ESP32-C3 Multi-Board Design

flux

Placed 36 component(s): C7, C1, J4, U2, C14, C2, C3, R4, C4, U1, L1, J9, C12, J6, C11, D1, R2, R7, R5, R3, J8, U4, J5, J3, R6, J7, C6, C5, J10, U5, J2, U3, F1, R1, J1, C13

flux

Work done
  • Updated the schematic into a dual-board stack concept: primary board keeps ESP32-C3, TMP117, LIS2DW12, and J8; secondary board carries LiPo charging/power, pogo access, external antenna interface, and J9/J10.
  • Added and wired the J8/J9 board-to-board interconnect and J10 U.FL antenna interface; core ERC checks are passing.
  • Reconfigured the PCB into a two-board 28 mm-wide stack/panel representation and re-placed the components into primary/secondary clusters.
  • Documented the partition, interconnect pinout, verification state, and manual-routing priorities in Two-Board Stack Revision.
Success criteria review
  • ✅ Dual-board partition defined and reflected in schematic/component roles.
  • ✅ Core functions preserved: ESP-NOW MCU, TMP117, LIS2DW12, LiPo charging/power, and pogo access remain connected.
  • ⚠️ Layout de-risked but not fully clean: missing footprints and ERC checks pass, but remaining physical-layout issues still need routing/layer cleanup before fabrication.
Next steps
  • Refresh/regenerate routing for the new two-board placement, then clear the remaining physical layout issues before manufacturing export.
Check DRC issues
Export assembly files
Show interconnect pinout
Document routing priorities
Sign up to send

Files

Schematic

Layout

Preview

Execution Plan Revision — External Antenna Readiness
Revision Objective
Revise the current compact ESP32-C3 sensor-node project so the design now captures support for an external antenna connector as a present requirement rather than a future option. The revision should remain high-level and focus on requirements, scope control, and layout priorities rather than implementation details.
Baseline Constraints to Preserve
  • Maintain a circular PCB concept.
  • Keep the preferred board diameter at 28 mm.
  • Keep the absolute board diameter limit under 30 mm.
  • Preserve the existing temperature sensing function.
  • Preserve the existing accelerometer function.
  • Preserve LiPo charging capability.
  • Preserve pogo-pad charging and programming access.
  • Preserve the single-board sensor-node product direction.
Revised Primary Requirement
  • Replace the current antenna approach with an external-antenna-capable approach now, so future deployment is not blocked by RF range, orientation, or enclosure constraints.
Requirements Capture Additions
RF / Antenna
  • Define external antenna support as an explicit project requirement.
  • Capture connector access, edge placement, cable clearance, and serviceability expectations.
  • Capture any enclosure, fixture, and user-access constraints introduced by the antenna connector.
  • Treat RF path integrity and connector accessibility as top-level layout drivers.
Mechanical / Form Factor
  • Confirm that external antenna support must fit within the existing compact circular product concept.
  • Revalidate that all required functions still fit within the 28 mm target and under the 30 mm maximum diameter.
  • Reserve board-edge priority for the antenna connector and associated RF region.
Sensor Preservation
  • Preserve the TMP117 temperature sensing intent and protect it from added thermal and RF placement pressure.
  • Preserve the accelerometer and ensure its placement is not compromised by the revised RF requirements.
  • Maintain thermal isolation between the temperature sensing area and heat-generating circuitry.
Power / Access
  • Preserve LiPo charging architecture and user charging workflow.
  • Preserve pogo-pad accessibility for charging and programming.
  • Ensure the antenna revision does not reduce usability of the battery, pogo interface, or sensor functions.
Updated PCB Placement and Layout Priorities
  1. RF edge priority first
    • Assign highest placement priority to the external antenna connector and its required board-edge access.
    • Protect the RF region from later crowding by secondary functions.
  2. Thermal sensing integrity second
    • Preserve a distinct thermal sensing zone for the temperature sensor.
    • Keep charger, regulator, and other heat-generating blocks away from the temperature sensing region.
  3. Core functional retention third
    • Retain accelerometer, LiPo charging, battery connection, and pogo-pad access without functional regression.
  4. Form-factor compliance throughout
    • Use the under-30 mm diameter limit as a standing gate for every placement tradeoff.
High-Level Execution Plan
Phase 1 — Re-baseline Requirements
  • Update the project requirements to make external antenna support mandatory.
  • Document what must remain unchanged: temperature sensor, accelerometer, LiPo charging, pogo pads, and compact circular form factor.
  • Define success criteria for fitting the revised design within the existing size target.
Phase 2 — Feasibility Review
  • Review whether the current board concept can accommodate external antenna access while preserving all retained functions.
  • Identify any board-edge, connector-access, or sensor-isolation conflicts at the requirements level.
  • Decide whether the 28 mm target remains achievable or whether contingency up to the 30 mm maximum is needed.
Phase 3 — Placement Strategy Update
  • Reorder placement priorities around RF edge access first and thermal isolation second.
  • Reconfirm zoning for RF, thermal sensing, power management, and pogo access.
  • Capture which subsystems are fixed in concept and which may shift to create space.
Phase 4 — Project Scope Lock
  • Freeze the retained subsystem list and the revised antenna requirement.
  • Record any new mechanical or enclosure dependencies created by the antenna connector.
  • Define what is out of scope for this revision to avoid feature creep.
Phase 5 — Review Gate
  • Perform a high-level review to confirm the revised requirements are internally consistent.
  • Confirm that external antenna support, thermal sensing quality, charging access, and compact diameter goals can coexist before moving into detailed implementation.
Key Decisions Needed
  • Whether the design must remain exactly 28 mm or may expand up to the stated sub-30 mm limit if needed.
  • What connector-access expectations must be supported at the product level.
  • Whether RF edge access takes precedence over previous component placements when conflicts arise.
  • What acceptance criteria define adequate thermal isolation for the temperature sensor after the antenna-related rework.
Out of Scope for This Revision
  • Detailed RF matching or routing instructions.
  • Specific connector footprint selection.
  • Detailed component relocation steps.
  • Final implementation-level layout decisions.

  • Revision Objective

  • Baseline Constraints to Preserve

  • Revised Primary Requirement

  • Requirements Capture Additions

  • RF / Antenna

  • Mechanical / Form Factor

  • Sensor Preservation

  • Power / Access

  • Updated PCB Placement and Layout Priorities

  • High-Level Execution Plan

  • Phase 1 — Re-baseline Requirements

  • Phase 2 — Feasibility Review

  • Phase 3 — Placement Strategy Update

  • Phase 4 — Project Scope Lock

  • Phase 5 — Review Gate

  • Key Decisions Needed

  • Out of Scope for This Revision