| Author |
Message |
Guest
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 Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:25 am Post subject:
LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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Hello.
My current project uses a PIC16F873A to output to an already
multiplexed LED Display (Fairchild MSQ6441, 4 digit, 7-segment numeric
display).
I would like to relieve some work from the PIC, so I've been looking
into LED Display Drivers to pick up the slack. I came across the
MAX7221, a nice chip from Maxim... common cathode LED Display Driver
that does the multiplexing for you, SPI compatible..easy to use. It
supports all 8 digits, so I don't need the extra pins.
Now, Ideally I would like a LED Display Driver that is I2C (not SPI)
compatible and drives up to 4 digits. I came across the MAX6958, it
looked perfect.. I2C compatible, drives 4 digits, 16 pin PDIP. BUT,
you cannot hook up a multiplexed LED Dispaly to it because of it's
special multiplexing method (Charlieplexing). You have to connect
individual digits to the chip...the chip needs access to each segment
(a,b,c,d,e,f) of each digit. I would really like to stick with already
multiplexed LED Displays (ie, common cathodes and all segments tied to
each other). Anyone know of such a chip that could hook up multiplexed
display which is I2C compatible. Thanks for any input. |
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Spehro Pefhany
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:45 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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On 7 Dec 2004 14:25:31 -0800, the renowned jut.shanahan@gmail.com
wrote:
| Quote: | Hello.
My current project uses a PIC16F873A to output to an already
multiplexed LED Display (Fairchild MSQ6441, 4 digit, 7-segment numeric
display).
I would like to relieve some work from the PIC, so I've been looking
into LED Display Drivers to pick up the slack. I came across the
MAX7221, a nice chip from Maxim... common cathode LED Display Driver
that does the multiplexing for you, SPI compatible..easy to use. It
supports all 8 digits, so I don't need the extra pins.
Now, Ideally I would like a LED Display Driver that is I2C (not SPI)
compatible and drives up to 4 digits. I came across the MAX6958, it
looked perfect.. I2C compatible, drives 4 digits, 16 pin PDIP. BUT,
you cannot hook up a multiplexed LED Dispaly to it because of it's
special multiplexing method (Charlieplexing). You have to connect
individual digits to the chip...the chip needs access to each segment
(a,b,c,d,e,f) of each digit. I would really like to stick with already
multiplexed LED Displays (ie, common cathodes and all segments tied to
each other). Anyone know of such a chip that could hook up multiplexed
display which is I2C compatible. Thanks for any input.
|
What's the problem with getting the PIC to do it?
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com |
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Jim Granville
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:21 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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jut.shanahan@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Hello.
My current project uses a PIC16F873A to output to an already
multiplexed LED Display (Fairchild MSQ6441, 4 digit, 7-segment numeric
display).
I would like to relieve some work from the PIC, so I've been looking
into LED Display Drivers to pick up the slack. I came across the
MAX7221, a nice chip from Maxim... common cathode LED Display Driver
that does the multiplexing for you, SPI compatible..easy to use. It
supports all 8 digits, so I don't need the extra pins.
Now, Ideally I would like a LED Display Driver that is I2C (not SPI)
compatible and drives up to 4 digits. I came across the MAX6958, it
looked perfect.. I2C compatible, drives 4 digits, 16 pin PDIP. BUT,
you cannot hook up a multiplexed LED Dispaly to it because of it's
special multiplexing method (Charlieplexing). You have to connect
individual digits to the chip...the chip needs access to each segment
(a,b,c,d,e,f) of each digit. I would really like to stick with already
multiplexed LED Displays (ie, common cathodes and all segments tied to
each other). Anyone know of such a chip that could hook up multiplexed
display which is I2C compatible. Thanks for any input.
|
try
http://www.standardproducts.philips.com/products/segmentdisplays/ |
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Noel Henson
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:34 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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jut.shanahan@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Hello.
My current project uses a PIC16F873A to output to an already
multiplexed LED Display (Fairchild MSQ6441, 4 digit, 7-segment numeric
display).
I would like to relieve some work from the PIC, so I've been looking
into LED Display Drivers to pick up the slack. I came across the
MAX7221, a nice chip from Maxim... common cathode LED Display Driver
that does the multiplexing for you, SPI compatible..easy to use. It
supports all 8 digits, so I don't need the extra pins.
Now, Ideally I would like a LED Display Driver that is I2C (not SPI)
compatible and drives up to 4 digits. I came across the MAX6958, it
looked perfect.. I2C compatible, drives 4 digits, 16 pin PDIP. BUT,
you cannot hook up a multiplexed LED Dispaly to it because of it's
special multiplexing method (Charlieplexing). You have to connect
individual digits to the chip...the chip needs access to each segment
(a,b,c,d,e,f) of each digit. I would really like to stick with already
multiplexed LED Displays (ie, common cathodes and all segments tied to
each other). Anyone know of such a chip that could hook up multiplexed
display which is I2C compatible. Thanks for any input.
|
There shouldn't be that much work to offload. A timer that interrupts about
every 4ms, 4 8-bit registers and a 4-bit shift register (or 2-bit counter)
are all that's needed. If the processor is running at 4MHz, 10 instructions
to do the switch would be 10us. 10us out of 4ms is a mere 0.25%. Even if my
estimate if off by 2 or 3X, It's still less than 1% of the CPU cycles.
Noel |
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CBarn24050
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:01 pm Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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| Quote: | Subject: Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC?
From: Noel Henson noel@noels-lab.com
Date: 08/12/2004 00:34 GMT Standard Time
Message-id: <5Yrtd.1039$Pw6.134@fe25.usenetserver.com
jut.shanahan@gmail.com wrote:
Hello.
My current project uses a PIC16F873A to output to an already
multiplexed LED Display (Fairchild MSQ6441, 4 digit, 7-segment numeric
display).
I would like to relieve some work from the PIC,
There shouldn't be that much work to offload. A timer that interrupts about
every 4ms, 4 8-bit registers and a 4-bit shift register (or 2-bit counter)
are all that's needed. If the processor is running at 4MHz, 10 instructions
to do the switch would be 10us. 10us out of 4ms is a mere 0.25%. Even if my
estimate if off by 2 or 3X, It's still less than 1% of the CPU cycles.
Noel
|
I agree with you Noel, probably not even 10 instructions needed. A lot more
effort would be needed to run an I2C link. |
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Spehro Pefhany
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:56 pm Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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On 08 Dec 2004 14:01:11 GMT, the renowned cbarn24050@aol.com
(CBarn24050) wrote:
| Quote: | Subject: Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC?
From: Noel Henson noel@noels-lab.com
Date: 08/12/2004 00:34 GMT Standard Time
Message-id: <5Yrtd.1039$Pw6.134@fe25.usenetserver.com
jut.shanahan@gmail.com wrote:
Hello.
My current project uses a PIC16F873A to output to an already
multiplexed LED Display (Fairchild MSQ6441, 4 digit, 7-segment numeric
display).
I would like to relieve some work from the PIC,
There shouldn't be that much work to offload. A timer that interrupts about
every 4ms, 4 8-bit registers and a 4-bit shift register (or 2-bit counter)
are all that's needed. If the processor is running at 4MHz, 10 instructions
to do the switch would be 10us. 10us out of 4ms is a mere 0.25%. Even if my
estimate if off by 2 or 3X, It's still less than 1% of the CPU cycles.
Noel
I agree with you Noel, probably not even 10 instructions needed. A lot more
effort would be needed to run an I2C link.
|
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com |
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Noel Henson
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:02 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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Spehro Pefhany wrote:
| Quote: | More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
|
OK. Let's see how small we can make it. Perhaps it would make a good
reference for others.
I do love to make pins and ports do more than one thing so, let's consider
4 8-segment displays (7 plus a .) and 4 push-button switches for input.
We'll only need 13 signals.
Let's assume these variables:
DIGIT3 the bit pattern for the left-most digit
DIGIT2 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT1 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT0 the bit pattern for the right-most digit
SELECT the shifter or counter
Who wants to take the first stab at it?
Noel |
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CBarn24050
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:31 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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| Quote: | Subject: Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC?
From: Spehro Pefhany speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat
Date: 08/12/2004 14:56 GMT Standard Time
Message-id: <j25er05oehojmons2cm5gumlq7p7ajmnes@4ax.com
I agree with you Noel, probably not even 10 instructions needed. A lot more
effort would be needed to run an I2C link.
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
|
I was assuming that you were allready in the timer interrupt routine. Less than
10 meant the number of instructions used each time round the loop and not the
total number of code instructions. I can't be bothered to actually write the
code so I can't actually disagree with you. |
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Noel Henson
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 12:43 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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hamilton wrote:
| Quote: | Noel Henson wrote:
Who wants to take the first stab at it?
Noel
|
Hamilton,
What took you so long? ;) What is the schematic? We'll need to know which
PIC pins do what.
Noel
PS: Nice work. Even an RS232 interface. |
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Noel Henson
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 2:43 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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|
Noel Henson wrote:
| Quote: | Spehro Pefhany wrote:
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
OK. Let's see how small we can make it. Perhaps it would make a good
reference for others.
I do love to make pins and ports do more than one thing so, let's consider
4 8-segment displays (7 plus a .) and 4 push-button switches for input.
We'll only need 13 signals.
Let's assume these variables:
DIGIT3 the bit pattern for the left-most digit
DIGIT2 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT1 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT0 the bit pattern for the right-most digit
SELECT the shifter or counter
Who wants to take the first stab at it?
Noel
|
I see that we need the code to support these functions:
Initialize the timer
Enable the interrupt
Acknowledge the interrupt
Context save
Context restore
Index into the data storage array
Write the output
Scan the keys
Did I miss anything?
Noel |
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Spehro Pefhany
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 3:59 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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|
On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 13:43:19 -0800, the renowned Noel Henson
<noel@noels-lab.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Noel Henson wrote:
Spehro Pefhany wrote:
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
OK. Let's see how small we can make it. Perhaps it would make a good
reference for others.
I do love to make pins and ports do more than one thing so, let's consider
4 8-segment displays (7 plus a .) and 4 push-button switches for input.
We'll only need 13 signals.
Let's assume these variables:
DIGIT3 the bit pattern for the left-most digit
DIGIT2 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT1 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT0 the bit pattern for the right-most digit
SELECT the shifter or counter
Who wants to take the first stab at it?
Noel
I see that we need the code to support these functions:
Initialize the timer
Enable the interrupt
Acknowledge the interrupt
Context save
Context restore
Index into the data storage array
Write the output
Scan the keys
Did I miss anything?
Noel
|
"Write the output" is typically composed of- fetch the new
segment pattern, turn the old digit drive off, output the new
segment pattern, turn the next digit drive on.
You also have to increment the index modulo the number of digits.
For "scan the keys", I'd put debouncing right in the ISR and also
stuff any changes into a circular event queue, but that's just me.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com |
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CBarn24050
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:16 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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| Quote: | Subject: Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC?
From: Spehro Pefhany speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat
Spehro Pefhany wrote:
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
OK. Let's see how small we can make it. Perhaps it would make a good
reference for others.
I see that we need the code to support these functions:
Initialize the timer
Enable the interrupt
Acknowledge the interrupt
Context save
Context restore
Index into the data storage array
Write the output
Scan the keys
Did I miss anything?
Noel
|
I did something similar recently for the pic16c870, 5 digits +6 buttons on 1
port with a 573 latch. The code wasn't written for smallest size just quick
through the interrupt loop. Digit selection 14 instructions, digit drive and
button read 6 instructions + a call to a 6 instruction macro + a call to a
lookup table (bcd to 7 seg). Button debounce 6 instructions. Worst case time 28
instructions, best case time 22 instructions. |
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Noel Henson
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:36 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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|
Spehro Pefhany wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 13:43:19 -0800, the renowned Noel Henson
noel@noels-lab.com> wrote:
Noel Henson wrote:
Spehro Pefhany wrote:
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
OK. Let's see how small we can make it. Perhaps it would make a good
reference for others.
I do love to make pins and ports do more than one thing so, let's
consider 4 8-segment displays (7 plus a .) and 4 push-button switches
for input. We'll only need 13 signals.
Let's assume these variables:
DIGIT3 the bit pattern for the left-most digit
DIGIT2 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT1 the bit pattern for the left-center digit
DIGIT0 the bit pattern for the right-most digit
SELECT the shifter or counter
Who wants to take the first stab at it?
Noel
I see that we need the code to support these functions:
Initialize the timer
Enable the interrupt
Acknowledge the interrupt
Context save
Context restore
Index into the data storage array
Write the output
Scan the keys
Did I miss anything?
Noel
"Write the output" is typically composed of- fetch the new
segment pattern, turn the old digit drive off, output the new
segment pattern, turn the next digit drive on.
You also have to increment the index modulo the number of digits.
For "scan the keys", I'd put debouncing right in the ISR and also
stuff any changes into a circular event queue, but that's just me.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
|
'Write the output' could use a shift register so selecting the proper digit
could be as easy as a shift but that would mean that other port bits could
be affected in a destructive way; eg. rol PORTB. That would work in
instances in which the other PORTB bits are inputs.
Debouncing may or may not be necessary, depending upon the application. If
one is needed, there is always the 'tried-and-true' counting approach. For
an embedded application, I'd used flags instead of queues. They're much
smaller.
Cheers,
Noel |
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Noel Henson
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 4:52 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
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CBarn24050 wrote:
| Quote: | Subject: Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC?
From: Spehro Pefhany speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat
Spehro Pefhany wrote:
More than 10, counting save/restore context. But the order of
magnitude is correct.
OK. Let's see how small we can make it. Perhaps it would make a good
reference for others.
I see that we need the code to support these functions:
Initialize the timer
Enable the interrupt
Acknowledge the interrupt
Context save
Context restore
Index into the data storage array
Write the output
Scan the keys
Did I miss anything?
Noel
I did something similar recently for the pic16c870, 5 digits +6 buttons on
1 port with a 573 latch. The code wasn't written for smallest size just
quick through the interrupt loop. Digit selection 14 instructions, digit
drive and button read 6 instructions + a call to a 6 instruction macro + a
call to a lookup table (bcd to 7 seg). Button debounce 6 instructions.
Worst case time 28 instructions, best case time 22 instructions.
|
As mentioned before, "the order of magnitude is correct." Nice work. But if
we were starting anew, how small could it be made?
Noel |
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hamilton
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 10, 2004 8:25 am Post subject:
Re: LED Display Driver for use with PIC? |
|
|
Noel Henson wrote:
| Quote: | What took you so long? ;) What is the schematic? We'll need to know which
PIC pins do what.
Noel
PS: Nice work. Even an RS232 interface.
|
Thanks,
I did this last year for a solar controller project. I need to locate
the schematic, but I used port D for the segment drivers and port B ( 4
bits ) for the digit drivers.
The interrupt was written in C. I fill a 4 byte array with the display
values and set a flag. When the interrupt transfers all four bytes (
three digits and 4 LEDs ) to the display, I check the flag and update
the display registers. ( another 4 byte array )
The interrupts run at 1 Milli-second.
I turn off the digit drivers to blank the display, reload port D from
the next location in the output array, then turn on the next digit driver.
I also check the switches for any low bits, de-bounce the same bits and
pass the key_value back to the main program.
The interrupt runs at about 25 uSec for all of this.
( TEST_PNT is used as a timeing bit. )
25 uSec out of every 1000 uSec = 2.5 % overhead.
I also flash the digits without flashing the LEDs.
I am sure it would be smaller code and faster ( less overhead ) but I
wrote it over a weekend in C.
// 1 mSec interrupts
// run multiplex display
void interrupt timer_0( void )
{
TMR0 = -125;
T0IF = 0;
PORTB = 0x27; // turn off all digits
TEST_PNT = 1;
// running .1 sec timer
if( !flash_cnt--)
{
flash_cnt = 100;
tenth_sec_cntr++;
if( !hund_count--)
{
hund_count =hund_count_input;
if( flash_state_on )
flash_state_on=0;
else
flash_state_on=1;
}
}
// display next digit
if( mux_cntr == 0 )
{
PORTD = DIGITS[ dsply_digit[0] ];
on_digit = ~0x01; // turn on hunds digit
//digit_100 = 0;
}
else
if( mux_cntr == 1 )
{
PORTD = DIGITS[ dsply_digit[1] ];
on_digit = ~0x02; // turn on tens digit
//digit_10 = 0;
}
else
if( mux_cntr == 2 )
{
PORTD = DIGITS[ dsply_digit[2] ];
on_digit = ~0x04; // turn on units digit
//digit_1 = 0;
}
else
if( mux_cntr == 3 )
{
PORTD = dsply_digit[3];
on_digit = ~0x20; // turn on LEDs
//digit_led = 0;
if( dsply_flag )
{
dsply_digit[0] = update_dsply[0];
dsply_digit[1] = update_dsply[1];
dsply_digit[2] = update_dsply[2];
dsply_digit[3] = update_dsply[3];
dsply_flag = 0;
}
}
// check if blanking
if( flash_state_on || cntr==3 )
PORTB = on_digit; // turn ON LED drive
// shift too next digit
mux_cntr++;
mux_cntr &= 0x03;
TEST_PNT = 0;
// check buttons on ports RE0, RE1, RE2, AN3, AN4
} |
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