Embedded processing

An FAQ about the Matter connectivity standard

2021-05-11T16:00:00Z

Matter, formerly known as Project Connected Home over IP (CHIP), is a royalty-free connectivity standard developed within the Connectivity Standards Alliance, formerly the Zigbee Alliance. Matter runs on Thread and Wi-Fi® network layers and uses&...(read more)

Understanding functional safety in automotive and industrial sensing applications

2021-05-10T13:00:00Z

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries in 2018. As design engineers, we often think about our world – or more specifically, the applications we develop – in binary code: 1s an...(read more)

A world of possibilities: 5 ways to use MSP430™︎ MCUs in your design

2021-04-29T19:14:00Z

Imagine a design where you can reduce the number of analog components and shrink your board size. A design where you can customize features for your specific application and optimize your system for performance, power, size, and cost. Did you know th...(read more)

Compact. Precise. Connected. Increase productivity with intelligent edge computing

2021-02-01T07:10:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: AM6442, AM6441, AM6421, AM6412, AM6411

The world population is 7.8 billion and is on the rise, with an estimate of 10 billion by 2050. The growing population needs basic necessities such as food, clothing and ever-increasing comforts safely and securely. Industry 4.0 technologies today and upcoming Industry 5.0 innovations in smart manufacturing, smart buildings and smart grid can serve these needs.

High-performance multicore processing engines used in Industry 4.0 cloud architectures collect data from thousands of edge sensors and perform sophisticated analytics to manage plant operations. As end-to-end automation increases, the number of sensors and corresponding data that requires managing is also increasing exponentially. A smart factory could have more than 50,000 sensors and generate several petabytes daily; even a standard office building can generate hundreds of gigabytes of data.

The International Data Corp. estimates that by 2022, 40% of data will be stored, managed, analyzed and kept right where it was produced, also known as “at the edge.” The evolution of computing outside the cloud has created a need for compact, precise and connected edge devices. These edge devices have three key requirements: real-time computing, multiprotocol industrial networking capabilities, and web service capabilities deployable in the field. Figure 1 illustrates these requirements in industrial applications.

TI’s AM64x family of Sitara™ real-time networked processors directly addresses these needs.

Figure 1: Intelligent edge-computing requirements

Systems that can benefit from the features in the AM64x family include AC servo motor drives, industrial programmable logic controllers (PLCs), motion controllers in factory automation, Internet of Things, gateways in building automation, data concentrators in grid automation, high-precision data-acquisition systems, 3D cameras and many more.

AC servo motor drive example

Consider a servo drive like the one in Figure 2 – a basic element of modern automation. Servo drives control the motors in everything from CNC machines, robotics, conveyor belts, warehouse automation and many more. The AM6442 for example, has four high-performance Arm® Cortex®-R5F cores running at up to 800 MHz each, offering a total of 6,400 real-time Dhrystone million instructions per second (DMIPS) and enabling high-precision motor-control loops with cycle times as low as 3 µs and extremely low jitter.

Integrated industrial communications make it possible for this same motor drive to communicate in real time with industrial PLCs or motion controllers using standards such as EtherCAT, Profinet and Ethernet/IP – without requiring additional field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). You can use the on-chip Cortex-A53 processing cores to run a high-level operating system (OS) like Linux® and offer intelligent services such as remote diagnostics, failure monitoring, vibration monitoring and system configurability to implement on-demand business policies.

A processor that integrates multiple functions is more than 50% smaller than a multichip solution, enabling more compact drive systems. Designed in a 16-nm process, the power consumption of the AM64x – less than 1W to 2 Watts depending on the configuration – simplifies thermal design results in its compact size.

Figure 2: Compact, Precise, Connected servo drives

Real-time computing ability

The AM64x family uses Arm Cortex-R5F processing cores (as opposed to other Arm processing cores such as Cortex-M7) to enable multicore capability for embedded systems that require reliability, high availability and low-latency real-time responses. The AM6442 and AM6441’s four Cortex-R5F cores have a total performance of 5,300 real-time DMIPS. The Cortex-R5F includes low-latency interrupt technology that enables the interruption and restarting of long multicycle instructions.

Real-time multiprotocol industrial networking capabilities

Ethernet is becoming the de facto industrial communications standard, replacing serial field buses in factories, buildings and grid infrastructures. But standard Ethernet is also nondeterministic, and modern factory automation requires deterministic operation and time synchronization. The standards developed to address this inherent incompatibility require special FPGAs or ASICs, increasing system cost and size.

Integrated industrial connectivity is central to the AM64x architecture. Each device features multiple Ethernet ports to support industrial switch implementations such as time-sensitive networking (TSN) up to gigabit speeds, as well as EtherCAT®, PROFINET®, ETHERNET/IP® and others.

The AM64x family also integrates complete software stacks for these protocols, making it easy to design edge devices that seamlessly connect to the factory infrastructure. AM64x protocol support also includes IO-Link Master and acting as a gateway from IO-Link to any of the industrial Ethernet protocols and motor encode position EnDat 2.2 and HIPERFACE DSL®.

Web service capabilities deployable in the field

Remotely managing devices – drives, sensors and gateways – in Industry 4.0 could be based on predictive maintenance algorithms running in the system, sending alerts to the cloud or infrastructure. The on-chip Cortex-A53 core(s) in the AM64x perform this task without disrupting service.

You can also run a high-level OS such as Linux and a web or application server to implement different business models. Two cores running at 1 GHz each offer enough performance to handle the increasing amount of multiple services without disrupting real-time computing and networking traffic. Linux also enables faster application development, with features continuously added in kernel revisions. The AM64x’s mainline Linux support simplifies code-base conversions from one kernel to the next.

The AM64x family has multiple pin-to-pin compatible devices shown in Table 2. You can start with a lower-featured device and migrate to a higher-performing device as your design needs evolve, while keeping the same printed circuit board design.

Function	Detailed features	AM6442	AM6441	AM6421	AM6412	AM6411
Real-time computing	MCU cores	4 Cortex-R5Fs	4 Cortex-R5Fs	2 Cortex-R5Fs	1 Cortex-R5F	1 Cortex- R5F
	Frequency (MHz, each core)	800	800	800	800, 400	800, 400
	DMIPS (total): Cortex-R5F at 2 DMIPS/Hz	6,400	6,400	3,200	1,600	1,600
High-level OS and services	MPU cores	2 Cortex-A53s	1 Cortex-A53	1 Cortex-A53	2 Cortex-A53s	1 Cortex-A53
	Frequency (MHz, each core)	1,000	1,000	1,000	800, 1,000	800, 1,000
	DMIPS (total): Cortex-A53 at 3 DMIPS/Hz	6,000	3,000	3,000	6,000	3,000
System control	Dedicated microcontroller (MCU) core with functional isolation	1 Cortex-M4 at 400 MHz	1 Cortex-M4 at 400 MHz	1 Cortex-M4 at 400 MHz	1 Cortex-M4 at 400 MHz	1 Cortex-M4 at 400 MHz
Connectivity	Real-time industrial Ethernet	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Connectivity	TSN	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Security	IP authentication and protection (confidentiality), anti-cloning protection, cryptography accelerators, trusted execution environment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Safety	Independent Cortex-M4 MCU channel from the main domain, error monitoring	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Table 2: The pin-to-pin compatible AM64x family

Conclusion

TI’s new family of AM64x devices combine real-time computing performance, integrated networking options and the ability to implement configurable web services in a small power envelope. With five pin-to-pin compatible devices, the AM64x family enables you to design next-generation compact, precise and connected edge devices for modern automation.

Additional resources

Check out the getting started with AM64x processing page.
Download these white papers:
- “Utilizing Sitara Processors for Industry 4.0 Servo Drives.”
- “Mainline Linux Ensures Stability and Innovation.”
Read the application report, “Industrial Communication Protocols Supported on Sitara Processors.”
Watch the demonstration video, "Decentralized axis motor control" featuring Sitara processors and C2000™ real-time microcontrollers

Improve wireless battery management with the industry’s best network availability

2021-01-07T07:05:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: BQ79616-Q1, CC2662R-Q1The year 2019 marked more than 2 million sales of electric vehicles(EVs), and reports indicate sales may reach as high as 8 million annually in the next few years, with China leading the way. Batte...(read more)

Get more from your GaN-based digital power designs with a C2000 real-time MCU

2020-12-17T15:26:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: TMS320F28379D, TMS320F280025C

Gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistors (FETs) provide drastically improved switching losses and higher power density over silicon-carbide and silicon-based FETs, respectively. These traits can be particularly helpful in high-switching-frequency applications such as digital power converters, where they can help reduce the size of the magnetics.

Designers in the power electronics industry need new technologies and methods to increase performance in GaN systems. C2000™ real-time microcontrollers (MCUs) can help address design challenges when developing modern power-conversion systems using GaN technology.

The benefits of C2000 real-time MCUs

The adaptability of a digital controller like a C2000 MCU benefits complex topologies and control algorithms such as zero voltage switching, zero current switching or inductor-inductor-capacitor-resonant DC/DC power supplies with hybrid hysteresis control.

A C2000 MCU enables benefits such as:

Complex, time-critical calculation processing. C2000 MCUs have an advanced instruction set that drastically reduces the number of cycles required for complex math calculations. This reduction in calculation time makes it possible to increase the control-loop frequency without increasing the MCU’s operating frequency.
Precise control. The high-resolution pulse-width modulator (PWM) in a C2000 MCU enables 150-ps resolution, while built-in analog comparators and a configurable logic block help safely handle error conditions.
Software and peripheral scalability. As system requirements change, the C2000 platform enables the scaling of real-time MCU features up or down while maintaining software investments to achieve faster time to market. A low-cost C2000 MCU such as the TMS320F280025C, for example, enables real-time processing and control in a small-server power supply while maintaining code compatibility with the TMS320F28379D, which is a popular device in higher frequency multiphase systems.

Read the white paper

Discover how C2000 real-time MCUs and GaN FETs work together to meet power density challenges.

Addressing GaN switching challenges with C2000 MCUs

As I mentioned earlier, driving higher switching frequencies enables a reduction in the size of the magnetics in switching converters, but this reduction can introduce a number of control challenges. For example, in a totem-pole power factor correction topology, reducing the size of the inductor can cause an increased current spike at the zero-crossing point and increase dead-band-induced third-quadrant losses as well. These effects combine to increase the total harmonic distortion (THD) and reduce efficiency.

To address these issues, C2000 real-time MCUs have feature-rich PWMs to enable soft-starting algorithms that smooth out current spikes and achieve better THD. The C2000 MCU also has extended instruction sets, floating-point unit and trigonometric math unit, that can drastically reduce the time required to calculate parameters such as the PWM’s on time. This time reduction also increases the control-loop frequency, which along with the 150-ps resolution of the PWM helps reduce third-quadrant losses.

Interfacing C2000 MCUs with TI GaN technology

A C2000 MCU, digital isolation device and GaN FET are all that are necessary to interface the devices, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Interfacing a C2000 MCU, digital isolator and 600-V GaN FET

A reinforced digital isolator helps suppress transient noise and protects the C2000 MCU. The C2000 MCU provides precise control output using its high-resolution PWM and configurable logic block and enhanced-capture modules to capture all of the GaN FET’s safety, temperature and error-reporting features without the use of external glue logic. The integrated driver in a 600-V GaN FET reduces system design concerns caused by inductive ringing. Combining these devices eliminates the need for external components, reducing overall costs.

Learn more about the advanced features of TI’s GaN FETs in the technical article, “How GaN FETs with integrated drivers and self-protection will enable the next generation of industrial power designs.”

Conclusion

TI C2000 real-time MCUs and GaN FETs work in harmony to provide a flexible and simple solution for modern digital power systems, while still providing cutting-edge features that enable power-dense and efficient digital power systems. Our fully tested and documented reference designs help accelerate development of high-efficiency and high-density digital power systems.

Additional resources

Read the white paper, Achieve Power-Dense and Efficient Digital Power Systems by Combining TI GaN FETs and C2000 Real-Time MCUs
Check out these reference design, Bidirectional High-Density GaN CCM Totem Pole PFC Using C2000 MCU.
Read the application report, “Does GaN Have a Body Diode? – Understanding the Third Quadrant Operation of GaN.”
Learn more about the capabilities of the configurable logic block in the TI training, “C2000 Configurable Logic Block (CLB) Introduction.”

The future of compiler tools for TI Arm® Cortex®-based MCUs

2020-12-14T14:15:00Z

TI Arm Clang is a new set of compiler tools for TI Arm Cortex microcontrollers and represents the future of the TI Arm compiler. This new toolchain is based on the LLVM project and uses Clang as the C/C++ front end. Ultimately this new toolch...(read more)

Increasing flexibility in your precision analog designs with a low-cost MSP430™ MCU

2020-12-07T14:55:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: MSP430I2041

When designing a system, the main goal is to meet high performance requirements at a low overall cost. It’s a delicate balance that influences the architecture of the whole system. Many systems, such as field transmitters, thermometers and electricity meters (also called e-meters) include at least one sensor, which may require an analog front end (AFE) as well. However, simply choosing a fixed-function AFE may not unlock the full potential of your design.

Design choices and flexibility trade-offs

Typically, you select a host microcontroller (MCU) or processor first as the foundation for your design, and then select other building blocks such as power, protection, communication and signal-chain components. If the system includes sensors with low-amplitude or differential outputs, you would probably pick a sigma-delta (also called delta-sigma) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) as the AFE. There are several common AFE options from which to choose, including:

Discrete sigma-delta ADCs
Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)
Low-cost MCUs with an integrated sigma-delta ADC

Discrete sigma-delta ADCs

The simplest AFE option is a discrete (or standalone) delta-sigma ADC. While these ADCs offer superior precision and accuracy, they are the least flexible AFE option. These fixed-function ADCs communicate with the host MCU or processor over a common communication interface such as Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C) or Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART). The host is responsible for configuring the ADC and then processing the raw sensor data from the ADC.

ASICs

An ASIC is another AFE option that may include sigma-delta ADCs and other integrated modules that process the sensor data before sending it to the host. These devices vary in complexity but are fixed function. The host MCU or processor configures the ASIC similar to a discrete ADC, but the ASIC offloads some or even all of the data processing from the host, which can free up additional bandwidth and separate certain functions or calculations.

Low-cost MCUs

The most flexible AFE option is a low-cost MCU with integrated sigma-delta ADCs. These MCUs are not fixed function, so they can be programmed to operate like a discrete ADC (sending raw sensor data to the host) or an ASIC (processing the data before sending it to the host). Additionally, these MCUs can perform other valuable housekeeping tasks such as toggling LEDs or controlling other devices in the system.

Another advantage includes the flexibility to add new or advanced features by simply reprogramming them rather than physically replacing the discrete ADC or ASIC in the system. This flexibility also enables these MCUs to be used as AFEs in designs such as thermostats and weighing scales.

The MSP430i20xx family includes low-cost MCUs like the MSP430i2041, with as many as four 24-bit sigma-delta ADCs and as many as 16 input/output pins. Also, these MCUs feature an integrated 16.384MHz digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), eliminating the need for an external crystal and reducing overall cost. Figure 1 shows technical specifications for the MSP430i20xx family.

Figure 1: MSP430i20xx MCU technical specifications

Additional sensing applications

Several example applications demonstrate the flexibility of MSP430i20xx MCUs. These MCUs can act as an AFE for infrared temperature sensors and battery voltage monitors. They can also act as an AFE in embedded metering applications to measure the power or energy consumption of a load. Using the Energy Measurement Design Center (EMDC) graphical user interface (GUI), you can easily configure the MCU’s software to support several types of current sensors, including shunts, current transformers and Rogowski coils. In this case, the MCU functions like an ASIC by capturing the sensor data, performing the metering calculations, and sending that data to the host MCU or processor.

Let’s say that you wanted to include power quality features such as sag and swell detection in your metering design. You can use the same MCU and simply modify the software generated by the EMDC GUI to add that functionality. If you want to add more advanced power quality features such as harmonic detection to the same metering design a few years later, you could use the same MCU and modify the software to send the raw ADC samples to the host for harmonic analysis.

As a low-cost MCU with integrated sigma-delta ADCs, MSP430i20xx MCUs such as the MSP430i2041 are a good fit for field-transmitter applications such as pressure, flow, temperature and gas transmitters. Using gas transmitters as an example, Figure 2 shows how the MCU can capture data from the gas sensor and also support a human machine interface by controlling LEDs and a buzzer, increasing overall flexibility. This example demonstrates how you can easily offload some simple functions from the host onto the MSP430i2041 MCU.

Figure 2: Gas transmitter block diagram

www.youtube.com/watch

Conclusion

MSP430i20xx MCUs are low-cost, versatile and can be integrated into various sensing applications. Get started today by using our hardware and software development tools and other resources that may interest you.

Additional resources

Start developing with the 32-pin target development board for MSP430i20xx MCUs or the MSP430i2040 submetering evaluation module.
Run the GUI Composer MSP430i20xx sigma-delta ADC demo or download the Energy Measurement Design Center and Technology Guide.
Read the application report, “Answers to Common Sigma-Delta ADC Questions on MSP MCUs”.
Find more housekeeping functions in the technical article, “Integrating multiple functions within a housekeeping MSP430 microcontroller".

How Wi-SUN FAN improves connected infrastructures

2020-11-19T00:31:00Z

Most modern Internet-of-Things appliances and devices can be monitored, controlled and activated from anywhere in the world. These things generate data regularly, and collectively they account for a massive amount of data. To access information and services quickly and reliably, companies across all sectors are more invested in connectivity, which entails faster, more reliable networks and better encryption and security.

Smart cities have the potential to better people’s lives by bridging the gap between the connected consumer and a connected infrastructure. Imagine a world where you save time getting to your flight because an application in your cellphone let you know of an open parking spot on level 4, or if traffic lights could more dynamically control traffic flow to ease commutes. Imagine if a connected lighting pole in front of your house could communicate with the utility company when the lights go out.

Connectivity is a key part of making this a reality.

Utilities and companies developing products for smart cities have several connectivity options, and the Wi-SUN field area network (FAN) is a good option. Why? Let’s start by considering its reliability.

Most common network topologies are star or mesh (shown in Figure 1); Wi-SUN is a mesh network.

Figure 1: Example of mesh and star networks

The star topology is simple and easy to configure, having a hierarchical structure, where bridges and switches are normally connected to a small number of end nodes. Because of its structure, it can have a single point of failure, which may cause concerns when a field crew must perform maintenance or replace a malfunctioning device to keep the network up and running.

A mesh topology is not a hierarchical structure, and as such, you can add routers dynamically to the network to extend the range of a node, using self-configuration to connect to other routers. In the event of a router failure, the network will go into “self-healing” mode, during which the routers find another available connection to allow traffic to continue. What does that mean for end users? A more robust network and reduced downtime for the thousands of connected nodes.

Wi-SUN is based on a frequency-hopping scheme, which contributes to its robustness and reliability because it reduces potential packet losses caused by interference from other networks, especially in high-density areas like city downtowns (shown in Figure 2). Frequency hopping also makes it possible to transmit high-output power in Canada and in the Americas, up to +30 dBm.

Figure 2: Example of how frequency-hopping can avoid interference

Wi-SUN supports a range of data rates, trading off coverage versus throughput. This enables the Wi-SUN FAN to meet the needs of a wide range of network deployment applications, like electric vehicle charging stations, smart transportation, smart parking, environmental sensors and traffic management (Figure 3). Consider the smart city example – throughput and coverage needs can vary widely among certain applications. Smart meters and smart parking, for example, have a need to transmit different amounts of data. The Wi-SUN FAN can scale as needed to meet these varied demands, enabling the applications illustrated below.

Figure 3: Example of potential applications using the Wi-SUN FAN

Another concern that Wi-SUN addresses is security. Hackers are sharpening their skills by the minute, and networks must be resilient against potential threats designed to steal data. Wi-SUN has a security profile that uses device certificates authenticated by trusted root certification authorities to prevent unauthorized network access. It also uses cryptoalgorithms such as elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman, elliptic curve digital signature algorithm and Advanced Encryption Standard-128 cipher block chaining-message authentication code to preserve message confidentiality and integrity. This is important when adding new devices to the network and enabling their identification and authentication. Wi-SUN equipment manufacturers can even obtain a cybersecurity certificate indicating compliance with the FAN Technical Profile Specification.

Because Wi-SUN provides scalability reliability, security and high speed, you may be wondering if it is costly. The good news is that Wi-SUN is an open-standard solution, based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4g wireless standard. As an open standard, it allows the interoperability of equipment from different manufacturers, which may translate to competitive prices for consumers. To guarantee compatibility, manufacturers must go through a formal certification process, which should give city managers and utility companies peace of mind.

As of this month, there are more than 230 members of the Wi-SUN alliance representing 26 countries, with more than 96 million devices deployed worldwide.

Texas Instruments provides transceivers and network processors that support Wi-SUN FAN 1.0. For example, the low-power and high-performance CC1200 wireless transceiver supports a maximum transmission data rate of 1 Mbps and has a sensitivity of -122 dBm at 1.2 kbps, which translates to high speed and long range. It also meets North American, European and Japanese standards.

For developers looking for a network processor, CC1312R and CC1352P wireless microcontrollers include a 48-MHz Arm® Cortex® M4F, with flash memory (so you can update your firmware over the air) and a cryptoaccelerator for security purposes. Block diagram shown in Figure 5 below.

Figure 5: CC13x2 Block Diagram

Wi-SUN brings these benefits to utilities, equipment manufacturers and end users:

A robust network with low downtime due its mesh configuration.
A reliable communication technology that uses frequency-hopping scheme, resulting in a very low number of packet losses in noisy and high-density areas.
A secure network through a well-defined security profile.

Additional resources

Check out our demo video exploring the benefits of a Wi-SUN mesh network.
Learn about Wi-SUN FAN Certification Program.
Explore cybersecurity certification.
Request information about the software TI provides for WI-SUN projects.

Interface to sensors in seconds with ASC Studio

2020-11-12T17:17:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: SYSCONFIG, TMP117

You probably find it challenging to set up the various components for your designs. Software development can often be daunting in its complexity, and the added effort of figuring out every component in a system can be intimidating when beginning a design. In order to speed time to market and simplify the software development process when interfacing embedded processing components with analog devices, TI developed an approach that uses intuitive graphical configuration tools to quickly and efficiently generate C code called SysConfig.

SysConfig started as a tool to simplify SimpleLink™ microcontroller (MCU) configurations as shown in Figure 1. The tool brings code examples and full Code Composer Studio™ integrated development environment (IDE) projects to life through a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays all possible configurable parameters. Drop-down menus help you quickly optimize the examples to generate code for the MCU, while tools guide you toward a valid configuration and eliminate the need to search through numerous documents and lines of source code trying to figure out how to update a parameter.

Figure 1: Example LaunchPad™ development kit board view in SysConfig

Our new Analog Signal Chain Studio (ASC Studio) leverages SysConfig , which can be utilized alone or as an extension of this technology, to go beyond pre-configured boards and support a broader TI analog portfolio. Starting with temperature and humidity sensors, ASC Studio makes it easy to quickly set up an interface to supported TI sensors. The graphical setup and configuration of both analog and digital components in a single development environment accelerates the initial setup and configuration of sensors and controllers and gives you more time to create differentiated applications. By combining components in this tool, the GUI automatically avoids conflicts as it generates code.

ASC Studio’s cloud-based interface generates MCU-agnostic code that is 100% portable, commented and C99-compliant (Note: this link requires an active TI.com login in order to enable continuous access to projects over time). For example, let’s say that you selected the TMP117 ultra-high accuracy temperature sensor. After clicking the Add button and selecting configuration settings from the GUI, you can download the .c and .h files for inclusion in an existing project. Figure 2 shows the view of ASC Studio with configurations for a chosen temperature sensor and software files available. This tool enables integration of TI sensors with any development environment and any MCU.

Figure 2: Cloud-based configuration of the TMP117 temperature sensor

If you are also using a SimpleLink MCU in the Code Composer Studio IDE, ASC Studio and the desktop version of SysConfig enable you to generate projects with code already set up for both the sensor and SimpleLink MCU, and begin analyzing data from the sensors in seconds. Here’s how to begin:

1) Install ASC Studio (can be acquired using Resource Explorer in the IDE).

2) Create an empty ASC Studio project:

Import an empty software development kit project.
Add hardware to the project (such as a BoosterPack™ plug-in module).
Add ASC Studio to the project – Figure 3 showcases this view in Code Composer Studio.

Figure 3: Adding ASC Studio to a project

3) Add a sensor to the project:

Add a sensor and configure it.
Resolve any warnings or errors.

4) Read data from the sensor:

Update empty.c to read sensor data.
Build and debug.
Visualize sensor data.

Along with generating code and creating a sample project, ASC Studio and SysConfig desktop tools also enable quick debugging. The SimpleLink Academy training explains how you can use debugger breakpoints and raw memory displays to check the code, as well as create visualizations to see sensor data running in real time and ensure that the results match your expectations.

TI will continue to add new and existing temperature and humidity sensors to ASC Studio, with plans to include current/voltage/power monitors in the future, enabling you to spend more time on your application and less time with initial setup, interfacing and configuration.

Additional resources

Get started with ASCStudio today.
Get a detailed walkthrough of ASC Studio on the SimpleLink Academy online training portal.
Read the technical article, “How SysConfig jump-starts embedded system development.”
Watch our Connect video about how to interface sensors in seconds with ASC Studio.

Integrating multiple functions within a housekeeping MSP430 microcontroller

2020-10-05T15:37:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: MSP430FR2000, MSP430FR2100, MSP430FR2110, MSP430FR2111, MSP430FR2422, MSP430FR2433

You’re probably constantly looking for ways to optimize your printed circuit board (PCB) designs. From reducing board size to lowering costs and component count, maximizing efficiency is a requirement for almost any design.

Adding a small, low-cost microcontroller (MCU) for simple housekeeping functions can benefit many board designs. This housekeeping (or secondary) MCU is not the main host processor in the system, but it can handle several important system-level functions such as LED control or input/output (I/O) expansion. In this article, I’ll explain how integrating a multifunction housekeeping MCU in your system can help lower bill-of-materials (BOM) costs, save board space, and best of all simplify your design.

For example, let’s say that you wanted to create a new design with these features:

LED control
I/O expansion
External electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)
An external watchdog timer

It is possible to use discrete integrated circuits (ICs) to achieve each of these functions. Instead, consider performing all of the functions in software on a housekeeping MCU in order to minimize complexity and reduce board size, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Implementing the functionality of multiple discrete ICs and in software on a single housekeeping MSP430 MCU

Another design challenge to consider – and perhaps one of the most important – is meeting your design budget.

For instance, looking at the costs associated with a discrete IC approach for these features, you could expect these approximate BOM costs (using web pricing):

LED controller IC: approximately $0.20
Five-channel I/O expander IC: approximately $0.25
Serial EEPROM (4 kB): approximately $0.20
External watchdog timer: approximately $0.315

In total, a discrete approach to handle housekeeping functions would cost around $0.97. Compare that to the current web price for an 8-KB MSP430 MCU, which is less than $0.25. That’s quite a large savings!

If you require more or less memory for your housekeeping MCU, you can find various options that scale across memory and price in the MSP430 MCU portfolio. Table 1 lists these MCUs and their current TI.com pricing.

Memory	Product	Pricing
0.5 kB	MSP430FR2000	See Pricing
1 kB	MSP430FR2100	See Pricing
2 kB	MSP430FR2110	See Pricing
4 kB	MSP430FR2111	See Pricing
8 kB	MSP430FR2422	See Pricing
16 kB	MSP430FR2433	See Pricing

Table 1: Housekeeping MSP430 MCUs with TI.com pricing

Not only does an integrated housekeeping MCU approach save board size and reduce the number of components, it also saves BOM costs. You can learn more about these design considerations in the webinar, “Simpler system monitoring: How to offload multiple functions to an MSP430 MCU.”

Sample application: Implementing ADC wake and transmit functions on a housekeeping MCU

Let’s walk through an example of how to actually implement the housekeeping function within your design.

One common function is an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) interfacing with other devices on a board for applications such as battery monitors or temperature sensors. In this example, the ADC must periodically sample the analog signals from the sensors and send this data back to the MCU, which will take action based on the behavior of those signals.

If the MCU is using timers to trigger ADC reads, or even receiving ADC values continuously, the system can consume quite a bit of power. One solution is to integrate the ADC into the MCU and operate it independently of the central processing unit (CPU). That way, the rest of the MCU can go to sleep and will only wake up when the ADC reads a value that crosses a certain threshold. At this point, the ADC will generate an interrupt and wake up the MCU.

We describe this application in our training video about housekeeping functions, “ADC Wake and Transmit on Threshold Using MSP430 MCUs.” In this video, we show a graphical user interface (GUI) demonstrating the reading of the ADC values and the sending of the interrupt to wake up the CPU once the threshold is met.

www.youtube.com/watch

Conclusion

Using another MCU to perform housekeeping functions is a great way to simplify your design. Plus, with our software and GUI, you can program your MSP430 device in minutes to handle a variety of functions.

Additional resources

Learn more about the ADC wake and transmit function in the application note, “ADC Wake and Transmit on Threshold Using MSP430 MCUs"
Try the ADC wake and transmit software example on an MSP430FR2433 LaunchPad™ development kit.
Watch our training video “ADC Wake and Transmit on Threshold with a Housekeeping MCU”
Download and test this example with the ADC Wake and Transmit demo GUI

How TI helps expand connectivity beyond the front door with Amazon Sidewalk

2020-09-21T14:25:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: AMZN-3P-SIDEWALK-TOOLKIT

From lights to locks, homes are becoming more connected – more sensors, more gadgets, more data. As technology continues to advance, consumers crave the ability to monitor, track and sense more, whether it’s temperature, light or motion.

While people’s dependency on technology increases, so does frustration if they’re out of wireless network range, unable to connect, or losing time with network or application installations. Companies developing connected devices often use a variety of wireless protocols, but each protocol works within a certain range and may not talk to other devices.

To help device manufacturers extend the range of their connected devices and enable them to provide a more seamless user experience, TI is now supporting Amazon Sidewalk. Amazon Sidewalk can extend the range of low-bandwidth devices and make it simpler and more convenient for consumers to connect. Ultimately, it will bring more connected devices together into an ecosystem where products such as lights and locks can all communicate on the same network. Sidewalk can enable devices connected inside the home to effortlessly expand throughout the neighborhood.

For example, by utilizing the Sub-1 GHz wireless band (900 MHz), which leverages low data rates to create a long-range, low-power network, Sidewalk will make it possible for consumers to expand their networks into their back yards and stay connected to their other networked devices. This will enable scenarios such as a water sensor that lets you know it’s time to water the garden in the backyard. The extended range can alleviate concerns of dropping connectivity and expands the use cases for connected devices.

To complement the Sub-1 GHz protocol, Amazon Sidewalk also works with Bluetooth® Low Energy to provide greater connectivity around the home.

TI devices supporting the Sidewalk protocol

TI is providing a suite of low-power, multi-band devices with various security enablers to support Amazon Sidewalk. This includes TI’s CC1352R wireless microcontroller (MCU), which supports Sub-1 GHz and Bluetooth Low Energy, the CC1352P wireless MCU, which provides an integrated +20 dBm power amplifier (PA) for an extended range solution, and CC2652P a multi-protocol 2.4GHz wireless MCU with integrated PA. Developers seeking a single-band solution can leverage the CC1312R wireless MCU for 900 MHz or CC2642R wireless MCU for Bluetooth Low Energy. These devices enable developers to build applications that leverage the Sidewalk protocol as well as Bluetooth Low Energy for easy commissioning or over-the-air firmware updates. TI’s Sub-1 GHz devices offer low power FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) modulation technology, which has high spectral efficiency enabling high density low cost applications.

Getting started with your Amazon Sidewalk network

The SimpleLink™ multiband CC1352R wireless MCU LaunchPad™ SensorTag kit (Figure 1) is a Sidewalk-ready development kit that combines integrated environmental and motion sensors with low-power Sub-1 GHz and Bluetooth Low Energy wireless connectivity. With this development kit and TI’s CC1352 software development kit, you can build a Sub-1 GHz or Bluetooth Low Energy application and then in the future leverage Bluetooth Low Energy via a mobile app to load the Sidewalk image.

To stay up to date on the Amazon Sidewalk SDK availability, sign up here. All requests will be vetted and you will be alerted when the software is available.

Figure 1: TI’s LaunchPad Sensor Tag kit

With the number of connected nodes increasing within homes to the exterior and beyond, the capability to build reliable, long-range networks is critical. Long range connectivity extends our ability to collect more sensor data, monitor more devices and build smarter products. What will you connect next?

Additional resources

Learn more about Amazon Sidewalk.
Get started with our Amazon Sidewalk development tool kit (AMZN-3P-SIDEWALK-TOOLKIT)
Explore the SimpleLink CC13x2/CC26x2 software development kit.
Learn more about the benefits of Sub-1 GHz in the TI training video, “Connect: Why Sub-1 GHz?” or podcast.

How to design a wireless social distancing and contact tracing solution with Bluetooth® Low Energy

2020-09-02T18:39:00Z

With its low-cost and low-power features, Bluetooth® Low Energy technology has become the foundation for a wide range of applications. One example is using Bluetooth beacons to create a real-time location system, which is a positioning system that can monitor the whereabouts of equipment or people.

So what role does Bluetooth play in this type of application? Asset tracking uses Bluetooth tags that communicate with one another autonomously to both transmit and receive data in order to effectively monitor the proximity of things or people. Why would you want to monitor the proximity of one person to another? These days, when it comes to easily transmitted illnesses, it’s important to take action to safely interact with one another. Whether it’s a personal situation such as going to the gym or grocery store or a business operating with many workers, the practice of proper social distancing applies to everyone.

Using Bluetooth technology for contact tracing and social distancing is a way to effectively monitor and slow the spread of easily transmitted illnesses to encourage safe practices. But how does it work? Let’s take an example scenario of a workplace. Each employee receives a wearable bracelet or tag. The tags can communicate with one another autonomously and alert employees when they are within a given proximity to another tag, thus ensuring proper social distancing. The tag can also collect data when interactions occur such that if an employee tests positive for a given illness, the data can help determine who else may have been exposed. Using proximity detection rather than location detection protects the wearer’s privacy by not using actual GPS location data.

Figure 1 below shows an example of a contact tracing report and how it can slow the spread of illnesses by identifying who has been in contact with an infected person and is at risk of further spreading the illness. This allows proper measures to be taken thus reducing spread.

Figure 1: Example contact tracing report (source: AiRISTA Flow)

SimpleLink™ Bluetooth devices, such as the CC26xx family of devices, can help address the design challenges of developing a Bluetooth asset tracking solution. For example:

Their small sizes – as low as 2.7 mm by 2.7 mm in the CC2640R2F wafer chip-scale package – make it possible to design into applications such as a wearable tags, wristbands and key fobs.
The ultra-low-power SimpleLink sensor controller and standby currents as low as 0.94 µA in our portfolio help maximize battery life, which is crucial for coin-cell battery applications.
Low cost options beginning at $0.85 with CC2640R2L.
Its security benefits include:
- Secure boot.
- 128- and 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard.
- Secure hash algorithm 2.
- Elliptic curve cryptography/Rivest-Shamir-Adleman.
- True random number generator.

TI’s Bluetooth technology has proven success in this type of application. For example, AiRISTA Flow has developed a social distancing and contact tracing solution that enables employees to return to the workplace with peace of mind that this technology will reinforce practices to keep them safe. This technology has applications ranging from health care to hospitality to industrial sectors, with use cases such as staff safety, patient flow, asset tracking and loss prevention.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about the SimpleLink™ Bluetooth Portfolio.
Get started with the TI LaunchPad™ Development Kit.

Back to basics: Exploring the benefits of affordable Bluetooth® Low Energy

2020-08-20T17:51:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: CC2640R2L, CC2640R2F, CC2642R, CC2652RB, CC2652P

Bluetooth® connects us to the world through our smartphone. We can interface with door locks, thermostats or even our cars. But is all Bluetooth the same? Do you unlock your car with the same Bluetooth that you used to stream music from your phone to a smart speaker?

The answer is yes – and no. Bluetooth Low Energy is a standards-based protocol that enables interoperability between different devices and products; however, there are also optional add-on features to expand the functionality of more complex solutions. There are three basic things that you should consider when picking the right Bluetooth solution for your application: software features, hardware and cost.

Software features

On the software side, there are two important technical details to consider:

Which core specification can the device certify to?
Which feature set does the device support?

The core specification defines the basic features of Bluetooth Low Energy that must run in order to create the interoperability consumers experience when their phone interfaces to products made by hundreds of different companies. These features are mandatory to release a product that is BTX.X certified (for example, BT5.0). Additional features associated with different Bluetooth Low Energy specification releases (outside of the core specification) are optional. For instance, BT5.0 added a high-speed mode, a long-range mode and extended advertising, but your application doesn’t have to support these features to be BT5.0-certified. Along the same lines, BT5.1 added direction finding as a bonus feature.

Hardware

The hardware that runs the Bluetooth stack can also vary widely. There are basic devices that have a single core for both the application and radio-frequency functionality, versus integrated devices that offer both an application core and a microcontroller (MCU) core. There are also one-time programmable devices that are read-only memory-based and cannot be updated after programming, whereas flash-based devices can be upgraded thousands of times and even upgraded in the field over the air.

If your goal is to design a scalable and reliable application, it is important to evaluate affordable, high-quality devices with various hardware options including integrated application MCUs and flash memory architectures. Such evaluations enable you to select the right feature at the right price.

The table below shows some of the key features of Bluetooth Low Energy devices in the TI portfolio.

	CC2640R2L	CC2640R2F (Q1)	CC2642R (Q1)	CC2652RB	CC2652P
	Most cost-effective	Smallest size, lowest power automotive option	Full BT5.1 feature set, automotive option	No need for external crystals – smallest system size	Longest range, highest output power, multiprotocol Bluetooth Low Energy
1 Ku price	$0.85	$1.44	$1.86	$3.00	$3.10
Bluetooth core specification \| Bluetooth feature set	BT5.1 \| BT4.2*	BT5.1 \| BT4.2*	BT5.2 \| Long Range, Advertising extension, 2Mbps, CSA#2, BLE Mesh, Direction Finding	BT5.2 \| Long Range, Advertising extension, 2Mbps, CSA#2, BLE Mesh, Direction Finding	BT5.2 \| Long Range, Advertising extension, 2Mbps, CSA#2, BLE Mesh, Direction Finding
Smallest package option	5-mm-x-5-mm quad flat no-lead (QFN)	2.7-mm-x-2.7-mm wafer chip-scale package (WCSP)	7-mm-x-7mm QFN	7-mm-x-7mm QFN	7-mm-x-7mm QFN
Application MCU core	M3	M3	M4F	M4F	M4F
Flash (KB)	128	128	352	352	352
Maximum output power	+5 dBm	+5 dBm	+5 dBm	+5 dBm	+20 dBm
Protocol support	Bluetooth Low Energy, Proprietary 2.4 GHz	Bluetooth Low Energy	Bluetooth Low Energy	Bluetooth Low Energy + 802.15.4 (Zigbee, Thread)	Bluetooth Low Energy + 802.15.4 (Zigbee, Thread)

*Some limited options available for BT5.0

Table 1: SimpleLink™ Bluetooth Low Energy portfolio offering and specifications

Some applications like wearable devices require the smallest size possible so that they aren’t intrusive. Other applications require higher performance, such as longer ranges or multiprotocol operation, and are not size-sensitive. The TI portfolio offers hardware options that scale across memory footprints, performance, Bluetooth features and package. For instance, the smallest-size offering is the CC2640R2F in the 2.7-mm-by-2.7mm WCSP package. The most cost-effective offering is the CC2640R2L in the 5-mm-by-5-mm QFN package. For multiprotocol support and long ranges, the best option is the CC2652P with its integrated power amplifier.

Cost

When designing a Bluetooth Low Energy product, it is not only important to select the correct features, but also to consider the price. The SimpleLink portfolio has devices with various price, feature and performance options. The newest device in the TI Bluetooth platform, the CC2640R2L, is a flash-based, Bluetooth wireless system on chip with a starting price of $0.85. Additionally, the CC2652RB offers a path to system cost savings by removing the need for external crystals. It integrates this crucial system component into the package of the device, saving $0.10 to $0.20 on average for the total system compared to crystal-based solutions.

Remember – all Bluetooth is standard, but it’s not all the same. When designing your application, it’s critical to cover the Bluetooth basics (software features, hardware and cost) so that you can find the right solution whether you’re unlocking a car or setting the temperature in your house. The TI portfolio is built to cover all bases by offering a variety of software options (BT5.0, locationing, co-existence) and hardware options (memory, package, performance).

Get started today: www.ti.com/BluetoothLowEnergy. Check out our Bluetooth Low Energy mesh network demo video.

Three easy steps to connect and start developing with TI’s cloud-based tools

2020-08-19T13:00:00Z

Other Parts Discussed in Post: SYSCONFIG

As soon as you receive a new development kit, you want to get started developing as quickly as possible, right? Searching for all of the right tools and resources can be a daunting task that slows you down – unless the tools you are using could determine the resources you need automatically.

Using TI’s cloud-based development tools, it is possible to plug in your LaunchPad™ development kit to run examples and even develop and debug applications. Here’s how:

When your development kit arrives, go to the TI DevTools page (you’ll also find the URL printed on the board).
Plug in your kit; you will be prompted to install a small software agent that enables the cloud tools to communicate with the kit.
After the tools have identified your kit, you will receive step-by-step instructions on how to begin development.

The TI embedded development portal

Using our project wizard, select “Create project online” from the main portal, which allows you to browse through a listing of available examples and import them into Code Composer Studio™ Cloud. Figure 1 shows the TI Embedded development portal that has detected an connected LaunchPad development kit.

Figure 1: The TI embedded development portal

Code Composer Studio Cloud

Code Composer Studio Cloud is a cloud-based integrated development environment, as shown in Figure 2. Code Composer Studio Cloud supports building, editing and even debugging of applications. Once you have imported an example project, just click Debug and it will build the example, start the debugger and flash it onto your LaunchPad development kit. This is all possible without having to download a software development kit (SDK) or any additional software, other than the small agent that detects and communicates with the board. The agent will even check if the firmware on the debug probe embedded on the LaunchPad development kit needs an update.

Figure 2: Code Composer Studio Cloud

Resource Explorer

Resource Explorer is a tool that enables you to browse through all of the content within the cloud to find examples and code that best match your application. As shown in figure 3 you can even view the readme file for an example that describes the example and includes any additional instructions.

Figure 3: Resource Explorer

Another advantage of working in the cloud is that you don’t have to worry about not having the latest software, as it defaults to the latest version. There is a wealth of training material available in Resource Explorer to help you get familiar with TI’s devices, tools and software. For SimpleLink™ microcontroller users, SimpleLink Academy is a great place to start.

After selecting an example, using Code Composer Studio Cloud, you can run the application, single-step through the code, set breakpoints and watch variables. Because you are working in a cloud-based environment, you can accomplish these tasks in minutes instead of spending hours setting up a desktop environment.

SysConfig

There is also a system configuration tool called SysConfig. If the example project you are using is SysConfig-enabled, you can use this tool to configure elements of the application such as peripherals, drivers, software stacks and pin assignments. Double-click the configuration file in the project to open SysConfig in your browser.

Prefer desktop tools?

For more intensive development, from the same embedded development portal you can access TI’s desktop development tools, including Code Composer Studio software. The desktop version of Code Composer Studio software also includes Resource Explorer and SysConfig, which gives you access to all of the SDKs and software packages you need for development. You can even export your projects from Code Composer Studio Cloud and then import them into the desktop version.

Conclusion

TI’s cloud-based development tools make it easier to evaluate and start development on a microcontroller. What may have taken most of a day to get started in the past now only takes minutes. With the power of the cloud at your fingertips, what will you create? Grab your LaunchPad development kit and go to the TI DevTools page to start developing.