Data logging with an EEPROM using Pic

Original Assignment

Your task is to use the PIC to log data from an analog input on an EEPROM, and after the data collection is over, to send the data back from the EEPROM to a PC running matlab. Use an interrupt service routine to read an analog input and write the value to an external EEPROM using I2C. After reading in a fixed number of samples, perhaps 1,000 or 10,000, the program should send the data back to a matlab program via an RS-232 link. The logged data should then be plotted by matlab.

You should decrease the sample time until the ISR does not successfully complete. What is the fastest rate at which an analog input can be read and stored to the external EEPROM? Try this for an analog input configured for both 8-bit (1 byte of data stored on the EEPROM) and 10-bit (2 bytes of data stored on the EEPROM). How much data can you store on the EEPROM?

As an alternative, you can avoid the use of an ISR and simply read and store the data as fast as you can in a loop.

As a test input, use a triangle wave signal from the function generator between 1 and 4 V, and plot the data in matlab.

See Interfacing to External EEPROM, PIC RS232, and Serial communication with Matlab.

Overview

An external EEPROM is useful when trying to store data. In addition to storing much more data than is available on the 18F4520 PIC, an EEPROM stores the data even when power is removed and can then be collected at a later time. Storing large amounts of data over time is especially beneficial once communication can be made between the PIC and Matlab. Using the serial function in Matlab, the data can be obtained and then analyzed.
In this project, we used the PIC to log data from an analog input onto an EEPROM and then later sent the data back from the EEPROM to Matlab to plot. For our lab, we worked with a 24FC1025 EEPROM whose data sheet can be found here. Additionally, we established serial port connection between the PIC microcontroller and Matlab using the RS232. Our project also made use of two buttons. The first button tells the PIC to begin collecting data points from the analog input and storing the data onto the EEPROM. The second button tells the PIC to send the data from the EEPROM to Matlab.

Circuit

To the right is a circuit diagram for interfacing a 24FC1025 EEPROM to the 18F4520 PIC. Below the diagram are photos of the circuit layout.
inputs on the PIC which dictate when to collect and store data and when to send the data to Matlab.

To operate the EEPROM, PIN1 and PIN2, A0 and A1 are set to ground. PIN3, A2 is connected to high for normal operation. PIN4, Vss is used to ground the chip. PIN5, SDA is the serial data line and is connected to RC4 (PIN23) on the PIC. PIN6, SCL is the serial clock line which is connected to RC3 (PIN18) on the PIC. PIN7, WP is the write protect line. For our purposes, we set PIN7 to ground to disable this function and allow us to rewrite our data onto the EEPROM. PIN8, Vcc is connected to high to power the chip.

In order to connect our PIC to Matlab, we use the RS232. As mentioned here, we connect the black wire to ground, the orange wire to pin 26, RC7 and the yellow wire to pin 25, RC6.

Additionally, we used two buttons connected to digital inputs on the PIC which dictate when to collect and store data and when to send the data to Matlab.

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