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1 Product Introduction

The AFE-A503 is using the ASR‑A503 as its motherboard.
This document will share how to use AFE-A503/ASR‑A503 with Ubuntu 24.04.
Platform: Qualcomm® IQ9075M

1-1 Product Features​

  • Ubuntu 24.04 validation ready
  • Peripheral interface function verification
  • Network, display, storage, and expansion interface validation
  • Suitable for robotic / edge AI application validation workflow
  • Supports Advantech Robotic Suite integration workflow

1-2 Official Website​

2 Hardware Interface Introduction

2-1 Layout and Sizes​

  • ASR-A503/AFE-A503 series
ASR-A503 Size
ASR-A503 Size
AFE-A503 Size
AFE-A503 Size

2-2 Switch and Connector Introduction​

Please refer to the following images for the I/O connectors, more details about the pin defination can be found in the AFE-A503 User Manual.

PCB TOP
PCB BOTTOM
ItemNameDescription
1CN1Power Input Connector
2COMACOM Port Connector
3COMBCOM Port Connector
4FAN1Smart FAN External Connector
5COMC_DEBUGDebug Port Connector
6FAN2Smart FAN Internal Connector
7CAN1CAN Bus Connector
8CAN2CAN Bus Connector
9CN17Reset Connector
10CN7I2C Connector
11GPIO2GPIO Connector
12GPIO1GPIO Connector
13SW2Power On/Off Button
14CN6M.2 Key-M Connector
15USB2USB 3.2 Connector
16USB1USB 3.2 Connector
17CN4HDMI Connector
18LAN4RJ45 Connector
19LAN3RJ45 Connector
20LAN2RJ45 Connector
21LAN1RJ45 Connector
22SW4AT/ATX Mode
23CN5POE Power Connector
24SIM1Nano-SIM Card Holder
25BAT1RTC battery Connector
26M2B1M.2 Key-B Connector
27MIPI1B/B Conn. 120P
28SW3USB Download Mode Select
29M2E_CN1M.2 Key-E Connector

3 Operating System

3-1 Image Download​

Image VersionRelease DateImage DownloadTagComment
AFE-A503_Ubuntu24.042026-05-15Downloadafea503a1_ubuntu24.04-x07_v1.0.0_kernel-6.8.12_iq9075.xmlFull functions

3-2 Flashing Image​

Please refer to Download BSP Launcher for detailed instructions.

Note:The image can only be flashed onto UFS, not onto M.2 NVMe.

3-3 BSP Download​

Please refer to the online document for detailed instructions on how to download and build the BSP for the ASR-503/AFE-A503.

4 Operating Method

4-1 Account and Password​

The default account and password for AFE-A503 are ubuntu / ubuntu.

4-2 Fan​

The Fan kit Product Number is AMK-A0053,and the installation is shown as below. The smart fan setting is also provided as following table.

Fan Kit
Temp.(°C)PWM Duty cycle(%)Internal FAN speed(RPM)External FAN kit speed(RPM)
0000
403319803960
505533006500
60100600011000

4-3 Controller Area Network (CAN)​

CAN_Connector

4-3-1 CAN1/2​

# Connect CAN1 and CAN2
$ sudo ip link set can0 up type can bitrate 1000000 dbitrate 8000000 fd on
$ sudo ip link set can1 up type can bitrate 1000000 dbitrate 8000000 fd on
$ candump -x can1 > can1.log &
$ cat /proc/interrupts | grep spi
# Send CAN message
$ cansend can0 111FFFFF#aa.00.cc.aa.33.61.aa.ab
# Send CAN-FD message
$ cansend can0 123##1AABBCCDDEEFF00112233445566778899
$ cat can1.log
$ cat /proc/interrupts | grep spi
# spi7, 14 IRQ should be 2

4-4 Digital Input Output (DIO)​

The AFE-RM06 expansion board for the AFE-A503 provides 8 bits of DI and 8 bits of DO, all DO are open-drain hardware design, it will require external power and pull-up resistor. The DIO pin definition is shown as below. Please refer to the following commands for using DIO and hardware connection example.

DIO_Connector

AFE-A503 GPIO Test

# GPIO_A_0 connect GPIO_A_1
# GPIO_A_2 connect GPIO_A_3
# ...
# GPIO_B_0 connect GPIO_B_1
# GPIO_B_2 connect GPIO_B_3
# ...
$ gpioset 5 0=0 2=1 4=0 6=1
$ gpioget 5 1 3 5 7
# 0 1 0 1
$ gpioset 5 0=1 2=0 4=1 6=0
$ gpioget 5 1 3 5 7
# 1 0 1 0
$ gpioset 5 8=0 10=1 12=0 14=1
$ gpioget 5 9 11 13 15
# 0 1 0 1
$ gpioset 5 8=1 10=0 12=1 14=0
$ gpioget 5 9 11 13 15
# 1 0 1 0

AFE-RM06 GPIO Test

# Connect RM06 on AFE-A503
# BDI1 connect BDO1
# BDI2 connect BDO2
# ...
$ i2cset -f -y 11 0x21 0x04 0xFF # Polarity invert
$ gpioset 6 8=0 9=1 10=0 11=1 12=0 13=1 14=0 15=1
$ gpioget 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
# 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
$ gpioset 6 8=1 9=0 10=1 11=0 12=1 13=0 14=1 15=0
$ gpioget 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
# 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0

4-5 Communication Port (COM)​

COM_Connector
COM PortUART Device Settings
COM1UART_DEV=/dev/ttyHS1
COM2UART_DEV=/dev/ttyHS2

Default UART mode is RS-232.

$ stty -F /dev/ttyHS1 -echo -onlcr 115200 raw
$ cat /dev/ttyHS1 &
$ echo "Serial Port Test" > /dev/ttyHS1
$ killall cat
# Test maximum baudrate
$ stty -F /dev/ttyHS1 -echo -onlcr 921600 raw
$ cat /dev/ttyHS1 &
$ echo "Serial Port Test" > /dev/ttyHS1
$ killall cat

4-6 Wi-Fi & Bluetooth​

4-6-1 Wi-Fi Module​

AFE-A503/ASR-A503 support AIW-170(M.2 Key E) Wi-Fi module. The driver has been integrated into the Ubuntu image.

4-6-2 BlueTooth Module​

AFE-A503/ASR-A503 support AIW-170(M.2 Key E) BlueTooth module. The driver has been integrated into the Ubuntu image.

4-7 4G/5G Module​

AFE-A503/ASR-A503 support AIW-356(M.2 Key B)5G module. The driver has been integrated into the Ubuntu image.

4-8 GNSS​

AFE-A503/ASR-A503 support AIW-210(M.2 Key B)GNSS module. The driver has been integrated into the Ubuntu image.

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install -y gpsd gpsd-clients chrony
# Open xgps app and it will show GPS result
# Get latitude and longitude
# PPS GPIO increase per second
$ watch -n 1 "cat /proc/interrupts | grep pps"