Nova + RPi3B+ how to setup automatic data streaming to LTE network and back

Software Tools Hologram APIs
#1

I have a Nova with SARA-R410M-02B it is connected to a raspberry pi 3 b+ via USB 2.0 port. The SARA-R4 can use USB 2.0 to interface to the pi and send AT commands, data communication, FOAT, FW updates, and diagnostics. My interest is data communication. If I have serial data coming into the pi’s 40 pin header GPIO pins 16, 21, and 20 then how can I send that data to the USB 2.0 port that the Nova is connected to? How can I get Nova to push that data to the LTE network automatically without needing to use an AT command every time a new data point comes in? Then, how can I get Nova to receive data points and push them to the pi’s gpio pins? The communication is bidirectional. I posted a similar question like this before in this forum, the reply I got was a generic response “setup PPP”, I am not a programmer so detailed explanations help me, and surely others who have this problem.

Thanks

#2

I mean setup PPP is not really a generic answer its how you connect the modem to a data session. There are a bunch of tutorials out there if you search for it: https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2109

you can install the program doing sudo apt-get install ppp
This is our python file for setting up the ppp daemon in the SDK: https://github.com/hologram-io/hologram-python/blob/develop/Hologram/Network/Modem/ModemMode/pppd.py

If you want to use our SDK for getting connected you can just do sudo hologram network connect we also have docs for that and tutorials to follow.

#3

There are ppp chatscripts and peers files available for the Raspberry Pi here: https://github.com/hologram-io/hologram-tools/tree/master/ppp

Most tutorials will have information about how to use those. Basically you would copy into /etc and then you can run pon nova or something along those lines.

As far as the rest of your question, you may want to read up on how to do python coding on a raspberry pi. What you want to do will probably require some programming. Fortunately on a raspberry pi there are easy python libraries available to read data off of the GPIO pins.

#4

cadams,

I also have a NOVA Sara-r410-02B connected to a RPi 3B+. I have chosen to use the Hologram python API to do my cloud communications (I don’t understand the ppp methodologies. :frowning: ) I have installed a MQTT broker (mosquito) on the pi so that I can separate the various devices that communicate with the GPIO into separate python scripts. These scripts will communicate with the GPIO and only send or receive data via mqtt and not have to worry about other communications (ie ppp or hologram’s python nova communications). I have a 1-wire temperature sensor, a real-time clock, and a SPST relay all attached to the RPI. My application (bi-directional) is to periodically send location temperature data to the cloud and when commanded (via data messages from the cloud) either open/close relay or report status’s of the relay or temperature sensor.)

FYI… My application is not 100% as I am experiencing random disconnects of the Nova from the network and my only recourse has been to power cycle the USB port and then re-establish the cloud communication. It has been suggested that a upcoming firmware update will address this problem.