Difference between revisions of "Microduino-Module Core+"

Microduino-Core+

Microduino-Core+ is one of core modules of Microduino series, using Atmel ATmega644PA/ATmega1284P series as main chip. It is a performance enhanced version of Microduino-Core.

Microduino-Core+ has all features of –Core, can be stacked with modules through UPin-27 Microduino standard bus interface, as smart as Arduino Mega2560, but as small as a quarter. Moreover, Microduino-Core+ has 10 more digital I/O ports than Microduino-Core, provides 2 hardware serial ports, and more SRAM/Flash/EEPROM, it’s designed for high hardware resource required applications and designs.

Microduino uses the same development environment as Arduino IDE, designers can use the Arduino IDE, Processing on Microduino for idea realization, prototype development and low volume production. Programs can be smoothly migrated from Core to Core+ without any modification.

Microduino uses optiboot for bootloader, it takes less Flash than Arduino default engine and optimizes program uploading.

Currently, there are 4 different configurations for Microduino-Core+ modules:

Different configurations in frequency and supply voltage:

• Clock frequency and supply voltage are paired; 8M module is supplied by 3.3V voltage, while 16M module is by 5.0V voltage.
• A 16M with 5V Microduino-Core+ module is recommended for desktop equipments or designs; regarding mobile equipments or designs, a 8M with 3.3V module is suggested for low power and battery supply purposes.

Core vs Core+

• Microduino-Core+ aims at high performance applications which require large SRAM/EEPROM/Flash and more I/O ports, Microduino-Core is for main stream applications.

• Both Microduino-Core and Microduino-Core+ use UPin-27 interface -- the standard module interface of Microduino series. The main difference between them is MCU chip: -Core module uses ATmega328P/ATmega168PA, as same as Arduino Uno; -Core+ module uses ATmega644PA/ATmega1284P, its performance is similar to Arduino Mega2560.

• Configuration difference between Microduino-Core and Microduino-Core+

Microduino	Chip	Flash	SRAM	EEPROM	Digital I/O	Analog I/O	PWM	Hardware Serial
Core	Atmega168PA	16K	1K	512	23	8	6	1
	ATmega328P	32K	2K	1K	23	8	6	1
Core+	Atmega644PA	64K	4K	2K	32	8	8	2
	ATmega1284P	128K	16K	4K	32	8	8	2

• According above table, Core and Core+ are different in Flash, EEPROM and SRAM size, also, they supply different size of digital I/O and hardware serial ports, and there are 10 more digital I/O and 1 more hardware serial ports in Core+. Designers can select specific module regarding different application requirements on function, performance and power.

• Both Core and Core+ use UPin-27 interface, Microduino program can be smoothly ported between them.

Features

• Small, stackable and powerful
• Open source hardware circuit design and Arduino compatible programming development environment;
• Like Arduino, Microduino-Core+ can use ISP download method to burn program into「bootloader」flexibly;
• With uniform Microduino interface standard and rich peripheral modules, it can have an easy and flexible connection with other Microduino modules and sensor.
• Delivered ready to plug in.
• 2.54mm (0.1 inch) pin pitch, compatible to bread board and pegboards.

Specifications

• Microcontroller: ATmega644PA/ATmega1284P
• Operating Voltage: 5V/3.3V
• Digital I/O Pins: 24 (of which 8 provide PWM output with D7，D8，D9，D10，D12，D13，D22 and D23, PWM ports are different to Microduino-Core)
• Analog Input Pins: 8 (2 more comparing to Arduino Uno)
• DC Current per I/O Pin: 40 mA
• DC Current: 50 mA
• Serial: 2 set of serial ports. D0 (RX0) + D1 (TX0) and D2 (RX1) + D3 (TX1), used to receive (RX) and transmit (TX) TTL serial data.
• External Interrupts: 2, 3 and 6. These pins can be configured to trigger an interrupt on a low value, a rising or falling edge, or a change in value. See the attachInterrupt() function for details.
• PWM: 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 22 and 23. Provide 8-bit PWM output with the analogWrite() function.
• SPI: 10 (SS), 11 (MOSI), 12 (MISO), 13 (SCK). These pins support SPI communication using the SPI library.
• IIC: D20 (SDA) pin and D21 (SCL) pin. Support TWI communication using the Wire library.
• AREF. Reference voltage for the analog inputs. Used with analogReference().

• Currently, there are 4 different configurations for Microduino-Core+ modules:

Type	Flash	SRAM	EEPROM	Frequecy	Supply
ATmega644PA@16M，5V	64K	4K	2K	16M	5.0V
ATmega644PA@8M，3V3	64K	4K	2K	8M	3.3V
Atmega1284P@16M，5V	128K	16K	4K	16M	5.0V
ATmega1284P@8M，3V3	128K	16K	4K	8M	3.3V

Microduino-Core+ Pin-out

Microduino-Core+ Pin-out

Microduino-Core+ Pin-out

Documents

• Microduino-Core+ Eagle source file 【download】
• Microduino-Core+ main chips and devices
  • MCU: ATmega644PA/1284P

Development

• Microduino Arduino IDE Configuration
  • 1. Install Arduino IDE: Microduino use the same IDE as Arduino, please download Arduino IDE from 【Arduino IDE official】 and install it in your disk. (if you already have it, just skip this step). Please check Arduino IDE details from 【Reference】 and 【Workshop】.
  • 2. Patch Microduino package: Please download Microduino package for Arduino IDE from 【download】, and unzip is to {Your Arduino Install Directory}/hardware directory.
  • Microduino Arduino IDE Reference workshop: 【Arduino IDE Microduino Configuration】.
  • 3. Programming: To upload program to Microduino-Core/Core+ through Arduino IDE, designers are recommended to use Microduino-FT232R module.
  • 4. Enjoy your Microduino journey!

• Burn Microduino BootLoader
  • Bootloader burning is necessary if designers want to update Microduino-Core/Core+ firmware by themselves, designers can leaverage Arduino Uno or another burned Microduino-Core/Core+ to make a new one.
  • Microduino bootloader workshop: 【Burn Bootloader to Microduino-Core/Core+ with an Arduino】.
  • Bootloader is specified for different Microduino-Core/Core+ configurations, correct one must be selected during burning.
  • Initial bootloader is designed for ATmegaX8 series optiboot, which occupies only 512 bytes flash.

Applications

• room-Microduino
• obdii-Microduino
• pilot-Microduino
• green-Microduino
• music-Microduino

FQA

• Do you have ATmega1284P @ 8M 3.3V version?
  • So far no.

Buy

• Buy Microduino-Core+

History

• 2012/12/16: Published Microduino-Core patch for Arduino IDE
• 2012/11/18: Optimized the first formal release, finalized Miroduino-Core configuration
• 2012/11/06: Beta version.

Pictures

Microduino-core+ Front

Microduino-core+ Back