Gateway device
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I don't own a 3d printer either. it's a secondary thing for me (I'm not that much into mechanical design, I let others do that part :))
@Anticimex
It should be able to have both radios connected, yes.. But what about available codespace? (Ok, we've got 4 times as much space as in the 328p).The 1284p exist in DIP style, http://dk.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Atmel/ATMEGA1284P-PU/?qs=K8BHR703ZXgaD0L1rKdwiQ%3D%3D Can't be any more breadboard friendly than that :)
The wifi option is actually @hek's idea. And if we are going to make a pcb, it wouldn't hurt to make it possible, if someone wants to use it.
I had briefly looked at PoE, but got scared away by the specifications for it :) Think that it's around 48V, and using special magnetics (if you are going to be standards compliant). So need a good switchmode stepdown converter from 48V to 5V. But as it's still on the conceptual state in my head, we might be able to find something that makes it "easy to implement".
Of course size is not that big an issue here.. But 5x5 is standard for small batch pcb's from many of the cheap china board houses. that's why I would aim at that size.
Prototyping area could be an option. Also was thinking about throwing in a sensors or two. Again, it's a concept that has to evolve a bit.. Getting inputs and let it sink in, in order to make an awesome board :)
re: PoE supply
http://www.freetronics.com.au/products/power-over-ethernet-regulator-8023af#.VWCsPLmqqko
is cheap and easy you may be able to piggy back it on the board.
hope it helps
phil -
@ServiceXp
It could be used as serial gateway, there's a ftdi chip onboard. But also place for Ethernet and WiFi connections, together with both nrf24 module and a rfm69 module.
Made to be as versatile as possible.
Ethernet is an add-on module, so a bit hard to implement Poe circuitry on this board. If we could find w5100 module with Poe, it might work.
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I see no reason not to (depending on available space) add footprints for various "standard" sensors in addition to a IO header on the board. I have no idea on what impact it has on the sw to have a gateway report sensor values to "itself" but I see no reason for why that could not be supported (if it isn't already).
End of double-negations ;)
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What do you define as "standard" sensors?
@tbowmo
Perhaps an unfortunate label. I guess standard footprints would be a better word. I mean footprints for the most commonly used sensor cases. TO-92, DFN and etc. connected such as the typical sensors (1-wire temps and Si7021 like) will "fit". -
Problem is that each sensor has its own pinout, so you can't make generic footprints.
There already is a GPIO header, with 8 pins (4 analog and 4 digital) plus power. So people can make their own daughterboards with sensors. Might convert 2 of them to i2c bus with pull up, and then have si7021 onboard.
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Have you considered Grove plugs for sensors? This can give flexibility and a large enough number of sensors at a reasonable price.
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I think a header for daughterboards will go far in terms of flexibility.
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Nice nice. I am very interested in this as I have more or less decided to swap to RF69 from RF24. Both for range and because I like the concept of having the radio handle the encryption on my signed packets (yep, I am paranoid as hell). Unfortunately, it means my current gateway has to go but I have made a "sensor evaluation board" (got the PCBs, still waiting for components). Once I get the components and can verify all the features I put on it I will publish it in this forum for those interested. It will still rely on Arduino modules and such so it is not the hard-core approach like the Sensebender Micro though.
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updated the first post in the thread, with links to github project, and pdf of schematics (on github). So it will always point at the latest available one, so I don't have to remember that there is a forum thread to keep updated :)
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I see no reason why that would not work. I sure hope so as I did that on my board :)
Both radios will never be connected (or at least in use) simultaneously so it should be ok. -
could be someone got brainfreeze and decided to go with both radios at once in one setup.. On the other hand, we're not using IRQ for the nrf24 at the moment..
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On the other hand, is there a usecase to provide HW interrupt functionality for a dagughterboard on the gateway? Since it will "by definition" have a solid power supply, any sensors using interrupts should be fine with the soft-interrupt options (have not looked into those myself though) or simply use polling. Power saving makes little sense in this case. The radios are probably better off with "real" interrupts (if we ever use them).
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been fiddling with layout, and schematics changes..
Added a couple of MAX3002E for level conversion between 5V and 3V3 domains on the board. (Links to the schematic are in the first post of this thread)
Waiting for samples of the ESP8266, and W5100 modules, so I can make some last measurements before ordering boards.
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Hi,
just want to share with you some of our progress in a board similar to the one that you are designing.
This is based on Atmega32U4 and has socket for nRF24L01 and ESP8266 and is designed to be battery operated and support Grove connector. The board has mosfet to switch off the sensor while sleeping and keep low the consumption, this should stand a year on battery.
We just received the PCB, picture at the link below,
http://www.souliss.net/2015/06/sensor-battery-board-pcb-arrived.htmlThe schematic and layout are open-source and hope that this board may fit some needs also in the MySensor community
https://github.com/souliss/boards/tree/master/Battery_Operated_Board/Ver1Regards,
Dario.
