Introduction to SBC

Historical Aspect
• Moore’s Law
• Cost reduction
• Size Reduction
• The SoC is a Broadcom
BCM2835. This contains an
ARM1176JZFS, with
floating point, running at
700Mhz, and a Videocore 4
GPU. The GPU is capable of
BluRay quality playback,
using H.264 at 40MBits/s. It
has a fast 3D core accessed
using the supplied OpenGL
ES2.0 and OpenVG
libraries.
 Significance
• Easy to program and deploy
• Strong, powerful design with less energy
consumption
• Memory support
• Physical level connectivity to devices through
GPIO, SPI, I2C, USB, Ethernet is very easy
• Linux support with coding in C and python
 Setting up!
• Download the OS image from the distributor
website or create your own customized one !!
• Format the SD card. (use preferably SD Formatter
from SD Association for free)
• Burn the image onto SD High Capacity card.
• Connect USB mouse, and keyboard, HDMI screen,
and ethernet/wifi for internet connectivity.
• Install the SD card, and power the board up.
• Follow the onscreen instructions and set up the
OS.
 Support packages available
• GNU GCC compiler
• Python 2.7 interpreter
• Drivers for several interfaces like SPI, I2C etc.
• These needs to be configured as and when
needed
 Usage for Control System
• Interface operation critical devices, machines
through GPIO, or ADCs, or though standard
interfaces like USB, RS232, RS485, SPI, I2C,
Ethernet.
• Compile EPICS on RPi and use various device
drivers available on internet or write your own
C/python based GUI software.
• Create a client-server architecture.
• Create IoT application by creating a webserver
accessible throughout the control network.
Design Architecture

GUI-Client
 Applications

Server Client
Devices
Raspberry pi
Server

Motor
Server

Client
 Handson Session
(Working with SBC)
Ashish Sharma
Engineer ‘C’
IUAC
 Some Required packages
• C package for easy access of Rpi-GPIO
http://wiringpi.com/download-and-install/

• Python package for Rpi

https://pypi.python.org/pypi/RPi.GPIO
 Example 1
• Control any Lab equipment using Python and
C through any of the standard interface (USB,
Ethernet, RS232, or GPIB)
 Example 2
• Read ADC Data through SPI into RPi
 Example 3
• Control a LED through Webpage