devcybiko / rpi-binary-clock

Vintage Binary Clock project resurrected using RPi Pico

rpi-binary-clock

• Converting an old, broken Graymark Binary Clock to use RPi-Pico-W
• NOTE: I selected micropython over circuitpython because uPy supported the BLE chip
• I also use AdaFruit's BlueFruit app on iOS to communicate with the clock
  • in UART mode
• hard-coded to "mpy-uart"
• hard-coded UUID = 6E400001-B5A3-F393-E0A9-E50E24DCCA9E
  • need to research how this number is created

GPIO

• GPIO 0-3: Ones of seconds (0-9, little endian)
• GPIO 4-6: Tens of seconds (0-5, little endian)
• GPIO 7-10: Ones of minutes (0-9, little endian)
• GPIO 11-13: Tens of minutes (0-5, little endian)
• GPIO 14-17: Hours (1-12, little endian)

FEATURES

• Bluetooth allows updating the time
  • format: HHMMSS
• Uses RTC Module for setting/getting time

TODO

• wire circuit board
  • "risers" for RPi Pico W
  • ribbon cable to LEDs
  • ribbon cable to pushbuttons
• update BLE to use command line
  • perhaps key=value or verb value
• push buttons on the back
  • Hold
  • Slow
  • Fast
• 5V power supply?
  • battery powered currently
  • rechargeable batteries?
• Add config file (writable via BLE commands)
• Add WiFi time setting (NTP)
  • https://bhave.sh/micropython-ntp/
• Add WWVB Atomic clock time setting
• Add Date setting
• Add Timezone setting
• Add DST setting
• Add HTTP server?
• Add special "icon" displays
  • box, house, etc...

FILES

• binary_clock.py: The main program
  • NOTE: Store as "main.py" to run at boot time
• ble_advertising.py: From uPy github repo
  • creates the bluetooth connection
• ble_simple_peripheral.py
  • creates the serial port connection
• ble_blink.py
  • exaple: toggle led with BLE
• localtime.py
  • sample of how to do the binary math etc...

REFERENCES

• Hackster.io article on my project
  • https://www.hackster.io/news/greg-smith-gives-a-beloved-1970s-binary-clock-a-micropython-upgrade-with-a-raspberry-pi-pico-w-c814e78032a6
• Hackster.io article describing bluetooth low energy
  • https://www.hackster.io/Ramji_Patel/raspberry-pi-pico-w-and-bluetooth-low-energy-a829c7
• uPy Docs on BLE
  • https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/library/bluetooth.html
• uPy Github Repo for BLE
  • https://github.com/micropython/micropython/tree/master/examples/bluetooth
• Graymark Binary Clock: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-binary-clock-graymark-model-19959448
• Bluefruit Connect App from AdaFruit
  • https://learn.adafruit.com/bluefruit-le-connect/ios-setup