Rapid prototyping with Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kit using MPLAB Harmony v3
This tutorial shows you how to develop an application prototype from a concept without designing a PCB using 32-bit MCU-based Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kits and Nano baseboard.
The problem statement you would address is implementing a smart appliance control application on the PIC32CM MC00 Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kit using MPLAB® Harmony v3 software framework.
The application makes use of the PIC32CM MC00 Curiosity Nano Evaluation Kit, the BM71-XPRO Bluetooth Low energy board, and the following MikroElektronika Click boards: WEATHER CLICK, Fan Click, EINK CLICK BUNDLE.
The application is developed on the MPLAB Harmony v3 software framework. MPLAB Harmony v3 is a modular framework that provides interoperable firmware libraries for application development on 32-bit MCUs and MPUs. It includes an easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI) (MPLAB Harmony Configurator (MHC)) for selecting, configuring, and generating starter codes, peripheral libraries, and middleware (USB, TCP/IP, Graphics, and so on).
This application demonstrates smart control of an appliance (fan) through an Android-based smartphone over a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection.
The application enables BLE transfers by connecting the BM71 XPRO to the Microchip Bluetooth Data (MBD) Android smartphone application. The BM71 XPRO uses a transparent service for data exchange with the Android MBD mobile application. The BM71 XPRO interfaces to the MCU over SERCOM - USART interface.
The fan connected to Fan Click via the I²C interface is controlled based on the mobile application’s commands. The application supports two types of commands received over BLE.
Environment temperature-based Fan Control mode command
- When the application receives a command TEMP_CTRL from the Android smartphone, the fan is run based on the environmental temperature. The application reads the temperature values from a weather sensor and displays them on the eINK display and controls a DC fan as mentioned below.
- The fan rotates at LOW speed at a temperature between 18 (64°F) to 25 (77°F) degrees Celsius.
- The fan rotates at MEDIUM speed at a temperature between 26 (78°F) to 30 (86°F) degrees Celsius.
- Temperature is greater than 30 degrees Celsius (86°F), the fan rotates at HIGH speed.
- Temperature is less than 18 (64°F), the fan is switched OFF.
Fan operation control based on the commands received from the Android smartphone.
- You can control the fan by sending specific commands to the MBD app running on the connected smartphone.
- BLE_CTRL: FAN_ON - Turns the fan “On” and runs at LOW speed.
- BLE_CTRL: FAN_OFF - Turns “Off” the fan.
- BLE_CTRL: FAN_LOW - Runs the fan at LOW speed.
- BLE_CTRL: FAN_MID - Runs the fan at MEDIUM speed.
- BLE_CTRL: FAN_HIGH - Runs the fan at HIGH speed.
The application you create will utilize the following peripherals:
- SERCOM0 (as I²C) peripheral library to read the temperature from the Weather Click sensor and control the speed of the 5 V DC fan using the Fan Click.
- SERCOM1 (as SPI) peripheral library to display the temperature and fan speed status on the eINK display
- SERCOM3 (as Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (USART)) peripheral library to communicate with the BM71-XPRO using the BM71 Driver
- SysTick and Timer (TC0) peripheral libraries are used for MikroElektronika board and BM71 driver timing requirements
For more information refer the links below.
