Implementing a processor-independent, battery-powered wireless mesh network

By David Ewing, Synapse Wireless Inc.
Embedded.com (01/20/09, 12:43:00 AM EST)

In many cases, it is required to add wireless capability to existing embedded systems. Often, in order to minimize costs, it is necessary to run the wireless software stack (and associated applications) on the same processor that drives the main system.

This can cause problems with conventional wireless implementations in which (a) the stack is closely tied to a particular microcontroller and (b) creating the wireless applications requires extensive C/C++ programming and embedded expertise.

This article describes an alternative approach that mitigates these problems. By providing the stack with an integrated Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), the body of the stack is isolated from any low-level "pin-twiddling" operations.

Also, by incorporating a Python virtual machine in the stack, applications can be quickly and easily created in the Python scripting language and (transparently to the user) compiled into machine-independent "byte code" that will run on any processor and that can be downloaded "over-the-air" into the wireless node(s).

Looking for an alternative approach

The world is currently seeing an exponential growth in the use of wireless networks for monitoring and control in consumer, commercial, industrial, and government markets. Uses range from building automation (lighting, heating, A/C) to industrial control and machine communication, to medical monitoring, to security applications, to home automation.

In many cases, it is required to add wireless capability to existing embedded systems. Often, in order to minimize costs, it is necessary to run the wireless software stack (and associated applications) on the same processor that drives the main system.

This can cause problems with conventional wireless implementations in which (a) the stack is closely tied to a particular microcontroller and (b) creating the wireless applications requires extensive C/C++ programming and embedded expertise.

This article describes an alternative approach that mitigates these problems. By providing the stack with an integrated Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), the body of the stack is isolated from any low-level "pin-twiddling" operations.

Also, by incorporating a Python virtual machine in the stack, applications can be quickly and easily created in the Python scripting language and (transparently to the user) compiled into machine-independent "byte code" that will run on any processor and that can be downloaded "over-the-air" into the wireless node(s).

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