CI-F16XGS02T Module Datasheet¶

Module Introduction¶

Overview¶

CI-F16XGS02T is a general-purpose, high-performance, low-power offline voice recognition module with good cost performance. The main chip can be either CI13161 or CI13162. The module features a simple and convenient application design, as shown in the following diagram.

Figure 1 Module Application Design Block Diagram

The CI-F16XGS02T module has the following main features:

Excellent recognition performance: Supports offline neural network computing, single-microphone noise reduction enhancement, single-microphone echo cancellation, 360° omnidirectional sound pickup, environmental noise suppression, ensuring accurate voice recognition in noisy environments. The offline voice recognition is network-independent with low latency, high performance, recognition rate over 97%, and response time as fast as 0.2S at a distance of up to 10 meters.
Compact design: Module dimensions are 20.5mm × 13.8mm (L×W) with a gold finger vertical mounting process, saving PCB area in end products.
Minimal components: The entire solution only requires an audio power amplifier chip and a few passive components in addition to the voice recognition chip to achieve full functionality.
Simple external interfaces: One 5V power supply and UART communication interface, one microphone interface, and one speaker interface.
Wide operating voltage range: 3.6V-5V.
Low power consumption: Suitable for products with high energy efficiency requirements or battery-powered applications.
High reliability design: All BOM components are industrial-grade.
Flexible model selection: Can choose between CI13161 or CI13162 chips based on the number of command words required for the application:

Table 1 Module Selection Table

Number of Entries	Up to 100 Commands	100-300 Commands
Corresponding Voice Chip Model	CI13161	CI13162
Corresponding Module Model	CI-F161GS02T	CI-F162GS02T

Main Chip Introduction¶

CI13161&CI13162 are dedicated AI chips for voice processing, supporting offline voice recognition in both Chinese and English. They are widely used in home appliances, lighting, toys, wearables, industrial, automotive and other product fields to achieve voice interaction, control, and various intelligent voice solutions.

The CI13161&CI13162 integrate Chipintelli’s self-developed next-generation Brain Neural Processing Unit (BNPU V3.5) and CPU core, with a system frequency up to 210MHz. They feature 288KB of built-in SRAM, integrated PMU power management unit, RC oscillator, high-performance low-power Audio Codec, and multiple peripheral control interfaces including UART, I2C, PWM, and GPIO. The chips require only a small number of passive components to implement various intelligent voice product hardware system solutions, offering excellent cost performance.

For more detailed information about CI13161&CI13162 chips, please visit:

☞CI13161&CI13162 Chip Datasheet

Module Application Scenarios¶

The CI-F16XGS02T module can be used as a voice recognition front-end combined with the end product’s main control board (as shown below), or as the main control module for products like lighting fixtures and toys.

Figure 2 Module as Voice Recognition Front-end Application Diagram

The CI-F16XGS02T module supports up to 300 offline voice commands and can be applied to various end products with relatively complex control requirements such as smart air conditioners, smart fans, heating tables, clothes dryers, small household appliances, toys, and lighting.

Figure 3 Example Products Using This Module

Module Specifications¶

Physical Layout¶

Figure 4 Module Physical and Chip Location Diagram

The physical appearance of the CI-F16XGS02T module is shown in Figure 4. This module features vertical surface mounting, with main functional components including the voice recognition chip (CI13161/CI13162) and audio power amplifier. The workflow is as follows: voice commands are input through the microphone, processed by the voice recognition IC for voice recognition and command processing, and the corresponding electrical signal commands are output through the serial port while being announced through the audio amplifier and speaker. The configured audio amplifier has a maximum output power of 1.5W@8Ω or 2W@4Ω.

Note: The physical diagram is for illustration only. The silkscreen on components may vary between different production batches, but this will not affect module performance. The actual module status shall prevail.

Module Dimensions¶

Figure 5 Module Dimensions

The dimensional specifications of the CI-F16XGS02T module are shown in Figure 5. Refer to these dimensions for mechanical design in your application development.

Module Hardware Interface Definition¶

Figure 6 Module Pinout Diagram

The CI-F16XGS02T module has the following functional interfaces:

Two-wire single microphone interface. When designing the application, please include a microphone socket or solder points on the carrier board, and configure ESD devices on the microphone circuit. For optimal voice recognition performance, it is recommended to use a microphone with a sensitivity of -32±3dB and a signal-to-noise ratio ≥65dB. Click ☞Reference Microphone Devices for more information.
Two-wire single speaker interface. When designing the application, include a speaker socket or solder points on the carrier board. For optimal voice broadcast quality, it is recommended to use a cavity-type speaker. Click ☞Reference Speaker Devices for more information.
The module’s UART1 interface is used for serial communication with the main control board.

The pin functions of the module are defined in Table 2:

Table 2 Module Pin Function Definition Table

Pin Name	Type	5V Tolerant	Default Power-on State	Function Definition
5V	P	-	-	5V Power Supply
GND	P	-	-	Ground Signal
TX1	IO	√	IN, T+D	1. GPIO PA2 2. UART1_TX 3. IIC_SDA 4. PWM Channel 0 5. PWMP
RX1	IO	√	IN, T+D	1. GPIO PA3 2. UART1_RX 3. IIC_SCL 4. PWM Channel 1 5. PWMN
MIC+	-	-	-	Microphone Positive
MIC-	-	-	-	Microphone Negative
SKP-	-	-	-	Speaker Output
SKP+	-	-	-	Speaker Output

Symbol descriptions in the above table:

I Input

O Output

IO Bidirectional

P Power or Ground

T+D Tristate plus pull-down

T+U Tristate plus pull-up

OUT Power-on defaults to output mode

Module Electrical Characteristics¶

Table 3 Module Electrical Characteristics

Parameter	Condition	Min	Typ	Max	Unit	Note
Module Supply Voltage	/	3.6	5	5.5	V	NOTE1
Module Current in Playback (Normal Volume)	4Ω 3W Speaker	/	65	/	mA	NOTE2
Module Operating Current	/	/	30	/	mA	NOTE3
Idle Current in Quiet Environment	5V Supply	/	25	/	mA	/
Module I/O Voltage	/	3	3.3	5	V	/

NOTE1: 5V is the typical supply voltage for the module. Input voltage exceeding 5.5V may damage the module.

NOTE2: The maximum current can reach 250mA during module playback. In principle, a power supply with 500mA driving capability (twice the margin) is required for the module.

NOTE3: The typical value is tested in mute state. The maximum value is tested during recognition and playback state.

Module Temperature and Humidity Parameters¶

Table 4 Temperature and Humidity Parameters

Parameter	Min	Typ	Max	Unit	Note
Module Operating Temperature	-40	25	85	°C	/
Module Storage Temperature	-40	25	100	°C	/
Standard Packaged Module Storage Humidity	0%	/	85%	RH	/

Module Application¶

Carrier Board Design Reference¶

To use this module, a corresponding debug carrier board or host motherboard is required. The main functions of the debug carrier board are to carry the module, provide the necessary voltage, microphone and speaker interfaces for module operation, and enable communication with the module.

It is recommended to place a high-capacity filter capacitor near the module’s power supply input pin to ensure the stability of the 5V input voltage. The larger the power ripple or noise in the 5V input, the larger the capacitance value of this filter capacitor should be.
Configure ESD protection devices near the speaker and microphone sockets to ensure the module’s electrostatic protection capability.
Reserve pin headers for UART1 connection on the carrier board to facilitate module debugging.
The UART1 interface is used for communication with the main controller and can also be multiplexed as a GPIO communication port.

The reference design for the module’s carrier board is shown in the figure below.

Figure 7 Carrier Board Reference Design

Module Power-up and Startup¶

When using this module, install it on the carrier board or host motherboard and connect the external speaker and microphone. The module will start up after applying 5V power. Upon successful power-up, the speaker will play a startup prompt tone, and the UART0 port will output print information. Users can connect the UART0 port to a computer using a USB-to-UART converter or similar tool to view the print information in the computer’s serial debugging window. The appearance of print information as shown in Figure 8 indicates normal module startup.

Note: The module’s UART0 interface is a 3.3V high-speed serial port that also supports direct communication with 5V level signals without requiring a level conversion circuit.

The power amplifier chip on the module is also powered by 5V. The rated supply current for the 5V power supply must be at least 500mA, with stable power and ripple below 300mV.

Figure 8 Reference Print Information for Normal Module Startup

Module Standard Firmware Commands¶

For mass production modules with custom firmware, the customer-specified firmware will be pre-loaded before shipping.

For modules with our standard firmware, our standard firmware and its inherent command words will be pre-loaded for user testing. The standard firmware command words are shown in the figure below:

Figure 9 Module Standard Firmware Commands

Default UART Communication Protocol¶

The standard firmware module supports UART communication for interfacing with MCUs or connected systems. This UART protocol is extensible and has the following characteristics:

Complete transmission packets including: header, tail, length, checksum, message type, and message sequence number.
Supports variable-length commands for easy expansion.
Message types (commands, notifications, replies).
Command messages can be configured with ACK replies. Notification messages do not have ACK.
Message format is the same as the bootloader upgrade, distinguished by header from the bootloader protocol.
Default baud rate is 9600.
Note: The module only reserves the UART0 interface, which is by default the print output interface. If UART0 is to be used as the aforementioned UART protocol interface, the code must be modified. Refer to the UART protocol section in the ☞CI13LC Series Chip SDK for implementation.
Supported commands: Query protocol version, query system version, set volume (volume levels defined in user_config.h), play local announcement sounds, reset command, etc. The specific protocol format is shown below:

Figure 10 UART Protocol Format

Example 1:

A5 FC 07 00 A0 91 18 01 55 E0 01 00 00 1B 9B 02 FB is parsed as follows:

A5 FC: Head

07 00: 7 bytes of valid data

A0: Command word information

91: Command number 0x91 (this data content is command word data)

18: Packet sequence number, the 0x08th data transmission in this UART, this value keeps incrementing

01 55 E0 01 00 00: semantic ID, UNIQUE

1B: Command word threshold

9B 02: Checksum

FB: End data

Note: If only the command word and threshold are of interest in the application, you only need to focus on the 7 bytes of valid data highlighted in blue.

Example 2:

A5 FC 02 00 A3 9A 17 00 B1 05 02 FB is parsed as follows:

A5 FC: Head

02 00: 2 bytes of valid data

A3: Current data is notification data

9A: Command number 0X9A (this data content indicates voice module content change)

17: The 0x07th data transmission in this UART, this value keeps incrementing

00 B1: Valid data (this data indicates entering wake-up state)

05 02: Checksum

FB: End data

Note: This data is notification data for developer analysis and reference.

For more content parsing data, please refer to the UART protocol section in ☞CI13LC Series Chip SDK. The following figure shows a reference screenshot of protocol data:

Figure 11 UART Protocol Data Reference Screenshot

Software Development¶

The standard firmware of the module is mainly used for initial user experience. If users need to develop their own firmware, they can register and log in to the Chipintelli AI Speech Development Platform (https://aiplatform.Chipintelli.com) for rapid firmware development. At the same time, in the “Development Materials” directory of the Chipintelli AI Speech Development Platform, you can download the SDK and corresponding hardware materials.

For first-time users of the Chipintelli AI Speech Development Platform, it is recommended to first understand the specific development process through the Beginner’s Guide, or refer to the documentation center’s Video Tutorials to learn more about solutions and get started with SDK development.

The firmware development process mainly includes the following steps:

SDK development package materials download
Model generation(language model + acoustic model)
Voice synthesis
Command word information table and audio file association
Firmware packaging

For detailed firmware development process, please click ☞CI13XLC Series Chip SDK.

Firmware Programming¶

Pre-programming Preparation¶

The following tools and items are required before programming the module:

Module to be programmed
USB-to-UART converter
Firmware programming tool (pack_update_tool.exe)
Firmware information (files in *.bin format)
Microphone and speaker matching the interface of the carrier board/MCU
Several DuPont wires

Figure 12 Tools and Items Required for Firmware Programming

Hardware Connection and Firmware Programming¶

Taking the USB-to-UART converter shown in the above figure as an example, before programming, you need to connect the power, ground, and UART transmit/receive pins of the USB-to-UART converter to the corresponding pins of the module (note that the RXD and TXD of the USB-to-UART converter correspond to the TX0 and RX0 of the module, respectively). The connection method is shown in the figure below.

Figure 13 Module and USB-to-UART Converter Connection Diagram

Open the firmware programming tool (this tool can be found in the CI13LC_SDK\tools directory of the SDK development package as PACK_UPDATE_TOOL.exe), select the corresponding model according to the chip, click the Firmware Update button, select the prepared firmware file, and confirm the COM port number assigned by the computer to the USB-to-UART converter. The module will enter the Firmware Update mode after powering on and start downloading the firmware. If the computer cannot recognize the USB-to-UART converter, please install the corresponding driver first.

Figure 14 Firmware Programming Tool Diagram

Functional Testing After Programming¶

After the firmware programming is completed, functional testing of the module is required to confirm whether the firmware programming was successful. Before functional testing, connect the microphone and speaker to the module under test, power it on to confirm whether the power-on prompt tone can be heard, and test whether it can be woken up and recognized using the wake word and command words. If all functions work normally, the module programming is successful; otherwise, the programming has failed, and the cause of the failure needs to be identified.

Common Problems and Solutions¶

This chapter lists some problems that may be encountered during module use and their corresponding solutions.

The module cannot program the firmware. If this problem occurs, perform the following checks in sequence:
1. Check if the UART pins are connected correctly, if TX and RX are reversed, if the USB-to-UART converter driver on the computer is normal, and if the correct COM port number is selected in the PC programming tool.
2. Check if the module power supply is connected or if there is a short circuit.
3. If the above checks are correct but the module still cannot be programmed, use a multimeter to measure the module’s power supply voltages of 5V, 3.3V, and 1.1V to see if they are correct. The voltage measurement points are shown in the figure below. If any abnormal voltage is found, please replace the module or perform further circuit repair. If necessary, contact our technical support for assistance.

Figure 15 Module Voltage Measurement Points

After programming is completed, there is no sound when powered on. If this problem occurs, please perform the following checks in sequence:
1. Confirm that the module power supply is normal and the speaker is connected correctly.
2. Confirm the compatibility between the programmed firmware and the module.
3. Use an oscilloscope to measure the voice output test point of the main chip (as shown in the figure below). If no output waveform is detected at this point when there should be voice output, please check if the firmware is correct. If there is an output waveform, check if there is any soldering issue with the power amplifier device on the module or if the power amplifier itself is abnormal. If the problem cannot be identified through the above checks, please contact our technical support for assistance.

Figure 16 Module Voice Output Measurement Point

After programming is completed, there is sound when powered on, but command words are not recognized. If this problem occurs, please perform the following checks in sequence:
1. Check if the microphone is connected correctly.
2. Check if the positive and negative poles of the microphone match the markings on the module.
3. Use a multimeter to measure if the MICBIAS pin of the main chip is about 2.8V, and use an oscilloscope to check if there is an input voice waveform on the microphone input pin (set the oscilloscope to 100mV per division). If the signal is normal, consider whether the firmware is correct. If the signal is abnormal, check if there is any physical damage to the module hardware. The measurement points are shown in the figure below. If the problem cannot be identified through the above checks, please contact our technical support for assistance.

Figure 17 Module Microphone Signal Test Point

Other Application Notes¶

Since the CI13161&CI13162 chips have a high ESD rating and the module is designed for easy user expansion, the module’s circuit design does not include ESD devices. For products with very high ESD performance requirements, ESD devices can be configured on the module’s carrier board at the microphone, speaker, and power supply interfaces. During module soldering, inspection, transportation, and other processes, anti-static wrist straps, anti-static gloves, or finger cots must be worn to avoid ESD damage to the module during the production stage.
The microphone, speaker, power supply, UART, and other interfaces of the module must not be connected incorrectly.
If a USB-to-UART converter is used for software debugging of the module, UART print commands must first be added to the corresponding positions in the SDK program. After compiling and generating the firmware, it can be flashed for debugging and verification.
All I/O ports of the module support both 3.3V and 5V level communication.
When designing the carrier board or host motherboard, a capacitor with a capacitance of not less than 100uF should be configured at the 5V power input port of the module, and the wiring of the microphone signal should be as short as possible and shielded. The SPK signal wiring should be as short and thick as possible, and there should be no other wiring crossing the wiring area and the back of the area.
Control the warpage of the carrier board to be no more than 0.5% to prevent poor module soldering.

Production Guide, Storage, and Packaging Ordering Information¶

Production and Storage Guide¶

Storage conditions for CI-F16XGS02T module are as follows:

Modules packaged in vacuum moisture-proof bags can be stored in an environment with temperature ranging from -40°C to +100°C and relative humidity of 0%-85% RH.
The vacuum moisture-proof bag contains a humidity indicator card as shown below:

Figure 18 Humidity indicator card

If the humidity indicator card shows the following color changes, bake according to the corresponding parameters:

If the 30%, 40%, and 50% color rings are blue when unpacking the vacuum bag, bake the module continuously for 2 hours
If the 30% color ring turns pink, bake the module continuously for 4 hours
If the 30% and 40% color rings turn pink, bake the module continuously for 6 hours
If the 30%, 40%, and 50% color rings turn pink, bake the module continuously for 12 hours

Baking parameters are as follows:

Baking temperature: 125±5°C
Alarm temperature setting: 130°C
Number of baking cycles: 1
After natural cooling, when the module temperature is <36°C, SMT mounting can proceed
If the module is not soldered within 12 hours after baking, it needs to be baked again.

ESD protection must be maintained throughout the mounting operation, and anti-static gloves/wrist straps must be worn during production.
To ensure production yield, all mounted modules should undergo visual inspection, AOI detection, and pay attention to temperature control, module pick-up method, and correct placement during mounting.

Recommended Reflow Profile¶

Figure 19 Module mounting reflow profile

Packaging and Ordering Information¶

Table 5 Module Ordering Information

Product Model	Packaging Method	Modules per Tray	Modules per Package	Modules per Carton
CI-F161GS02T CI-F162GS02T	Tray + ESD Bag + Carton	–pcs	–trays, total –pcs	–bags, total –pcs

Purchase and Technical Support¶

To purchase our products, click ☞Sample Purchase, or click ☞Samples and Bulk Purchase for more information.

For technical support, please log in to ☞Chipintelli AI Speech Development Platform.