Quectel RM520N-GL User guide

Brand: Quectel

Model: RM520N-GL

Type: User guide

RM520N-GL_Hardware_Design 1 / 84

RM520N-GL

Hardware Design

5G Module Series

Version: 1.0

Date: 2022-07-15

Status: Released

5G Module Series

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At Quectel, our aim is to provide timely and comprehensive services to our customers. If you

require any assistance, please contact our headquarters:

Quectel Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd.

Building 5, Shanghai Business Park Phase III (Area B), No.1016 Tianlin Road, Minhang District, Shanghai

200233, China

Tel: +86 21 5108 6236

Email: info@quectel.com

Or our local offices. For more information, please visit:

http://www.quectel.com/support/sales.htm.

For technical support, or to report documentation errors, please visit:

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Legal Notices

We offer information as a service to you. The provided information is based on your requirements and we

make every effort to ensure its quality. You agree that you are responsible for using independent analysis

and evaluation in designing intended products, and we provide reference designs for illustrative purposes

only. Before using any hardware, software or service guided by this document, please read this notice

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Disclaimer

a) We acknowledge no liability for any injury or damage arising from the reliance upon the information.

b) We shall bear no liability resulting from any inaccuracies or omissions, or from the use of the

information contained herein.

c) While we have made every effort to ensure that the functions and features under development are

free from errors, it is possible that they could contain errors, inaccuracies, and omissions. Unless

otherwise provided by valid agreement, we make no warranties of any kind, either implied or express,

and exclude all liability for any loss or damage suffered in connection with the use of features and

functions under development, to the maximum extent permitted by law, regardless of whether such

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Safety Information

The following safety precautions must be observed during all phases of operation, such as usage, service

or repair of any cellular terminal or mobile incorporating the module. Manufacturers of the cellular terminal

should notify users and operating personnel of the following safety information by incorporating these

guidelines into all manuals of the product. Otherwise, Quectel assumes no liability for customers’ failure to

comply with these precautions.

Full attention must be paid to driving at all times in order to reduce the risk of an

accident. Using a mobile while driving (even with a handsfree kit) causes

distraction and can lead to an accident. Please comply with laws and regulations

restricting the use of wireless devices while driving.

Switch off the cellular terminal or mobile before boarding an aircraft. The operation

of wireless appliances in an aircraft is forbidden to prevent interference with

communication systems. If there is an Airplane Mode, it should be enabled prior to

boarding an aircraft. Please consult the airline staff for more restrictions on the use

of wireless devices on an aircraft.

Wireless devices may cause interference on sensitive medical equipment, so

please be aware of the restrictions on the use of wireless devices when in

hospitals, clinics or other healthcare facilities.

Cellular terminals or mobiles operating over radio signal and cellular network

cannot be guaranteed to connect in certain conditions, such as when the mobile bill

is unpaid or the (U)SIM card is invalid. When emergency help is needed in such

conditions, use emergency call if the device supports it. In order to make or receive

a call, the cellular terminal or mobile must be switched on in a service area with

adequate cellular signal strength. In an emergency, the device with emergency call

function cannot be used as the only contact method considering network

connection cannot be guaranteed under all circumstances.

The cellular terminal or mobile contains a transceiver. When it is ON, it receives

and transmits radio frequency signals. RF interference can occur if it is used close

to TV sets, radios, computers or other electric equipment.

In locations with explosive or potentially explosive atmospheres, obey all posted

signs and turn off wireless devices such as mobile phone or other cellular

terminals. Areas with explosive or potentially explosive atmospheres include

fuelling areas, below decks on boats, fuel or chemical transfer or storage facilities,

and areas where the air contains chemicals or particles such as grain, dust or

metal powders.

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About the Document

Revision History

Version

Date

Author

Description

2021-11-25

Wynna SHU/

Simon WANG

Creation of the document

1.0

2022-07-15

Juriyi XIE/

Wynna SHU/

Simon WANG

First official release

                                                                                             
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Contents 
Safety Information ....................................................................................................................................... 3 
About the Document ................................................................................................................................... 4 
Contents ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 
Table Index ................................................................................................................................................... 8 
Figure Index ............................................................................................................................................... 10 
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 11 
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 11 
2. Reference Standard .................................................................................................................. 11 
3. Special Mark ............................................................................................................................. 12 
Product Overview .............................................................................................................................. 13 
1. Frequency Bands and Functions .............................................................................................. 13 
2. Key Features ............................................................................................................................. 14 
3. EVB Kit ...................................................................................................................................... 16 
4. Functional Diagram ................................................................................................................... 17 
5. Pin Assignment ......................................................................................................................... 18 
6. Pin Description .......................................................................................................................... 19 
Operating Characteristics ................................................................................................................. 24 
1. Operating Modes ....................................................................................................................... 24 
1.1. Sleep Mode .................................................................................................................... 25 
1.2. Airplane Mode ................................................................................................................ 26 
2. Communication Interface with a Host ....................................................................................... 26 
3. Power Supply ............................................................................................................................ 27 
3.1. Voltage Stability Requirements ...................................................................................... 27 
3.2. Reference Design for Power Supply .............................................................................. 28 
3.3. Power Supply Monitoring ............................................................................................... 29 
4. Turn On ..................................................................................................................................... 29 
5. Turn Off ..................................................................................................................................... 30 
6. Reset ......................................................................................................................................... 32 
Application Interfaces ....................................................................................................................... 36 
1. (U)SIM Interfaces ...................................................................................................................... 36 
1.1. Pin Definition of (U)SIM.................................................................................................. 36 
1.2. (U)SIM Hot-Plug ............................................................................................................. 37 
1.3. Normally Closed (U)SIM Card Connector...................................................................... 38 
1.4. Normally Open (U)SIM Card Connector ........................................................................ 39 
1.5. (U)SIM Card Connector Without Hot-Plug ..................................................................... 39 
1.6. (U)SIM2 Card Compatible Design ................................................................................. 40 
1.7. (U)SIM Design Notices................................................................................................... 40 
2. USB Interface ............................................................................................................................ 41 
3. PCIe Interface ........................................................................................................................... 43 

                                                                                             
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3.1. PCIe Operating Mode .................................................................................................... 43 
3.2. Pin Definition of PCIe ..................................................................................................... 44 
3.3. Reference Design for PCIe ............................................................................................ 45 
4. Control and Indication Interfaces .............................................................................................. 46 
4.1. W_DISABLE1# ............................................................................................................... 46 
4.2. W_DISABLE2#* ............................................................................................................. 47 
4.3. LED_WWAN#................................................................................................................. 48 
4.4. WAKE_ON_WAN# ......................................................................................................... 49 
4.5. DPR* .............................................................................................................................. 49 
5. Cellular/WLAN COEX Interface* ............................................................................................... 50 
6. Antenna Tuner Control Interface .............................................................................................. 50 
7. Configuration Pins ..................................................................................................................... 51 
RF Characteristics ............................................................................................................................. 53 
1. Antenna Interfaces .................................................................................................................... 53 
1.1. Pin Definition .................................................................................................................. 53 
1.2. Cellular Network ............................................................................................................. 54 
1.2.1. Rx Sensitivity ....................................................................................................... 54 
1.2.2. Tx Power ............................................................................................................. 57 
1.3. GNSS ............................................................................................................................. 57 
1.3.1. GNSS Frequency ................................................................................................ 57 
1.3.2. GNSS Performance ............................................................................................ 58 
2. Antenna Connectors ................................................................................................................. 59 
2.1. Antenna Connector Specifications ................................................................................. 59 
2.2. Antenna Connector Location ......................................................................................... 60 
2.3. Antenna Connector Installation ...................................................................................... 61 
2.4. Recommended RF Connector Installation ..................................................................... 62 
2.4.1. Assemble Coaxial Cable Plug Manually ............................................................. 62 
2.4.2. Assemble Coaxial Cable Plug with Jig ............................................................... 63 
2.5. Recommended Manufacturers of RF Connector and Cable ......................................... 64 
3. Antenna Requirements ............................................................................................................. 64 
Electrical Characteristics and Reliability ........................................................................................ 65 
1. Power Supply Requirements .................................................................................................... 65 
2. Power Consumption .................................................................................................................. 65 
3. Digital I/O Characteristic ........................................................................................................... 67 
4. ESD Protection .......................................................................................................................... 68 
5. Thermal Dissipation .................................................................................................................. 69 
6. Absolute Maximum Ratings ...................................................................................................... 70 
7. Operating and Storage Temperatures ...................................................................................... 71 
8. Notification ................................................................................................................................ 71 
8.1. Coating ........................................................................................................................... 71 
8.2. Cleaning ......................................................................................................................... 71 
Mechanical Dimensions and Packaging ......................................................................................... 72 
1. Mechanical Dimensions ............................................................................................................ 72 

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7.2. Top and Bottom Views .............................................................................................................. 73

7.3. M.2 Connector ........................................................................................................................... 73

7.4. Packaging ................................................................................................................................. 74

7.4.1. Blister Tray ..................................................................................................................... 74

7.4.2. Packaging Process ........................................................................................................ 75

8 Appendix A References ..................................................................................................................... 76

9 Appendix B Operating Frequency.................................................................................................... 80

                                                                                             
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Table Index 
Table 1: Special Mark................................................................................................................................. 12 
Table 2: Frequency Bands & MIMO & GNSS Systems ............................................................................. 13 
Table 3: Key Features of RM520N-GL ...................................................................................................... 14 
Table 4: Definition of I/O Parameters ......................................................................................................... 19 
Table 5: Pin Description ............................................................................................................................. 19 
Table 6: Overview of Operating Modes ..................................................................................................... 24 
Table 7: Definition of VCC and GND Pins ................................................................................................. 27 
Table 8: Definition of FULL_CARD_POWER_OFF# ................................................................................. 29 
Table 9: Turn-on Timing of the Module ...................................................................................................... 30 
Table 10: Turn-off Timing of the Module Through FULL_CARD_POWER_OFF# .................................... 31 
Table 11: Definition of RESET# Pin ........................................................................................................... 32 
Table 12: Reset Timing of the Module’s Warm Reset ............................................................................... 34 
Table 13: Reset Timing of the Module’s Hard Reset ................................................................................. 34 
Table 14: Pin Definition of (U)SIM Interfaces ............................................................................................ 36 
Table 15: Pin Definition of USB Interface .................................................................................................. 41 
Table 16: USB Trace Length Inside the Module ........................................................................................ 42 
Table 17: Pin Definition of PCIe Interface .................................................................................................. 44 
Table 18: PCIe Trace Length Inside the Module ....................................................................................... 46 
Table 19: Pin Definition of Control and Indication Interfaces..................................................................... 46 
Table 20: RF Function Status .................................................................................................................... 47 
Table 21: GNSS Function Status ............................................................................................................... 47 
Table 22: Network Status Indications of LED_WWAN# ............................................................................ 48 
Table 23: State of the WAKE_ON_WAN# ................................................................................................. 49 
Table 24: Function of the DPR Signal ........................................................................................................ 49 
Table 25: Pin Definition of COEX Interface ............................................................................................... 50 
Table 26: Pin Definition of Antenna Tuner Control Interface ..................................................................... 50 
Table 27: Configuration Pins List of M.2 Specification .............................................................................. 51 
Table 28: Configuration Pins of the Module ............................................................................................... 51 
Table 29: RM520N-GL Pin Definition of Antenna Interfaces ..................................................................... 53 
Table 30: RM520N-GL Conducted Receiving Sensitivity (Unit: dBm) ....................................................... 54 
Table 31: Cellular Output Power ................................................................................................................ 57 
Table 32: GNSS Frequency ....................................................................................................................... 57 
Table 33: GNSS Performance ................................................................................................................... 58 
Table 34: Major Specifications of the RF Connector ................................................................................. 59 
Table 35: Antenna Requirements .............................................................................................................. 64 
Table 36: Power Supply Requirements ..................................................................................................... 65 
Table 37: Averaged Current Consumption ................................................................................................ 65 
Table 38: Logic Levels of 1.8 V Digital I/O ................................................................................................. 67 
Table 39: Logic Levels of 3.3 V Digital I/O ................................................................................................. 67 
Table 40: (U)SIM 1.8 V I/O Requirements ................................................................................................. 67 
Table 41: (U)SIM 3.0 V I/O Requirements ................................................................................................. 68 

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Table 42: Electrostatic Discharge Characteristics (Temperature: 25 ºC , Humidity: 40 %) ....................... 68

Table 43: Absolute Maximum Ratings ....................................................................................................... 70

Table 44: Operating and Storage Temperatures ....................................................................................... 71

Table 45: Related Documents .................................................................................................................... 76

Table 46: Terms and Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... 76

Table 47: Operating Frequencies (5G) ...................................................................................................... 80

Table 48: Operating Frequencies (2G + 3G + 4G) .................................................................................... 82

                                                                                             
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Figure Index 
Figure 1: Functional Diagram ..................................................................................................................... 17 
Figure 2: Pin Assignment ........................................................................................................................... 18 
Figure 3: DRX Run Time and Current Consumption in Sleep Mode ......................................................... 25 
Figure 4: Sleep Mode Application with USB Remote Wakeup .................................................................. 25 
Figure 5: Power Supply Limits during Burst Transmission ........................................................................ 27 
Figure 6: Reference Circuit for VCC .......................................................................................................... 28 
Figure 7: Reference Circuit for Power Supply ........................................................................................... 28 
Figure 8: Turn On the Module with a Host GPIO ....................................................................................... 29 
Figure 9: Turn-on Timing of the Module ..................................................................................................... 30 
Figure 10: Turn-off Timing through FULL_CARD_POWER_OFF# ........................................................... 31 
Figure 11: Reference Circuit for RESET# with NPN Driver Circuit ........................................................... 32 
Figure 12: Reference Circuit for RESET# with a Button ............................................................................ 33 
Figure 13: Reset Timing of the Module’s Warm Reset .............................................................................. 33 
Figure 14: Reset Timing of the Module’s Hard Reset ................................................................................ 34 
Figure 15: Reference Circuit for Normally Closed (U)SIM Card Connector .............................................. 38 
Figure 16: Reference Circuit for Normally Open (U)SIM Card Connector ................................................ 39 
Figure 17: Reference Circuit for a 6-Pin (U)SIM Card Connector ............................................................. 39 
Figure 18: Recommended Compatible Design for (U)SIM2 Interface ....................................................... 40 
Figure 19: Reference Circuit of USB 3.1 & 2.0 Interfaces ......................................................................... 41 
Figure 20: PCIe Interface Reference Circuit .............................................................................................. 45 
Figure 21: W_DISABLE1# and W_DISABLE2# Reference Circuit ........................................................... 48 
Figure 22: LED_WWAN# Reference Circuit .............................................................................................. 48 
Figure 23: WAKE_ON_WAN# Signal Reference Circuit ........................................................................... 49 
Figure 24: Recommended Circuit for Configuration Pins .......................................................................... 52 
Figure 25: Dimensions of the Receptacle (Unit: mm) ................................................................................ 59 
Figure 26: RM520N-GL Antenna Connectors ............................................................................................ 60 
Figure 27: Dimensions of Mated Plugs (Ø0.81/Ø1.13 mm Coaxial Cables) (Unit: mm) ........................... 61 
Figure 28: Space Factor of Mated Connectors (Ø 0.81 mm Coaxial Cables) (Unit: mm) ......................... 61 
Figure 29: Space Factor of Mated Connectors (Ø 1.13 mm Coaxial Cables) (Unit: mm) ......................... 62 
Figure 30: Plug in a Coaxial Cable Plug .................................................................................................... 62 
Figure 31: Pull out a Coaxial Cable Plug ................................................................................................... 63 
Figure 32: Install the Coaxial Cable Plug with Jig ...................................................................................... 63 
Figure 33: Thermal Dissipation Area Inside and on Bottom Side of the Module ...................................... 69 
Figure 34: Placement and Fixing of the Heatsink ...................................................................................... 70 
Figure 35: Mechanical Dimensions of the Module (Unit: mm) ................................................................... 72 
Figure 36: RM520N-GL Top and Bottom Views ........................................................................................ 73 
Figure 37: Blister Tray Dimension Drawing ............................................................................................... 74 
Figure 38: Packaging Process ................................................................................................................... 75 
 
 

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1 Introduction

1.1. Introduction

The document introduces RM520N-GL module and describes its air and hardware interfaces connected

to your applications.

This document helps you quickly understand the interface specifications, RF characteristics, electrical

and mechanical details, as well as other related information. To facilitate its application in different fields,

reference design is also provided. Associated with application notes and user guides, you can use the

module to design and set up mobile applications easily. You can also see document [1] to understand

the module hardware architecture.

1.2. Reference Standard

The module complies with the following standards:

⚫ PCI Express M.2 Specification Revision 4.0, Version 1.0

⚫ PCI Express Base Specification Revision 4.0

⚫ Universal Serial Bus 3.1 Specification

⚫ ISO/IEC 7816-3

⚫ MIPI Alliance Specification for RF Front-End Control Interface version 2.0

⚫ 3GPP TS 27.007 and 3GPP TS 27.005

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1.3. Special Mark

Table 1: Special Mark

Mark

Definition

Unless otherwise specified, when an asterisk (*) is used after a function, feature, interface,

pin name, AT command, or argument, it indicates that the function, feature, interface, pin,

AT command, or argument is under development and currently not supported; and the

asterisk (*) after a model indicates that the sample of the model is currently unavailable.

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2 Product Overview

2.1. Frequency Bands and Functions

RM520N-GL is a 5G NR/LTE-FDD/LTE-TDD/UMTS/HSPA+ wireless communication module with receive

diversity. It provides data connectivity on 5G NR SA and NSA, LTE-FDD, LTE-TDD, DC-HSDPA, HSPA+,

HSDPA, HSUPA and WCDMA networks. RM520N-GL is a standard M.2 Key-B WWAN module. For more

details, see PCI Express M.2 Specification Revision 4.0, Version 1.0

RM520N-GL supports embedded operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Android, and also

provides GNSS and voice* functions to meet specific application demands.

RM520N-GL is an industrial-grade module for industrial and commercial applications only.

The following table shows the frequency bands, MIMO and GNSS systems supported by the module.

Table 2: Frequency Bands & MIMO & GNSS Systems

Mode

Frequency Bands

5G NR SA

n1/n2/n3/n5/n7/n8/n12/n13/n14/n18/n20/n25/n26/n28/n29/n30/n38/n40/n41/n48/

n66/n70/n71/n75/n76/n77/n78/n79

DL 4 × 4 MIMO: n1/n2/n3/n7/n25/n30/n38/n40/n41/n48/n66/n70/n77/n78/n79

UL 2 × 2 MIMO: n38/n41/n48/n77/n78/n79

5G NR NSA

n1/n2/n3/n5/n7/n8/n12/n13/n14/n18/n20/n25/n26/n28/n29/n30/n38/n40/n41/n48/

n66/n70/n71/n75/n76/n77/n78/n79

DL 4 × 4 MIMO: n1/n2/n3/n7/n25/n30/n66/n38/n40/n41/n48/n70/n77/n78/n79

LTE

FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B13/B14/B17/B18/B19/B20/B25/B26/B28/B29/

B30/B32/B66/B71

TDD: B34/B38/B39/B40/B41/B42/B43/B46(LAA)/B48

DL 4 × 4 MIMO: B1/B2/B3/B4/B7/B25/B30/B38/B40/B41/B42/B43/B48/B66

WCDMA

B1/B2/B4/B5/B8/B19

GNSS

GPS/GLONASS/BDS/Galileo/QZSS

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The module can be applied to the following fields:

⚫ Rugged tablet PC and laptop computer

⚫ Remote monitor system

⚫ Smart metering system

⚫ Wireless CPE

⚫ Smart TV

⚫ Outdoor live streaming equipment

⚫ Wireless router and switch

⚫ Other wireless terminal devices

2.2. Key Features

Table 3: Key Features of RM520N-GL

Feature

Details

Function Interface

PCI Express M.2 Interface

Power Supply

⚫ Supply voltage: 3.135–4.4 V

⚫ Typical supply voltage: 3.7 V

(U)SIM Interface

⚫ Compliant with ISO/IEC 7816-3, ETSI and IMT-2000

⚫ Supported (U)SIM card: Class B (3.0 V) and Class C (1.8 V)

⚫ (U)SIM1 and (U)SIM2 interfaces

⚫ Dual SIM Single Standby

eSIM

Optional eSIM function

USB Interface

⚫ Compliant with USB 3.1 Gen2 and USB 2.0 specifications

⚫ Maximum transmission rates:

- USB 3.1 Gen2: 10 Gbps

- USB 2.0: 480 Mbps

⚫ Used for AT command communication, data transmission, firmware upgrade

(USB 2.0 only), software debugging, GNSS NMEA sentence output and

voice over USB*

⚫ Supported USB serial drivers:

- Windows 7/8/8.1/10,

- Linux 2.6–5.18

- Android 4.x–12.x

PCIe Interface

⚫ Complaint with PCIe Gen4

⚫ PCIe × 1 lane, supporting up to 16 Gbps

⚫ Used for AT command communication, data transmission, firmware upgrade,

software debugging, GNSS NMEA sentence output

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HPUE is only for single carrier.

5G NR FDD bands only support 15 kHz SCS, and NR TDD bands only support 30 kHz SCS.

See document [2] for bandwidth supported by each frequency band in the NSA and SA modes.

The maximum rates are theoretical and the actual values depend on the network configuration.

Transmitting Power

⚫ 5G NR bands: Class 3 (23 dBm ±2 dB)

⚫ 5G NR HPUE bands (n38/n40/n41/n77/n78/n79): Class 2 (26 dBm +2/-3 dB)

⚫ LTE bands: Class 3 (23 dBm ±2 dB)

⚫ LTE HPUE 1 bands (B38/B41/B42/B43): Class 2 (26 dBm ±2 dB)

⚫ WCDMA bands: Class 3 (24 dBm +1/-3 dB)

5G NR Features

⚫ 3GPP Release 16

⚫ Supported modulations:

- Uplink: π/2-BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM and 256QAM

- Downlink: QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM and 256QAM

⚫ Supported SCS: 15 kHz 2 and 30 kHz 2

⚫ SA 3 and NSA 3 operation modes supported on all the 5G band

⚫ Option 3x, 3a, 3 and Option 2

⚫ Maximum transmission data rates 4:

- NSA: 3.4 Gbps (DL)/ 550 Mbps (UL)

- SA: 2.4 Gbps (DL)/ 900 Mbps (UL)

LTE Features

⚫ 3GPP Release 16

⚫ LTE Category: DL Cat 19/ UL Cat 18

⚫ Supported modulations:

- Uplink: QPSK, 16QAM and 64QAM and 256QAM

- Downlink: QPSK, 16QAM and 64QAM and 256QAM

⚫ Supports 1.4/3/5/10/15/20 MHz RF bandwidth

⚫ Maximum transmission data rates 4: 1.6 Gbps (DL)/ 200 Mbps (UL)

UMTS Features

⚫ 3GPP Release 9, DC-HSDPA, HSPA+, HSDPA, HSUPA and WCDMA

⚫ Supported modulations: QPSK, 16QAM and 64QAM

⚫ Maximum transmission data rates 4:

- DC-HSDPA: 42 Mbps (DL)

- HSUPA: 5.76 Mbps (UL)

- WCDMA: 384 kbps (DL)/ 384 kbps (UL)

Rx-diversity

⚫ 5G NR/LTE/WCDMA Rx-diversity

GNSS Features

⚫ Protocol: NMEA 0183

⚫ Data Update Rate: 1 Hz

Antenna Interfaces

⚫ ANT0, ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3

AT Commands

⚫ Compliant with 3GPP TS 27.007 and 3GPP TS 27.005

⚫ Quectel enhanced AT commands

Internet Protocol

Features

⚫ NITZ, PING and QMI protocols

⚫ PAP and CHAP for PPP connections

Firmware Upgrade

⚫ USB 2.0 interface

⚫ PCIe interface

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2.3. EVB Kit

To help you develop applications with the module, Quectel supplies an evaluation board (5G-M2 EVB)

with accessories to control or test the module. For more details, see document [3].

To meet this operating temperature range, you need to ensure effective thermal dissipation, for example, by adding

passive or active heatsinks, heat pipes, vapor chambers, etc. Within this range, the module can meet 3GPP specifications.

To meet this extended temperature range, you need to ensure effective thermal dissipation, for example, by adding

passive or active heatsinks, heat pipes, vapor chambers, etc. Within this range, the module remains the ability to establish

and maintain functions such as voice*, SMS, emergency call*, etc., without any unrecoverable malfunction. Radio spectrum

and radio network are not influenced, while one or more specifications, such as Pout, may undergo a reduction in value,

exceeding the specified tolerances of 3GPP. When the temperature returns to the normal operating temperature level, the

module will meet 3GPP specifications again.

⚫ (D)FOTA (A/B system updates supported)

SMS

⚫ Text and PDU modes

⚫ Point-to-point MO and MT

⚫ SMS cell broadcast

⚫ SMS storage: ME by default

Physical

Characteristics

⚫ M.2 Key-B

⚫ Size: 30.0 mm × 52.0 mm × 2.3 mm

⚫ Weight: approx. 8.7 g

Temperature Range

⚫ Operating temperature range: -30 °C to +75 °C 5

⚫ Extended temperature range: -40 °C to +85 °C 6

⚫ Storage temperature range: -40 °C to +90°C

RoHS

All hardware components are fully compliant with EU RoHS directive

5G Module Series

RM520N-GL_Hardware_Design 17 / 84

2.4. Functional Diagram

The following figure is a block diagram of RM520N-GL.

⚫ Power management

⚫ Baseband

⚫ LPDDR4X SDRAM + NAND Flash

⚫ Radio frequency

⚫ M.2 Key-B interface

ANT0

ANT3

ANT2

76.8MHz XO

Qlink

Control

PRx

DRx

PCI Express M.2

Key-B Interface

FULL_CARD_POWER_OFF#

W_DISABLE2#

USB 2.0 & USB 3.1

(U)SIM1

LED_WWAN#

WAKE_ON_WAN#

RFFE

W_DISABLE1# ANT1

PCIe Gen4.0

GND

RESET#

VCC

SPMI

BB_CLK 19.2MHz

RF_CLK 76.8MHz

EBI0

EBI2

(U)SIM2

32.768KHZ

PMU

eSIM

Baseband

Sub-6 GHz

Transceiver

Tx/Rx Blocks

APT

NAND 4Gb x 8

LPDDR4X 4Gb x 16 Clock IC

Figure 1: Functional Diagram

5G Module Series

RM520N-GL_Hardware_Design 18 / 84

2.5. Pin Assignment

The following figure shows the pin assignment of the module.

PIN2

PIN74

BOT

PIN1

PIN75

TOP

PIN11

PIN10

Figure 2: Pin Assignment

5G Module Series

RM520N-GL_Hardware_Design 19 / 84

2.6. Pin Description

Table 4: Definition of I/O Parameters

The following table shows the pin definition and description of the module.

Table 5: Pin Description

Type

Description

Analog Input

Analog Output

AIO

Analog Input/Output

Digital Input

Digital Output

DIO

Digital Input/Output

Open Drain

Power Input

Power Output

Pull Up

Pull Down

Pin No.

Pin Name

I/O

Description

DC Characteristic

Comment

CONFIG_3

Not connected internally

VCC

Power supply for the

module

Vmin = 3.135 V

Vnom = 3.7 V

Vmax = 4.4 V

GND

Ground

VCC

Power supply for the

module

Vmin = 3.135 V

Vnom = 3.7 V

Vmax = 4.4 V

GND

Ground

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