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PubInv / krake

A wireless alarm device which makes loud noises and flashes lights to alert a human
GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
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Add a standard GPIO header port the Krake... #2

Open RobertLRead opened 5 months ago

RobertLRead commented 5 months ago

Dear Team,

Today while trying to work on the GPAD for the HardwareX paper, I released that I had a major misconception: you can't program it through the serial port with another microcontroller with a USB cable, because most USB devices on micrcontrollers (like the UNO) can only act as a USB "Device" aka peripheral, and not as a USB "Host". I should have known this, but was confused about it.

I believe allowing hobby-level interaction with the Krake is extremely important. The GPAD has an RJ12 jack, but without special equipment, such as splitting an RJ12 data cable, or soldering the RJ12 into a special board (and it does not even fit into the standard .1" perfboard standard.

I therefore suggest that the Krake have a special port (possibly with a cover) that exposes the standard .1" female header format (which can be connected to with standard jumper wires.) These ports should be used to expose the 4 SPI wires, and also a second serial port (NOT a USB), which I think does work from micro-controller to micro-controller. This will make it easier for beginners to experiment with it with no special equipment.

ForrestErickson commented 5 months ago

Not sure what you mean by " you can't program it ". To what "it" do you refer?

RobertLRead commented 5 months ago

I meant "you can't send alarm commands to a krake with a USB cable connected to most microcontroller USB ports because they are not USB hosts".

ForrestErickson commented 4 days ago

I think this requirement can be better defined as follows:

Add to the Krake a connector for 3.3V logic level connection. The nature of the connection is for:

  1. A four pin 3.3V SPI
  2. A two pin 3.3V UART (TX and RX)
  3. Power, 5V, and 3.3V
  4. Ground pins

Consider a right angle header (male pins).

ForrestErickson commented 4 days ago

If the UART port were to match one of the well known USB to UART converters all the better

https://www.amazon.com/FPOUT-FT232RL-Serial-Adapter-Module/dp/B0CMQTWMDL This would include flow control pins.

Carful review of the power pins is required. It is probably NOT possible to power the Krake through the converter as the Host to the converter will only supply 100 mA.

ForrestErickson commented 3 days ago

I think

"...you can't program it through the serial port with another microcontroller with a USB cable, because most USB devices on micrcontrollers (like the UNO) can only act as a USB "Device" aka peripheral, and not as a USB "Host".

Should be rewritten as:

"... a typical micro controller in a medical device cannot send commands to the Krake through the USB-serial port, because most USB devices on micrcontrollers (like the UNO) can only act as a USB "Device" aka peripheral, and not as a USB "Host".