Beginner
10 min

Experience seamless load management with DRV777 and ATmega324P

Driving innovation, one load at a time

Driver Click with EasyAVR v7

Published Nov 07, 2023

Click board™

Driver Click

Dev Board

EasyAVR v7

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

ATmega324P

Our innovative solution features seven integrated high-current drivers, offering a versatile platform for driving various loads and enabling your creative breakthroughs.

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Driver Click is based on the DRV777, an integrated motor and relay driver from Texas Instruments. This IC has seven integrated current sink drivers. Each channel has a free-wheeling diode, connected to a common pin (COM) used for an inductive kickback voltage protection. This kickback voltage is typically observed at electromotors and relays, so the existence of such a protection makes this driver a good choice for driving motors, relays, and other inductive loads, which can generate back EMF. Each output is controlled by an input pin. Logic HIGH level on the input will result in the LOW state of the corresponding output, allowing a single driver to sink up to 140mA. The input logic voltage level can range between 1.8V and 5V, thus allowing a wide range of MCUs to be used. The input stage is filtered through an RC snubber filter, allowing the Click board™ to be used in a noisy environment. Logic LOW on the input pin will set the output

driver to a HIGH logic level, allowing up to 16V (20V absolute maximum) between the pin and the ground. While in a HIGH state, the output driver will not sink current. For this reason, the input is equipped with the weak pull-down resistor, allowing inputs to be left floating or tri-stated, ensuring that the output drivers will not accidentally drive the connected load. The output drivers are capable of sinking up to 140mA per channel. However, the DRV777 IC allows outputs to be used in parallel, combining the current that can be sink. This allows sinking up to 1A of current when all the drivers are combined. In addition, more Click board™ can be combined, allowing sinking even more current. This Click board™ is equipped with the nine-pole spring terminal. Each output is routed to the terminal, with the addition of the COM pin and GND. This pin is a common cathode pin for all the free-wheeling diodes and a special care should be taken to connect this pin to

the same voltage potential as the connected load. If not connected, a permanent damage might occur to the output drivers. GND for the load should be connected to the GND input of the nine-pole spring terminal. By using the output connector, various connections can be implemented with the same Click board™. Drivers can drive relays, motors, or a combination of these. The DRV777 datasheet offers several connecting and driving solutions. It also offers more in-depth information about the IC itself. Although the IC uses only the 5V power rail from the mikroBUS™, the Driver click can be freely interfaced to either 3.3V or 5V MCUs. It does not require a special jumper for the logic voltage level selection. However, it has two SMD jumpers labeled as IN6 and IN7, used to enable or disable these driver inputs. It is done so to prevent interference with the UART module in some cases, as these two pins are routed to the mikroBUS™ RX and TX pins.

Driver Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

EasyAVR v7 is the seventh generation of AVR development boards specially designed for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. It supports a wide range of 16-bit AVR microcontrollers from Microchip and has a broad set of unique functions, such as a powerful onboard mikroProg programmer and In-Circuit debugger over USB. The development board is well organized and designed so that the end-user has all the necessary elements in one place, such as switches, buttons, indicators, connectors, and others. With four different connectors for each port, EasyAVR v7 allows you to connect accessory boards, sensors, and custom electronics more

efficiently than ever. Each part of the EasyAVR v7 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. An integrated mikroProg, a fast USB 2.0 programmer with mikroICD hardware In-Circuit Debugger, offers many valuable programming/debugging options and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment. Besides it also includes a clean and regulated power supply block for the development board. It can use a wide range of external power sources, including an external 12V power supply, 7-12V AC or 9-15V DC via DC connector/screw terminals, and a power source via the USB Type-B (USB-B)

connector. Communication options such as USB-UART and RS-232 are also included, alongside the well-established mikroBUS™ standard, three display options (7-segment, graphical, and character-based LCD), and several different DIP sockets which cover a wide range of 16-bit AVR MCUs. EasyAVR v7 is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem for rapid development. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping and development thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

EasyAVR v7 horizontal image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

ATmega324P

Architecture

AVR

MCU Memory (KB)

32

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

40

RAM (Bytes)

2048

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Driver Channel Control 1
PA7
AN
Driver Channel Control 2
PA6
RST
Driver Channel Control 3
PA5
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Driver Channel Control 4
PD4
PWM
Driver Channel Control 5
PD2
INT
Driver Channel Control 6
PD1
TX
Driver Channel Control 7
PD0
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

Driver Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

EasyAVR v7 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the EasyAVR v7 as your development board.

EasyAVR v7 front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
EasyAVR v7 Access DIP MB 1 - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
NECTO Compiler Selection Step Image hardware assembly
NECTO Output Selection Step Image hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Necto DIP image step 7 hardware assembly
EasyPIC PRO v7a Display Selection Necto Step hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Necto PreFlash Image hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Driver Click driver.

Key functions:

  • driver_set_in1 - IN1 Set function.

  • driver_set_in2 - IN2 Set function.

  • driver_set_in3 - IN3 Set function.

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Driver Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This application offering a nine-pole spring terminal that can be used to implement and realize a wide range of different applications.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes GPIO driver and selects which inputs will be set in operation.
   Bits from 0 to 6 (selectIN) select inputs from IN1 to IN7, respectively.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Performs cycles in which selected inputs will be turned on for pulseWidth
   delay time one by one. When one input is turned on, it will be turned off after desired delay time before the next input be turned on.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "driver.h"

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

static driver_t driver;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    driver_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info(&logger, "---- Application Init ----");

    //  Click initialization.

    driver_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    DRIVER_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    driver_init( &driver, &cfg );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    uint8_t select_in;
    uint8_t temp;
    uint8_t count;

    select_in = 0x7F;
    temp = 1;
    
    for (count = 0; count < 7; count++)
    {
        switch ( select_in & temp )
        {
            case 0x01 :
            {
                driver_set_in1( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT1 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in1( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT1 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            case 0x02 :
            {
                driver_set_in2( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT2 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in2( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT2 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            case 0x04 :
            {
                driver_set_in3( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT3 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in3( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT3 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            case 0x08 :
            {
                driver_set_in4( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT4 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in4( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT4 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            case 0x10 :
            {
                driver_set_in5( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT5 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in5( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT5 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            case 0x20 :
            {
                driver_set_in6( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT6 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in6( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT6 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            case 0x40 :
            {
                driver_set_in7( &driver, ENABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT7 enabled\r\n" );
                Delay_ms( PULSE_WIDTH );
                driver_set_in7( &driver, DISABLE_IN );
                log_printf( &logger, "OUT7 disabled\r\n" );
                break;
            }
            default :
            {
                break;
            }
        }
        log_printf( &logger, "----------------------\r\n" );
        temp <<= 1;
        
        Delay_ms( 1000 );
    }
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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