New Firmware Release Candidate v1.20.0

[tlanier]

@tlanier

The reset command does not put the modem in the same state that pressing the reset button does.

[Paul Thornton]

@serafimsaudade A fix for this should be in the next RC.

[EinarJ]

@danielm I've conducted some more testing now. If I enable PSM and eDRX, the commands are accepted the first time after power up. After the deep sleep period, the attach is already there, so the connection and sending of data is as fast as expected. But, when the lte.deinit(dettach=False) runs, I get an OSError. This prevents trying out the deep sleep functionality. (1.20.0.rc3)
The power usage of the LTE-modem is quite high and the GPy is averaging around 200mA for the first run after a power up.
Also, the deinit-method is quite slow. When using PSM, it should be possible to send the socket data with a flag indicating that the modem can release after a successful send, and the deinit-method shouldn't be necessary.

I wrote my own library for a uBlox SARA-N210 breakout module and hooked it up to a LoPy. To handle the deep sleep, I used a PySense and powered the uBlox-modem on the sensor power output.
Using basically the same setup, I'm issuing the same PSM and eDRX commands, but I'm also using a flag when sending the message, telling the modem to release after a successful send.

This gives me some interesting results, and I hope it maybe can work as a benchmark for what results I'm also expecting for the Sequans LTE-modem

The ON-cycle (after the first run when waiting for an initial attach):

Wakeup of the lopy, wakeup of the LTE-modem, sending the data, make the PySense go back to sleep and waiting for the uBlox-modem going back to sleep, takes only 4 seconds and uses around 165uWh. Average power draw is around 36.9mA

The deep sleep cycle:

Getting the expected result of 15.9uA with 11uA draw from the PySense + 4-5uA from the uBlox LTE modem when in PSM mode

[danielm]

@einarj
By release flag you mean RAI - Release Assistance Indicator? 165uWh per active cycle is pretty impressive. I would say on par with LoRa/LoRaWAN based solutions if not better.

Because of the state of cellular support in Pycom products (after they are available on the market for more than a year) yesterday I started to implement similar solution - WiPy 3.0 with Quectel BC66 based on Mediatek MT2625. I do not have any power figures yet as I am currently working on basic library implementation.

If this solution will be working well it will also be pretty cost-efficient and future-proof as the modem also supports Rel.14/NB2.

I would also like to test BC66 with ESP32-WROOM running micropyhton.org ESP32 port which currently implements only basic features but could be suficient for simple sensors. This would lead to even more cost-efficient solution (for simple battery powered devices).

Edit: BC66 contains OpenCPU functionality which allows to run application code directly on the module but development in this environment seems like return to dark ages. Would be worth in case of manufacturing really big series of super-simple devices. The module does not even require voltage regulator when powered directly from battery.

[EinarJ]

@danielm I don't think it is RAI, but a release indicator flag that ublox has implemented in the socket send command, which tells the modem it can gi to PSM based on the PSM settings.

Nice work! Guess there will be plenty of alternatives when it comes to modems. But, as you say, they must also be a little user friendly.

[tlanier]

@iwahdan
Interesting discovery:

• As noted earier after a lte.reset() method call, the lte.iccid() method no longer returns a value.

• The sqnsupgrade.info(True) method call resets the modem to a state where the lte.iccid() method returns a correct value.

• In other words the sqnsupgrade.info(True) seems to do something to the modem state that lte.reset() does not.

I don't pretend to understand what the ramifications of this are, but I thought it was worth noting. I know of no other software command that will restore the modem to a state where the lte.iccid() method works.

[tlanier]

@iwahdan
I've now discovered what looks like a better way to enable the iccid() method to work after a reset.

• lte.reset()

• lte.iccid() does not work

• LTE.reconnect_uart()

• lte.init()

• lte.iccid() then works!

My guess is that other methods may not function correctly after a reset() without calling the LTE.reconnect_uart() method, but that is just speculation.

[Xykon]

A new version 1.20.0.rc4 is now available with the following updates:

Co-Authored-By: @iwahdan
mods/modusocket: use getaddrinfo() instead of n_gethostbyname() in mod_usocket_getaddrinfo()
esp32/modusocket:Add mpy API to get/set DNS servers ipv4 addr
mods/machrtc: Add optional parameter backup_server to specify two NTP servers
esp32: Fixes in order to get the LoRaWAN US915 certification passing
esp32/frozen: updated MQTTMsgHandler.py
esp32/pycom_config: fix typos

Co-Authored-By: @robert-hh
help: Simplify and extend help()
mods/machspi.c: Fix the bug in spi.read()
esp32/micropython: correction to keyboard interrupts exposure

Update IDF libraries to pycom-esp-idf/idf_v3.1 ebff2ed
mods/machrtc: Fix rtc.synced()

Fix typo in get_idf_libs.py

Example1: Set primary and secondary (backup) ntp server.

from machine import RTC
rtc = RTC()
rtc.ntp_sync('pool.ntp.org', backup_server='ntp.ubuntu.com')
rtc.synced()

Example2: Check and update name server configuration

import socket
# Check configured name servers
socket.dnsserver()
==> ('8.8.8.8', '8.8.8.8')
# Check primary name server (index: 0)
socket.dnsserver(0)
==>  (0, '8.8.8.8')
# Set primary name server (index: 0)
socket.dnsserver(0, '10.0.0.1')
# Set secondary name server (index: 1)
socket.dnsserver(1, '192.168.1.1')
socket.dnsserver(0)
==>  (0, '10.0.0.1')
socket.dnsserver()
==>  ('10.0.0.1', '192.168.1.1')

[crumble]

Have you changed someting in _thread or i2c as well?

up to ec2 I had huge problems with i2c and a pytrack.
Under rc3 it was more stable when serializing i2c with a lock. But deepsleep failed once without visible i2c exception.

Now it runs for some hours without a problem on a LoPy and WiPi3. I hope you have done a great job. Not that I have a lot of bad luck and and miss allways the issue.;)

[Xykon]

@crumble said in New Firmware Release Candidate v1.20.0.rc0:

Have you changed someting in _thread or i2c as well?

Maybe it's the updated IDF libraries... I haven't changed anything in the source code related to that functionality.

[crumble]

I move back to FAT file system. LittleFS worked fine for some time, but suddenly it was not possible to upload files with the ATOM plugin running Windows 10.

>>>
>>>
Uploading project (main folder)...
Not safe booting, disabled in settings

Reading file status
Failed to read project status, uploading all files
Creating dir lib
[1/5] Writing file lib/dth.mpy (2kb)
[2/5] Writing file lib/pycoproc.mpy (6kb)
Failed to write file, trying again...
Failed to write file, trying again...
timeout
[3/5] Writing file lib/pytrack.mpy (0kb)
Failed to write file, trying again...
Failed to write file, trying again...
timeout
[4/5] Writing file lib/sfGPS.mpy (7kb)
Failed to write file, trying again...
Failed to write file, trying again...
timeout
[5/5] Writing file main.py (4kb)
Failed to write file, trying again...
Failed to write file, trying again...
Upload failed.: timeout Please reboot your device manually.

The failed to write messages do not pop up always after two files. Sometimes after main.py

I flashed the firmware with erasing the file system flag, it failed.
I flashed again with FAT and it worked.
Flashed 3rd time with LittleFS and failed again.

Maybe a timestamp problem? I had no problems during the afternoon. Time zone is Berlin. Problem started around 20:00 local time.

FTP worked well.

[rogerrr]

Hi,

When will be able to use macfilter and/or commissioner in cli function ?
Else, is there a way to secure the mesh networks ?

Thanks

[Paul Thornton]

@rogerrr Hi, whilst I can confirm Macfilter/commissioner is on our roadmap but I dont have a timeframe for delivery at the moment.

re current security methods. All mesh traffic is currently encrypted with a pre shared key that matches across all nodes.

[rogerrr]

@paul-thornton thanks for your answer,
Can i set this value ?

[Paul Thornton]

@rogerrr @Xykon Could you answer this?

[serafimsaudade]

I'm testing this new fw v1.20.0.rc4 release with GPY with lasted NB modem fw.
Resume:
1 - I'm able to connect and send data over NB (Portugal - MEO operator)
2 - rtc.ntp_sync() is working over NB and WIFI
3 - rtc.synced() is working over NB and WIFI
4 - I notice that sometimes the usocket.read() don't timeout, I will continue doing more tests.

keep the good work.

[crumble]

Bad luck today run into the i2c issue on init of pytrack:

  File "main.py", line 62, in <module>
  File "lib\pytrack.py", line 8, in __init__
  File "lib\pycoproc.py", line 102, in __init__
  File "lib\pycoproc.py", line 164, in set_bits_in_memory
  File "lib\pycoproc.py", line 155, in magic_write_read
  File "lib\pycoproc.py", line 117, in _read
OSError: I2C bus error

It will be nice, if this message has more details inside the development firmware. It is the same when reading or writing on the python level. But maybe a "doesn't work on my machine" is helpful, too ;)

[crumble]

@xykon

Update IDF libraries to pycom-esp-idf/idf_v3.1 ebff2ed

I tried to compile debian submodule on win10. But fail with a lot of the idf_v3.1* branches.
It misses include files from the folder mbedtls

mods/modussl.h:19:25: fatal error: mbedtls/net.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.
mods/moduhashlib.c:26:26: fatal error: mbedtls/sha1.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.
In file included from mods/modussl.c:28:0:
mods/modussl.h:19:25: fatal error: mbedtls/net.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.
In file included from mods/lwipsocket.c:31:0:
mods/modussl.h:19:25: fatal error: mbedtls/net.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.

origin/master compiles without problems.

Can I give the original idf v3.1.2 a try or do I need your changes?
Hey, there is a change for i2c. I have no clue what this means, but i had to have it. Just too scared to brick the device without your go ;)

[robert-hh]

@crumble Dis you issue in the esp-idf folder the command:

git submodule update --init

[crumble]

@robert-hh
Thanks a lot Robert. I had done this in master branch only or it failed for some reason.

Was not able to link it with idf_v3.1 but idf_v3.1.1 works.