BlinkenBadge

BlinkenBadge is an extremely small BlinkenLights clone that can be used as a name tag or similar. Just in time for the 22C3, the first BlinkenBadge is ready and there is just some more firmware code missing now. :-)

Specifications:

• Size: 67,5mm x 48mm
• 144 high-efficiency 1206-SMD-LEDs (Reichelt "SMD-LED 1206K rt")
• Several brighness values (8 or 16)
• ATMega128 microcontroller (the BlinkenLights movies are stored in the microcontroller's flash using a special binary file format)
• Transfer of the Movies is done via RS232 (standard bootloader)
• controller is ISP-programmable (solder pads similar to BlinkstroemAdvanced)
• Battery: CR2450 lithium button cell (500 mAh)
• Maximum power consumption: <55mA (all LEDs switched on) --> Battery life (hopefully) >>10h
• Connection of 2 external AA batteries (or 3V power supply) possible for long-term usage

Schematic/PCB layout

• Schematic v1.0 [EAGLE]
• Schematic v1.0 [PNG]
• Layout v1.0 [EAGLE]
• Layout top (LEDs) v1.0 [PNG]
• Layout bottom (the other stuff) v1.0 [PNG]

Bill of Material

Qty.	Reichelt-No.	Component
18	SMD 1/4W 240	Resistor 240Ω
9	SMD 1/4W 4.7K	Resistor 4,7kΩ
2	NPO-G0805 10P	Capacitor 10pF
1	X7R-G0805 100N	Capacitor 100nF
1	8-MA505	Quartz 8MHz
144	SMD-LED 1206K RT	LED red, 600mcd
8	BC 850C SMD	Transistor NPN
1	ATMEGA 128L8 TQ	Microcontroller ATMega128L
1	NK 236W	slide switch, 1 two-way-contact
1	Farnell 4450401	Button cell retainer for CR2450
1	CR 2450	Button cell CR2450, 500mAh

Software

• Firmware v0.1 - just plays black-and-white movies
• Converter (Perl) to create an assembler file from BLM-movies

The blinkenlights movies must be converted into a special format with the converter first. The resulting file (movies.asm) is then included into the firmware code, so the program must be reassembled if you want to change the selection of movies. Converter invocation:
./bbadgeconv.pl Movie1.blm [Movie2.blm [Movie3.blm [...]]] >movies.asm
or for all movies in the directory:
for f in *.blm; do ./bbadgeconv.pl $f; done >movies.asm
The converter only works with black-and-white BLM movies with 18x8 pixels!

Photos

See http://arne.blinkenarea.org/bbadge/ (updated regularly).

-- ArneRossius - 12 Mar 2006