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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
| − | Many times an embedded system or microcontroller needs to be connected to a PC. This topic discusses the various methods for doing this. This is one of a series of articles on Microcontroller Serial Communications, rooted at this site here: [[Microcontroller Serial Communications Articles | + | Many times an embedded system or microcontroller needs to be connected to a PC. This topic discusses the various methods for doing this. This is one of a series of articles on Microcontroller Serial Communications, rooted at this site here: [[Microcontroller Serial Communications Articles]] |
== Serial Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers -- Terminal Emulators == | == Serial Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers -- Terminal Emulators == | ||
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|[http://www.com-port-monitoring.com/datalogger.html RS232 COM Port Logger] | |[http://www.com-port-monitoring.com/datalogger.html RS232 COM Port Logger] | ||
|Capture and log RS232 port dataflows Review anyone? Open Source. For Windows. | |Capture and log RS232 port dataflows Review anyone? Open Source. For Windows. | ||
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|[http://www.etc.ugal.ro/cchiculita/software/picbootloader.htm Tiny PIC bootloader] | |[http://www.etc.ugal.ro/cchiculita/software/picbootloader.htm Tiny PIC bootloader] | ||
|16F and 18F chips. Has a terminal emulator | |16F and 18F chips. Has a terminal emulator | ||
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( for the search engines: dump HyperTerminal find a better communications program ) | ( for the search engines: dump HyperTerminal find a better communications program ) | ||
| − | For some notes on how to plan the microcontroller end of the communications see: [[RS232]] and for a particular | + | For some notes on how to plan the microcontroller end of the communications see: [[RS232]] and for a particular implementatation take a look at [[BitWacker PIC USB Development Board]] and the specialized PC program for it and similar devices: [[BitWacker Java Communications]] |
For general information on terminal emulators see: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_emulator Terminal emulator From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] | For general information on terminal emulators see: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_emulator Terminal emulator From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] | ||
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== Serial Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers -- Writing Programs == | == Serial Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers -- Writing Programs == | ||
| − | Writing PC programs to communicate with Microcontrollers can be very | + | Writing PC programs to communicate with Microcontrollers can be very challanging, or not so much. The easiest I have encountered are the libraries for the Arduino which are part of the Processing environment. Look at the Arduino examples. You do not have control over all rs232 parameters or the ability to manage all possible errors, but you do have a quick way to program that works. Under the hood this is based on using Java. Should run on all major operating systems. This is free and largely open software. |
*insert links here | *insert links here | ||
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*insert links here | *insert links here | ||
| − | I have | + | I have witten several programs using Java, there has not been much interest on the net so I have worked on them only for my own use and from time to time. |
*insert links here. | *insert links here. | ||
| − | I have heard VB proponents claim that it is pretty easy with VB. Someone | + | I have heard VB proponents claim that it is pretty easy with VB. Someone elese will have to provide more information. |
I | I | ||
== USB Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers == | == USB Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers == | ||
| − | Many modern computers especially laptops do not have serial ports and the serial connector port is big and bulky. RS232 communication requires the use of level shifters which add parts. Serial communication can also be slow | + | Many modern computers especially laptops do not have serial ports and the serial connector port is big and bulky. RS232 communication requires the use of level shifters which add parts. Serial communication can also be slow. |
| − | An alternative is more and more microcontrollers now have native support for USB which has smaller connectors, is faster, and works with the plug and play architecture of modern OSs. The disadvantage is that the firmware is much more complex and the PC side requires an device driver and corresponding INF file. Lucky, many generic drivers are available and many microcontroller | + | An alternative is more and more microcontrollers now have native support for USB which has smaller connectors, is faster, and works with the plug and play architecture of modern OSs. The disadvantage is that the firmware is much more complex and the PC side requires an device driver and corresponding INF file. Lucky, many generic drivers are available and many microcontroller manufacters that support USB provide sample firmware. |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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| − | | | + | |Catagory |
|Site | |Site | ||
|Comments | |Comments | ||
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|Device Driver | |Device Driver | ||
|[http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa476426.aspx WinUSB] | |[http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa476426.aspx WinUSB] | ||
| − | |Free generic device driver provided by | + | |Free generic device driver provided by microsoft for Windows XP and Vista |
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* No level translators and small connectors | * No level translators and small connectors | ||
* Works with computers that don't have serial ports | * Works with computers that don't have serial ports | ||
| − | * Ability to implement standard devices such a keyboards, mice, memory card readers, and sound cards without | + | * Ability to implement standard devices such a keyboards, mice, memory card readers, and sound cards without writting a device driver. |
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
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== Ethernet-TCP/IP Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers == | == Ethernet-TCP/IP Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers == | ||
| − | Ethernet and the Internet is | + | Ethernet and the Internet is everwhere so many embedded devices now have ethernet connections. Network connections can be very long and it's possible to use cheap commodity hardware such as WiFi bridges. Several microcontroller manufacters are now providing sample TCP/IP stacks some of them with embedded web servers so that the hardware can be controlled from a PC via a web browser such as IE or Firefox. PC programming has a mostly OS independent API called sockets that is available on both Windows and Unix. |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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Advantages: | Advantages: | ||
* Fast | * Fast | ||
| − | * Long cable lengths and commodity | + | * Long cable lengths and commodity equiptment |
* PC API is mostly OS independent | * PC API is mostly OS independent | ||
* No device drivers required | * No device drivers required | ||
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== Bluetooth-SPP Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers == | == Bluetooth-SPP Communications from a PC to Microcontrollers == | ||
| − | Many laptops and even desktops now have bluetooth support or a bluetooth dangle can be purchased for a small amount of money. This makes bluetooth a good choice for controlling microcontrollers wirelessly. Several | + | Many laptops and even desktops now have bluetooth support or a bluetooth dangle can be purchased for a small amount of money. This makes bluetooth a good choice for controlling microcontrollers wirelessly. Several dropin modules are available that implement the Bluetooth SPP protocal which allows direct emulation of a serial cable. The models usually have an AT command set for configuring the module and establishing connections. Most Bluetooth stacks on the PC have support for SPP and will expose the device as a COM port. Detection of the COM port is difficult since Bluetooth doesn't have a standard stack for Windows. |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|-valign="top" | |-valign="top" | ||
| − | | | + | |Catagory |
|Site | |Site | ||
|Comments | |Comments | ||
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|Hardware | |Hardware | ||
|[http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8461 Bluetooth DIP Module - SparkFun] | |[http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8461 Bluetooth DIP Module - SparkFun] | ||
| − | |Bluetooth | + | |Bluetooth dropin serial replacement module from SparkFun |
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== RS232 Level Translation == | == RS232 Level Translation == | ||
| − | Many microcontrollers do rs232 but do not output levels that are rs232 standard. I have often seen statements that they work anyway. Could be true. The standard solution is to use a MAX232 chip. Rather than put one in every project you can use a | + | Many microcontrollers do rs232 but do not output levels that are rs232 standard. I have often seen statements that they work anyway. Could be true. The standard solution is to use a MAX232 chip. Rather than put one in every project you can use a seperate board or cable. |
Some links: | Some links: | ||
