@ANY Smart Mac Suite (SMS) Base

@ANY SMS Base version provides some basic functionality designed for simple network topologies and evaluation purposes. It can be used to set up Coordinator - End Device (Star, Peer-to-Peer) topologies which are used, for example, in basic Wireless Sensor Networks.

SMS tool provides a simplified, widely common, adjustable communication interface using a standardized AT command set via the RS232 interface. It allows to control the majority of @ANY platform features, and enables flexible commissioning procedures, as well as easy debugging and testing.

Smart MAC Suite running on @ANY platform provides the following advantages for the end-user:

• @ANY modules can be connected directly to a host processor as a communication extension whereas the @ANY module’s interfaces enhance the system’s capabilities by adding additional sensors and actuators.
• User can program and facilitate @ANY Platform without embedded programming knowledge by simply using S-Register mapping and AT-Commands.
• Smart MAC Suite provides IEEE 802.15.4 functionality to users.
• Users can set up basic network topologies (Star, Peer-to-Peer) using static routing.
• Data packages can be transmitted directly or indirectly, acknowledged or broadcasted.
• Support of versatile temperature, humidity, and acceleration sensors alongside @ANY-BRICK platform such as Texas Instruments LM73, Sensirion SHT21, STS21, Silicon Labs Si7005, Bosch-Sensortec BMA2xxE Serie, as well as Maxim DS7505.
• Extended support of up to 10 GPIO Lines.
• Functionality enhancements, including support of custom sensors, and implementation of external host intelligence directly into @ANY module, are available on request.
• Integrated serial bootloader simplifies firmware upgrades.
• More hardware support, including additional sensors (for example using ATMega TWI), more GPIO lines, ATMega AD/DA features or different UART baud rates can be provided on request.

SMS usage scenarios

Smart MAC Suite includes several software parts, as shown in Figure 2. In addition to support of the RF portion, it also takes care of the GPIO control logic, the temperature sensor on the @ANY BRICK board (different sensor support is planned for future releases, so please contact us for the latest update) and, of course, several other interfaces, such as the UART interface to interact with a host. SMS is utilizing a Media Access Controller, which implements the following IEEE802.15.4-2006 functionality:

• Device scans (searching for networks).
• Device association and disassociation (joining or leaving a network).
• Direct data transmission (acknowledged).
• Indirect data transmission.
• More functionality, which can be found in the standard IEEE 802.15.4-2006.

Since there are applications out in the field, which cannot afford an additional host intelligence, A.N. Solutions implemented two features in SMS, which allow it to run a network node without any further intelligence. This means that no host is required.

It is possible to run Star networks (Base and Pro) and Tree networks (Pro only) without a host if they are set up as described below and/or shown in several examples included in the @ANY Development Kit. Therefore, the initialization can be configured in several aspects depending on device type for several scenarios using AT typical profiles. The "Automatic command execution" block executes a previously stored shadow command from the active profile and executes it on an event, or repetitively in adjustable periods.
As stated above, SMS Pro has a built-in frame redirection feature, which can be used to forward data to different network points. Using this feature allows to create Tree networks without host intelligence. More general routing algorithms are out of the scope of Smart MAC Suite, since they are in the scope of a network layer, which can be executed on the side of the host intelligence.

To monitor the underlying IEEE 802.15.4 activities, a 30-day free evaluation version of the IEEE 802.15.4 Protocol Sniffer Software from Perytons Ltd. can be downloaded at http://www.perytons.com/downloads.html.