On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 09:07:06 -0400, rickman wrote:

> On 4/27/2015 2:40 AM, David Brown wrote:
>> On 24/04/15 22:52, Tim Wescott wrote:
>>> On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 15:17:33 -0500, jxabby wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I want to control a small DC motor for a toy I am building, but I'm
>>>> having trouble finding the right chipset because there's so many
>>>> companies selling ble right now. I don'tw ant to do Arduino because
>>>> it's a bit slow.
>>>> I'm ok with ARM, but does anyone have experience with this or know of
>>>> any circuit and information for controlling motor using BLE?
>>>
>>> Unless you just want to bumble around putting stuff together that you
>>> don't understand, I think you're best off separating the problem --
>>> you want to communicate with BLE, and you want to control a motor with
>>> a microprocessor.
>>>
>>> So, figure out how to control a motor with a microprocessor, then
>>> select the BLE product of your choice, and stick them together.
>>>
>>>
>> This approach lets you pick a completely ready-made BLE-to-serial
>> module, so that you don't even have to think about antenna, layout,
>> etc., or qualifications and certifications, or drivers at the other
>> end.
>>   Your microcontroller for motor control just communicates on a UART,
>>   as
>> does your PC software/Android app at the other end.
> 
> Except that there are chips that include both the ARM and Bluetooth with
> the Bluetooth stack provided.  Certainly it would be useful to prototype
> a product using separate modules, but a lowest cost, smallest size,
> lowest power solution will likely use one of the integrated devices.

For really high production this is the way to go.  So unless it's some 
executive toy or other high-end thing --yes.

> These types of chips are made by Nordic, TI, ST Micro and others.  They
> are typically available as modules as well.

I drool over those, but only one prospect has ever come to me with big 
enough volumes to justify the cost of certification -- and they were 
offended by my estimate and went elsewhere.  I don't know if they ended up 
succeeding or not.

> I would question the preference of ARM over Arduino.  I can't imagine
> what a toy would be doing that an 8 bit MCU can't handle.  At least some
> of the TI single chip devices use an 8051 which would likely be
> adequate.

A toy helicopter with gyro stabilization may need more than an Arduino -- 
but ARM chip prices are going down fast, and it's certainly easier to 
develop code quickly when you have lots of elbow room both in processor 
speed and memory.

But that's supposition -- if they're just turning things on and off, or 
even closing simple loops, an 8-bitter may very well be just fine.

-- 

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

On 4/27/2015 2:40 AM, David Brown wrote:
> On 24/04/15 22:52, Tim Wescott wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 15:17:33 -0500, jxabby wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I want to control a small DC motor for a toy I am building, but I'm
>>> having trouble finding the right chipset because there's so many
>>> companies selling ble right now. I don'tw ant to do Arduino because it's
>>> a bit slow.
>>> I'm ok with ARM, but does anyone have experience with this or know of
>>> any circuit and information for controlling motor using BLE?
>>
>> Unless you just want to bumble around putting stuff together that you
>> don't understand, I think you're best off separating the problem -- you
>> want to communicate with BLE, and you want to control a motor with a
>> microprocessor.
>>
>> So, figure out how to control a motor with a microprocessor, then select
>> the BLE product of your choice, and stick them together.
>>
>
> This approach lets you pick a completely ready-made BLE-to-serial
> module, so that you don't even have to think about antenna, layout,
> etc., or qualifications and certifications, or drivers at the other end.
>   Your microcontroller for motor control just communicates on a UART, as
> does your PC software/Android app at the other end.

Except that there are chips that include both the ARM and Bluetooth with 
the Bluetooth stack provided.  Certainly it would be useful to prototype 
a product using separate modules, but a lowest cost, smallest size, 
lowest power solution will likely use one of the integrated devices.

These types of chips are made by Nordic, TI, ST Micro and others.  They 
are typically available as modules as well.

I would question the preference of ARM over Arduino.  I can't imagine 
what a toy would be doing that an 8 bit MCU can't handle.  At least some 
of the TI single chip devices use an 8051 which would likely be adequate.

-- 

Rick

On 24/04/15 22:52, Tim Wescott wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 15:17:33 -0500, jxabby wrote:
> 
>> Hi,
>>
>> I want to control a small DC motor for a toy I am building, but I'm
>> having trouble finding the right chipset because there's so many
>> companies selling ble right now. I don'tw ant to do Arduino because it's
>> a bit slow.
>> I'm ok with ARM, but does anyone have experience with this or know of
>> any circuit and information for controlling motor using BLE?
> 
> Unless you just want to bumble around putting stuff together that you 
> don't understand, I think you're best off separating the problem -- you 
> want to communicate with BLE, and you want to control a motor with a 
> microprocessor.
> 
> So, figure out how to control a motor with a microprocessor, then select 
> the BLE product of your choice, and stick them together.
> 

This approach lets you pick a completely ready-made BLE-to-serial
module, so that you don't even have to think about antenna, layout,
etc., or qualifications and certifications, or drivers at the other end.
 Your microcontroller for motor control just communicates on a UART, as
does your PC software/Android app at the other end.

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015 15:17:33 -0500, jxabby wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I want to control a small DC motor for a toy I am building, but I'm
> having trouble finding the right chipset because there's so many
> companies selling ble right now. I don'tw ant to do Arduino because it's
> a bit slow.
> I'm ok with ARM, but does anyone have experience with this or know of
> any circuit and information for controlling motor using BLE?

Unless you just want to bumble around putting stuff together that you 
don't understand, I think you're best off separating the problem -- you 
want to communicate with BLE, and you want to control a motor with a 
microprocessor.

So, figure out how to control a motor with a microprocessor, then select 
the BLE product of your choice, and stick them together.

-- 

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com