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Interfacing MSP430 launchpad with Laptop

Gaurav Kumar1
Prodigy 105 points

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F1612

Hi Friends,

I have a requirement where MSP430 controls the motor speed and a sensor mesures the distance and stores it.

In second part I need to develop a GUI to be used on host PC which can communicate with the MSP430 and can fetch the sensor reading array. Based on the fetched readings it has to write database and have to generate a report file with graph. Since database is involved the GUI has to be Java one. My question is how to establish communication between this GUI and my MSP430? Can I use the Launchpad for this pupose? Ho to do it with or without the launchpad? Can any one please guide? 

  • 0
    Genius 4140 points

    Hmmm , Okay firstly you can definitely use Launchpad for this. You have to set up the UART in MSP430 and make it to read a command (defined by your self) from PC via Serial port. You can find sample programs for reading a character from PC in example codes of TI. And all you have to do is set up a character for every functionality that u need. And if u need a GUI you can also use python which is good than JAVA,

    Regards,

    Sri.

  • 0
    Guru 227245 points

    Take a look at the LaunchPad Scope project. THe PC program sends commands to the MSP and receives analog readings. It also uses a DLL for visualizing the received data (on a moving timeline, like a scope).

  • 0 in reply to Jens-Michael Gross
    Prodigy 105 points

    I do not need real time viewing . Rather I need to retrieve the stored readings (an array) which needs to be retrieved when I hit retrieve button on My PC GUI. Also since the database part is attached to this GUI and a report file generation with a plot, Java is the solution. Any suggestion if it can be achieved in a better way through any other language?

  • 0 in reply to Gaurav Kumar1
    Prodigy 105 points

    @Sri :  Can python GUI be connected to a database ? This is easily achieved with JDBC in Java. Also I need to generate a report which will contain a plot based on retrieved data with addition info entered through the GUI. Do you think Python is a solution for this or any other suggestion?

  • 0 in reply to Gaurav Kumar1
    Guru 35595 points

    Gaurav Kumar1 said:
    Can python GUI be connected to a database ?

    Yes. But it has nothing whatsoever to do with the MSP430!

    You need a PC forum for that question...

  • 0 in reply to Gaurav Kumar1
    Guru 227245 points

    Gaurav Kumar1 said:
    I do not need real time viewing

    Then just ignore the part that gets a data stream and forwards it to the scope lib. But all the rest you need is there. Buttons on the GUI that send to the MSP and data form teh MSP that is sent back to the GUI.

    I once ported this app to C++ and you shouldn't have problems to port it to Java. And the MSP part doesn't need to be ported anyway.

  • 0 in reply to Jens-Michael Gross
    Prodigy 105 points

    Hello Friends,

    I have started working on this project and have come up with the GUI based on JAVA swing. I was doing research and came to know I need to use RXTX package to set up communication to serial port for this GUI.

    Regarding MSP430 to serial port communication part, I read that I might use FT232R USB UART IC, and need to install its driver. I was wondering if I can use Launchpad itself without any other hardware component. Launchpad has TSB3410 and G2553 chip. But I am unsure how do I set up the communication between G2553 chip with my USB port of laptop or to say directly communicate with the target G2553 chip. I can also see F1612 as interface between TSB3410 and G2553 on the launchpad. Please guide with any resources or application note.

    Thanks

  • 0 in reply to Gaurav Kumar1
    Guru 227245 points

    Yes, you can use the launchPad without additional hardware, but with limitations.

    Yo somewhat misunderstood the role of the parts on the LaunchPad. The TUSB chip is indeed an USB/serial converter. It interfaces the programming logic to the PC. The programming logic (FET) is base don an MSP430F1612 and is serially controlled by the debugger software. It performs the required actions to program the target MSP through JTAG and also provides the necessary high-speed interface for things like breakpoints, register value fetches etc.

    However, some free capacity of the 8051 (?) core of the TUSB chip is used to simulate a second UART channel that can be used to connect the target MSP and the PC. But this connection is limited to 9600Bd only. The signals are routed through the RX and TX jumpers on the LaunchPad. On the PC, this is the 'MSP430 application UART' virtual COM port.

    Further details can be extracted from the LaunchPad schematics and the demo codes for software UART and hardware UART (G2553 only)

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