Intermediate
20 min

Integrate the Wirepas Mesh wireless connectivity stack into your applications using WIRL-PRO2 and PIC18F46K42

Wirepas Click clicks into action!

Wirepas Click with EasyPIC v8

Published Nov 15, 2023

Click board™

Wirepas Click

Dev Board

EasyPIC v8

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC18F46K42

Your gateway to creating robust, self-healing, and energy-efficient mesh networks for applications like smart lighting, asset tracking, and more!

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Wirepas Click is based on the WIRL-PRO2 Thetis-I, a radio module with Wirepas Mesh Protocol from Würth Elektronik. The module is meant to be integrated into Wirepas-based routing networks for wireless communication between devices or nodes. The module transmits data securely and reliably in the license-free 2.4 GHz band, which is globally available and features both authentication and encryption mechanisms. The WIRL-PRO2 Thetis-I module features small dimensions comparable to a nano-SIM card (8 mm x 12 mm), including an onboard PCB antenna, making the modules ideal for small-form-factor design. The module works in a frequency range of 2402 up to 2480MHz with a data rate of up to

1Mbps. It is based on nRF52840, a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 microcontroller from Nordic Semiconductor. It is accompanied by 1MB of Flash and 256KB of RAM. It has a printed antenna with a smart antenna configuration (2-in-1 module), which allows up to +6dBm of transmit power and -92dBm sensitivity. The connectivity can be even better with an external one attached to the onboard N.FL connector from a vast MIKROE offer. Wirepas Click can work as a beacon because of its very small power consumption. For this purpose, it is equipped with a backup battery. In addition, there are two user-configurable indication LEDs, LED1 and LED2 (blue and green). In addition, the Wirepas Click is also equipped with an

unpopulated header for debugging purposes, which allows you direct communication to the Wirepas microcontroller. Wirepas Click uses a standard 2-wire UART interface to communicate with the host MCU, supporting 115200bps of bitrate. You can reset the device over the RST pin. There is the DIN pin to observe the data flow, which is a data indication to the host MCU with an active Low logic state. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used for further development.

Wirepas Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

EasyPIC v8 is a development board specially designed for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. It supports many high pin count 8-bit PIC microcontrollers from Microchip, regardless of their number of pins, and a broad set of unique functions, such as the first-ever embedded debugger/programmer. The development board is well organized and designed so that the end-user has all the necessary elements, such as switches, buttons, indicators, connectors, and others, in one place. Thanks to innovative manufacturing technology, EasyPIC v8 provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access anywhere and under any

circumstances at any time. Each part of the EasyPIC v8 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the advanced integrated CODEGRIP programmer/debugger module, which offers many valuable programming/debugging options and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment, the board also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development board. It can use a wide range of external power sources, including a battery, an external 12V power supply, and a power source via the USB Type-C (USB-C) connector.

Communication options such as USB-UART, USB DEVICE, and CAN are also included, including the well-established mikroBUS™ standard, two display options (graphical and character-based LCD), and several different DIP sockets. These sockets cover a wide range of 8-bit PIC MCUs, from the smallest PIC MCU devices with only eight up to forty pins. EasyPIC v8 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.

EasyPIC v8 horizontal image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

PIC18F46K42

Architecture

PIC

MCU Memory (KB)

64

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

40

RAM (Bytes)

4096

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
Reset
RE1
RST
ID COMM
RE0
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
Data Indication
RB0
INT
UART TX
RC6
TX
UART RX
RC7
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Schematic

Wirepas Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

EasyPIC v8 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the EasyPIC v8 as your development board.

EasyPIC v8 front image hardware assembly
Buck 22 Click front image hardware assembly
MCU DIP 40 hardware assembly
EasyPIC v8 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
Necto image step 8 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 via UART Mode

1. Once the code example is loaded, pressing the "FLASH" button initiates the build process, and programs it on the created setup.

2. After the programming is completed, click on the Tools icon in the upper-right panel, and select the UART Terminal.

3. After opening the UART Terminal tab, first check the baud rate setting in the Options menu (default is 115200). If this parameter is correct, activate the terminal by clicking the "CONNECT" button.

4. Now terminal status changes from Disconnected to Connected in green, and the data is displayed in the Received data field.

UART_Application_Output

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Wirepas Click driver.

Key functions:

  • wirepas_send_command - Wirepas send command function.

  • wirepas_write_csap_attribute - Wirepas write CSAP attribute function.

  • wirepas_send_data - Wirepas send data function.

Open Source

Code example

This example can be found in NECTO Studio. Feel free to download the code, or you can copy the code below.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief Wirepas Click Example.
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of Wirepas click board by processing
 * the incoming data and displaying them on the USB UART in sink mode, and sending data to 
 * the sinks in router mode.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the driver and performs the click default configuration, setting device mode, node,
 * net and channel addresses, and starting stack.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Router mode - Sending data to the sinks at the same network.
 * Sink mode - Reads and processes all incoming data and displays them on the USB UART.
 *
 * ## Additional Function
 * - err_t wirepas_get_resp ( wirepas_t *ctx )
 *
 * @note
 * For the best experience use two clicks in sink mode and one in router.
 *
 * @author Stefan Ilic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "wirepas.h"

#define PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE 200
#define TX_DATA             "Wirepas Click"

#define MULTI_SINK_MODE     // Comment out this macro to place device into single sink mode.

/**
* @brief Wirepas node addresses.
 * @details Specified setting for node addresses of Wirepas Click driver.
 */
#define ROUTER_NODE_ADDRESS         0x01
#define SINK_1_NODE_ADDRESS         0x02
#define SINK_2_NODE_ADDRESS         0x03
#define NET_ADDRESS                 0x01
#define CHANNEL_ADDRESS             0x01

#define NODE_ADDRESS                ROUTER_NODE_ADDRESS    /* Change the value of this macro to change 
                                                              node address, each node should have a unique address */

static wirepas_t wirepas;
static log_t logger;
uint8_t frame_id = 0;
wirepas_sink_data sink_1;
wirepas_sink_data sink_2;

/**
 * @brief Wirepas get response function.
 * @details This function is used to get response from the device. 
 * @param[in] ctx : Click context object.
 * See #wirepas_t object definition for detailed explanation.
 * @return @li @c  >=0 - Success,
 *         @li @c   <0 - Error.
 * See #err_t definition for detailed explanation.
 * @note None.
 */
err_t wirepas_get_resp ( wirepas_t *ctx );

void application_init ( void ) 
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    wirepas_cfg_t wirepas_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * 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.
    wirepas_cfg_setup( &wirepas_cfg );
    WIREPAS_MAP_MIKROBUS( wirepas_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( UART_ERROR == wirepas_init( &wirepas, &wirepas_cfg ) ) 
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    wirepas_default_cfg ( &wirepas );
   
    uint8_t tmp_data[ 1 ] = { 0x00 };
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, NULL, NULL );
    frame_id++;
   
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, NULL, NULL );
    frame_id++;
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Wirepas stack stop request: \n" );
    wirepas_send_command( &wirepas, WIREPAS_MSAP_STACK_STOP_REQUEST, frame_id, 0x00, tmp_data );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Wirepas factory reset request: \n" );
    wirepas_send_command( &wirepas, WIREPAS_CSAP_FACTORY_RESET_REQUEST, frame_id, strlen( WIREPAS_FACTORY_RESET_CODE ), WIREPAS_FACTORY_RESET_CODE );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, NULL, NULL );
    frame_id++;
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, NULL, NULL );
    frame_id++;
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Set node address: \n" );
    wirepas_set_node_address( &wirepas, frame_id, NODE_ADDRESS );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Set net address: \n" );
    wirepas_set_net_address( &wirepas, frame_id, NET_ADDRESS );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Set channel address: \n" );
    uint8_t channel_net = CHANNEL_ADDRESS;
    wirepas_write_csap_attribute( &wirepas, frame_id, WIREPAS_CSAP_ATTRIBUTE_NETWORK_CHANNEL, 1, &channel_net );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Set role: \n" );
    uint8_t role;
#if ( ROUTER_NODE_ADDRESS == NODE_ADDRESS )
    role = WIREPAS_ROUTER_NODE_MODE;
#else
    role = WIREPAS_SINK_NODE_MODE;
#endif
    wirepas_write_csap_attribute( &wirepas, frame_id, WIREPAS_CSAP_ATTRIBUTE_NODE_ROLE, 1, &role );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Wirepas Stack start request: \n" ); 
    tmp_data[ 0 ] = 0x01;
    wirepas_send_command( &wirepas, WIREPAS_MSAP_STACK_START_REQUEST, frame_id, 0x01, tmp_data );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    
    uint8_t data_buf[ WIREPAS_RX_DRV_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    
#if ( ROUTER_NODE_ADDRESS == NODE_ADDRESS )
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, data_buf, NULL );
    frame_id++;
        
    sink_1.pduid = 0x00;
    sink_1.source_endpoint = 0x01;
    sink_1.destination_addr = SINK_1_NODE_ADDRESS;
    sink_1.destination_endpoint = 0x01;
    #if defined MULTI_SINK_MODE
        sink_2.pduid = 0x00;
        sink_2.source_endpoint = 0x01;
        sink_2.destination_addr = SINK_2_NODE_ADDRESS;
        sink_2.destination_endpoint = 0x01;
    #endif
#else
    uint8_t data_rd = 0;
    while ( 0 == data_rd )
    {
        wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, data_buf, &data_rd );
        frame_id++;
        Delay_ms( 1000 );
    }
#endif
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void ) 
{
#if ( ROUTER_NODE_ADDRESS == NODE_ADDRESS )
    log_printf( &logger, " Sending data to the first Sink node: \n" );
    wirepas_send_data ( &wirepas, frame_id, sink_1, 0x01, strlen( TX_DATA ), TX_DATA );
    frame_id++;
    wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
    Delay_ms( 5000 );
    
    #if defined MULTI_SINK_MODE
        log_printf( &logger, " Sending data to the second Sink node: \n" );
        wirepas_send_data ( &wirepas, frame_id, sink_2, 0x01, strlen( TX_DATA ), TX_DATA );
        frame_id++;
        wirepas_get_resp( &wirepas );
        Delay_ms( 5000 );
    #endif
#else
    uint8_t data_buf[ WIREPAS_RX_DRV_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    uint8_t data_rdy = 0;
    err_t error = wirepas_poll_indication( &wirepas, frame_id, data_buf, &data_rdy );
    frame_id++;
    if ( 1 == data_rdy )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "%s \r\n", data_buf );
    }
    Delay_ms( 2000 );
#endif
}

void main ( void ) 
{
    application_init( );

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

err_t wirepas_get_resp ( wirepas_t *ctx )
{
    uint8_t rx_buf[ PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    int32_t rx_size = 0;
    
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    rx_size = wirepas_generic_read( ctx, rx_buf, PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE );
    if ( rx_size > 0 )
    {       
        if ( 0 == rx_buf[ 4 ] )
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " Response OK \n" );
            return WIREPAS_OK;
        }
        else 
        {
            log_printf( &logger, " Response ERROR %d\n", rx_buf[ 4 ] );
            return WIREPAS_ERROR;
        }
        
    }
    
}

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

Additional Support

Resources

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