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Zigbee ez430 - RF2480 Module Questions

SEAN7191
Prodigy 165 points

Hi,

I am using the ez430 -rf2480 demo kit for a university based project and seem to be running into big problem, wondering if could seek some advice or direction.

Question 1

I am using the ez430-rf2480 to create a mesh network. I want to be able to connect a sensor via usb on the laptop, read it in on the com port and then send it out through another com port to the USB dongle interface (MSP-eZ430U, setting it up as an end device/router) . This usb board will be set up as an end device and send the information to another laptop with another USB dongle interface (MSP-eZ430U set up as a co-ordinator. I am downloaded the IAR workbench sample app and looked over but dont seem to be understanding alot of it. wondering if could seek some advice on this design?

 

Question 2

trying to use the packet sniffer kit cc2520dk(recommended by ti) to view the packets as in the youtube example http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IzUvVLs7hcU. I have setup the ez430 -rf2480 modules using the sample app but when I connected the RF05 EB board and then cc2520EM I am unable to read the packets in the packet sniffer app, all I see is a blank screen. wondering if anyone had done this yet and how did you set it up?

regards,

S

 

  • 0
    Intellectual 740 points

    Sean,

    To address your first question, the task you are proposing to do is well within the capabilities of the CC2480 and the EZ development kit.  Speaking from experience, understanding the Sample App code will take some time and a lot of reference to the Interface Specification (found on the CC2480 product page).  Since your application will obviously be different than the sample app, I would recommend starting from scratch and writing your own code using the Sample App code as a reference and loose framework.  In trying to develop a more complicated application than the sample code, I tried to just modify the existing code but eventually started from scratch and I ended up learning the CC2480 much better and made progress much faster.  If you don't have IAR, I would recommend downloading the free version of Code Composer Essentials to use as an IDE.

    Good luck, and as with anything, it will take time

  • 0 in reply to RFCE
    Prodigy 165 points

    thanks for your reply.

    Yea I was beginning to think that starting from stratch will be better for me. The problem is as its a university based project, time is essential on this one(approx 8/9 weeks to build and then test- think it Possible?).

    I have the software and have been going through the code over and over again and finding it still very difficult. I will look at the interface specification in more detail thanks. I think Id be much happy to proceed on this on my own having good knowledge of this sample code, but because finding it difficult I am unsure about going on my own and programming it from scratch.

    Would you be able to give advice on how to read in data  for the MSP430 from a usb(website examples, books to look through etc.. so I can learn how to proceed)?

    I have been able to  sort of understand  the sample_main.c app, working out values of battery and tempeature and storing them in a tmp value. tmp is then delivered and transmitter via INTERRUPT_rx and INTERRUPT_tx. Am I correct or is my understanding of this still poor?

    thanks

    Sean

  • 0 in reply to SEAN7191
    Intellectual 740 points

    The MSP430 is bridged to the USB (over the development kit adaptor board) using a UART-to-USB.  In this manner, the device is treated like a Virtual COM port from the computer side and like a UART bus from the MSP430 microcontroller.  This greatly simplifies things at the expense of data throughput, although that isn't a problem for your application.  There are many application notes on the TI website to introduce you to UART if you are unfamiliar and additional notes specific to UART communication on the MSP430 MCU.  From the computer side, the Virtual COM is treated like a serial port.

    In the sample app code, the ADC is used to read the battery voltage and temperature sensor, which in each case is stored as a temporary variable.  The conversion is then performed to take the 10-bit measurement (0 - 1023 corresponds to 0-Vsupply) to engineering units, voltage or temperature.  Unless the source code has been modified since I have last used it, interrupts are not used to transmit or receive data, so I don't think your last sentence is correct.  I believe the code calls a function to send the data out in a packet to the CC2480 processor.