Title: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on July 01, 2013, 02:38:27 pm
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on July 01, 2013, 02:38:27 pm
Hi,
Just completed another prototype, this one is a variation on our DipCortex, a 40 pin dip cortex M3 board.
It adds WiFi using the popular CC3000MOD, giving you a tiny breadboard-able WiFi dev board. Because of it's size and the thermal dissipation we needed for the LDO it's a four layer PCB.
We choose the the LPC1347 as it's very easy to get USB up and running with the stack in ROM and has enough ram and flash to hold the drivers & buffers for the CC3000.
Porting the code from TI to the LPC wasn't too hard, the fun bit was porting the firmware patcher to reflash the CC3000 as it comes delivered with old buggy firmware.
(http://http://www.soldersplash.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CC3000MOD-WifiDipCortex.jpg)
My blog entry for it is here (http://http://www.soldersplash.co.uk/2013/06/wifi-dipcortex-an-embedded-wifi-module-to-power-your-next-product/)
I have it sending/receiving UDP and HTTP, with a command line interface on the USB to help debug.
Just completed another prototype, this one is a variation on our DipCortex, a 40 pin dip cortex M3 board.
It adds WiFi using the popular CC3000MOD, giving you a tiny breadboard-able WiFi dev board. Because of it's size and the thermal dissipation we needed for the LDO it's a four layer PCB.
We choose the the LPC1347 as it's very easy to get USB up and running with the stack in ROM and has enough ram and flash to hold the drivers & buffers for the CC3000.
Porting the code from TI to the LPC wasn't too hard, the fun bit was porting the firmware patcher to reflash the CC3000 as it comes delivered with old buggy firmware.
(http://http://www.soldersplash.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CC3000MOD-WifiDipCortex.jpg)My blog entry for it is here (http://http://www.soldersplash.co.uk/2013/06/wifi-dipcortex-an-embedded-wifi-module-to-power-your-next-product/)
I have it sending/receiving UDP and HTTP, with a command line interface on the USB to help debug.
Title: Re: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: Sjaak on July 01, 2013, 03:52:00 pm
Post by: Sjaak on July 01, 2013, 03:52:00 pm
Nice! A design like this is still on my todo-list.
Since you designed the PCB; how did you designed the antenna trace? The datasheet mention it should match the 50ohms impediance, but it doesn't mention the widths/distances/material/thickness etc. I know this is a complete study of its own, but can you point me to some simple calculators/designs/rules of thumb?
Since you designed the PCB; how did you designed the antenna trace? The datasheet mention it should match the 50ohms impediance, but it doesn't mention the widths/distances/material/thickness etc. I know this is a complete study of its own, but can you point me to some simple calculators/designs/rules of thumb?
Title: Re: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on July 02, 2013, 01:08:13 am
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on July 02, 2013, 01:08:13 am
Using this great bit of free software we can easily calculate the thickness of track required as well as the gap needed to create an impedance matched trace on the PCB for the antenna
http://www.saturnpcb.com/pcb_toolkit.htm (http://www.saturnpcb.com/pcb_toolkit.htm)
This pdf is also useful : https://www.jlab.org/accel/eecad/pdf/050rfdesign.pdf (https://www.jlab.org/accel/eecad/pdf/050rfdesign.pdf)
http://www.saturnpcb.com/pcb_toolkit.htm (http://www.saturnpcb.com/pcb_toolkit.htm)
This pdf is also useful : https://www.jlab.org/accel/eecad/pdf/050rfdesign.pdf (https://www.jlab.org/accel/eecad/pdf/050rfdesign.pdf)
Title: Re: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on August 11, 2013, 09:30:57 pm
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on August 11, 2013, 09:30:57 pm
A lot has happened in the last month,
We have had a lot of interest in the WiFi DipCortex so we set up a pre-order ahead of the production batch from the assembly house.
Also the ARM mbed team have added us to their platform so users can build code for our DipCortex's online and drag it on the LPC's mass storage boot loader.
Just uploaded a video of the WiFi DipCortex in action : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffv0ZHpBFB4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffv0ZHpBFB4)
We have had a lot of interest in the WiFi DipCortex so we set up a pre-order ahead of the production batch from the assembly house.
Also the ARM mbed team have added us to their platform so users can build code for our DipCortex's online and drag it on the LPC's mass storage boot loader.
Just uploaded a video of the WiFi DipCortex in action : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffv0ZHpBFB4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffv0ZHpBFB4)
Title: Re: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: Sjaak on August 11, 2013, 10:14:02 pm
Post by: Sjaak on August 11, 2013, 10:14:02 pm
you are showing the basic capabilities of the chip? It is a pretty impressive chip!
Title: Re: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: systemstech on August 12, 2013, 03:20:35 pm
Post by: systemstech on August 12, 2013, 03:20:35 pm
Lady Ada, has her own version of this "chip in a can" breakout board. Check out the video. She shows the naked chip and gives a quick overview of it.
http://http://youtu.be/XdMZe2UCaA0?t=30m
http://http://youtu.be/XdMZe2UCaA0?t=30m
Title: Re: WiFi DipCortex - CC3000Mod
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on August 12, 2013, 08:25:50 pm
Post by: SolderSplashLabs on August 12, 2013, 08:25:50 pm
Yeh I saw the Adafruit breakout, popular chips!
I think our addition of a capable micro with USB is useful, We like adafruit have done the hard part porting the stack
I think our addition of a capable micro with USB is useful, We like adafruit have done the hard part porting the stack