LIRC GPIO receiver / blaster

LIRC GPIO receiver / blaster

LIRC is a package that allows you to decode and send infra-red signals of many (but not all) commonly used remote controls.

The kernel module used in this howto needs GPIO IRQs, otherwise it won't work. Not all devices have IRQs implemented at the GPIO lines in the kernel.

You'll need at least 2 free GPIOs in your router. Also you need to locate VCC (3.3V) and GND, but this is a piece of cake. You can omit the blaster if only interested on receiving.

Prepare your hardware

Receiver

The receiver is quite simple, it's directly connected to the GPIO, Vcc and GND

The receiver used in the test was a TSOP4838. Any other should also work if can be fed with 3.3V.

Blaster

For the IR emitter we need a few more components because a GPIO cannot supply more than 4mA.

See lirc-gpioblaster for more details. Although this circuit can be omited, if we are only interested on receiving. Later, we can configure the lirc-gpio-generic module with an unused dummy GPIO.

Prepare your software

You will need to make a custom build. The module lirc-gpio-generic isn't available in the official repositories, and LIRC is not maintained an probably broken.

These are the kernel module lirc-gpio-generic, and LIRC package (Tested in Barrier Breaker):

Put the directories under the package/ subdirectory at the build root.

As usually build your custom firmware but select lirc

Location: 
    -> Utilities

┌─────────────────────────────────── Utilities ───────────────────────────────────┐
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │  
│ │     Boot Loaders  --->                                                      │ │  
│ │     Editors  --->                                                           │ │  
│ │     Filesystem  --->                                                        │ │  
│ │     Terminal  --->                                                          │ │  
│ │     disc  --->                                                              │ │  
│ │ < > alsa-utils............ ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) utilitie│ │  
│ │ < > alsa-utils-seq.................................. ALSA sequencer utilitie│ │  
│ │ < > alsa-utils-tests.......... ALSA utilities test data (adds ~1.3M to image│ │  
│ │ < > bzip2.................................... bzip2 is a compression utility│ │  
│ │ < > cal................................................... display a calenda│ │  
│ │ < > comgt............................... Option/Vodafone 3G/GPRS control too│ │  
│ │ < > dmesg............................ print or control the kernel ring buffe│ │  
│ │ < > dropbearconvert.......................... Utility for converting SSH key│ │  
│ │ < > fconfig..................................... RedBoot configuration edito│ │  
│ │ < > flock.................................... manage locks from shell script│ │  
│ │ < > gdb......................................................... GNU Debugge│ │  
│ │ < > gdbserver................................. Remote server for GNU Debugge│ │  
│ │ < > getopt.................................. parse command options (enhanced│ │  
│ │ < > gpioctl................................... Tool for controlling gpio pin│ │  
│ │ < > hwclock.................................. query or set the hardware cloc│ │  
│ │ < > iconv................................... Character set conversion utilit│ │  
│ │ < > iwcap.................................... Simple radiotap capture utilit│ │  
│ │ < > iwinfo.......................... Generalized Wireless Information utilit│ │  
│ │ --- jshn................................................. JSON SHell Notatio│ │  
│ │ < > kexec-tools.......................................... Kernel boots kerne│ │  
│ │ < > ldconfig............................... Shared library path configuratio│ │  
│ │ < > ldd.................................................... LDD trace utilit│ │  
│ │ <*> lirc................................ LIRC - Linux Infrared Remote Contro│ │  
│ │ < > logger......... a shell command interface to the syslog system log modul│ │  
│ │ < > look......................... display lines beginning with a given strin│ │  
│ └─v(+)────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │  
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤  
│                        <Select>    < Exit >    < Help >                         │  
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Under lirc select lirctools

┌────────── lirc........................ LIRC - Linux Infrared Remote Control ──────────┐
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │  
│ │  --- lirc................................ LIRC - Linux Infrared Remote Control    │ │  
│ │  < >   lirc-audioalsa......................................... plugin audio_alsa  │ │  
│ │  < >   lirc-devinput............................................ plugin devinput  │ │  
│ │  < >   lirc-ftdi.................................................... plugin ftdi  │ │  
│ │  <*>   lirctools..................................................... LIRC tools  │ │  
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │  
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤  
│            <Select>    < Exit >    < Help >    < Save >    < Load >                   │  
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Look for kmod-lirc_gpio_generic and select it:

Location: 
    -> Kernel modules
      -> Other modules

  ┌─────────────────────────────────── Other modules ───────────────────────────────────┐
  │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-bcma................................................... BCMA support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-bluetooth......................................... Bluetooth support   │ │  
  │ │ <*> kmod-button-hotplug................................ Button Hotplug driver   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-eeprom-93cx6................................... EEPROM 93CX6 support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-eeprom-at24..................................... EEPROM AT24 support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-eeprom-at25..................................... EEPROM AT25 support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-gpio-button-hotplug............... Simple GPIO Button Hotplug driver   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-gpio-dev........................... Generic GPIO char device support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-gpio-nxp-74hc164.................. NXP 74HC164 GPIO expander support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-hid..................................................... HID Devices   │ │  
  │ │ --- kmod-input-core........................................ Input device core   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-input-evdev...................................... Input event device   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-input-gpio-buttons................. Polled GPIO buttons input device   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-input-gpio-encoder............................... GPIO rotay encoder   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-input-gpio-keys.................................... GPIO key support   │ │  
  │ │ <*> kmod-input-gpio-keys-polled...................... Polled GPIO key support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-input-joydev................................ Joystick device support   │ │  
  │ │ --- kmod-input-polldev........................... Polled Input device support   │ │  
  │ │ <*> kmod-lirc_gpio_generic.......... Driver for LIRC GPIO receiver/transmitter  │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-mmc............................................. MMC/SD Card Support   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-mmc-over-gpio......................... MMC/SD card over GPIO support  -│ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-mtdtests........................................ MTD subsystem tests   │ │  
  │ │ < > kmod-nand............................................. NAND flash support   │ │  
  │ └─v(+)────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │  
  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤  
  │                          <Select>    < Exit >    < Help >                           │  
  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Build openwrt, and flash your custom firmware. Now you have LIRC prepared to work.

Note the file /etc/lirc/lircd.conf is specific for your remote. You might need to use irrecord in a machine with a LIRC receiver to get one for your own remote if you don't find any in the lirc database.

Make it work

Flash your custom firmware with lirc_gpio_generic and the LIRC daemon included. If the module is loaded correctly when booting OpenWrt you should see this kernel message:
[ 36.240000] lirc_gpio_generic: auto-detected active low receiver on GPIO pin 10 [ 36.250000] lirc_gpio_generic lirc_gpio_generic.0: lirc_dev: driver lirc_gpio_generic registered at minor = 0 [ 36.260000] lirc_gpio_generic: driver registered!

After loading lirc_gpio_generic, /dev/lirc0 is created. If the LIRC utility package is installed an init script should autostart the LIRC daemon conected to /dev/lirc0.

As default the GPIO 9 for the receiver and GPIO10 for the transmitter are used, to use another for example the GPIO 17 18 you need to parse the options
gpio_in_pin=17 gpio_out_pin=18

You can put these options in the /etc/modules.d/99-lirc_gpio_generic file

lirc_gpio_generic gpio_in_pin=17 gpio_out_pin=18

Test the receiver, execute

irw

Press some buttons on your remote. If all is working OK, irw will return the commands pressed on the remote:
root@OpenWrt:/# irw 00000000000005e9 00 + rct3004 00000000000005ea 00 - rct3004 00000000000005ea 01 - rct3004 00000000000005dd 00 power rct3004 00000000000005d0 00 3 rct3004 00000000000005d0 01 3 rct3004 00000000000005c9 00 5 rct3004 00000000000005c9 01 5 rct3004 00000000000005c1 00 4 rct3004 00000000000005c1 01 4 rct3004

Now we're ready to use irexec for executing custom scripts or commands every time a particular button is pressed on the remote.

irexec

Configure lircrc as described in the LIRC website. Create the file /etc/lirc/lircrc. Run the irexec daemon with a command like this:

irexec --daemon /etc/lirc/lircrc

Now everytime you press a button in your remote, irexec will execute the associated commands in the lircrc file.

Notes

Succesfully tested in Barrier Breaker

Platform AR7240: GPIO9, GPIO10 are used for the serial port (multiplexed pins). For using these pins as regular GPIOs for our LIRC transceiver, execute the command
devmem 0x18040028 32 0x48000
The GPIO used for the receiver shouldn't have any pull down resistor, otherwise it won't work. The lirc-gpio-generic module package should copy a patch to the kernel patches directory for having GPIO IRQs available, check if the patch is applied.
brcm63xx: only a few GPIOs have IRQs, check external_irqs. Only those GPIOs can be used for the receiver. A patch is copied into the kernel patches directory for having gpio_to_irq function available in the lirc_gpio_generic module, check if the patch is applied when compiling the firmware.

Tested routers

Target	Platform	Router	Tested
brcm63xx	BCM6348	Livebox 1	OK
brcm63xx	BCM6358	HG556a	OK
ar71xx	AR7240	TL-WR741ND	OK
lantiq	Danube	ARV7518PW	KO
ramips	?		KO?

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