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Pahka is a new project aiming to create an Power-over-Ethernet PoE-powered home automation node, using ARM Cortex-M series processors. The initial aim is to create a low-cost node, with initial BOM in the order of $10 in small series. The low-cost node will most-probably be based on an entry-level Cortex-M0 series MCU, e.g. STM32F050 or NXP LPC1100.
For communications and powering the plan is to use PoE Mode B, i.e. the spare pairs (pins 4-5 and 7-8) in a 4-pairs UTP or STP CAT-5e or better cable. We aim to support standardised IEEE 802.3af but also home-brewn options where the power supply does not need to be a standards-compiant PoE Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) but may simply provide -48VDC (or maybe even 24 VDC) over the spare pairs. On the other hand, the aim is that the actual home automation node would be (at least minimally) PoE Powered Device (PD) compliant.
For the protocol stack, we plan to support UDP/IP (optionally IPv6) and most probably KNXnet/IP.
The plan is to have everything open source, with a generous Apache/MIT/BSD-style license, including both hardware and software. For both, the plan is to reuse existing open source as much as possible. As a result of that, some parts of the code may be under a more restrictive license, such as GPL or LGPL.
As of 9.12.2012 we are working on software and hardware for the remote node. Pekka is working on an STM32 Discovery board and we aim to have a rough demo system working in early 2013. The demo system planned is to have Ethernet connectivity, a switch, an rgb led and a triac dimmer.
- Values and Idealism
- Wishlist
- PET Node components and BOM
- Chaining Node components and BOM
- Software stack
