Posts

ESP32 Modbus Master TCP

/0 Comments/in /by
Welcome to the series of configuration instructions for ModBerry and Moduino ESP32 devices. In this class, you will program ESP32 processor to be Modbus TCP Master.

We will use two devices, which contain this processor: Moduino ESP32 and Pycom. Both devices are running in MicroPytthon environment. Our Modbus Slave will be PC computer with Modbus simulator software running on it.

You will need:

  • Moduino ESP32 or Moduino Pycom device (check this website to find out more about Moduino ESP32 device and this to check Pycom device)
  • PC with Linux operating system
  • RS-232/RS-485 port in your computer or USB to RS-232/RS-485 converter

You can read the complete tutorial at Instructables.com:

READ MORE

 

Power management for ModBerry devices

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Sleep functionality for ModBerry/Raspberry Pi devices

TECHBASE company designed new extension module for RaspberryPi-based devices, ModBerry series for better power management in changing conditions of industrial environments. With the use of GPIO the module can manage sleep mode or safe shutdown of device in terms of unexpected drop in the power network.

In last few years developers marketed wide range of ARM-based development boards, lacking in enhanced power management, especially sleep and wake up modes, commonly used in PC-grade computing. These boards are not adjusted for battery power supply, so it’s natural that sleep/wake functions should be implemented. In connection with the development of solutions based on Linux-SBC, key factor is adding sleep modes to any remote installation

With built-in algorithms and the possibility to program on your own, the TECHBASE’s sleep/wake addon module can wake the device using schedule/timer. Another option is wake on external trigger, e.g. change of input, etc. All the options for sleep, shutdown and wake can be configured for various scenarios to ensure constant operation of devices, safety of data and continuity of work in case of power failure in any installation.

The preliminary module for ModBerry devices is available on request and delivery time will be specified by Sales Dept. depending on the size of the project.

Sleep mode with additional power backup

Additional power management option for ModBerry devices is sleep functionality enhanced with SuperCap UPS energy backup device. This solution allows programming scenarios including the execution of chosen actions, in order to save data, send a notification and restart/shutdown the controller after completion.

Advanced power management solution

Most advanced configuration includes use of Moduino ESP32 device for extra logic for wake up / sleep scripts. This addon will allow the RaspberryPi-based ModBerry device to be woken up by Moduino controller via Wi-Fi/GSM/LAN networks.

Moduino-ModBerry symbiosis allows wide range of wake-up/sleep schedule customization, in order to perform best and save energy accordingly to power supply state. Arduino and MicroPython environments provide libraries to control different scenarios of data and power management.

New SuperCap options for Moduino/ModBerry

The SuperCap UPS-SC01 backup power supply is equipped with a highly available backup feature to safely bridge fluctuations, drops or failures accompanying standard 9~30VDC supply voltage and avoid interruption of output voltage in industrial and automation environments. For this purpose SuperCap UPS-SC01 utilizes two supercapacitors (so-called supercaps) as a durable, cycle-resistant and maintenance-free solution for backup energy storage and failure safety.

The UPS-SC01 model is available for purchase at price set to 90€. SuperCap family offers now preliminary and revised models: UPS-SC02 with twice the capacity at 135€ and UPS-SC04 respectively at 180€ with quadrupled capacity of the base device, which can be preordered at our new Industrial IoT Shop, here: https://iiot-shop.com/product/supercap-ups/

BUY NOW

New SIM7000G modem for ModBerry / Moduino Industrial IoT devices

/0 Comments/in , , /by

TECHBASE’s Industrial IoT devices, ModBerry & Moduino series, now supports latest SIMCom global-band SIM7000G eMTC & NB-IoT Module. New SIM7000G supersedes previous 7000E / 7000A / 7000C versions of modem and provides a universal band set with global coverage, in opposite to Europe, America and China-only solutions.

Our ModBerry / Moduino devices equipped with latest SIM7000G modem are perfect for industrial automation solutions, e.g. data logging, metering, telemetrics, remote monitoring, security and data management through all Industrial IoT applications.

Supported bandwidths:

  • Global-Band LTE CAT-M1:  B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B8/B12/B13/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28/B39;
  • Global-Band LTE CAT NB-IoT1:  B1/B2/B3/B5/B8/B12/B13/B17/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28;
  • GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900Mhz Control Via AT Commands

Supported data transfer:

  • LTE CAT-M1(eMTC) – Uplink up to 375kbps, Downlink up to 300kbps
  • NB-IoT – Uplink up to 66kbps, Downlink up to 34kbps
  • EDGE Class – Uplink up to 236.8Kbps, Downlink up to 236.8Kbps
  • GPRS – Uplink up to 85.6Kbps, Downlink up to 85.6Kbps

Our ModBerry / Moduino devices with global-band SIM7000G are available for testing and developing purposes, due to pending certifications of this module. For more information please contact our sales managers via live chat or contact forms.

 

Supported ModBerry series Supported Moduino series

 

SuperCap UPS – Backup power supply for Raspberry Pi / ESP32 IIoT devices

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The new SuperCap UPS-SC01 backup power supply is equipped with a highly available backup feature to safely bridge fluctuations, drops or failures accompanying standard 9~30VDC supply voltage and avoid interruption of output voltage in industrial and automation environments. For this purpose SuperCap UPS-SC01 utilizes two supercapacitors (so-called supercaps) as a durable, cycle-resistant and maintenance-free solution for backup energy storage and failure safety.

As an addition to Industrial IoT family of TECHBASE’s products, such as ModBerry (Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 powered) industrial gateways and Moduino (ESP32 powered) end-point devices, the SuperCap UPS-SC01 serves well as an additional, highly efficient and fanless power source to allow continuous operation of connected devices in difficult conditions, such as extended industrial temperature range. Perfect solution for a multi-range applications, especially for embedded IIoT / Industry 4.0 systems, where stability and high availability is most important.

PDF Datasheet BUY NOW

Read more

ModBerry expands to the latest NanoPi & OrangePi platforms

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Introduced in November 2017, the ModBerry M300 series, based on NanoPi NEO revolutionised the economic segment of Industrial IoT devices and proved, that automation and monitoring can be done effectively with low expenditure on industrial installations.

Read more: http://linuxgizmos.com/automation-controller-runs-linux-on-a-nanopi-neo-sbc/

https://www.cnx-software.com/2017/11/15/techbase-modberry%E2%80%8B-m300-linux-iot-gateway-%E2%80%8Bis-powered-by-nanopi-neo-board/

To ensure constant development of TECHBASE’s solutions and cutting-edge technology, the NanoPi platform part of ModBerry series is expanded by updated ModBerry M300 N2 product, based on NanoPi NEO2. The new addition features Quad-core Cortex-A53, twice more RAM than previous version of NanoPi NEO and Gigabit Ethernet for fast communication.

For even wider range of communication interfaces and application possibilities, TECHBASE offers now ModBerry M300 N2+ based on the NanoPi NEO Plus2. M300 N2+ is equipped with 8GB eMMC, features more USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet port like M300 N2 and is supported with onboard Wi-Fi/Blutetooth 4.0 to ensure many channels of data management.

ModBerry M300 series can optionally support an external 2.5″ SATA hard disk and 2242 SSD storage units with M.2 interface thanks to onboard JMS567 USB to SATA controller. With extra storage space, data management of specific installations would be more convenient than sending all unprocessed data into cloud or directly to user.

OrangePi capabilities

To meet the Industrial IoT market demands the ModBerry family joined new embedded computer platform, offering adjustable solutions for every industrial installation. ModBerry M300 O1/O2 series is formed by two OrangePi module boards offering different approach to IoT than NanoPi solutions.

ModBerry M300 O1 based on OrangePi Zero Plus features Allwinner H5 (Quad-core Cortex-A53) SoC, moderate 512MB RAM, storage memory option with microSD slot, USB and Gigabit Ethernet port. The wireless communication is supported with onboard Wi-Fi module.

Offering much higher performance and wider feature range, the ModBerry M300 O2 features same SoC as M300 series, but thanks to OrangePi Zero Plus2 means, the device is equipped with onboard 8GB eMMC, extra microSD expansion slot as alternative and wired/wireless interfaces, e.g. HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.

ExCard modules to peak the performance

Every TECHBASE’s industrial computer is supported by ExCard add-on modules for extra RS-232/485 serial ports, Ethernet ports, PCIe slots, analog input and output, digital I/Os, relays, M-Bus interface, opto-isolation, accelerometer, etc. To provide specific communication paths, ModBerry can be rigged with additional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module, 3G/LTE, NarrowBand-IoT, LoRa, ZigBee, GPS and Wireless M-Bus.

The latest options for ModBerry series are:

  • SuperCap expansion, to provide constant power supply as a UPS option
  • OLED 0.96” & new OLED 1,3″ screen, allowing the control without the need of connecting into the device
  • ESP32 module as a security chip, to add a firewall into control installation and ensure constant operation of the device, even with power drops and random events
  • Aluminum case, to grant much higher durability for extra harsh industrial conditions
  • Mentioned earlier SATA/M.2 SSD controller for extra data storage

The updated M300 availability

Currently all the updated M300 samples, including M300 N2, N2+, O1, O2 are available on demand. Please contact TECHBASE’s sales department via http://modberry.techbase.eu/ contact form with specific requirements to receive an offer that will suit the project’s needs. Since the M300 update is still under the development, specific datasheets will be available in mid-February. The pricing of each unit may vary on the basis of configuration and order quota.

Symbiosis of RaspberryPi and ESP32 in one device

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

The latest configuration of ModBerry 500 device presents the important milestone in TECHBASE’s offer. The introduction of two platform symbiosis, RaspberryPi Compute Module 3 assisted with Espressif’s ESP32 module brings new possibilities of application to life. High performance of CM3, if compromised by exposition to harsh environmental conditions or sudden drop of power, is aided with low-powered ESP32’s real-time system to continue operation of the device. ESP32 module can be battery powered, same as standalone Moduino series, based on similar solution.

ESP32 subsystem for ModBerry 500

Main difference between ESP32-aided ModBerry device and ESP32-based Moduino is that the first one benefits from low-power module aid to prevent errors and downtimes. ESP32 compared to Compute Module 3 works much longer on battery power supply and offers extended sleep modes. Real-time system of ESP32 and simplified communication between ESP32-aided ModBerry device and Moduino controllers drastically shortens the time needed for the system implementation and the cost of maintaining the application. It also enables the use of Espressif’s Wi-Fi-based technology in the ESP-NOW and ESP-MESH networks.

The separate ModBerry-Moduino Ecosystem, working as a separate devices is a solution for scattered object and installations monitoring – with the use of wireless communication interfaces (e.g. LoRa, NarrowBand-IoT, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), rather than standard wired networks. For more information ask TECHBASE via one of contact form at: http://modberry.techbase.eu/ & http://moduino.techbase.eu/

Coming soon

TECHBASE plans further development of the product, particularly the issue of remote access to input/output resources and use of ESP32 as a Security Chip – hardware layer protection against hacking (very important issue in current IoT business).

CHOOSE YOUR DEVICE

 

ModBerry brings Compute Module 3 to next level of Industrial IoT

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Introduced with Moduino series, TECHBASE developed further the project of modular aluminum case for their devices. The latest version of housing allows ModBerry to expand in any dimension, supporting additional extension cards (e.g. I/Os, modems, opto-isolation, accelerometer, etc.) and DIN rail mount, that can be retracted into device itself. TECHBASE constantly improves the project to support different platforms (e.g. Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3, NanoPi, ESP32, UpBoard and probably more in the nearest future) and brings them to Industrial IoT world.

Supercapacitor power support for ModBerry

To improve the possibilities of ModBerry devices, TECHBASE added supercapacitor UPS option for ModBerry 500 configurations. Additional power supply available at emergency situations, such as power drop or loss, allows the device to log the recently acquired data and send the notifications to user regarding the occurred event. The supercap support for ModBerry ensures safe system shutdown and protects memory from fragmenting, so there is no need to use diagnostic tools afterwards.

ModBerry enhanced with OLED screen

Just like ESP32-based Moduino series, the ModBerry computers can be now equipped with OLED 0.96″ 128×64 screen via i2c extension protocol. The is small, only about 1″ diameter, but very readable due to the high contrast of an OLED display. Because the display makes its own light, no backlight is required, therefore reduces the power required to run the OLED.

 

CHOOSE YOUR DEVICE

 

LORA MQTT: Perfect Couple – in RaspberryPi & ESP32 Ecosystem

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

TECHBASE Industrial Computers are designed for easy integration of LoRa / MQTT networks. ModBerry devices base on Raspberry Pi / NanoPi / Intel UpBoard platform communicate with both Cloud and Sensor layer (backed with ESP32 Moduino devices) of your installation via MQTT protocol. Gateway utilizes the features of many protocol libraries, such as original TECHBASE’s iMod protocol controller – installable both on the Gateway device itself or externally with wide range of possibilities (industrial computer, hosted server, etc.). Our devices fully support Node-RED, CODESYS, OpenHAB and many more open protocol libraries.

Wide range of protocol support

All TECHBASE’s solution can be empowered with iMod software incl. protocol support for industrial interfaces, e.g. M-Bus, Modbus, SNMP, MQTT. iMod software works seamlessly with Node-RED using MQTT protocol, allowing use of bacnet and direct control over devices I/Os with Google’s platform-neutral protobuf – extensible mechanism for serializing structured data and zeroMQ controls to connect the code in any modern language, on any platform. The protocol drivers library can be expanded with CODESYS development system to support PROFIBUS, CANopen, EtherCAT, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP.

iMod M-Bus, Wireless M-Bus, Modbus TCP/RTU, SNMP, MQTT, SMS, E-MAIL, SQL/CSV
CODESYS PROFIBUS, CANopen, EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP
Node-RED, etc. MQTT, bacnet, eISCP
OpenHAB Commercial product integration
Other open-source protocols IEC 61850, IEC 60870-5-104, DLMS/COSEM, KNX, eHz meters, IEC 62056-21, REST

 

CHOOSE YOUR DEVICE

 

New IoT Gateway based on NanoPi Neo

/0 Comments/in /by

In October 2017 TECHBASE introduced newest economical addition to their M-Bus/Modbus Gateway family. Success of ModBerry 500 series based on Compute Module 3 and ModBerry M700 based on NanoPi M2 drove to further development of this efficient platform. TECHBASE proudly presents ModBerry M300 powered by NanoPi NEO.

    • CPU: Allwinner H3, Quad-core Cortex-A7 Up to 1.2GHz
    • DDR3 RAM: 512MB
    • Connectivity: 10/100M Ethernet, RS-232, RS-485
    • USB Host: ext. Type-A x1
    • Wireless communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, NB-IoT (LTE cat. NB1) /GPRS/EDGE, 3G/GPRS, ZigBee, Sigfox support
    • Working Temperature: -40℃ to 70℃
    • OS/Software: u-boot, UbuntuCore, Debian and Android

Download PDF datasheet: http://www.a2s.pl/products/ModBerry/ModBerry_M300_EN.pdf

Read more

M-Bus/Wireless M-Bus support for Moduino X1/X2

/0 Comments/in /by

Moduino based on ESP32 can now be equipped with TECHBASE’s original mBus10/60/400 converter module. The converter operates as a M-Bus Master and allows user to connect up to 400 standard M-Bus receivers (Slaves) through M-Bus Master output or fewer devices at a higher M-Bus load over long distances. Moduino, as a fully capable Industrial IoT device, can now be used with every device equipped with M-Bus interface, e.g. heat meters, electricity meters, gas meters, executive modules, recorders, measuring instruments.

Wireless M-Bus support

TECHBASE has added high performance module for wireless M-Bus connectivity and multi-hop networking into Moduino series expansion options. The module is configured as an embedded micro system or simple data modem for low power applications in the metering specifically allocated band of 169 MHz or in the ISM band of 868 MHz. The device is can be configured for interoperability in a WMBus network for Industrial IoT applications.

The RF implementation guarantees best-in-class performance in terms of covered area and power consumption. The output power can be increased up to +30 dBm on the 169 MHz band (+27 dBm on optimized version for highest power efficiency) and up to +15 dBm on the 868 MHz band. The extremely reduced power consumption gives access to long lasting battery life requirement (up to 2 μA in sleep mode for wireless M-Bus module with an RTC clock running).

The Moduino devices  can be provided with a W-MBus stack specifically developed by Embit for the platform that allows to integrate the module in the desired system without effort and simplify the interaction in WMBus networks.

MEET MODUINO X