Intermediate
30 min

Stay ahead in the world of communication technology with MAX485 and STM32F410RB

Transforming data transmission: The magic of RS485 transceivers

RS485 5 Click with Nucleo 64 with STM32F410RB MCU

Published Oct 08, 2024

Click board™

RS485 5 Click

Dev. board

Nucleo 64 with STM32F410RB MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32F410RB

The core purpose of this solution is to establish a robust, long-distance network, facilitating efficient data exchange

A

A

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

RS485 5 Click is based on the MAX485, low-power, slew-rate-limited transceiver for RS-485 and RS-422 communication from Analog Devices, which draw between 120µA and 500µA of supply current when unloaded or fully loaded with disabled drivers. All parts operate from a single 5V supply. Driver is short-circuit current limited and is protected against excessive power dissipation by thermal shutdown circuitry that places the driver outputs into a high-impedance state. The receiver input has a fail-safe feature that guarantees a logic-high output if the input is open circuit. The MAX485 slew rates are not limited, allowing it to transmit up to 2.5Mbps and half-duplex communication. In general, the maximal transfer

speed is determined by the bus length, longer bus lines will result in less transfer speed. The RS485/422 line should be terminated at both ends in its characteristic impedance and stub lengths off the main line should be kept as short as possible to minimize the reflections. The RS-485/RS-422 standard covers line lengths up to 1220 meters (4000 feet). Excessive output current and power dissipation caused by faults or by bus contention are prevented by two mechanisms. A foldback current limit on the output stage provides immediate protection against short circuits over the whole common-mode voltage range. In addition, a thermal shutdown circuit forces the driver outputs into a high-impedance

state if the temperature rises excessively. There are two 2-pole screw terminals on board (+, B, A, -) for connecting RS422/485 bus twisted pair cable, along with the GND and VCC. The terminal inputs labeled as “A” and “B” are used to connect the bus wires. GND and VCC rails can be used to provide the power supply for another node. Note that the VCC terminal is directly routed to the 5V rail of the mikroBUS™. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 5V 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 as a reference for further development.

RS485 5 Click top side image
RS485 5 Click bottom side image

Features overview

Development board

Nucleo-64 with STM32F410RB MCU offers a cost-effective and adaptable platform for developers to explore new ideas and prototype their designs. This board harnesses the versatility of the STM32 microcontroller, enabling users to select the optimal balance of performance and power consumption for their projects. It accommodates the STM32 microcontroller in the LQFP64 package and includes essential components such as a user LED, which doubles as an ARDUINO® signal, alongside user and reset push-buttons, and a 32.768kHz crystal oscillator for precise timing operations. Designed with expansion and flexibility in mind, the Nucleo-64 board features an ARDUINO® Uno V3 expansion connector and ST morpho extension pin

headers, granting complete access to the STM32's I/Os for comprehensive project integration. Power supply options are adaptable, supporting ST-LINK USB VBUS or external power sources, ensuring adaptability in various development environments. The board also has an on-board ST-LINK debugger/programmer with USB re-enumeration capability, simplifying the programming and debugging process. Moreover, the board is designed to simplify advanced development with its external SMPS for efficient Vcore logic supply, support for USB Device full speed or USB SNK/UFP full speed, and built-in cryptographic features, enhancing both the power efficiency and security of projects. Additional connectivity is

provided through dedicated connectors for external SMPS experimentation, a USB connector for the ST-LINK, and a MIPI® debug connector, expanding the possibilities for hardware interfacing and experimentation. Developers will find extensive support through comprehensive free software libraries and examples, courtesy of the STM32Cube MCU Package. This, combined with compatibility with a wide array of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), including IAR Embedded Workbench®, MDK-ARM, and STM32CubeIDE, ensures a smooth and efficient development experience, allowing users to fully leverage the capabilities of the Nucleo-64 board in their projects.

Nucleo 64 with STM32C031C6 MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M4

MCU Memory (KB)

128

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

64

RAM (Bytes)

32768

You complete me!

Accessories

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 comes equipped with two proprietary mikroBUS™ sockets, allowing all the Click board™ devices to be interfaced with the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with no effort. This way, Mikroe allows its users to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™, such as WiFi, GSM, GPS, Bluetooth, ZigBee, environmental sensors, LEDs, speech recognition, motor control, movement sensors, and many more. More than 1537 Click boards™, which can be stacked and integrated, are at your disposal. The STM32 Nucleo-64 boards are based on the microcontrollers in 64-pin packages, a 32-bit MCU with an ARM Cortex M4 processor operating at 84MHz, 512Kb Flash, and 96KB SRAM, divided into two regions where the top section represents the ST-Link/V2 debugger and programmer while the bottom section of the board is an actual development board. These boards are controlled and powered conveniently through a USB connection to program and efficiently debug the Nucleo-64 board out of the box, with an additional USB cable connected to the USB mini port on the board. Most of the STM32 microcontroller pins are brought to the IO pins on the left and right edge of the board, which are then connected to two existing mikroBUS™ sockets. This Click Shield also has several switches that perform functions such as selecting the logic levels of analog signals on mikroBUS™ sockets and selecting logic voltage levels of the mikroBUS™ sockets themselves. Besides, the user is offered the possibility of using any Click board™ with the help of existing bidirectional level-shifting voltage translators, regardless of whether the Click board™ operates at a 3.3V or 5V logic voltage level. Once you connect the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with our Click Shield for Nucleo-64, you can access hundreds of Click boards™, working with 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
Receiver Output
PC12
RST
Drive Output
PB12
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
NC
NC
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
NC
NC
INT
UART TX
PA2
TX
UART RX
PA3
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

RS485 5 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo 64 with STM32F410RB MCU as your development board.

Click Shield for Nucleo-64 accessories 1 image hardware assembly
Nucleo 64 with STM32F401RE MCU front image hardware assembly
LTE IoT 5 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
LTE IoT 5 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Nucleo-64 with STM32XXX MCU Access MB 1 Mini B Conn - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Clicker 4 for STM32F4 HA MCU Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step 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 RS485 5 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • rs4855_generic_write - Generic write function.

  • rs4855_set_de_state - Sets DE pin to high or low state.

  • rs4855_set_re_state - Sets RE pin to high or low state.

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 Rs4855 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example reads and processes data from RS485 5 clicks.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes the driver and enables the selected mode.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Depending on the selected mode, it reads all the received data or sends the desired message
 * every 2 seconds.
 * 
 * ## Additional Function
 * - rs4855_process ( ) - The general process of collecting the received data.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "rs4855.h"
#include "string.h"

#define PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE 500

#define TEXT_TO_SEND "MikroE\r\n"

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

#define DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
// #define DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER

static rs4855_t rs4855;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

static void rs4855_process ( void )
{
    int32_t rsp_size;
    
    char uart_rx_buffer[ PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    uint8_t check_buf_cnt;
    
    rsp_size = rs4855_generic_read( &rs4855, uart_rx_buffer, PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE );

    if ( rsp_size >= strlen( TEXT_TO_SEND ) )
    {  
        log_printf( &logger, "Received data: " );
        
        for ( check_buf_cnt = 0; check_buf_cnt < rsp_size; check_buf_cnt++ )
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "%c", uart_rx_buffer[ check_buf_cnt ] );
        }
    }
    Delay_ms ( 100 );
}

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

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    rs4855_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.

    rs4855_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    RS4855_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    rs4855_init( &rs4855, &cfg );

    Delay_ms ( 100 );

#ifdef DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
    rs4855_set_re_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_LOW );
    rs4855_set_de_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_LOW );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Receiver mode ----" );
#endif    
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    rs4855_set_re_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_HIGH );
    rs4855_set_de_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_HIGH );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Transmitter mode ----" );
#endif    
}

void application_task ( void )
{
#ifdef DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
    rs4855_process( );
#endif    
    
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    rs4855_generic_write( &rs4855, TEXT_TO_SEND, 8 );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Data sent ----" );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
#endif    
}

int main ( void ) 
{
    /* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
    #ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
    preinit();
    #endif
    
    application_init( );
    
    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }

    return 0;
}


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Rs4855 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example reads and processes data from RS485 5 clicks.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes the driver and enables the selected mode.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Depending on the selected mode, it reads all the received data or sends the desired message
 * every 2 seconds.
 * 
 * ## Additional Function
 * - rs4855_process ( ) - The general process of collecting the received data.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "rs4855.h"
#include "string.h"

#define PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE 500

#define TEXT_TO_SEND "MikroE\r\n"

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

#define DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
// #define DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER

static rs4855_t rs4855;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

static void rs4855_process ( void )
{
    int32_t rsp_size;
    
    char uart_rx_buffer[ PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    uint8_t check_buf_cnt;
    
    rsp_size = rs4855_generic_read( &rs4855, uart_rx_buffer, PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE );

    if ( rsp_size >= strlen( TEXT_TO_SEND ) )
    {  
        log_printf( &logger, "Received data: " );
        
        for ( check_buf_cnt = 0; check_buf_cnt < rsp_size; check_buf_cnt++ )
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "%c", uart_rx_buffer[ check_buf_cnt ] );
        }
    }
    Delay_ms ( 100 );
}

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

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    rs4855_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.

    rs4855_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    RS4855_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    rs4855_init( &rs4855, &cfg );

    Delay_ms ( 100 );

#ifdef DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
    rs4855_set_re_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_LOW );
    rs4855_set_de_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_LOW );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Receiver mode ----" );
#endif    
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    rs4855_set_re_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_HIGH );
    rs4855_set_de_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_HIGH );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Transmitter mode ----" );
#endif    
}

void application_task ( void )
{
#ifdef DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
    rs4855_process( );
#endif    
    
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    rs4855_generic_write( &rs4855, TEXT_TO_SEND, 8 );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Data sent ----" );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
#endif    
}

int main ( void ) 
{
    /* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
    #ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
    preinit();
    #endif
    
    application_init( );
    
    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }

    return 0;
}


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Rs4855 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example reads and processes data from RS485 5 clicks.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes the driver and enables the selected mode.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Depending on the selected mode, it reads all the received data or sends the desired message
 * every 2 seconds.
 * 
 * ## Additional Function
 * - rs4855_process ( ) - The general process of collecting the received data.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "rs4855.h"
#include "string.h"

#define PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE 500

#define TEXT_TO_SEND "MikroE\r\n"

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

#define DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
// #define DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER

static rs4855_t rs4855;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

static void rs4855_process ( void )
{
    int32_t rsp_size;
    
    char uart_rx_buffer[ PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    uint8_t check_buf_cnt;
    
    rsp_size = rs4855_generic_read( &rs4855, uart_rx_buffer, PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE );

    if ( rsp_size >= strlen( TEXT_TO_SEND ) )
    {  
        log_printf( &logger, "Received data: " );
        
        for ( check_buf_cnt = 0; check_buf_cnt < rsp_size; check_buf_cnt++ )
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "%c", uart_rx_buffer[ check_buf_cnt ] );
        }
    }
    Delay_ms ( 100 );
}

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

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    rs4855_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.

    rs4855_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    RS4855_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    rs4855_init( &rs4855, &cfg );

    Delay_ms ( 100 );

#ifdef DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
    rs4855_set_re_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_LOW );
    rs4855_set_de_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_LOW );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Receiver mode ----" );
#endif    
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    rs4855_set_re_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_HIGH );
    rs4855_set_de_state( &rs4855, RS4855_PIN_STATE_HIGH );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Transmitter mode ----" );
#endif    
}

void application_task ( void )
{
#ifdef DEMO_APP_RECEIVER
    rs4855_process( );
#endif    
    
#ifdef DEMO_APP_TRANSMITTER
    rs4855_generic_write( &rs4855, TEXT_TO_SEND, 8 );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Data sent ----" );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
    Delay_ms ( 1000 );
#endif    
}

int main ( void ) 
{
    /* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
    #ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
    preinit();
    #endif
    
    application_init( );
    
    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }

    return 0;
}


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

Additional Support

Resources

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