Revision as of 17:45, 11 July 2007

Building blocks for your armadeus-based home automation system

• Boa (Embedded Webserver)
• GPIO_Driver
• Analog-Digital Converter
• Digital-Analog Converter
• IR_Receiver
• Wireless interface

Domos Project

The domos project aims is to provide a global, low cost and open source solution for home automation.
A first proposition can be found here: [1]
Three developpers are actually registered.

Subprojects:

• Endpoint / controller communication (LS_Link)
• Controller/controller/server communication (HS_Link)

1. LS_Link

Zigbee

A zigbee solution is foreseen for the wireless communication.
A presentation concerning Zigbee can be found here: [2].
This has to be evaluated.
In order to be able to benefit from the complete Zigbee services, two Microchip ICs will be used (PIC18Fxx and the MRF) as the Zigbee stack is provided for free [3].

MRF24J40 Transceiver [4]

Next steps:

• 2 zigbee prototype boards with a PIC and the MRF. One will be used for the endpoint and the other will be connected to the APF through the RS232 (TTL) interface.
• Specification of the communication protocol between the APF and the endpoint (datagram based ?). Evalution of the actual solutions.
• Developpment of a small application on the APF side to communicate with the zigbee board by using the communication protocol previously defined.
• test of the Zigbee stack provided by Microchip. A simple program has to be written. Default Microchip environment has to be used.

RS485

Wirelless communication is the best way to connect Endpoints and controler. But sometimes wired connexion will be need for direct or faster access. We could considerate RS485 connexion. With RS485 nom we can connect up to 32 controllers on one bus.

Next steps:

• APF with RS485 transceiver with a PIC and the same transceiver.
• Needs to connect APF to a RS485 bus : Linux driver developement? UART driver ?
• Schematics for connecting a pic to RS485 bus
• Specification of the communication protocol between APF and endpoint. Application protocol can be share with Zigbee high level protocol or, must we developped new protocol ?
• Developpment of a small application on the APF and on the PIC to test communication.

Endpoint prototype board

In order to develop and test endpoint protocols, a prototype board is under-developement. This board must allow connections between boards, PC to proto-board and APF to proto-board.

Hardware

• Microcontroller PIC 18FXXX
• Transceiver IEEE 802.15.4 (to implement the zigbee stack)
• Transceiver RS232 (to connect to APF or PC)
• Transceiver RS485
• USB connectors (and adaptor USB-RS232 if hardware choice)
• Buttons and LCD

=> A description of the hardware can be found here : .

Software

• Stack Zibgbee
• RS485 protocol to develop
• Program of test modes
• Stack USB (if PIC-USB and software choice)

2. HS_Link

This high level of the home automation allows transfer of large data packets like audio/video streams. It can be centralized by a main supervisor to configure more easily the whole network or access to other ways of communication like Internet or phone.

Wired

Ethernet

Wireless

WIFI