TRADE PROJECT

SYSTEM TITLE: AN AUDIO AMP WITH A BLUETOOTH MODULE

NAME:

INDEX NUMBER:

SUPERVISOR: MR. OTIENO SAMSON

INSTITUTION: SANG’ALO INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PRESENTED TO: THE KENYA NATIONAL EXAMINATION COUNCIL IN

PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF CERTIFICATE IN ELECTRICAL

AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

SERIES: NOVEMBER SERIES 2022

i
 DECLARATION
This is to certify that this project was carried for the fulfillment of the requirements for the award of
Certificate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

Approval by the institute supervisor

DEDICATION
I dedicate this project to God Almighty my creator, my strong pillar, my source of inspiration,
wisdom, knowledge and understanding. I also dedicate this work to my family and friends, for the
continuous love they showed me during the time of this write up of this project.

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
My gratitude goes to God Almighty who made it possible for me to come this far in my Academic
pursuit. Without the guidance of my ever-listening supervisor, this work would not have been this
successful. I appreciate your support, encouragement towards me.

Also wish to appreciate my Head of Department for the help rendered and all her advises to the
students

My gratitude also goes to all my friends all others who assisted me in one way or another to make my
project successful.

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Table of contents
DECLARATION......................................................................................................................................ii
DEDICATION.........................................................................................................................................iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.........................................................................................................................iv
CHAPTER ONE......................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background.....................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Functional Description...................................................................................................................1
1.3 Block Diagram................................................................................................................................1
1.4 Physical Specifications...................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER TWO......................................................................................................................................4
2. Design...................................................................................................................................................4

iv
 2.1 Design Procedures..........................................................................................................................4
2.1.1 Power Unit..............................................................................................................................4
2.1.2 Digital Logic Unit...................................................................................................................5
2.1.3 Audio Output Unit.................................................................................................................6
2.2 Design Details.................................................................................................................................8
2.2.1 Power Unit..............................................................................................................................8
2.2.2 Digital Logic Unit...................................................................................................................8
2.2.3 Audio Output Unit.................................................................................................................9
CHAPTER THREE................................................................................................................................10
3. Design Verification............................................................................................................................10
3.1 Power Unit....................................................................................................................................10
3.1.1 External DC Input...............................................................................................................10
3.1.2 Battery...................................................................................................................................10
3.1.3 Voltage Regulation Tests.....................................................................................................11
3.2 Digital Logic Unit.........................................................................................................................11
3.2.1 Outgoing PCM Data Rate...................................................................................................12
3.2.2 Bluetooth Signal Strength Versus Distance.......................................................................13
3.3 Audio Output Unit........................................................................................................................13
3.3.1 Amplifier...............................................................................................................................13
3.3.2 Digital Analog Converter....................................................................................................15
CHAPTER FOUR..................................................................................................................................16
4. Cost and Schedule..............................................................................................................................16
4.1 Parts..............................................................................................................................................16
4.2 Labor.............................................................................................................................................17
CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................................................18
5. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................18
5.1 Accomplishments.........................................................................................................................18
5.2 Uncertainties.................................................................................................................................18
5.3 Ethical considerations...................................................................................................................18
5.4 Future work...................................................................................................................................19

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References..............................................................................................................................................20

ABSTRACT

This document explains in-detail the design and technical verification of the Portable Bluetooth Amp
for Home Speakers. The final design is capable of outputting 20 watts continuously to external
speakers with a Total Harmonic Distortion of less than 1% while being powered by an internal battery
for over 3 hours. It supports power and battery charging with an external DC input. Digital audio can
be amplified via a 3.5 mm auxiliary cable directly to the amplifier or streamed to the CC2564MODA
Bluetooth chip and pipelined through the TLV320AIC3109 digital-to-analog converter then to the
amplifier.

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 CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND
Bluetooth audio AMP are increasingly more common as people find convenience in a wireless
and portable module. However, the market lacks more powerful and affordable Bluetooth audio
for those who need them for larger applications, such as theatrical and dance rehearsals. Since
speakers have become more common in households in the past couple of decades, we have
created a portable amp with Bluetooth capability that can convert common household speakers
into a Bluetooth speaker. As users can repurpose their speakers, they can purchase our device to
use with their own speakers rather than be locked into a speaker and amp all in one that is
provided by other companies. This gives the user more freedom at a lower price point.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

We define portable as something that can be easily moved, for example by carrying it in your
hands or storing it in a backpack. Users of our product can unplug a household speaker and
transport both the speaker and amp with ease.

Owners can connect to the amplifier with any Bluetooth-capable device or a 3.5mm audio jack.
Since the device has its own battery, the user can play music anywhere. A user can plug in an
external power adapter to both charge the battery and use the device without draining the
battery. We define our product with the following specifications:

The device can output at least 20 watts continuous for an 8-ohm speaker.
The device can operate for at least 3 hours using the battery with the amp outputting 20 watts
continuously.
The device is small enough to be carried in a backpack or in one’s hand (more details under
physical design).
The device supports Bluetooth audio streaming with a stable signal at ranges up to 20 feet.
Total harmonic distortion of less than 1% while outputting a 20-watt continuous signal.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 To determine a device that can last or long while on battery

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  To determine the best way of improving the system

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

 What type of devices are there in the market
 What are some of the specifications required for the improvement of the audio Amp
 What are some of the objectives of coming up with this type of audio amp

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

To yield a portable product, the appropriate dimensions should be 10 in. x 5 in. x 5 in. or smaller.
The final physical product has dimensions of 9.42 in. x 4.98 in. x 3.53 in. (including the
protruding buttons and jacks) which falls within the dimensional constraints of portability. Most
backpacks will hold this volume comfortably. Figure 2 shows the 3D-Model of the product with
major components labeled.

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 CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Design Procedures

2.1.1 Power Unit

The Power Unit consists of four main blocks as shown in Figure 3. The Battery and External DC
Input feed power into the Charge and Power Selection Circuit. The output of this circuit is fed to
the Voltage
Regulation Circuit to step down the voltages to the necessary values needed for the rest of the
system.

Figure 3. Power Unit Block Diagram

The Charge and Power Selection Circuit needs to be able to automatically select between the two
sources for whichever is present (preferring the External DC Input when both are available) and
charge the six-cell lithium polymer battery when the external is connected. Based on these
requirements, the BQ24610RGER IC was chosen, since it supports auto-power selection and
charging of lithium batteries up to six cells.

The primary purpose of the PU (from the perspective of the other units in the system) is to supply
20-26 V, 3.3 V, and 1.8 V. The 20-26 V comes directly from the battery/external DC, so the
supply is directly passed to the output for that voltage, eliminating the need for a voltage
regulator at that voltage. For the 3.3 V supply, the input voltage of 20-26 V is much greater than
the 3.3 V output, so a switching voltage regulator is needed to handle the large voltage drop with
little sacrifice in efficiency and minimal heat generation, thus the LM2576SX-3.3/NOPB voltage
regulator was chosen. This regulator also supports current draw up to 3 A, which is well-above

ix
the 2 A maximum current needed for the system. As for the 1.8 V regulator, the 3.3 V supply is
used as the input to this regulator, allowing for the TLV1117LV18DCYR linear regulator to be
chosen for its smaller and cheaper form factor. This regulator supports a maximum of 1 A
current draw, which is also above the required 500 mA for the system.

2.1.2 Digital Logic Unit

The DLU has two equivalent forms: the prototype and the final circuit. Because the prototype
form is fully verified, it is the current state of the DLU. Software for both forms is developed in
Code Composer Studio version 8.0.

At the high level, the final DLU circuit (depicted in Figure 4) consists of the MSP430F5659
microcontroller united with the CC2564MODA Bluetooth module, with push-button physical
interface. These chips are readily integrated with royalty-free stack software and well-document
Bluetooth APIs, both provided by Stonestreet One. This design is partially tested and partially
verified.

Figure 4. Digital Logic Unit Final Circuit Block Diagram

The prototype (depicted in Figure 5) consists of two development boards made by Texas
Instruments: the MSP432P401R Launchpad and the BOOST-CC2564MODA; this form is
completely tested and verified. The MSP432 comes readily integrated with the CC2564MODA
using the same stack software, except designed for the MSP432 chip-type. The power
configuration is different for the prototype, but the change in total power consumption is
negligible, and is not considered in power calculations since it is only the prototype.

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 Figure 5. Digital Logic Unit Prototype Circuit Block Diagram

2.1.2.1 Final Circuit Microcontroller and Bluetooth Design Choices

We hinged our microcontroller choice on the choice of the Bluetooth module. We decided on the
CC2564MODA as the Bluetooth module because it has a fully documented, built-in digital codec
interface that supports a wide variety of codecs, as well as royalty-free stack software with
documented Bluetooth profile APIs, allowing for a quick development process. Consequently,
the MSP430F5659 was chosen because it supports the stack software, has 512 kB of flash
storage, and runs actively with very low power consumption.

2.1.2.2 Circuit Development Tools

In final circuit development, an ez-FET lite debugger located on an MSP430F5529 Launchpad
was used to flash software onto the MSP430F5569 using a serialized JTAG protocol called Spy-
Bi-Wire.

During prototype development, the MSP432P401R was flashed and debugged using the onboard
XDS110ET emulator. The BOOST-CC2564MODA module is designed to fit onto the
MSP432P401R launchpad using jumper blocks.

2.1.3 Audio Output Unit

The Audio Output Unit consists of two main blocks, the digital analog converter (DAC) and the
amplifier (Amp), in Figure 6. The DAC receives programming and digital audio signals from the
Digital Logic Unit. The audio signal can then be mixed by an external analog signal and sent to
the amplifier. The amplifier then amplifies the output of the input signal. Both devices are
powered from the Power Unit.

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 Figure 6. Audio Output Unit Block Diagram

The amplifier is a part of a battery-powered device, so we investigated finding an amplifier that

is the most efficient in its power usage. Therefore, we chose to look for a Class-D amplifier.
Other alternative amplifiers that exist are Class-A, Class-B, and Class-A/B amplifiers. Although
these amplifiers have a cleaner output than a Class-D amplifier they produce a lot of heat [16].
As we did not want to design our chassis to have a fan and are running the device on a battery we
chose to sacrifice audio quality for a longer battery life. For this reason, we chose the Texas
Instruments TPA3112D1 Class-D amplifier, which is the cheapest amplifier found on Digi-Key
that can meet our requirements to satisfy our Amplifier Requirement and Verifications found in
Appendix A.

As the amplifier we chose did not have a programmable gain or multiple inputs, we needed to
look for a DAC that can operate as a mixer for both the analog signals and the digital signals.
Since we know the digital signal type will be PCM we chose the cheapest digital codec that
supported mixing and PCM by Texas Instruments on Digi-Key and came to the result of the
TLV320aic3109-Q1.

For the construction of the device we decided to solder the IC chips onto compatible breakout
boards and breadboard the circuit before creating a PCB. This way we can verify if our circuit
design works as intended. However, this resulted in problems such as trace inductance and will
be discussed in Section
2.2.3.1.

xii
2.2 Design Details

2.2.1 Power Unit

2.2.1.1 BQ24610 Charge IC Circuit
The most complex circuit in the PU was for the charge IC, which required multiple MOSFETs
for power switching, as well as specific capacitor and resistor values for setting parameters. The
full finalized schematic of the charge IC (along with the voltage regulators) is shown in
Appendix B Figure 12. The guidelines of the circuit were based upon the BQ24610 Datasheet
[8]. Major parameters included the battery voltage regulation, battery current regulation, input
adapter current regulation, precharge/termination current configuration, and charge safety timer
configuration.

2.2.1.2 Voltage Regulation Circuit

The voltage regulation circuit, although not as complex as the charge IC circuit, still required
some specific components, including specifically sized capacitors, diodes, and inductors because
of the switching voltage regulator used for the 3.3 V line.

2.2.2 Digital Logic Unit

The CC2564MODA was designed onto the DLU final circuit PCB with several
considerations in mind. Table 1 shows important design details and the reason(s) they were
implemented. Table 1. DLU PCB Design Details
Detail Reason for Implementation

All digital bus traces have no other traces To minimize noise or interference from any
running underneath them. other signal.
CC2564MODA external slow clock is To generate the clock as close as possible to
generated by a dedicated oscillator. the CC2564MODA to minimize drift.
CC2564MODA is located on the edge of the To maximize the RF signal strength.
PCB with no ground planes or traces
underneath the antenna.
Digital PCM from CC2564MODA lead to To allow for a disconnected DAC module.
jumper pins.

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2.2.2.3 Bluetooth Audio Streaming
The royalty-free stack for the CC2564MODA is employed on the MSP432P401R. The stack
allows for quick and easy Bluetooth profile activation on the CC2564MODA. An audio sink
sample program comes with the stack software, which activates the Advanced Audio
Distribution Profile (A2DP) profile, defines callbacks for pairing and audio streaming events,
and starts a scheduler to run indefinitely. Due to the length of the source code, it has not been
included in the document. Modifications were made to the source code to accommodate the
needs of this project. These modifications are in Appendix C as code, with file names derived
from the file names in the stack and sample program.

Modification 1: In the sample program, set the Bluetooth device name after start-up so the amp
becomes discoverable immediately after power-up.

Modification 2: In the HAL platform, disable the codec initialization of the CC3200 AUDIO
BOOST module. In this prototype, the DAC is initialized by an external microcontroller, in this
case a Raspberry Pi. The reason for this is defined in Section 5.2 of this report. In a final design,
we would modify the original codec initialization to initialize the TLV320AIC3109 via I2C.

Modification 3: In the HAL platform, modify the Bluetooth Audio Codec configuration to output
DSP timed PCM data configured for the TLV320AIC3109.

2.2.3 Audio Output Unit

2.2.3.1 Amplifier
The amplifier layout is based from the layout example provided by the TPA3112D1 datasheet
[11]. The modification we made to that example was to use inductors as an output filter instead
of ferrite beads due to the component being unfamiliar. We originally set it up on a breadboard
for quick prototyping and testing, however we realized that long traces between the power pins
and the decoupling capacitors caused transient voltage spikes which damaged our chips. When
consulting a TI employee about the issue, it was stated that evaluating the device on a breadboard
is violating the
Recommendations provided by the datasheet for evaluating the unit [17]. Following this, we
designed a PCB with the decoupling capacitors as close as possible to the power pins on the

xiv
amplifier. After assembling, the amplifier was able to operate to specifications and our
requirements without faulting.

2.2.3.2 Digital Analog Converter

We prototyped our DAC using a protoboard and a breakout board. We determined that it was
safe to evaluate the DAC using this setup without damaging it because the transient voltage
spikes caused by the amplifier was because the amplifier outputs a significant amount of power
compared to most IC chips. For example, the DAC’s electrical characteristics has a power
consumption of less than a watt compared to the 20-watt output of the amplifier.

The design of the DAC is based from the layout example provided by Texas Instrument’s
documentation [12]. As we only have a mono input for our analog input and we are not using a
microphone we excluded those connections from the designs. As we are only working with I2S
we chose to program the DAC to generate a clock from the word-clock using PLL, thus
removing the need of a master clock to the
DAC.

xv
 BLOCK DIAGRAM

xvi
Figur
.1Level
- Block
e High
Diagram
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The finalized physical format of the device consists of a rectangular box. All components are
secured within the chassis. The rear of the box houses the banana plug connections for the
speaker outputs, a 3.5mm audio input, and the DC power supply input. The front of the device
contains the input buttons for easy accessibility. To yield a portable product, the appropriate
dimensions should be 10 in. x 5 in. x 5 in. or smaller. The final physical product has dimensions
of 9.42 in. x 4.98 in. x 3.53 in. (including the protruding buttons and jacks) which falls within the
dimensional constraints of portability. Most backpacks will hold this volume comfortably. Figure
2 shows the 3D-Model of the product with major components labeled.

Figure 2. Physical Design 3D-Model

xvii
 CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3. Design Verification
The design of this device needed to be verified with the Requirement and Verification Table,
which is listed in Appendix A Table 8. Each unit has its own requirements and verification
procedures listed in the table. In this section, major verification results are shown for each unit in
the system.

3.1 Power Unit

3.1.1 External DC Input

The External DC Input (Mean Well RS-150-24) needed to be able to supply 26 V with a
tolerance of +0.2
V and -1 V at a peak current draw of 6 A. Using an Agilent 6060B DC Electronic Load, a
constant load of 6 A was pulled from the external supply and the voltage was measured using a
Keysight 34461A Multimeter. The results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Experimental Results of the External DC Input Test

Current Draw (A) Output Voltage (V)

(No Load) 0.0000 25.9985

6.0609 25.9865

Based on the results in Table 2, the verification passed since the output voltage stayed well-
within the tolerance of +0.2V / -1 V when at full load of 6 A.

3.1.2 Battery
The internal lithium polymer battery (Multistar 6S 8000 mAh) needed to be able to supply 20.0 -
26.0 V to the system at a peak current draw of 3 A. Following the same steps for the External DC
Input described in Section 3.1.1 External DC Input, the output voltage was measured at no load
and full load. The results are shown in Table 3.

xviii
 Table 3. Experimental Results of the Battery Test
Current Draw (A) Output Voltage (V)
(No Load) 0.0000 25.1792
8.0115 25.1135

From the results in Table 3, this battery passed the verification by maintaining an output voltage
of 25.1135 V when pulling over 8 A, which is well-over the peak current draw of 3 A needed
from the device.
Table 4.

Table 4. Experimental Results of the Battery Life Test

Current Draw (A) Starting Voltage (V) Ending Voltage (V) Elapsed Time
(hours)
2.0 25.19 21.54 3.7589

Based on the results listed in

Table 4, the battery capacity is verified, since it took over 3.75 hours for the battery to discharge.

3.1.3 Voltage Regulation Tests

Each of the three voltage lines (20-26 V, 3.3 V, and 1.8 V) have their respective required current
draws from the system. The system needed to draw a maximum of 3 A at the 20-26 V line, 2 A
with a tolerance of ±0.2 V at the 3.3 V line, and 0.5 A with a tolerance of ±0.2 V at the 1.8 V
line. The PU was powered by the External DC Input, and each of the lines were individually
connected to a DC Electronic Load set to constant current mode with the respective current draw.
The results are shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Experimental Results of the Voltage Regulation Tests

Voltage Line (V) Current Draw (A) Output Voltage (V)
0.0000 25.9959
20-26
3.0711 25.7756
0.0000 3.32030
3.3
2.5230 3.30115
0.0000 1.79331
1.8
0.8201 1.80122

xix
From the results in Table 8, all voltage lines passed verification since their output voltages stayed
wellwithin the voltage tolerance of ±0.2 V when under full current draw.

3.2 Digital Logic Unit

There are several design qualities that had to be verified for the DLU to allow the user stable
control of the device while playing music. The two most important requirements of the DLU
from the original design are shown in Table 6.

Table 6. Major Requirements for the Digital Logic Unit

Module Requirement
Bluetooth module must be able to transmit PCM data via I2S
with: 1. a sampling frequency of at least 44.1 kHz
Bluetoot 2. and a 16-bit frame width.
h Device should support a range of at least 20 feet in unobstructed sight. Passed
maximum distance means constant interference/drop-out occurs;
finite/unpredictable interference/drop-out is acceptable.

3.2.1 Outgoing PCM Data Rate

While in development, we made the decision to use DSP timing instead of I2S timing for lower
power consumption. We reduced the verification of data rate to verification of two clocks that
the
CC2564MODA supplied to the DAC during PCM transmission: the bit clock and the word clock.
To supply PCM data with a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz, the word clock must have a rising
edge at a frequency of 44.1 kHz. Figure 7 captures the frame clock during an audio stream,
showing the correct frequency with minimal probing error.

Figure 7. Word Clock Frequency During Audio Stream

Finally, we reduced a 16-bit frame width to the bit clock having a frequency equal to a multiple
of 16 times the sampling frequency. We verify a bit clock frequency of 5.6448 MHz in Figure 8
using the same software build used during the word clock verification.

xx
 Figure 8. Bit Clock Frequency at 5.6448 MHz During Audio Stream
3.2.2 Bluetooth Signal Strength Versus Distance
To verify a stable Bluetooth signal with the device at ranges of at least 20 feet, we placed the
DLU in the
3D-printed case and used a Samsung S9 smartphone to scan for Bluetooth devices and gather
Received
Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) values. We used the Bluetooth Signal Strength Meter
application by NeoFrontier Technologies to measure RSSI values of the BOOST-
CC2564MODA, and since we followed all PCB guidelines for the CC2564MODA in our final
circuit, we can use the gathered values as verification. Figure 9 shows the estimated RSSI values
against distance.

Figure 9. RSSI Values of the CC2564MODA at Various Ranges

Since a Bluetooth RSSI value of -67 dBm and greater is considered stable, we conclude that the
device supports ranges of at least 20 feet.

xxi
3.3 Audio Output Unit

3.3.1 Amplifier
3.3.1.1 Output Power
To verify output power of the amplifier we input a 1 kHz sine wave into the amplifier and record
the output of the amplifier, connected to an 8-ohm resistive load, with an oscilloscope. We then
increase the input level of the sine wave until the recorded voltage cycle RMS hits the threshold
voltage which results in an output power of over 20 watts continuous. This threshold can be
calculated using the equation below.

VRMS2
 Target Wattage (1)
8

VRMS  20 8=12.649 W (2)

We were able to achieve a voltage of 14.99 V, which satisfies the requirement for the output.

3.3.1.2 Total Harmonic Distortion

To calculate the total harmonic distortion, or THD, of the amplifier we used an Agilent 89441A
Vector Signal Analyzer. We used the signal generator in the analyzer to generate a 1 kHz sine
wave and measured the FFT of the output using the analyzer. We then measure the fundamental
harmonic up to the 4th harmonic, where each harmonic increments by 1 kHz. The results we
receive from each harmonic is the power in dBm.

Table 7. Signal Analysis Results for THD

Harmonic Frequency Power (dBm) Power (W)
(kHz)
Fundamental 1 43.044 20.16

2nd 2 0.466 0.001113

3rd 3 -6.566 0.000220

4th 4 -12.029 0.000062

We must then convert power dBm to power watts to use the THD power equation (3).

PTotal
THD 100= (3)
P
Fundamental

To convert to power watts, we use the following using power dBm:

PdBm
xxii
10 10
Pwattsn =
1000 (4)
 PTotal =Pwatt2 +Pwatt3 +Pwatt4 + = 0.001113+0.000220+0.000062= 0.001396 W (5)

Using Equation (3), the THD percentage can be calculated:

0.001396
THD =100= 0.83% (6)
20.15579

As the total harmonic distortion is less than 1%, we have met our requirement.

3.3.1.3 Frequency Response

To calculate the frequency response of the amplifier we used an Agilent 89441A Vector Signal
Analyzer. We begin by connecting the source generator of the analyzer into the inputs of the
amplifier and probe the amplifier’s outputs with the analyzer. We then create a frequency sweep
between the frequency range of 1 Hz to 25,000 Hz. We then markers at 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz, the
spectrum that we are observing.

We recorded that the highest response was 13.735 dB at 235 Hz, while the lowest response was
12.833 dB at 16 Hz. This is within the 4dB range that we have specified in our requirements. The
frequency response graph of the amplifier is shown in Figure 10.

Figure 10. Frequency Response of Amplifier

3.3.2 Digital Analog Converter
3.3.2.1 PCM to Analog Signals
To verify the DAC, we must connect the word-clock, bit-clock, and data-out pints from the
Bluetooth module into the DAC. We must then program the appropriate registers to enable the
correct signal path from the DAC to the output. For example, powering on the DAC, closing

xxiii
switches, and selecting the clock rate. The code that we used to program that DAC is shown in
Appendix C Figure 15. Figure 11 shows the output of the DAC which matches the Bluetooth
input from our phone.

xxiv
 CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ABALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

4. Cost and Schedule

4.1 Parts
Part Name Quantity Unit Total Cost
Price
Texas Instruments
MSP430F5659 1 $6.02 $6.02
Microcontroller
Texas Instruments
TPA3112D1 1 $2.54 $2.54
Analog Amp
Texas Instruments
CC2564MODA 1 $11.27 $11.27
Bluetooth CS
Texas Instruments
6PAIC3109-Q1 1 $4.25 $4.25
DAC
CUI INC
1 $0.76 $0.76
SJ1-352xN 3.5mm Jack
SparkFun
1 $0.35 $0.35
PRT-09739 Binding Post Red
SparkFun
1 $0.35 $0.35
PRT-09740 Binding Post Black
Texas Instruments
BQ24610 2 $5.76 $11.52
Li-Polymer Battery Charger
PCBWay
1 $50.00 $50.00
18 in² PCB and Stencils
Texas Instruments LM1117
1 $1.14 $1.14
1.8V Linear Regulator
Texas Instruments
1
LM2576SX-3.3 $2.86 $2.86
3-A Step-Down Voltage Regulator
Mouser Electronics
5 $0.34 $1.70
CAPACITOR TANT 10UF 6.3V 20% 1206
Multistar 8000mAH Battery 1 $49.99 $49.99
Miscellaneous Capacitors, Resistors, ferrite beads,
N/A $10 $10
and Wires (estimate)

xxv
 Generic 24V DC AC Power Supply 1 $22.99 $22.99
Chassis Print Filament 1 $3.00 $3.00
PCBWay PCB Shipping 1 $40.00 $40.00
HobbyKing Battery Shipping 1 $8.55 $8.55
Digi-Key Shipping 1 $7.49 $7.49
Total $234.78
Single Unit Price (Without Shipping) $99.99

4.2 Labor
Using the average salary of an EE graduate at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
[15], we can determine a reasonable hourly rate for labor to be $32.21 an hour.

($67,000 / 52 weeks · 40 hours) = $32.21 an hour

$32.21 · (3 Members) · (10 hours/week) · 16 weeks = $15,460.80

xxvi
 CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 CONCLUSION
5.1 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Although we were not able to fully assemble the chassis with all our components, we were able
to validate all our requirements for each module separately and have a working device that we
can use. The DAC was programmed successfully and was able to decode the Bluetooth signals it
received from a mobile phone. We were able to demo the amplifier and power unit in a portable
enclosure and test it with our own external speaker. This device was able to play audio at over 20
watts continuous output, thus exceeding our requirements. We also were able to design multiple
custom PCBs with tight component layouts. This resulted in small PCBs like the Amplifier, with
dimensions less than a 3 in. square.

5.2 UNCERTAINTIES
During development, we ran into issues with configuring the CC2564MODA stack and reducing
the size so that it fit onto an MSP430F5529. After contacting Texas Instruments, and receiving
no assistance on the matter, we decided that it was not plausible to prototype with the stack on an
MSP430F5529 or any other chip with less than 256 kB of flash storage. This is because we
would not be able to run a full audio distribution program on 128 kB of flash storage, and
especially not with debugging capabilities.

Due to time constraints, we were not able to completely integrate the

MSP430F5659/MSP432P401R with the DAC via I2C, even though we verified the capability to
do so. We ended up having to initialize the DAC with an external microcontroller and serial
command line to achieve the high-level requirements.

5.3 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

User safety is of the utmost concern when developing a product. Rule #1 of the IEEE Code of
Ethics [5] was followed by assuring that the boosted audio signal cannot damage the user’s
property by limiting the amount of achievable gain, and more importantly by implementing a
fuse between the battery the rest of the circuit to minimize the damage of a short in the battery.

Working with lithium batteries is inherently dangerous, especially during prototyping. We had to
keep in mind the danger of batteries and the high possibility of shorting. While not in use, the

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battery was kept in a safe storage location away from people to prevent any injury of others [5].
When the battery was in use, we ensured that it was protected against damage and kept at a safe
distance away from any person.

Being a Bluetooth device, there are several regulations that it must adhere to to maintain safety
and legality. The Bluetooth module and stack must be qualified with Bluetooth SIG; however, a
qualified, unmodified module can be used, which is what we used [4]. Also, the Bluetooth
module (and hence the device as a whole), used the correct “Bluetooth SIG”-approved profiles,
namely the advanced audio distribution profile and the audio/video remote control profile.

All engineers should remember to cite all sources and credit contributors properly [5], and since
this project required some software, we made sure to check if any code used or modified had
been trademarked or licensed. The Bluetooth module uses a royalty-free stack software for
specific microcontrollers, so no special licensing was needed.

5.4 FUTURE WORK

As the product is something that is unique to today’s market, there are two different devices that
can branch out of this that can cater to more specific user needs. As our battery of over-spec for
our requirements, we can develop a device that supports either a higher wattage amplifier or
support stereo output. For those looking for more power and do not mind the hassle of carrying
around two amplifiers, they can incorporate the technologies of Bluetooth 5.0 to connect to
multiple amplifiers at once.

Our final product met the requirements of being portable, however it still had a lot of space
inside the chassis. Therefore, we can slim down the design in future revisions.

An alternative design would be to incorporate the DAC into the Digital Logic Unit, rather than
the Audio Output Unit. As the DAC requires many handshakes between the microcontroller and
itself it would be easier to have these connections traced on a PCB rather than through a dozen
header cables into the DAC.

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REFERENCES
[1] Jesse Maida, “Global Bluetooth Speaker Market to Grow at a CAGR of 33%”. Available:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160812005201/en/Global-Bluetooth-
SpeakerMarket-Grow-CAGR-33. [Accessed 8-Feb-2018]
[2] Bose, “SoundLink Revolve+ Bluetooth speaker”. Available:
https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/speakers/portable_speakers/soundlink-revolve-
plusbundle.html. [Accessed 8-Feb-2018]
[3] JBL, “JBL Boombox”. Available:
https://www.jbl.com/bluetoothspeakers/JBL+BOOMBOX.html?
cgid=bluetoothspeakers&dwvar_JBL%20BOOMBOX_color=Black-USA-
Current#start=1. [Accessed 8-Feb-2018] [4] Bluetooth SIG, “Product Qualification and
Declaration”. Available:
https://www.bluetooth.com/develop-with-bluetooth/qualification-listing. [Accessed 8-
Feb2018]
[5] IEEE, “IEEE Code of Ethics”. Available:
https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/governance/p7-
8.html. [Accessed 8-Feb-2018]
[6] Texas Instruments, “bq24610 Datasheet”. Available:
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq24610.pdf. [Accessed 13-Feb-2018]
[7] All About Circuits, “The Importance of Total Harmonic Distortion”, Available:
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-articles/the-importance-of-total-
harmonicdistortion. [Accessed 21-Feb-2018]

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