PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing Pagina 1

PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing

IMPORTANT WARNING
The designs on this page are presented "as is" with no warranty or guarantee of operational correctness. The electronic design has not been built,
tested nor proven, and there is no guarantee that the designs are sound or that damage will not occur when used with your own equipment. The
software has not been tested, debugged and may not include the functionality described in this article. Anyone using the hardware and software
designs or information related to them herein does so entirely at their own risk. No liability whatsoever is accepted by the author.

This project is a theoretical exercise and a work in progress and should be considered as an educational resource rather than as a completed or
functional project.

Interfacing to an LCD consumes quite a few output lines even when operating the LCD in 4-bit mode. When
The simple Two- there aren't enough output lines available to use, a one-wire Serial Interface LCD can be used, but their costs
Wire LCD are prohibitive. A reasonable alternative is to use a readily available logic IC and just two output lines.
Interface offers a
low-cost The code detailed here has been specifically written for the PICAXE and targeted at LCD's which use the Hitachi
compromise HD44780 driver chips, which is by far the great majority of LCD's which I have encountered.
between a parallel
LCD interface Note that the code will not work with 4 x 40 LCD's because they are internally constructed from two 2 x 20
which ties up controllers and require an additional control line, although the unused Q1 output of the 74LS164 can be used to
processor output control two E lines required by a 4 x 40 LCD. This is a design change that is beyond the scope of this document.
lines and the use of
an expensive Serial The program code has been highly optimised, requiring just four dedicated byte variables and uses just 85 bytes of
LCD. program code space. The code is designed for use with all PICAXE variants, although it is best used with the
PICAXE-08M, 18A, 28 or 28A and is most suited for use with the PICAXE-18X, 28X and 40X with their larger
program memory capacities and extended subroutine capabilities.

Associated Articles
Index
The PICAXE
Processors The Two-Wire Interface
PICAXE News The Two-Wire Interface Circuit
PICAXE Questions & The Two-Wire Protocol
Answers The Two-Wire Interface Software
PICAXE Comparisons
The Three-Wire Interface
PICAXE Pinouts
The Three-Wire Protocol
PICAXE Serial
Interfacing
The Three-Wire Interface Software
PICAXE Infra-Red
Interfacing
PICAXE Wireless
Interfacing
The Two-Wire Interface
PICAXE LCD
Interfacing The design here is inspired by Myke Predko's 2-Wire LCD Interface but that design is improved upon to give proper
A Real-Time Clock for timing control for data stabilisation before pulsing the LCD "E" signal, and uses a more commonly available
the PICAXE-18X
component.
PICAXE
Optimisations
The PICAXE Birthday This is the minimal for LCD interfacing without going to a serially controlled LCD, and is considerably cheaper than
Box Project purchasing a dedicated Serial LCD or using a PICAXE or PICmicro to perform that task, but the penalty in a low
PICAXE Telephone
cost solution is an increase in time taken in updating the LCD, however, this can be offset by moving to a Three-
Exchange Simulator
The Brainf**ked Wire LCD Interface described later. In many cases, the simplicity and low cost of these solutions far outweigh their
PICAXE disadvantages.
The PICAXE
Extended
Programming
Interpreter The Two-Wire Interface Circuit
Build Your Own Basic
Stamp Mike's circuit uses a 74LS174 which is no longer easily obtainable ( ie, Maplins Electronics in the UK doesn't stock
Tech Toys
it ), so this is a re-design using the 74LS164 8-stage serial to parallel converter.

+5V --------------.---------------------.---.------.
| | | | 1N914
.-------|---------------------|---|------|-----.-----.
Sites to Visit .|. | | | | | |
| | 1K0 | 74LS164 | | | _|_ | LCD
PICAXE Home Page |_| | .-----..------. | | | _\ /_ | .---------.
Revolution Education
Ltd

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PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing Pagina 2

Site Navigation | `---| 1 Da +V 14 |---{ | | | | | |

DAT >-----^-----------| 2 Db Q7 13 |---|---|------|-----' | .-^--. |
| 3 Q0 Q6 12 |---|---|------|-----------|--->| 14 | DB7 |
Home Page | 4 Q1 Q5 11 |---|---|------|-----------|--->| 13 | DB6 |
What's New .-------| 5 Q2 Q4 10 |---|---|------|-----------|--->| 12 | DB5 |
Search | .---| 6 Q3 /MR 9 |---' | | .-----|--->| 11 | DB4 |
.---|---|---| 7 0V CP 8 |---. | | | | | 10 | DB3 |
Add Bookmark | | | `-------------' | | | | | | 9 | DB2 |
Have Your Say CLK >-----|---|---|---------------------' | | | | | 8 | DB1 |
Guestbook | | `-------------------------|------|-----' | | 7 | DB0 |
| `-----------------------------|------|-----. `--->| 6 | E |
| .|. | | .--->| 5 | /WR |
| 10K | |<-. | `-----|--->| 4 | RS |
| Pot |_| `--|-----------|--->| 3 | Vo |
| | `-----------|--->| 2 | Vcc |
0V -------^---------------------------------^------------------^--->| 1 | Vdd |
`-.--' |
100nF Power Supply | |
decoupling not shown `---------'

The key to the circuit's simplicity is the 'AND Gate' formed between the DAT signal from the PICAXE and the Q7
output from the 74LS164. It is a clever technique from Electronics Now magazine which saves the need for a single
AND gate.

When either DAT or Q7 are low, the E signal to the LCD is kept low. This allows the shift register to be cleared by
keeping DAT low during eight clock pulses. When clocking LCD controlling data into the 74LS164, the low Q7
will keep E low regardless of DAT, and the E pulse for the LCD will only occur when Q7 is high and DAT is high.
This is achieved by clocking a '1' into the 74LS164 as the first bit after clearing and by pulsing the DAT line after the
transfer has been completed.

The 1N914 diode is used to pull E down when Q7 is low ( clamping E when DAT is high to about 0.7V, below the
logic high threshold of the LCD input ) and can probably be any high-speed switching diode, although any small-
signal diode such as a 1N4148 may work ( but is an untested theory ). The 1K0 resistor is to limit the current to
below 5mA ( at 5V ) when the DAT line is high and Q7 is low. It is recommended that the DAT line is kept low
whenever possible to minimise current consumption.

It may be possible to replace the 74LS168 with a 74HC168 or 74HCT168, but that is also an untested theory.

The Two-Wire Protocol

.----.----.----.----.----.----.----. .---.
DAT | | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | RS | ?? | | |
-----------------------------------' `----^----^----^----^----^----^------' `---
: :
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 : :
.-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. : :
CLK | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | : :
---' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `-----------
: : : :
---.---.---.---.---.---.---.---. .-------------
Q7 | | | | | | | | | : :
---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---------------------------------------' : :
.---.
E | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------' `---

Q7 - - - - - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Q6 - - - - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7
Q5 - - - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6
Q4 - - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5
Q3 - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4
Q2 - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4 RS
Q1 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4 RS ??
Q0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4 RS ?? 0

Clearing the 74LS164 is achieved by setting DAT low (0) and sending eight high going CLK pulses.

DAT is then set high (1) and a further CLK pulse is issued, followed by the data bits for DB7, DB6, DB5, DB4 and
RS each with their own CLK pulses.

A further CLK pulse must be issued ( the state of the DAT line does not matter during this CLK pulse ), followed by
a final CLK pulse with DAT set low.

After the transfer is completed, DAT must be set high to active E and then brought low to clear E. The DAT line
must then remain low until the 74LS164 has been cleared ( by issuing eight CLK pulses with DAT low ).

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PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing Pagina 3

Note that by clearing the 74LS164 at Power-On Reset ( eight CLK pulses with DAT low ), and ensuring that DAT is
low when the two CLK pulses following the sending of the RS data bit are issued, it is possible to send just six
pulses to guarantee that the 74LS164 will be cleared. This will give a slight speed improvement to every transfer of
data to the 74LS164.

By tracking what's been clocked into the 74LS164 it is also possible to minimise the number of CLK pulses required
to perform a clear and to set the data transfer value, however, the time taken to perform such an optimisation
probably outweighs delivering all clock pulses regardless on a PICAXE.

The Two-Wire Interface Software

There are three routines which are used to initialise and control the LCD ...

GOSUB InitialiseLcd ; Initialise the LCD

byte = ... ; Send byte to LCD Data Register

GOSUB SendDataByte

byte = ... ; Send byte to LCD Command Register

GOSUB SendCmdByte

The 'InitialiseLcd' routine must be called once, at the start of the program.

The 'SendDataByte' and 'SendCmdByte' routines are used to send data bytes to the LCD data and command registers
respectively. This allows data to be displayed on the LCD and the cursor and other attributes of the LCD and its
display to be altered. Before calling either of the two routines, the data byte to be sent must be placed in the 'byte'
variable. The value put into the 'byte' variable is not changed when the routines are called.

For a more comprehensive review of how to use the routines, please see the article on interfacing LCD's to a
PICAXE in the more traditional parallel manner. The user callable routines presented here are compatible with
software that uses that design.

PICAXE LCD Interfacing

The code requires five variables to be defined ...

SYMBOL get = b9
SYMBOL byte = b10
SYMBOL dataOut = b11
SYMBOL bitNumber = b12
SYMBOL rsbit = b13

Note that the 'get' variable is only used within the 'InitialiseLcd' routine and therefore 'b9' can be re-used with your
own program after the LCD has been initialised.

The 'byte', 'dataOut' and 'bitNumber' variables are only used in the 'InitialiseLcd', 'SendDataByte' and
'SendCommandByte' routines, and therefore 'b10', 'b11', 'b12' and 'w5' can be re-used within your own program,
although they will have their values changed when any of these routines are called.

The 'rsbit' variable must be preserved intact during the operation of the program and so 'b13' ( and consequently
'w6' ) must not be used by your own code unless placed somewhere else and restored after use.

The code uses 'SYMBOL DAT_PIN = pinN' to optimise the code ( where N is the number used in the 'SYMBOL
DAT = N' definition ), but due to a limitation of the compiler this means that only certain pins can be used for
connection to a PICAXE ...

Variant DAT pin allowed

PICAXE 08 or 08M 1, 2 or 4

PICAXE 18, 18A and 18X 0, 1, 2, 6 or 7

PICAXE 28, 28A, 28X and 40X Any pin

The CLK line can be connected to any PICAXE Digital Output pin. For maximum code size optimisation it is
recommended that DAT and CLK are connected to pins 0 and 1, which line connects to which pin is not important ...

Variant DAT pin CLK pin

PICAXE 08 or 08M 1 0

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PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing Pagina 4

PICAXE 18, 18A and 18X 1 or 0 0 or 1

PICAXE 28, 28A, 28X and 40X 1 or 0 0 or 1

For ease of using the code on a variety of PICAXE processors, it is recommended that the DAT line is connected to
Output Pin 1 and the CLK line is connected to Output Pin 0.

The complete program for controlling a HD4470 based LCD through a 74LS168, exclusing the User Program code,
is given below, The code uses the recommended connection pins for the DAT and CLK lines, and the SYMBOL
definitions for DAT, CLK and DAT_PIN will need to be changed if you choose to use alternative pins.

SYMBOL DAT = 1 ; Pin number of DAT line

SYMBOL CLK = 0 ; Pin number of CLK line

SYMBOL DAT_PIN = pin1 ; Pin number of DAT line

SYMBOL CLK_PULSE_LENGTH = 1 ; 10uS

SYMBOL E_PULSE_LENGTH = 1 ; 10uS

SYMBOL RSCMDmask = %00000000 ; Select Command register

SYMBOL RSDATmask = %00001000 ; Select Data register

SYMBOL get = b9
SYMBOL byte = b10
SYMBOL dataOut = b11
SYMBOL bitNumber = b12
SYMBOL rsbit = b13

PowerOnReset:

GOSUB InitialiseLcd

; User Program Here

END

InitialiseLcd:

FOR get = 0 TO 5
READ get,byte
GOSUB SendInitCmdByte
NEXT

' Nibble commands - To initialise 4-bit mode

EEPROM 0,( $33 ) ; %001?---- %001L---- Display Format

EEPROM 1,( $32 )

' Byte commands - To configure the LCD

EEPROM 2,( $28 ) ; %00101000 %001LNF00 Display Format

EEPROM 3,( $0C ) ; %00001100 %00001DCB Display On
EEPROM 4,( $06 ) ; %00000110 %000001IS Cursor Move

; L : 0 = 4-bit Mode 1 = 8-bit Mode

; N : 0 = 1 Line 1 = 2 Lines
; F : 0 = 5x7 Pixels 1 = N/A
; D : 0 = Display Off 1 = Display On
; C : 0 = Cursor Off 1 = Cursor On
; B : 0 = Cursor Steady 1 = Cursor Flash
; I : 0 = Dec Cursor 1 = Inc Cursor
; S : 0 = Cursor Move 1 = Display Shift

EEPROM 5,( $01 ) ; Clear Screen

RETURN

SendInitCmdByte:

PAUSE 15 ; Delay 15mS

SendCmdByte:

rsbit = RSCMDmask ; Send to Command register

SendDataByte:

dataOut = byte & %11110000 | rsbit

GOSUB TransferTo74LS164
dataOut = byte * %00010000 | rsbit
GOSUB TransferTo74LS164

rsbit = RSDATmask ; Send to Data register next

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PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing Pagina 5

RETURN

TransferTo74LS164:

LOW DAT ; Clear 74LS164

FOR bitNumber = 0 TO 7
PULSOUT CLK,CLK_PULSE_LENGTH
NEXT

HIGH DAT ; Transfer data

PULSOUT CLK,CLK_PULSE_LENGTH
FOR bitNumber = 0 TO 6
DAT_PIN = dataOut / $80
PULSOUT CLK,CLK_PULSE_LENGTH
dataOut = dataOut * 2
NEXT

PULSOUT DAT,E_PULSE_LENGTH ; Pulse E

RETURN ; Completed transfer

If you need the absolutely minimum code size and are prepared to have any data held in the 'w0' variable altered
when the LCD routines are called, and accept that the execution time will increase, then the 'TransferTo74LS164'
routine can be replaced with the code below, which saves 6 bytes of code space ...

TransferTo74LS164:

w0 = dataOut / 2 | $80 ; Format data

FOR bitNumber = 0 TO 15 ; Clear and transfer data

DAT_PIN = bit15
PULSOUT CLK,CLK_PULSE_LENGTH
w0 = w0 * 2
NEXT

PULSOUT DAT,E_PULSE_LENGTH ; Pulse E

RETURN ; Completed transfer

The Three-Wire Interface

The three-wire interface circuit is the same as the Two-Wire Interface Circuit except that the Memory Reset pin of
the 74LS164 ( /MR ) is not connected to +5V, but is driven from a PICAXE Digital Output, CLR. This speeds up
LCD updating because it is no longer necessary to use eight clock pulses to clear the 74LS164 before every LCD
control byte is sent.

If you are planning to build either a two-wire or three-wire LCD interface on a breadboard, veroboard ( stripboard )
or as a PCB, it would probably make sense to use a three pin molex connector and a link so /MR can either connect
to an external CLR line for three-wire use, or to +5V for two-wire use.

The Three-Wire Protocol

---. .---------------------------------------------------
CLR | |
`-'
: .----.----.----.----.----.----.----. .---.
DAT : | | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | RS | ?? | | |
--------' `----^----^----^----^----^----^-----' `---
: : :
: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 : :
: .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. : :
CLK : | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | : :
---------' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `--' `----------
: : : :
---. .------------
Q7 | | : :
`----------------------------------------' : :
.---.
E | |
-------------------------------------------------' `---

Q7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Q6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7
Q5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6
Q4 0 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5
Q3 0 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4
Q2 0 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4 RS
Q1 0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4 RS ??
Q0 0 1 D7 D6 D5 D4 RS ?? 0

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PICAXE Two-Wire LCD Interfacing Pagina 6

Clearing the 74LS164 is achieved by sending a low going CLR pulse. The state of the DAT line does not matter at
this time.

DAT is then set high (1) and a further CLK pulse is issued, followed by the data bits for DB7, DB6, DB5, DB4 and
RS each with their own CLK pulses.

A further CLK pulse must be issued ( the state of the DAT line does not matter during this CLK pulse ), followed by
a final CLK pulse with DAT set low.

After the transfer is completed, DAT must be set high to active E and then brought low to clear E. The DAT line
must then remain low until the 74LS164 has been cleared.

Providing the CLR line is kept high by the PICAXE ( or wired to +V ), the code used to control the two-wire
interface can be used with the three-wire interface without change, but the code will run slower than that designed for
the three-wire interface.

The Three-Wire Interface Software

The software used for the three-wire interface is the same as the Two-Wire Interface Software with two changes.

The following constant definitions must be added at the start of the source code ...

SYMBOL CLR = ? ; Pin number of CLR line

SYMBOL CLR_PULSE_LENGTH = 1 ; 10uS

The CLR line can be connected to any PICAXE Digital Output pin.

The 'TransferTo74LS164' routine needs to be replaced with the following code ...

TransferTo74LS164:

PULSOUT CLR,CLR_PULSE_LENGTH ; Clear 74LS164

HIGH DAT ; Transfer data

PULSOUT CLK,CLK_PULSE_LENGTH
FOR bitNumber = 0 TO 6
DAT_PIN = dataOut / $80
PULSOUT CLK,CLK_PULSE_LENGTH
dataOut = dataOut * 2
NEXT

PULSOUT DAT,E_PULSE_LENGTH ; Pulse E

RETURN ; Completed transfer

PICAXE is a trademark of Revolution Education Ltd. PICmicro is a registered trademark of Microchip Inc.

First published on Friday the 6th of August, 2004 at 04:37:18

Last upload was on Wednesday the 3rd of November, 2004 at 12:59:13

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