Smartphones and PICs

[khufumen]

Most smart phones such as the iPhone and Blackberry phones, have wifi built into them. Is there any way to wirelessly transmit information to the smartphone from the PIC using some sort of zigbee or wifi interface? Once the data is in the smartphone then it can be sent up to the internet. Any comments or pointers in such a direction would be most helpful.

Kind Regards
Eric

[prstein]

I've only worked with Palm and Windows Mobile phones, but I've found it quite simple to use the Bluetooth serial port profile in the smartphone side. For the PIC I use a model with a USART (18F1330 mostly) and a BT-to-serial module. I looked at WiFi but it seemed too power hungry. That was several years ago so the technology might have changed/improved.

I'll be curious to know what you finally decide to go with.

Best Regards,
Paul

[khufumen]

Paul,
There is a company called Connect 1 which makes a serial-WiFi device. It does take 200mA at 3V. The link is:

http://www.connectone.com/products.asp?did=73&pid=98

I'm going to give them a call on Monday.

The link below makes a device for connecting to your car's computer wirelessly via an iphone. pretty cool. It certainly can be done.

http://www.plxkiwi.com/kiwiwifi/hardware.html

Eric

[prstein]

Thank you Eric, that serial-to-WiFi does look interesting. I didn't see a price so it must be expensive. 8^)

200mA though...almost everything I do runs on batteries so that would kill two "AA" cells in 10 hours.

The link for the BT module I use is:

Parani-ESD200 (http://www.lemosint.com/bluetooth/bluetooth_serial_adapter_details.php?itemID=52)

It states something like 30mA for class 2 at 9600 baud. I think I'm getting slightly better than this with careful configuration of the ESD200.

Best Regards,
Paul

[khufumen]

Paul,
As I think about it, the bluetooth does seem to be the way to go. My ITouch has bluetooth as well as my Blackberry. What is the range that you get with your bluetooth set up and if I may inquire, what PIC do you use?
Eric

[khufumen]

What's the difference between the ESD100 and the ESD200. It says one is Class 1 and one is Class 2 but I don't really know what that means.
Eric

[prstein]

Hello Eric,

Class 2 = low power, range ~30 meters if you have a clear line-of-sight. Way less if not line-of-sight. Since I figure a person has the PDA in one hand and the device in the other, 2 or 3 meters really is enough and real-world world conditions we expect about 10 or 15 meters. That translates to one or two rooms over in a building.

Class 1 = high power, nominal range 100 meters. I've used this for one application (total of only eight units) where lots of power was available (from vehicles). Now, I've never seen a PDA with anything other than Class 2 built in. Using a Class 1 BT chip doesn't really make things much better because of the limitations imposed by the Class 2 in the PDA. With that said, when able to control both sides of the BT chain, a pair of Class 2 modules with very good antennae, in an outdoor desert environment, can easily go hundreds upon hundreds of meters at 115,200 baud. I haven't had the opportunity to measure it out but I don't doubt the advertised 1,000 meters (again, under the right conditions).

Mostly, the PICs used are the 18F1330, but I've also done BT with the 16F877 and 18F452. Use a PIC with a USART. Use HSEROUT and HSERIN. Beyond that it is really not much different than using wired RS232.

Best Regards,
Paul