Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) and Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (USART) Developer Guide#

The Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) and Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (USART) peripherals provide reliable serial communication for embedded systems.

These modules enable developers to integrate industry-standard asynchronous and synchronous serial communication into applications built on SiWx917.

This overview introduces the guide, defines the audience, purpose, and scope, and lists the required hardware and software components.

About This Guide#

This guide explains how to configure and use the UART/USART driver on SiWx917.
You’ll learn how to:

  • Understand core concepts and available features

  • Initialize and configure UART/USART peripherals

  • Use APIs for serial communication

  • Implement power-aware operation, error handling, and debugging

Audience#

This guide is intended for firmware and application engineers developing serial communication interfaces on the SiWx917 platform.
A basic understanding of embedded C programming and Silicon Labs development tools—Simplicity Studio and WiSeConnect SDK—is assumed.

Purpose#

The UART/USART service provides a programmable controller for asynchronous and synchronous serial communication.
It allows developers to configure the SiWx917 SoC for industry-standard serial protocols and establish reliable data transfer between devices.

Scope#

This guide covers:

  • Software implementation of UART/USART on SiWx91x devices, with emphasis on SiWx917

  • Development using Simplicity Studio and the WiSeConnect SDK

  • Complete workflows including initialization, configuration, API usage, low-power operation, error handling, and debugging

  • Practical examples and best practices for integrating UART/USART communication into embedded applications

Hardware and Software Components#

To complete the examples in this guide, you’ll need the following components:

Hardware#

  • SiWx917 SoC or development board

  • Silicon Labs evaluation kit or module, such as:

    • BRD4002 (Wireless Pro Kit)

    • BRD4338A, BRD4342A, BRD4343A, or BRD2708A

  • Serial console for monitoring communication

  • Logic analyzer for signal validation

Software#

For additional details and source code access, see the WiSeConnect SDK on GitHub.