GPRS/GSM + GPS A9G Pudding/SMS/Voice/Wireless Data Transmission + Positioning IOT Development Board

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

ADC

An analogue-to-digital converter reads a changing voltage and turns it into a number the microcontroller can use. It matters when connecting analogue sensors such as light, sound, or variable-resistor sensors.

BDS

BeiDou, China’s satellite navigation system. Support for BDS gives the receiver access to more satellites, which can help maintain a better position fix in challenging locations.

GND

GND is the ground or reference connection (0 V) for a circuit. When connecting two devices together, their grounds must be joined so both agree on what counts as a low or high signal.

GPIO

General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.

GPS

The US satellite navigation system used by GNSS receivers to calculate position and time. Support for GPS is important because it is widely available and often used together with other constellations for more reliable positioning.

I2C

I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.

IoT

Short for Internet of Things, meaning physical devices that connect to networks or the internet to send data or be controlled remotely. It matters if you want projects such as connected sensors, remote controls or classroom data-logging activities.

RX

RX means receive, usually showing data being received by the board. An RX indicator LED can help with troubleshooting USB or serial communication.

SPI

A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.

TX

TX means transmit, usually showing data being sent from the board. A TX indicator LED can help you see when the board is communicating or uploading code.

VBAT

VBAT is a backup battery power pin used to keep a small part of a circuit, such as a real-time clock, running when the main power is off. It matters if your project needs to remember the time while the board is shut down.