💬 Sensebender Gateway

[tbowmo]

I'm still waiting for the last prototype pcb's to arrive.

Depending on the sketch you load it with, it can be a serial, ethernet or MQTT gateway. It has native USB in the atsam, and a connector for a w5100 module.

Besides that it will have SD card for local storage of sensor data, so it could in theory operate without a controller at all..

[TheoL]

@tbowmo Can you give some details about the final dimensions on the board? I want to start the woodworking on the casing for my current gateway. But I'll make sure your prototype fits in as well.

I can't wait 'till this one goes to production. Great work, I'm impressed.

[tbowmo]

@TheoL

The base board is 5x5 cm, but if you use nrf modules they will protrude over the edge of the PCB. Rfm69 is soldered to the bottom so they won't add to the dimensions. W5100 will probably make the base a few mm wider and longer (depending on the module..).
Design files are available at GH, so you can check the dimensions yourself

[TheoL]

@tbowmo Thanx for your fast reply. It's a great size. I'll create a mockup of it with cardboard. It'll give me a better visualization when I make the housing. Just a final question. I'm guessing I won't be able to stick an Arduino ethernet shield on it right?

[tbowmo]

@TheoL

the GW is not the same dimensions as arduino, so Arduino shields would not fit :)

A mini w5100 board like this would fit..

Also, see this "old" forum post about the GW device, there is some conceptual pictures of how it would look like with nrf and w5100 attached.

[tbowmo]

Received a new prototype from dirtypcbs the other day

I have only come to the point where the SD Card reader is mounted, as I wanted to try the mechanics out :)

Currently I'm lacking time for finishing it within the next 2-3 weeks.. If someone knows how to slow down time around you, without being slowed down yourself, please tell me how to achieve it :) (Too many high priority tasks at the moment..)

[gonzalonal]

Great design @tbowmo. Very interesting indeed.
I have some questions and suggestions if you don't mind.

Will this support the use of the amplified version of the nrf24l01+ (NRF24L01* + PA + LNA). It uses a little more power than the non aplified version so It's even more sensirtive to power supply noise.

EDIT: In the schematic, upper left corner, in the ATSHA204 module it seems you have forgotten to add the SDA pin conection.

EDIT2: Haven't you thought in adding a battery charger module such as the TP4056. It would be nice to have this board woarking as its own UPS. Having the battery connected in the battery connector without something keeping the battery charged doesn't have much sense to me.

Regards!

[tbowmo]

It should have enough juice in the regulator to support an pa/lna enabled nrf24l01. I havent got one myself, so it's not "validated" yet.

The idea with the battery, is that it is only to keep the rtc alive in the atsam, and if you look at the schematics, then it's only the cpu that can be powered by battery. A coin cell battery should be enough. (I couldn't make room for a battery holder so that's why it just became a 2 pin header

The atsha204 is validated on the board, so it's working ;) If you look at the schematic, SDA pin on the atsha204 is labeled "SECURITY", pin 20 on the cpu is also labeled SECURITY, so these are connected.

[gonzalonal]

Thanks @tbowmo. Now it's all clear.
What tests do you think are remaining in order to have the board fully tested and ready to production environement?
Regards!

[tbowmo]

@gonzalonal

The only thing missing is the Ethernet module at the moment, it has been working on an earlier board, but can't get it working right now.

I'm almost at point where I will let our partner in China do their initial prototype spin, to evaluate production.

[GertSanders]

@tbowmo
In the series 12 Monkeys a scientist developed injections to slow down time at the quantum level, which allows you to be impervious to time shift. Not sure if it slows down time perception itself though.

[tbowmo]

And ethernet is up!

I think this calls for a couple of pictures of the "thing" :)

first with ethernet / usb (power) connected.

and without ethernet shield

[gonzalonal]

Hi @tbowmo. Congratulations.

Have you identified what caused the trouble?
Regards!

[tomkxy]

@tbowmo Congrats! That piece of hardware looks cool. I am interested to replace my current gateway with such a puppy.

[tbowmo]

@gonzalonal

It was a software issue.. I had rewritten the hardware definition files almost from scratch, and made a couple of errors that made it fail silently..

Peripheral configuration on SAMD21 is a bit more advanced, than on the old atmega328, as you can configure a specific peripheral (a sercom unit for example) to appear on different pins, depending on MUX setting.. I had made some wrong MUX settings for SERCOM4, which is used for the W5100 module.

[sundberg84]

Great work @tbowmo - cant wait until I can get my hands on one :)

[tbowmo]

@sundberg84

If you come to the meetup in Malmö, you can see a working prototype :)

[gonzalonal]

Hi @tbowmo .

Would you say that the board is ready for production environement? I am planing in ordering one for my home.

Will you share the sketches for the differente gateways configurations?
Thanks, regards.

[bisschopsr]

Hi @tbowmo: Nice project. I have a small question about the W5100 board. The board has a standard mail header connector. If I add a (standard) female header, I don't have enough height to compensate for the height of the RJ45 connector. How did you resolve that? Did you use a higher female header? I can't make it up from the pictures.

Thanks in advance,

Ralph

[tbowmo]

I @gonzalonal

Sketches would be the standard sketches for different GW options, as distributed with the mysensors core (it's the same sketches for atmega328p based gateways)

@bisschopsr
Actually a really good question :) I haven't been able to find a header with extra height.. But what I did on my sample, is that the female header is not mounted flush to the PCB, rather it's raised as much as possible above the PCB, and then it is working.

I will have to talk with our manufacturing partner in China, and see what they have as options.