Dragonboard 410c w Android 5.1.1 and NFC over I2C

Products Support DragonBoard410c
#1

Hey All!

Brand new tinkerer here. I’m trying to figure out how to get this Grove NFC Tag working with the Dragonboard 410c on Android to read/write data. Feel free to stop me here if that’s the wrong way to go - there are other NFC chips that I’ve come across and I’m honestly not sure if I’m barking up the wrong tree. The tag has some reference code on github geared towards use on Arduino. I’ve built an app using the Android SDK NfcAdapter / NfcManager that works from my Android phone and would like to install it on the Dragonboard.

I was able to work through the documentation for building Android from source and was able to flash my locally built version onto the board. My build env:

Debian 8.5
Linux kernel 3.16.0-4-amd64
gcc 4.8.4

In trying to use the NFC chip via I2C, I’ve read through the post about libmraa and libupm here and cross-compiling here. I am exploring how to get those libraries built into my local Android build. Is that the correct approach?

I think the NFC chip uses a PN532 controller, which seems to be supported in libupm. But I’m also not sure if maybe I should get this Grove NFC chip to use instead. Another option might be this chip on Adafruit, but it’s also not clear to me how to go about building support into Android.

I’m open to any advice / suggestions on how to expand the Dragonboard 410c to have NFC support on Android.

Thanks in advance for your consideration!

Adding peripherals
#2

hey sean, how are you interfacing with the Grove NFC module? Are you connecting i2c pins on the dragonboard directly to the Grove NFC module or do you have some kind of microcontroller board in between? the reason I ask is because of voltage levels. DB runs as 1.8v and guessing the nfc module is either 3.3v or 5v. So you might need a level shifter or if you are using a board in between then just the matter of using the microcontroller board as a pass through between the module and the db. hope this helps.

if you are using the grove sensor board, i am trying to figure out how to program the board. please advise if you are doing this.

#3

hey dice! Thanks so much for taking a look. I was connecting the LS pins directly to the NFC module - the I2C0_SCL, I2C0_SDA, SYS_5P0 (pin 37), and the ground. The Qualcomm tutorial video covering the I2C connection to a light sensor does include a PCA9306 level shifter as an intermediate between the Dragonboard and the sensor. Wasn’t totally clear to me whether that would be required for that Grove NFC Tag module. And just to clarify, I’m not using the Grove sensors board either. Maybe that level shifter is one missing piece of my puzzle?

#4

Does the DragonBoard 410 have NFC communication on it?

#5

No, but you can add an external module (I2C, USB…).

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