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project:maerklin:system_control:start [2025/08/27 18:24] – [Technical Details] Peter Siegmundproject:maerklin:system_control:start [2025/09/14 20:40] (current) – [Hardware] Peter Siegmund
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 This system is built to be highly extensible. For this purpose, I designed a wireless system for indoor use based on Bluetooth LE. This decision was primarily driven by two factors: firstly, my desire to gain experience with BLE in a new project, and secondly (and more importantly), the aim to ensure independence from any specific MCU. This system is built to be highly extensible. For this purpose, I designed a wireless system for indoor use based on Bluetooth LE. This decision was primarily driven by two factors: firstly, my desire to gain experience with BLE in a new project, and secondly (and more importantly), the aim to ensure independence from any specific MCU.
-Currently, I'm using an ESP32, which supports both Wi-Fi and BLE. However, I also plan to test other microcontrollers, such as those from the STM32 family (for instance, the [[https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32wb-series.html|STM32WB-Series]], which offers strong BLE capabilities), to maintain this flexibility.+Currently, I'm using an [[hardware:esp32:start|ESP32]], which supports both Wi-Fi and BLE. However, I also plan to test other microcontrollers, such as those from the [[hardware:stm32:start|STM32]] family (for instance, the [[https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32wb-series.html|STM32WB-Series]], which offers strong BLE capabilities), to maintain this flexibility.
  
 ===== Technical Details ===== ===== Technical Details =====
  
 In order to fully utilize the capabilities of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_Low_Energy|Bluetooth Low Energy]] standard, I have moved away from my original approach, which involved a custom configuration format transmitted via [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON|JSON]]. I will now adhere to the official BLE protocol, structuring the data using its defined services, characteristics, and descriptors and using minimal custom data. In order to fully utilize the capabilities of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_Low_Energy|Bluetooth Low Energy]] standard, I have moved away from my original approach, which involved a custom configuration format transmitted via [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON|JSON]]. I will now adhere to the official BLE protocol, structuring the data using its defined services, characteristics, and descriptors and using minimal custom data.
 +
 +The main MCU is a [[hardware:esp32:s3:start|]], in particular a [[https://www.wemos.cc/en/latest/s3/s3_mini.html|Lolin S3 Mini]]. It is capable of WiFi and BLE and has a small footprint. I'm planning to create a new revision with a [[hardware:esp32:c6:start|]] in the future, so I could use Zigbee, if needed. At first I thought, I need the full power of the ESP32-S3, but now I'm not sure, that I even need a dual core.
  
 The complete definition of the BLE protocol adapted to my system can be found in the [[.:ble:start|]] section. The complete definition of the BLE protocol adapted to my system can be found in the [[.:ble:start|]] section.
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 ==== Hardware ==== ==== Hardware ====
  
-The hardware part was created within KiCad and it will be also in the git repository.+The hardware part was created within [[software:kicad:start|]] and it will be also in the git repository.
  
 The schematics is very simple. The schematics is very simple.
 {{ :project:maerklin:system_control:system_control_schematic.png?600 |}} {{ :project:maerklin:system_control:system_control_schematic.png?600 |}}
  
-These are the latest PCBs, which I created. The manufacturing is done by [[http://jlcpcb.com|JLCPCB]], but it's an empty PCB, so I need to add the components to it later.+These are the latest PCBs, which I created. The manufacturing is done by [[sponsor:pcbway:start|]], but it's an empty PCB, so I need to add the components to it later.
  
 {{:project:maerklin:system_control:pcb_front.png?330 |}} {{:project:maerklin:system_control:pcb_front.png?330 |}}
project/maerklin/system_control/start.1756319075.txt.gz · Last modified: by Peter Siegmund