New v3.1 Expansion Board Firmware: v0.0.11

[Paul Thornton]

Hello all,

Pycom are pleased to annouce the release of a new stable build of the expansion board firmware for hardware version v3.1 expansion boards.
You can find more info about the upgrade process and links to the firmware files along side info on how to check what hardware version you have here:

https://docs.pycom.io/pytrackpysense/installation/firmware.html

Patch Notes:

• BugFix: Fixed an issue preventing boards from booting when powered via battery.
• Improvement: Optimised power usage when in deepsleep. down to 32μA

Known Issues:

• None - Please comment below or raise a ticket with support@pycom.io with any issues.

[peddisai]

This post is deleted!

[Gruger]

v0.0.11 will lock your Expansion Board in DFU mode. Goodbye serial console.

https://forum.pycom.io/topic/4684/exit-from-dfu-mode/13

[Radec]

Thank you for your update.
But, it's not available for expansion board V.3.0, do you plan an update or it's not possible ?
This board version still doesn't start with a battery powered.

[robert-hh]

@catalin For me, 32µA looks pretty good. on a 1000mAh battery this means ~3 years of standy time, or every second, the device runs, is equivalent to at least 1 hour standby. Meaning, that this amount of standby current can be neglected. It is in the same order as the seld-discharge of the 1000 mAh battery.

[catalin]

hi @jcaron,
No, the Expansion Board doesn't know that the Wipy module is in sleep, but it detects no USB, so puts itself in low power mode. So the ~30uA is obtained when Expansion+Wipy are on battery.
Afik, Pysense/Pytrack are having ~20uA, in pysense.go_to_sleep(timeout), so the extra ~10uA, are consumed on some diodes/resistors. I did tried several combinations of input/output for PIC pins, and this was the best power consumption.

[jcaron]

@paul-thornton Out of curiosity, how does the expansion board know what the module is in deep sleep? Or do you mean the expansion board's overall power usage has been reduced, so that in deep sleep the total is 32 µA?

Is there any specific reason this is still a lot higher than what can be achieve with a Pysense/Pytrack-controlled deep sleep?

[Paul Thornton]

@rcolistete Yes. :)

[rcolistete]

This 32 uA deep sleep current is obtained by using "machine.deepsleep([time_ms])" ?