Getting started with the NXP LPC54018 IoT Module

Important

This reference integration is hosted on the Amazon-FreeRTOS repository which is deprecated. We recommend that you start here when you create a new project. If you already have an existing FreeRTOS project based on the now deprecated Amazon-FreeRTOS repository, see the Amazon-FreeRTOS Github Repository Migration Guide.

This tutorial provides instructions for getting started with the NXP LPC54018 IoT Module. If you do not have an NXP LPC54018 IoT Module, visit the AWS Partner Device Catalog to purchase one from our partner. Use a USB cable to connect your NXP LPC54018 IoT Module to your computer.

Before you begin, you must configure AWS IoT and your FreeRTOS download to connect your device to the AWS Cloud. See First steps for instructions. In this tutorial, the path to the FreeRTOS download directory is referred to as freertos.

Overview

This tutorial contains instructions for the following getting started steps:

1. Connecting your board to a host machine.

2. Installing software on the host machine for developing and debugging embedded applications for your microcontroller board.

3. Cross compiling a FreeRTOS demo application to a binary image.

4. Loading the application binary image to your board, and then running the application.

Set up the NXP hardware

To set up the NXP LPC54018

• Connect your computer to the USB port on the NXP LPC54018.

To set up the JTAG debugger

You need a JTAG debugger to launch and debug your code running on the NXP LPC54018 board. FreeRTOS was tested using an OM40006 IoT Module. For more information about supported debuggers, see the User Manual for NXP LPC54018 IoT Module that is available from the OM40007 LPC54018 IoT Module product page.

1. If you're using an OM40006 IoT Module debugger, use a converter cable to connect the 20-pin connector from the debugger to the 10-pin connector on the NXP IoT module.

2. Connect the NXP LPC54018 and the OM40006 IoT Module Debugger to the USB ports on your computer using mini-USB to USB cables.

Set up your development environment

FreeRTOS supports two IDEs for the NXP LPC54018 IoT Module: IAR Embedded Workbench and MCUXpresso.

Before you begin, install one of these IDEs.

To install IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM

1. Browse to IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM and download the software.

   Note

   IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM requires Microsoft Windows.

2. Run the installer and follow the prompts.

3. In the License Wizard, choose Register with IAR Systems to get an evaluation license.

4. Put the bootloader on the device before attempting to run any demos.

To install MCUXpresso from NXP

1. Download and run the MCUXpresso installer from NXP.

   Note

   Versions 10.3.x and later are supported.

2. Browse to MCUXpresso SDK and choose Build your SDK.

   Note

   Versions 2.5 and later are supported.

3. Choose Select Development Board.

4. Under Select Development Board, in Search by Name, enter LPC54018-IoT-Module.

5. Under Boards, choose LPC54018-IoT-Module.

6. Verify the hardware details, and then choose Build MCUXepresso SDK.

7. The SDK for Windows using the MCUXpresso IDE is already built. Choose Download SDK. If you are using another operating system, under Host OS, choose your operating system, and then choose Download SDK.

8. Start the MCUXpresso IDE, and choose the Installed SDKs tab.

9. Drag and drop the downloaded SDK archive file into the Installed SDKs window.

If you experience issues during installation, see NXP Support or NXP Developer Resources.

Monitoring MQTT messages on the cloud

Before you run the FreeRTOS demo project, you can set up the MQTT client in the AWS IoT console to monitor the messages that your device sends to the AWS Cloud.

To subscribe to the MQTT topic with the AWS IoT MQTT client

1. Sign in to the AWS IoT console.

2. In the navigation pane, choose Test, then choose MQTT test client to open the MQTT client.

3. In Subscription topic, enter your-thing-name/example/topic, and then choose Subscribe to topic.

When the demo project successfully runs on your device you see "Hello World!" sent multiple times to the topic that you subscribed to.

Build and run the FreeRTOS Demo project

Import the FreeRTOS demo into your IDE

To import the FreeRTOS sample code into the IAR Embedded Workbench IDE

1. Open IAR Embedded Workbench, and from the File menu, choose Open Workspace.

2. In the search-directory text box, enter projects/nxp/lpc54018iotmodule/iar/aws_demos, and choose aws_demos.eww.

3. From the Project menu, choose Rebuild All.

To import the FreeRTOS sample code into the MCUXpresso IDE

1. Open MCUXpresso, and from the File menu, choose Open Projects From File System.

2. In the Directory text box, enter projects/nxp/lpc54018iotmodule/mcuxpresso/aws_demos, and choose Finish

3. From the Project menu, choose Build All.

Run the FreeRTOS demo project

To run the FreeRTOS demo project with the IAR Embedded Workbench IDE

1. In your IDE, from the Project menu, choose Make.

2. From the Project menu, choose Download and Debug.

3. From the Debug menu, choose Start Debugging.

4. When the debugger stops at the breakpoint in main, from the Debug menu, choose Go.

   Note

   If a J-Link Device Selection dialog box opens, choose OK to continue. In the Target Device Settings dialog box, choose Unspecified, choose Cortex-M4, and then choose OK. You only need to be do this once.

To run the FreeRTOS demo project with the MCUxpresso IDE

1. In your IDE, from the Project menu, choose Build.

2. If this is your first time debugging, choose the aws_demos project and from the Debug toolbar, choose the blue debug button.

3. Any detected debug probes are displayed. Choose the probe you want to use, and then choose OK to start debugging.

   Note

   When the debugger stops at the breakpoint in main(), press the debug restart button once to reset the debugging session. (This is required due to a bug with MCUXpresso debugger for NXP54018-IoT-Module).

4. When the debugger stops at the breakpoint in main(), from the Debug menu, choose Go.

Troubleshooting

For general troubleshooting information about Getting Started with FreeRTOS, see Troubleshooting getting started.