Control GPIO Pin on JP6

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties controlling GPIO pin GPIO.09 on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit while using the L4T version 36.3.0. The specific symptoms include:

• Command Output: When executing the gpioinfo command, the output indicates that GPIO.09 is not functioning as expected, displaying a measured voltage of 0.
• Command Execution: Attempts to set the pin high using the gpioset command yield no change in voltage, which remains at 0.
• Context: This issue arises during attempts to control GPIO pins after flashing the device using SDK-Manager to L4T version 36 (release), revision 3.0.
• Frequency: The problem appears consistently for users attempting to control GPIO pins with this specific setup.
• Impact: This issue significantly hampers users’ ability to utilize GPIO functionality, critical for various applications like robotics and sensor integration.

Possible Causes

Several potential reasons may contribute to the inability to control GPIO.09:

• Permission Issues: Lack of sufficient permissions when executing GPIO commands could prevent proper functionality.
• Pin Configuration: If the pinmux settings are not correctly configured to set GPIO.09 as an output pin, this would lead to failure in controlling the pin.
• Software Version Bugs: There may be bugs or incompatibilities in L4T version 36.3.0 that affect GPIO operations.
• Driver Issues: Outdated or incorrect drivers could hinder GPIO functionality.
• User Misconfiguration: Users might not have followed the necessary steps to configure their environment correctly.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

To address the issues with controlling GPIO.09, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Check Permissions:

   • Ensure you are executing commands with sudo permissions.
   • Example command:

     sudo gpioinfo
     

2. Verify Pin Configuration:

   • Confirm that the pinmux settings are correctly configured for GPIO.09 as an output pin.
   • Use the following command to check current configurations:

     sudo /opt/nvidia/jetson-io/jetson-io.py
     

   • Select "Configure Jetson 40 Pin Header" and manually verify the settings.

3. Test with Different Software Versions:

   • If issues persist, consider testing with JetPack 5 or earlier versions where users reported successful GPIO control without additional configurations.

4. Update Drivers and Firmware:

   • Ensure that you have the latest drivers installed for your Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit.
   • Refer to NVIDIA Jetson Download Center for driver updates.

5. Use Sysfs Interface:

   • For alternative control methods, try using the sysfs interface for GPIO manipulation:

     echo "9" > /sys/class/gpio/export
     echo "out" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio9/direction
     echo "1" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio9/value
     

6. Review Documentation:

   • Consult relevant documentation such as the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit User Guide for detailed instructions on GPIO usage.

7. Best Practices:

   • Always ensure that your hardware operates at 3.3V levels to avoid damage.
   • Regularly check for updates from NVIDIA regarding software and firmware.

8. Community Support:

   • Engage with community forums or Discord channels dedicated to NVIDIA Jetson development for additional support and shared experiences.

By following these steps, users should be able to diagnose and potentially resolve issues related to controlling GPIO pins on their Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit effectively.