Dual radio with the Expansion Board

Before starting to use a module, it needs to be initialized. During this process, configuration parameters are sent to the module. USB and SD card are also initialized.

How to connect the module

This module can be connected to both SOCKET0 and SOCKET1 placed in the Waspmote board.

Figure: Module connected to Waspmote in Socket0

In order to connect the module to the SOCKET1, the user must use the Expansion Radio Board.

Expansion Radio Board

The Expansion Board allows to connect 2 communication modules at the same time in the Waspmote sensor platform. This means a lot of different combinations are possible using any of the wireless radios available for Waspmote: 802.15.4, ZigBee 3, DigiMesh, 868 MHz, 900 MHz, LoRa, WiFi, NB-IoT / Cat-M, 4G, Sigfox, LoRaWAN, Bluetooth Pro, Bluetooth Low Energy and RFID/NFC. Besides, the following Industrial Protocols modules are available: RS-485/Modbus and CAN Bus.

Some possible combinations are:

• LoRaWAN - 4G

• 802.15.4 - Sigfox

• 868 MHz - RS-485

• NB-IoT / Cat-M - WiFi

• DigiMesh - 4G

• NB-IoT / Cat-M - RFID/NFC

• WiFi - 4G

• CAN Bus - Bluetooth

• etc

NB-IoT / Cat-M and 4G modules do not need the Expansion Board to be connected to Waspmote. They can be plugged directly in the socket1.

Next image shows the sockets available along with the UART assigned. On one hand, SOCKET0 allows to plug any kind of radio module through the UART0. On the other hand, SOCKET1 permits to connect a radio module through the UART1.

Figure: Dual radio with expansion board

This API provides a function in order to initialize the RFID/NFC module called RFID13.ON(socket). This function supports a new parameter which permits to select the socket. It is possible to choose between socket0 or socket1.

An example of use the initialization function is the following:

• Selecting socket0: RFID13.ON(SOCKET0);

• Selecting socket1: RFID13.ON(SOCKET1);

The rest of the functions are used the same way as they are used with older API versions. In order to understand them we recommend to read this guide.

Warnings:

• Avoid to use DIGITAL7 pin when working with the Expansion Board. This pin is used for setting the XBee into sleep mode.

• Avoid to use DIGITAL6 pin when working with the Expansion Board. This pin is used as power supply for the Expansion Board.

• Incompatibility with Sensor Boards:

  • Agriculture PRO v30: Incompatible with Watermark and solar radiation sensors

  • Events v30: Incompatible with interruption shift register

  • Smart Water v30: DIGITAL7 incompatible with conductivity sensor

  • Smart Water Ions v30: Incompatible with ADC conversion (sensors cannot be read if the Expansion Board is in use)

  • Gases PRO v30: Incompatible with SOCKET_2 and SOCKET_3

  • Cities PRO v30: Incompatible with SOCKET_3. I2C bus can be used. No gas sensor can be used.

Setting on

With the function ON() module is powered and the UART is opened to communicate with the module. It also enters in command mode and sets some default configurations.

// switches ON the RFID/NFC module using expansion board
RFID13.ON(SOCKET1);

Setting off

The RFID/NFC API function OFF() exits from the radio RFID/NFC command-mode securely, closes the UART and switches the module off.

// closes the UART and powers off the module
RFID13.OFF();