M2M and the PICtail Plus Daughter Board By Adam Folts Hello, my name is Adam Folts. I am an Applications Engineer at Microchip. This webinar discusses the machine to machine board, M2M, its features, and sample demo applications it could be used for. 1
What is M2M? M2M stands for Machine-to-Machine communications M2M allows both wireless and wired communication M2M uses a device to capture an event, which is then relayed through a network M2M is used for metering, navigation, and offsite maintenance 2 M2M refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same ability. M2M uses a device to capture an event, which is then relayed through a network. M2M is becoming more and more popular as cell phones become more popular. Companies are realizing that cellular technology can be used for more than just making a phone call. 2
Data can be sent wirelessly to/from a meter Can be done using a cellular network (GPRS) M2M Applications: Utility Meter 3 There are many popular M2M applications. A utility meter is one of them. Some of the benefits to this type of meter over a traditional one are: Immediate operational efficiencies from reading and programming meters remotely. This also offers the potential to significantly reduce the cost of implementing new rate designs. Elimination of visits for the purpose of transferring services, name changes, meter exchanges, rate changes or read verifications. 3
GPS is used to track a location GPRS is used to collect map data GSM voice is used to contact emergency help M2M Applications: Car navigation 4 Another application becoming more popular with M2M technology is car navigation. With it, consumers now have a complete car navigation system in their cars. The M2M technology can be used to track the driver s current location, or provide a map to show directions. Also, with M2M technology the consumer can call during an emergency from the same device that is doing the tracking. Businesses could also use this technology for parking lots, to know how long a vehicle has been parked, and charge it accordingly. 4
Maintenance Updating Image M2M Applications: Billboards 5 More and more on the highways, billboards are becoming huge television screens. On these screens we see various images. M2M can be used to track how well the screen is doing. If the screen is in need of maintenance, such as a loss of power or a burnt out pixel, headquarters could be contacted. These images, with M2M, could be updated from company headquarters and not from the billboard itself. This saves time and man hours by eliminating the need of physically updating the billboard every time an image change is needed. 5
M2M s popularity is increasing Is being seen in more and more applications Microchip offers a M2M solution M2M Applications: Microchip Solution 6 M2M is an approach to wireless communications that relies on cellular technology. M2M is being seen in more and more applications as it offers a wireless approach where a standard Internet connection is not needed. Microchip recognizes the need for M2M applications and offers a solution, including hardware and software, for getting started with M2M technology in your project. 6
GSM/GPRS communication u-blox LEON-G200 GPS functionality u-blox NEO-6Q Integrated Antennas Developed in partnership with leading antenna and M2M chip providers Taoglas and u-blox Shortens time to market Battery??? Microchip M2M Solution: Features 7 The M2M board contains a LEON-G200 module from u-blox, which features many M2M communications, including GSM, GPRS, and GPS. The LEON-G200 uses a UART to communicate, equipped with many AT commands. The M2M board needs a cellular SIM card for the LEON-G200 to communicate properly on the network. Some of its features are: - Quad band support: GSM 850 MHz, EGSM 900 MHz, DCS 1800 MHz and PCS 1900 MHz - Power Class 4 (33 dbm nominal maximum output power) for GSM/EGSM bands - Power Class 1 (30 dbm nominal maximum output power) for DCS/PCS bands - GPRS multi-slot class 10 - All GPRS coding schemes from CS1 to CS4 are supported - GPRS bit rate: 53.6 kbps (typical) u-blox licenses its market-proven GSM/GPRS design to OEM customers. This design combines a baseband processor, a RF transceiver, and power management components to support quad-band GSM/GPRS functionality including voice, data and SMS capabilities. The solution dramatically shortens time-to-market, and includes all hardware information, software binaries including stack, production test bench design and test software, certification, training and documentation. The result is a wireless, ultra-compact, low power communications solution, which is easily integrated into consumer, industrial and automotive OEM designs, and is ready for high-volume mass-production. 7
Voice Calls Fax SMS (Text Message) M2M Features: GSM 8 Global System for Mobile Communication or (GSM) is a popular world-wide standard for mobile telephone systems. GSM includes technologies in that both signaling and speech channels are digital. GSM is considered a Second Generation (i.e., 2G) mobile phone system. This also facilitates the wide-spread implementation of data communication applications into the system. GSM also implements a Short Message Service (SMS), also called text messaging. The M2M board has AT commands for most GSM needs including voice calls, fax, and SMS. It also features a phonebook to store phone numbers and contacts. The on-board LEON-G200 has 1 megabyte of memory to store everything, such as phone numbers, or files from the Internet. 8
M2M Features: GPRS SMTP Email HTTP Simple Web browsing FTP File sharing 9 General Packet Radio Service or GPRS is a service on the 2G and 3G cellular communication systems (GSM). GPRS provides data rates of 56-114 kbps, which provides users with the capability to connect to the Internet. This can be used for systems needing email, or simple internet communication. Common protocols included in the LEON-G200 are SMTP, HTTP, and FTP. SMTP or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is an e-mail transmission across Internet Protocol or IP networks. HTTP or Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a networking protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web. The M2M board can pull data off the Internet and store it in its 1 megabyte of memory automatically. All the program has to do is read the data from memory when the program needs it. FTP or File Transfer Protocol is a standard network protocol used to copy a file from one host to another over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. 9
Positioning Speed Satellites Used Tracking Date/Time M2M Features: GPS 10 Global Positioning System or GPS is a space-based navigation system that provides reliable location and time information in all weather and at all times and anywhere on or near the Earth when and where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. It is freely accessible by anyone with a GPS receiver. GPS can add many great features to a system, including satellite time and positioning. With this a product needing speed, position, or tracking could be developed. The M2M board features many GPS features including local aiding and AssistNow. With these tools, even if the GPS signal strength is low, GPS data can still be recovered. 10
Can be used for Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) Multimedia Expansion Board (MEB) interface MEB Features: Wi-fi Audio Codec Starter Kit Header M2M Features: Hardware Expansion 11 The Microchip M2M PICtail Plus Daughter Board developed by u-blox was designed to connect directly to the Multimedia Expansion Board. The MEB board showcases the power of the PIC32. It offers many of microchips software and hardware solutions all on one board. The main processor for the board can be plugged in through the PIC32 starter kit header found on back. There are PIC32 starter kits for every developers needs including Ethernet and USB. The MEB comes with a 3.2 QVGA resistive touch screen along with a Wi-Fi module and an audio codec. 11
GPS Library Microchip s M2M Software: Library APIs for Position (Latitude/Longitude) APIs for Satellite Position GSM Library APIs for SMS Text Messaging GPRS Library APIs for HTTP Client APIs for SMTP (Email) 12 Microchip s solution comes with a software library to get customers started on the right track. The library comes with many functions to communicate with the LEON- G200 correctly. These libraries include APIs for GPS,GSM, and GPRS. These APIs make it easy to implement GPS, SMS, HTTP, or Email within minutes of receiving Microchip s M2M PICtail solution. 12
Microchip s M2M Software: Demo 13 The demo software comes with a screen that shows the current GPS location using a HTTP client and GPS. Google maps is used as the source for the map JPEG image. This demo showcases how easy it is to use HTTP and GPS with the M2M PICtail Plus Daughter Board. 13
Microchip s M2M Software: Demo 14 The demo also comes with an SMS text message demo. Once the user enters a phone number, the board sends out a text message. 14
Microchip s M2M Software: Demo 15 There is also a demo that shows how SMTP or email can be easily achieved using the M2M PICtail Plus Daughter Board. The messages for the SMS and email demo are preset, but the APIs available in software, which makes them easy to change. 15
References u-blox G-200 AT Commands Application Note www.ublox.com M2M Application Note Using PIC32 MCUs to Develop GSM/GPRS/GPS Solutions PIC32 www.microchip.com/pic32 MEB board www.microchip.com/meb 16 For more information on anything discussed in this webinar, please visit the websites listed. 16
Thank You Thank you for watching the webinar. I hope the information provided has given you a better understanding of the M2M PICtail solution offered by Microchip. 17