RFID USING BHARAT PI BOARD AND TRASMITE THE OUTPUT DATA TO BLYNL CLOUD

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a technology that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. These tags store data that can be read wirelessly using an RFID reader. Integrating RFID with the Bharat Pi board and Blynk Cloud opens up endless possibilities for creating IoT-enabled systems, such as attendance tracking, inventory management, and access control.

1. RFID Reader and Tags:
2. Commonly used module: MFRC522 RFID reader.
3. Tags are typically passive and operate at 13.56 MHz.
4. Bharat Pi Board:
5. Bharat Pi is a microcontroller board, similar to the Raspberry Pi Pico, designed for versatile IoT applications.
6. It supports communication protocols like SPI, I2C, and UART, making it ideal for interfacing with RFID readers.
7. Blynk Cloud:
8. Blynk is a platform for building IoT applications.
9. It provides a mobile and web-based interface to monitor and control devices.
10. With Blynk, RFID data can be visualized or logged in real-time using widgets like virtual pins, buttons, and graphs.

#define BLYNK_TEMPLATE_ID "TMPL37dE9XcXV"

#define BLYNK_TEMPLATE_NAME "rfidtag"

#define BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN "4qtTjH9Cf513aQT0ZIXlboVyQjdUsIh5"

#include <SPI.h>

#include <MFRC522.h>

#include <WiFi.h>

#include <BlynkSimpleEsp32.h>

// Define pins for RFID

#define RST_PIN 27 // Reset pin

#define SS_PIN 14 // Slave select pin

MFRC522 rfid(SS_PIN, RST_PIN); // Create MFRC522 instance

// Wi-Fi credentials

const char* ssid = "Yogesh";  // Replace with your Wi-Fi SSID

const char* pass = "Yogi5244"; // Replace with your Wi-Fi password

// Debugging Blynk

#define BLYNK_PRINT Serial // Enable debugging messages for Blynk

void setup() {

 // Initialize Serial Monitor

 Serial.begin(115200);

 while (!Serial) {}

 Serial.println("Starting RFID and Blynk Test...");

 // Initialize SPI

 SPI.begin();

 // Initialize MFRC522

 rfid.PCD_Init();

 delay(100);

 // Check if the RFID module responds

 Serial.println("Performing RFID self-test...");

 if (rfid.PCD_PerformSelfTest()) {

  Serial.println("RFID self-test passed. Module initialized successfully.");

 } else {

  Serial.println("RFID self-test failed. Check wiring and connections.");

  while (true); // Halt if initialization fails

 }

 // Connect to Wi-Fi

 Serial.println("Connecting to WiFi...");

 WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);

 while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {

  delay(500);

  Serial.print(".");

 }

 Serial.println("\nWi-Fi connected!");

 Serial.print("IP Address: ");

 Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());

 // Connect to Blynk

 Serial.println("Connecting to Blynk...");

 Blynk.begin(BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN, ssid, pass);

 while (!Blynk.connected()) {

  Serial.println("Blynk connection failed. Retrying...");

  delay(1000);

 }

 Serial.println("Blynk connected successfully.");

}

void loop() {

 Blynk.run(); // Keep Blynk connection alive

 // Check for a new card

 if (!rfid.PICC_IsNewCardPresent()) {

  return; // No card detected

 }

 // Attempt to read the card's UID

 if (!rfid.PICC_ReadCardSerial()) {

  Serial.println("Failed to read card. Retrying...");

  return;

 }

 // Convert UID to string

 String uid = "";

 for (byte i = 0; i < rfid.uid.size; i++) {

  uid += String(rfid.uid.uidByte[i], HEX);

  if (i < rfid.uid.size - 1) uid += ":";

 }

 uid.toUpperCase(); // Convert to uppercase for consistency

 // Print UID to Serial Monitor

 Serial.print("Card UID: ");

 Serial.println(uid);

 // Send UID to Blynk Virtual Pin V1

 Blynk.virtualWrite(V1, uid);

 Serial.println("Card UID sent to Blynk.");

 // Halt communication with the card

 rfid.PICC_HaltA();

 rfid.PCD_StopCrypto1();

 delay(1000); // Short delay for stability

}

How RFID Works

1. An RFID reader generates an electromagnetic field using its antenna.
2. When a tag comes into this field, it draws power from it and transmits its unique ID (UID) to the reader.
3. The reader processes this data and sends it to the Bharat Pi board over the SPI protocol.
4. The Bharat Pi board further processes the data and sends it to Blynk Cloud using Wi-Fi, enabling remote monitoring and control.

Project Workflow

1. Hardware Connections:
2. Connect the MFRC522 RFID reader to the Bharat Pi board via the SPI interface:
3. MOSI: Connect to the SPI MOSI pin on Bharat Pi.
4. MISO: Connect to the SPI MISO pin on Bharat Pi.
5. SCK: Connect to the SPI clock pin (SCK) on Bharat Pi.
6. SS (CS): Connect to a GPIO pin (e.g., GPIO 5).
7. RST: Connect to a GPIO pin (e.g., GPIO 17).
8. Connect the Bharat Pi board to the internet using a Wi-Fi module or Ethernet.
9. Software Integration:
10. Use the MFRC522 library to read RFID tags and extract UIDs.
11. Use the Blynk library to connect the Bharat Pi board to the Blynk Cloud.
12. Cloud Communication:
13. Send the RFID UID data to Blynk Cloud using virtual pins.
14. Configure the Blynk app to display data in real-time using widgets like Label, Table, or Graph.
15. IoT Features:
16. Monitor RFID scans in real-time on the Blynk app.
17. Trigger actions like opening a door or sending a notification when a specific RFID tag is detected.
18. Log RFID data for analysis or attendance tracking.

Advantages

1. Real-Time Monitoring:
2. RFID data is sent to Blynk Cloud instantly, allowing real-time access via a smartphone or web dashboard.
3. Scalable IoT Solution:
4. Multiple Bharat Pi boards can be connected to Blynk Cloud, enabling a distributed RFID system.
5. User-Friendly Interface:
6. The Blynk app provides an easy-to-use GUI for visualizing and controlling RFID data.
7. Cost-Effective:
8. Using Bharat Pi and Blynk Cloud eliminates the need for expensive proprietary systems.

Applications

1. Access Control Systems:
2. Allow or deny entry based on authorized RFID tags.
3. Attendance Systems:
4. Log the presence of employees or students by scanning their RFID tags.
5. Inventory Management:
6. Track items in a warehouse or store using RFID tags and visualize inventory data on Blynk Cloud.
7. Smart Home Automation:
8. Use RFID tags to trigger actions like turning on lights or opening garage doors.

Conclusion

By integrating RFID technology with the Bharat Pi board and Blynk Cloud, you can create a powerful and flexible IoT-enabled system. This combination leverages the simplicity of the Bharat Pi board and the cloud connectivity of Blynk to make RFID systems smarter, more accessible, and more efficient. With real-time monitoring, data logging, and remote control capabilities, this setup is ideal for modern IoT applications.

MFRC522 RFID to ESP32 Pin Mapping

RFID PinESP32 Pin

VCC - 3.3V or 5V (depending on your RFID module)

GND -GND

RST-GPIO 5

SDA (SS)- GPIO 4

MOSI- GPIO 23

MISO-GPIO 19

SCK-GPIO 18