC USB port.
  6. You can power up A9 GSM GPRS development board Lithium Ion battery V_BAT (3.5-4.2VDC) or use power supply from USB to TTL converter.
  7. Press PWR button for 2 seconds. Status indication (blue LED) will be ON.
  8. Open AiThinker Serial Tool V1.2.3 program. Set the baud rate 115200, data bits 8, parity bits none, stop bits one. Click on Open Serial button.
  9. First you need to check if AT commands are working - enter "AT" and click on Send button.This would print "OK" which signifies of working connection and operation of the module.Requests TA serial number identification. Enter "AT+GSN" and press Send button. Returns "868715030062008 OK" . IMEI 868715030062008Checks fixed local rate.
  10. Enter "AT+IPR?" and press Send button. Returns "+IPR: 115200 OK" /115200 bps/
  11. Requests TA model identification. Enter "AT+GMM" and press Send button. Returns "A9/A9G OK".
  12. Requests TA revision identification. Enter "AT+GMR" and press Send button. Returns "V02.02.20180825R OK". This is the firmware version.
  13. Requests TA manufacturer identification. Enter "AT+GMI" and press Send button. Returns "Ai_Thinker_Co._Ltd. OK".
  14. Requests manufacturer specific information about the TA. Enter "ATI" and press Send button. Returns "Ai_Thinker_Co._Ltd. A9/A9G V02.02.20180825R OK".
  15. Reboots the module. Enter "AT+RST=1" and press Send button.
  16. Call Control Commands. If you call the cell number of Micro Sim Card then message RING will be shown. 1) Answer a call. Enter "ATA" and press Send button. Returns "+CIEV: "CALL",1 CONNECT"; 2) Make a call. Enter number to call "ATD+37163055289" and press Send button. Returns "ATD+37163055289 OK +CIEV: "CALL",1 +CIEV: "SOUNDER",1 "; 3) Disconnect existing call. Enter "ATH" and press Send button. Returns "+CIEV: "CALL",0 OK";4) Insert the headset into the headphone/earphone jack, enter "AT+SNFS=0" and press Send button to enable them. Returns "OK" ("AT+SNFS=1" used for loudspeaker selection).
  17. SMS Commands. If you send SMS, for example, with Test word to A9 GSM GPRS development board you will get this info "+CIEV: "MESSAGE",1 +CMT: ,23 07917360990511F5040B917360257375F300009111326154448004D4F29C0E". 1) Select SMS message format Enter "AT+CMGF=1" and press Send button. Returns "OK". This is to read and write SMS messages as strings instead of hexadecimal characters. If we send mesaage Test now the reply will be - "+CIEV: "MESSAGE",1 +CMT: "+37145678925",,"2019/11/23,16:47:20+02" Test" 2) Send SMS message. Enter "AT+CMGS=”+37145678925”" and press Enter button. Replace the above phone number with your own cell phone number. The modem will respond with: > You can now type the message text and send the message using the - key combination: TEST After some seconds the modem will respond with the message ID of the message, indicating that the message was sent correctly: "+CMGS: 62". The message will arrive on the mobile phone shortly.
  18. Check the list of all AT commands here.

2. Uploading the firmware

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:
Before doing firmware update:

  • Follow the steps as described above. Check your module firmware version. Enter “AT+GMR” and press Send button.
  • Always make sure that you have your firmware version on hands so you can restore previous version if next firmware version is bad.
  • Read all information about firmware update available on Web.
  • Just think if you realy need to do it as it is a risk to damage the module!!!
  • If you decided to do it make sure that the next firmware version which you are planing to upload is not older than existing.
  • Firmware download link: GPRS firmware release.

GPRS firmware releases: Note: A9/A9G are different modules, but the same version of firmware is used. A9/A9G Factory default version updated on 25 August 2018 - ai-thinker_a9g_at_v02.02.20180825r.7z

A9/A9G Development version updated on 11 October 2018 - ai-thinker_a9_a9g_at_v02.02.20181011r.7z

  1. Do wiring for firmware update. Use the USB-TTL converter to connect the download serial port of the GPRS series module to your PC USB port. GPRS series modules generally have two serial ports, one AT serial port and one download serial port. We will use the HST_TXD, HST_RXD pin to upload the firmware.
  2. Attach GSM/GPRS antenna to A9 GSM GPRS development board.
  3. Insert a valid unlocked Micro SIM card to SIM card slot of A9 GSM GPRS development board.
  4. Insert the Micro CD card to Micro SD card slot.
  5. Plug your USB to TTL converter into your PC USB port.
  6. You can power up A9 GSM GPRS development board Lithium Ion battery V_BAT (3.5-4.2VDC) or use power supply from USB to TTL converter.
  7. Press PWR button for 2 seconds.
  8. Status indication (blue LED) will be ON.
  9. Download the firmware for example we have factory default version of firmware so we change it to development version - ai-thinker_a9_a9g_at_v02.02.20181011r.7z , firmware burning tool here.
  10. Unzip the firmware and firmware burning tool v2.1.7 ZIP packages and double-click on fpupgrade.exe file.
  11. Click on the button to select the firmware to be downloaded. Click on Open button.
  12. Click on Start button. The software will automatically detect the serial port for download.
  13. Click on Exit button.
  14. Congrats!!!You did it.
  15. Let's check the version of firmware in your A9 GSM GPRS development board now.
  16. Unplug the USB to TTL converter from your PC USB port and do wiring for AT communication.
  17. Plug your USB to TTL converter into your PC USB port.
  18. You can power up A9 GSM GPRS development board Lithium Ion battery V_BAT (3.5-4.2VDC) or use power supply from USB to TTL converter.
  19. Press PWR button for 2 seconds.
  20. Status indication (blue LED) will be ON.
  21. Open AiThinker Serial Tool V1.2.3 program. Set the baud rate 115200, data bits 8, parity bits none, stop bits one.
  22. Click on Open Serial button.
  23. First you need to check if AT commands are working - enter "AT" and click on Send button.This would print "OK" which signifies of working connection and operation of the module.
  24. Requests TA revision identification. Enter "AT+GMR" and press Send button. Returns "V02.02.20181011R OK". This is the firmware version.
  25. That's it. For more projects check acoptex.com.