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| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) |
| 3 | +description: Learn how to use SPI with Micropython |
| 4 | +author: Pedro Sousa Lima |
| 5 | +--- |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +Serial Peripheral Interface, or **SPI**, is a widely used communication protocol for connecting devices. It enables high-speed, full-duplex communication over four primary wires, making it an excellent choice for applications requiring fast data exchange between microcontrollers and peripherals. |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +## How SPI Works |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +SPI communication relies on: |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +- **MOSI** (Controller Out, Peripheral In): Sends data from the controller to the peripheral. |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +- **MISO** (Peripheral Out, Controller In): Receives data from the peripheral to the controller. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +- **SCLK** (Serial Clock): Synchronizes data transmission. |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +- **CS** (Chip Select): Selects which peripheral device to communicate with. |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +Unlike UART, SPI is synchronous, meaning it uses a clock signal for precise data timing. This enables faster and more reliable data exchange. SPI operates in a master-peripheral architecture, where a single controller device can communicate with one or multiple peripheral devices. Each peripheral is selected using the Chip Select (CS) line, ensuring that only the intended device responds to communication. |
| 24 | + |
| 25 | +## Key Features of SPI |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +-**High-Speed Communication:** Supports much higher data rates than UART, making it suitable for applications requiring rapid data transfer. |
| 28 | + |
| 29 | +-**Multi-Peripheral Support:** Multiple devices can share the SPI bus, each being activated by a separate Chip Select line. |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +-**Full-Duplex Data Transfer:** Unlike I2C, SPI allows data to be transmitted and received simultaneously, improving efficiency. |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +-**Flexible Configuration:** SPI supports various clock phase and polarity settings, allowing it to be tailored to different peripheral requirements. |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +## Common Use Cases |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +SPI is commonly used in a variety of applications, including: |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +-**Interfacing with Sensors:** Many modern sensors, such as temperature and accelerometers, communicate using SPI. |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +-**Display Modules:** OLED, LCD, and LED matrix displays often rely on SPI for data transfer. |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +-**Memory Storage:** Flash memory and SD card modules utilize SPI for high-speed data access. |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +Embedded Communication: SPI is often used in microcontroller-based projects to enable communication between different modules. |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +## Testing SPI Communication |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +You can easily test SPI communication without an external device by performing a loopback test. This involves connecting the MOSI and MISO pins together so that data sent out is received back, verifying that the SPI interface is working correctly. |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +### SPI Loopback Test Example |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +```python |
| 54 | +from machine import SPI, Pin |
| 55 | +import time |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +# Configure the SPI bus. |
| 58 | +# Adjust these parameters as needed for your setup. |
| 59 | +spi = SPI(1, |
| 60 | + baudrate=500000, |
| 61 | + polarity=0, |
| 62 | + phase=0, |
| 63 | + sck=Pin(7), |
| 64 | + mosi=Pin(8), |
| 65 | + miso=Pin(9)) |
| 66 | + |
| 67 | +# Set up the chip-select pin (active low) |
| 68 | +cs = Pin(10, Pin.OUT) |
| 69 | +cs.value(1) # start with CS inactive |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +def loopback_test(command): |
| 72 | + """ |
| 73 | + Sends a command (as bytes) over SPI. |
| 74 | + IF MOSI and MISO are connected together (loopback), the respons |
| 75 | + will be identical to the command. |
| 76 | + """ |
| 77 | + # Prepare a response buffer of the same length as the command. |
| 78 | + response = bytearray(len(command)) |
| 79 | + |
| 80 | + cs.value(0) # Activate communication (CS low). |
| 81 | + spi.write_readinto(command, response) |
| 82 | + cs.value(1) # End communication (CS high). |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | + return response |
| 85 | + |
| 86 | +while True: |
| 87 | + command = b'ping' |
| 88 | + response = loopback_test(command) |
| 89 | + print("Sent:", command, "Received:", response) |
| 90 | + time.sleep(1) |
| 91 | +``` |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +This method allows you to verify that SPI data transmission and reception are functioning correctly. Unfortunately, MicroPython does not currently support configuring SPI as a peripheral device, meaning only controller mode is available for communication. |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +## Conclusion |
| 96 | + |
| 97 | +SPI is a powerful and efficient protocol for high-speed data communication between microcontrollers and peripherals. Its flexibility, full-duplex operation, and support for multiple devices make it a preferred choice for many embedded applications. Performing a loopback test is an effective way to validate SPI communication, especially when external peripherals are unavailable. |
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