contiki/platform/avr-rss2

Getting Started with Contiki using avr-rss2

This guide's aim is to help you start using Contiki for RSS2 boards The platform supports different AtMega-RF boards:

• Based on MCU AtMega128RFR2
• Based on MCU AtMega256RFR2
• Based on MCU AtMega128RFA1

Boards all looks the same. AtMega256RFR2 boards are labeled with "Made in EU". The platform and CPU code, are common for both boards, can be found under $(CONTIKI)/platfrom/avr-rssa. The port was developed and tested with RSS2. This guide assumes that you have basic understanding of how to use the command line and perform basic admin tasks on UNIX family OSs. You should also have understanding about the Contiki OS design as well have C programming skills.

Board Features

• Chip Antenna. Supercardiod.
• Robust radio performance. Up to 300 meter line-of-sight.
• Unique EUI64 address via chip combined with EEPROM
• Onboard temp sensor DS18B20,
• Light Sensor.
• 32kHz RTC xtal
• Comparator chip and input.
• SW FET, (relay) for power on/off of sensors.
• DC input via LDO up to 25V.
• Standard. 6-pin TTL-USB header for FTDI cable for UART.
• PCB formfactor for cheap project box G.40X IP54
• Power/current:
  • RX ~10mA (Full RPC AtMegaXXRFR2).
  • Sleep ~45uA @ 16MHz XTAL
  • Sleep ~15uA @ 8MHz using internal oscillator
• Preprogammed bootloader.
• CE certified by test institute.

UART

The board has one UART via the 6-pin TTL-USB adapter, The recommended baudrate is 38400 bps. This speed gives the lowest error with respect of the used clock frequency used internally. A possible hi-speed is 250000 bps wich gives 0% Error with 16MHz clock.

Port Features

The platform has the following key features:

• Standard, E64 address from built-in chip.
• First hooks for RPC (Reduced Power Consumption) for AtMegaXXXRFR2.

Toolchain needs

The Atmel toolcahin is available in most operating system. Note. The native OS packages does not yet support the new AtMega256RfR2 MCU.

We'll use toolchain from Atmels web-site. You might also consider Instant Contiki.

For Linux

1. See http://www.atmel.com/tools/ATMELAVRTOOLCHAINFORLINUX.aspx
2. Download the proper 8-bit platform 32 or 64 bit.
3. Unpack under /usr/local
4. Add to your search PATH. For example add to .bashrc: export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/avr8-gnu-toolchain-linux_x86_64/bin (for 64 bit systems) or export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/avr8-gnu-toolchain-linux_x86/bin (for 32 birt systems).
5. For flash programming you'll need avrdude. It can be installed with the command apt-get install avrdude

For Windows

Goes here

Contiki build TARGET

make TARGET=avr-rss2

For AtMega128RFR2 boards:

make TARGET=avr-rss2 MCU=atmega128rfr2

For AtMega128RFA1 boards:

make TARGET=avr-rss2 MCU=atmega128rfa1

Flashing

Programming using avrdude using serial bootloader. (TTL-USB cable) Press the RESET button. The bootloader with wait for boot commands for 3 seconds.

Flashing commnad line example 256k MCU:

avrdude -p m256rfr2 -c stk500v2 -P /dev/ttyUSB0 -b 38400 -e -U flash:w:hello-world.avr-rss2 

Flashing commnad line example 128k MCU:

avrdude -p m128rfa1 -c avr109 -P /dev/ttyUSB0 -b 38400 -e -U flash:w:hello-world.avr-rss2 

Older boards may use the avr109 boot loader. The stk500v2 uses the yellow lED while the avr109 uses the red LED.

Tested applications and examples

• hello-world
• ipv6/rpl-udp
• ipv6/simple-udp-rpl
• rime
• ipv6/multicast
• examples/powertrace
• example-shell

Note that the shell example needs file symbols.c to be added to project also seems like in core/dev/serial-line.c the function process_poll must be replaced with process_post:

 /* Wake up consumer process */
-  process_poll(&serial_line_process);
+  process_post(&serial_line_process, 0, 0);

Platform tutorial applications

Example to read out various sensors, leds, serial numbers, and so on: platform/avr-rss2/examples/hello-sensors/.

The previous example uses the sensd data encoding. An example that uses UDP through 6lowpan is here: platform/avr-rss2/examples/ipv6/rpl-udp-report.

An Ethernet gateway with ip64 NAT, based on Contiki core/net/ip64 code: platform/avr-rss2/examples/ipv6/rpl-border-router/.

Regressions tests

Travis compile regression test for the platform: regression-tests/23-compile-avr.

This port adds newer version of avr-gcc compiler (4.9.2), to support testing of newer Atmel MCU as Atmega256RFR2.

Board approvals

Summary:

• R&TTE 73/23/EEC, 89/336/EEC and 99/5/EC
• Safety: EN 60950-1:2006 + A12: 2011
• RF: ETSI EN 300 328 V1.7.1 (2006-10)
• EMC: ETSI EN 301 489-1 V1.9.2 (2011-09), ETSI EN 301 489-17 V2.2.1 (2012-09)
• EMF: EN 62479:2010
• Human exposure to electromagnetic fields: EN 62479:2010

Commercial availability

Through vendor and though resellers. Note board is will only available were CE approval is covered. This may be further restricted by WEEE. Contact vendor. For research legislation is more relaxed in most countries.

References

AtMega64/128/256/RFR2 chip documentation available via Atmel. Schematics and boards description. Available via Radio-Senors Smart Reduced Power Consumption Techniques. AT02594 available via Atmel.

ToDo

API for radio power saving settings introduced Atmels app note AT02594. Also function for the desensitizing RPC resister.

Vendor info

http://radio-sensors.com/

Maintainer

Robert Olsson robert@radio-sensors.com