Max7219, Background processing.

Hello,

I want my arduino to continue executiion after it sent some data to the Max7219 Led matrix display module.

Is there any library which can perform this?, if not is there any board which can be connected to arduino and after sending the entire data, arduino can continue the execution and the board has to display the data serially.

Thank you.
Fahil.

You can send commands to the MAX7219.

It will continue to display the contents forever.

Or until you send a new command to change the data.

David.

MAX7219 very easy to use.

digitalWrite (ssPin, LOW);
SPI.transfer (registerAddress); // 1 to 8 for the 8 columns
SPI.transfer(dataToDisplay); // pattern to display for a column
digitalWrite (ssPin, HIGH); //

Use the same in setup() to load the 5 command registers: intensity (0 to 15 for brightness), scan (3 to 8 columns to display), display test (turns on all LEDs), no-decode mode (decode mode can be used with 7-segment displays to show 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,H,E,L,P,-, or you can do your own mapping with an array for additional letters: A, b, C, c, d, E, F, g, H, h, I, J, L,n, O, o, P, r, S, t, U, u, Y), and normal/off mode. Then intensity is normally the only changed in loop() to change brightness on the fly.

Thank you for the reply.., I've seen that there is a 8*8 ram, but there is nothing regarding the memory capacity of the IC in the datasheet. So how many data segments can be loaded at once? Is require any other supplies like CLK?

It obviously has registers to hold the display data. Likewise, it has registers to hold the configuration etc.

It looks after the display multiplexing, current, lookup tables, ... so that you don't have to.

If you do not change the data or commands, it will simply display the current data forever.
Exactly the same as an OLED, LCD, TFT, ... or any other display module. The internal hardware regularly refreshes the display so that you see a steady picture.

Your old TV tube scans regularly to make it look as if you have a steady picture. But in fact you only have one electron beam that is drawing raster lines. Your persistence of vision make you think that you have a full picture.

The 7219 is doing the same thing with the 7-segment displays. (or dot matrix)
But it probably is using 8 dots instead of one electron beam.

David.