LPC810 mini ARM Prozessor in 8 pin dip package

There is a little ARM-microcontroller in a 8 pin dip package.

Here I started to write a Arduino-Lib in C to make it easier to use this powerful and cheap chip:

The chip itself can be programmed by a serial line. I used an old Arduino-Diecimilla on which I removed the Atmega8 and used it as an USB to serial converter. It is only neccessary to connect a Resistor to GND on the Rx line of the LPC810 because it uses 3.3V.

Have fun,
chris

For now, the following functions are implemented and working:

void pinMode(uint8_t pin, uint8_t mode);
void digitalWrite(uint8_t pin, uint8_t value);
void digitalToggle(uint8_t Pin);
int digitalRead(uint8_t pin);
void delay(uint32_t milliSeconds);
void Serial_begin(uint32_t baudRate);
void Serial_print(char * string);
void Serial_println(char * string);
void Serial_printnumber(uint32_t number);
uint32_t millis();
uint16_t analogRead(uint8_t channel );
int32_t map(int32_t x, int32_t in_min, int32_t in_max, int32_t out_min, int32_t out_max);

Nice job from what I can see.

I'm a big fan of the LPCs and have also done an Arduino port (to the 1227). I too used C rather than C++ because at the time the C++ compiler cost $256. It's now free and I have a rewrite on my todo list.


Rob

Hi Rob,

thank you for your response.

I too used C rather than C++ because at the time.
You are rigth, C++ is better because the commands can be made more compatible to the original.
Using my lib you would have to write

Serial_begin(9600);

instead of

Serial.begin(9600);

and it is not "polymorphic" that the arguments can have different types.
The reason why I did it in this way is that I couln't find an easy to install C++ compiler for my Ubuntu 12.04 and I didn't want to put to much time in installing the development system.
There was only a precompilde C compiler

https://launchpad.net/~terry.guo/+archive/ubuntu/gcc-arm-embedded

so I used C.

And I'm not shure if C is using less memory because the space is very limited on the LPC810.

I'm a big fan of the LPCs and have also done an Arduino port (to the 1227).

Du you have a link to your code? Probably it would be a nice idea to port it to a LPC1114FN28.
It has a 28 pin dip package.

I have a couple of pages describing the API here

http://lard.robgray.com/index.php

I haven't done anything with this for maybe a year two years. The source is in a Git repo somewhere, it's not even at alpha state and not really for public consumption but if you want to have a look I can find the URL.


Rob

ChrisMicro:
There was only a precompilde C compiler

OpenID transaction in progress

so I used C.

GCC includes a C++ compiler!

The LPC chips are good, I have done a few projects with them. I've mostly used free tools, though I did pay for a license for a vendor neutral tool to get JTAG debugging, but TBH it was not great value for money.

The ARM vendors seem to be competing by offering free IDEs, which is a great for us. Arduino everywhere!

GCC includes a C++ compiler!
uuuh ... I thought it is
arm-none-eabi-g++
I tried to compile C++ code with the make file included in my library:
hobby-roboter.de
but I was not successful. I'm not good in creating make-files therefore I gave it up to compile C++ and used C instead.
But if anyone can rework the make-file for C++ it would be usefull.

BTW.: would it be possible to use the Arduino IDE ( for Arduino DUE ) to compile the code for the LPC810 ?

It always was possible to use C++ if you were happy to dick around with makefiles, I even think you could still use the IDE, but that was too much like hard work for me so I use the LPCXpresso environment and dev boards, really simple almost turnkey operation.

I haven't looked at the LPC range for a while, I just noticed the new LPC11U68, what a great chip and there's a Xpresso dev board for it with Arduino headers.

I may revisit my LARD framework with a view to converting to C++ and getting it running on this and also smaller chips like the LPC1114FN28 you mentioned Chris. It's a bit heavy on resources though, dunno if it will fit, I'll check out that chip now.

Meanwhile I'm grabbing the latest LPCXpresso IDE.


Rob

It was always possible to build C++ code for ARM using Eclipse and the embedded plugin, no dicking around with makefiles required :slight_smile:

You can't beat the vendor tools for ease of use though, as long as you don't mind being locked into their parts.

OK, I remember there was a thread on the forum about getting the free IDE to work with C++, it's been a while now. IIRC it was just an option somewhere although I thought you had to point the IDE to your own makefile but maybe not. Either way the GCC compiler was the same.

I actually had a big winge to NXP about the fact that you had to pay for C++ when on other platforms like Arduino it was the default and free. Next thing I know I get asked to beta test the latest (at the time) IDE with C++ support, but by then I had lost interest.


Rob

I've got the Seeduino Arch Pro, so I would quite like to do an Arduino API for LPC1768, I've also got a few mini LPC boards which are ripe for Arduinoising (is that a word?).

would it be possible to use the Arduino IDE ( for Arduino DUE ) to compile the code for the LPC810 ?

Not as it is, I think you would have to add your own variant file and core libraries but that's not an area I'm very familiar with.

@Bob/Chris, is it worth trying to develop an LPC Arduino port that will support several versions of LPC? It's certainly been an interest of mine but TBH I'm probably more HW than SW. I can certainly write code (was employed to do so for many years) but it's the toolchain stuff and organisation of files to allow all different CPUs that I struggle with.


Rob

@Bob/Chris, is it worth trying to develop an LPC Arduino port that will support several versions of LPC?

I don't know. But it is always nice if there is a new microcontroller and an arduino lib avalilable. You can be very quick in getting the system running. Of course the arduino lib is not really for professional uses but for a first try it is quite good.

There is an arduino Lib for the STM-microcontrollers:

Probably it would be good to have some thing like that for the LPCs.

but it's the toolchain stuff and organisation of files to allow all different CPUs that I struggle with.

I hate struggling with the toolchain stuff, but it happens every time I use a new controller. 2-3 days of struggling ...
That is the big advantage of the arduino ide: not really comfortable but quick to install.

I've got the Seeduino Arch Pro, so I would quite like to do an Arduino API for LPC1768
That board looks very promising:
Seeeduino Arch | Seeed Studio Wiki

I haven't looked at the LPC range for a while, I just noticed the new LPC11U68
Also a nice board:
LPCXpresso Board for LPC11U68 | NXP Semiconductors

Strange that the have the arduino pin out and not an arduino lib.

Strange that the have the arduino pin out and not an arduino lib.

There's an opportunity for a bright young lad.

I think I'll get one of those OM13058s, that 11U68 CPU looks fantastic and I like the LPC architecture. I've been looking at the SAM D21 of late as well, great features but the registers are a real cluster f*ck. I know it's stupid and only matters to system programmers but that sort of thing really pisses me off.


Rob

I think I'll get one of those OM13058s,
Yes, thats a really nice board.

For many cost sensitive applications it would be usedful to have just the chip like the LPC810. It costs only around 80 EuroCent.
Here I made an instruction guide on how make an LPC810 programmer with an Arduino Due:

I've been looking at the SAM D21 of late as well, great features but the registers are a real cluster f*ck.
Isn't it comming with the Arduino Zero?

Probably they will provide the low level drivers ...

Probably they will provide the low level drivers

Yes they will, it's in progress as we speak. Like I said it's only an issue for "system" programmers, IE those who work with the bare metal, most Arduino users will neither know nor care.

For many cost sensitive applications it would be usedful to have just the chip like the LPC810

Yeah, having an ARM in an 8-pin DIP is amazing. Nice job with the Due programmer.


Rob

Graynomad:

would it be possible to use the Arduino IDE ( for Arduino DUE ) to compile the code for the LPC810 ?

Not as it is, I think you would have to add your own variant file and core libraries but that's not an area I'm very familiar with.

@Bob/Chris, is it worth trying to develop an LPC Arduino port that will support several versions of LPC? It's certainly been an interest of mine but TBH I'm probably more HW than SW. I can certainly write code (was employed to do so for many years) but it's the toolchain stuff and organisation of files to allow all different CPUs that I struggle with.

Yes and yes! Struggling with toolchains is right up my creek. :slight_smile: I have been wanting to get more into extending Arduino IDE so I decided to bite the bullet and have a go. Arduino 1.5.x makes it quite easy, it already has GCC-ARM compiler.

So what I did is take Chris's code and with a few minor changes put it into an Arduino structure. Seems to build OK with the Arduino 1.5.7 IDE but I don't have an 810 to test with. (I've got nearly a dozen LPC dev boards, but nothing with 8xx series, so I have ordered one from ebay.) I haven't looked at uploading, this was more of a test of the concept.

It actually went better than I expected, the Arduino team have made it really easy! Most of the code went into LPC8/cores/lpc810 and the Arduino framework builds it automatically. It should be easy to create new core types and board variants.

I'm not sure where example sketches should go, I compiled the blink sketch for 810 with a small change (include of sketch_ino.h not required), I haven't tried the others.

arduino_lpc810 by donotdespisethesnake, on Flickr

There are some linker warnings I don't really understand, and no doubt some other loose ends, e.g. Linux, Mac etc.

The complete add-on package is attached. It should be unzipped into the Arduino sketch folder, so you get a path like "C:\Users\bob\Documents\Arduino\hardware\OpenNxp..."

I propose to create a github repository to contain the code. Any comments on that idea or anything else please fire away.

ETA: I've now compiled all the sketches and included into package.

lpc810_for_arduino.zip (66 KB)

Hi bobcousins,

your work is great :slight_smile:

I propose to create a github repository to contain the code.
I forked a github repo for LPC-arduino here:
GitHub - ChrisMicro/LPC810_CodeBase: Open source code base for the ARM Cortex M0+ LPC810 family from NXP
But I don't know in detail how to work with github project teams.

ChrisMicro:
your work is great :slight_smile:

I propose to create a github repository to contain the code.
I forked a github repo for LPC-arduino here:
GitHub - ChrisMicro/LPC810_CodeBase: Open source code base for the ARM Cortex M0+ LPC810 family from NXP
But I don't know in detail how to work with github project teams.

Thanks, I really just rearranged it :slight_smile:

I think it is fairly essential that the git folder structure reflects the target structure, i.e. a user can do a git pull and then copy the tree to Arduino folder. Otherwise it is a nightmare to manage. git doesn't provide an easy way to link files that have the same content, so it's best to copy the ones that are needed to the new place.

Collaboration can be done in github with pull requests which is good for large projects with lots of contributors, but does have more overhead. A lighter method is to specify named collaborators who have full access equivalent to the repo owner., or most often a combination of both.

We could also set up an "Organization" which would perhaps be a cleaner way to do it, I haven't tried that before. Looks pretty easy though. We need to think of a good name for it...