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Strato

Strato Pi is an expansion board developed by Sfera Labs for the Raspberry Pi computer.

Strato board

Strato Pi implements a number of hardware features to expand the Pi and allows its use in professional applications:

  • 9-28 Vdc extended-range power supply
  • integrated UPS with external NiCd rechargeable battery
  • real-time clock with dedicated back-up battery
  • opto-isolated RS-232, RS-485, CAN bus ports
  • configurable hardware watchdog
  • buzzer for audible feedback.

HSYCO Configuration

Add a STRATO I/O Server in the I/O Servers section of the Settings and set its parameters.

note

Note that the Strato I/O Server doesn't count in the I/O servers license total, so you don't need an extra I/O Server license to use Strato with HSYCO.

On Strato Pi Base, UPS, CAN, CM and CM Duo, the STRATO I/O Server requires the Strato Pi Kernel Module to be fully functional. Without the kernel module, only a subset of the features are available for backward compatibility.

Strato Pi Fan is also supported if the Strato Pi Fan Kernel Module is installed.

High Availability

  • Shutdown when inactive: defaults to false.

Options

IDDefaultValuesDescription
dualsdsyncfalsetrueenables the files synchronisation process that copies all HSYCO files and some operating system configuration files to the alternate SD card (SD1). Synchronisation occurs automatically once a minute. SD1 is enabled and its root file system mounted to /mnt/alt
falsedisables the files synchronisation process
manualthe files synchronisation process only runs when manually activated (see the dualsdsync = 1 command)
watchdogalways
(false on Strato Pi Mini)
alwaysenables the hardware watchdog and automatically generates the heartbeat signal (when the HSYCO main control loop is running normally, approximately every 10 seconds). The watchdog timeout is set to 60 seconds while HSYCO is running, or to 1 hour when HSYCO is manually stopped (sysctl stop hsyco) and when it is starting. If dualsdsync is set to true or manual, the watchdog is configured to boot from the alternate SD card if there is no heartbeat after the first reboot
trueenables the hardware watchdog only while HSYCO is running, and automatically generates the heartbeat signal (when the HSYCO main control loop is running normally, approximately every 10 seconds). The watchdog timeout is temporarily set to 1 hour when HSYCO is starting. If dualsdsync is set to true or manual, the watchdog is configured to boot from the alternate SD card
falsedisables the hardware watchdog
ignoredoesn't change the watchdog configuration parameters
shutdown_minutes00no automatic shutdown after power failure
int > 0the driver will command the operating system shutdown and hardware power off after N minutes of back-up battery operations during a power failure. The Strato board will automatically power-up the Pi when power is restored (use this option only with the Strato UPS board)
quietfalsetrueenables audible alarms on power failure
falsedisables audible alarms on power failure
versionbase
(automatically detected when the Strato Pi Kernel Module is installed)
baseStrato Pi Base and UPS boards
miniStrato Pi Mini board
canStrato Pi CAN
cmStrato Pi CM
cmduoStrato Pi CM Duo

Datapoints

The Strato I/O Server implements all data points provided by the underlying Strato Pi kernel module. Refer to the documentation available at Strato Pi Kernel Module.

Each readable file name exposed by the kernel module under the /sys/class/ionopimax/ sub-directories appears as a data point with id <subdir>.<file>. For example, as the buzzer's status file is /sys/class/stratopi/buzzer/status, the corresponding data point is "buzzer.status".

Command files that are marked as write only in the documentation (W), are not shown as visible data points in HSYCO, but can be used in the IO events action or ioSet() methods to send a command.

For example, if "strato" is the id assigned to the Strato I/O Server, then:

TIME : IO strato.buzzer.beep = 1000

will make the buzzer beep for 1 second (1000 ms).

Note that "strato.buzzer.beep" is not visible in the Status Browser and doesn't generate events, because it is write only, and only the "strato.buzzer.status" data point will be visible, with a value of 0 if the buzzer is not active, or 1 if active.

Additional datapoints

IDValueR/WDescription
backlight.brightness<brightness>Rthe current backlight brightness of HSYCO Pi Touch Display
Wset brightness of HSYCO Pi Touch Display to a value between 0 (off) and 255 (max)
battery
(base/ups only)
0Rpower supply is available
1Rpower supply failure, running on UPS battery
beep
(base/ups/can/mini only)
0Rbuzzer is off
1Rbuzzer is on
offWturn buzzer off
onWturn buzzer on (continuous tone)
<duration>Wturn buzzer on for <duration> seconds (decimals allowed)
<duration>;<pause>Wturn buzzer on for <duration> seconds, then pause for <pause> seconds (decimals allowed)
cpu.temperature<temperature>Rthe current CPU core temperature, in Celsius degrees
dualsdsync
(cm duo only)
0Rmanual SD synchronisation completed
1Rmanual SD synchronisation pending or in progress
Winitiate SD synchronisation (only available when the dualsdsync option is set to "manual"
dualsdsync.root
(cm duo only)
mainRboots from main SD
altRboots from alternate SD
dualsdsync.status
(cm duo only)
NRstatus of the last SD synchronisation run: * >=0: number of files synchronised * -1: error while updating files (see logs) * -2: alternate SD card not available or file system error
dualsdsync.time
(cm duo only)
<timestamp>Rpositive integer number representing the time in seconds since 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970 of when the last synchronization run ended (with or without errors)
fan.temperature<temperature>Rtemperature measured by the Strato Pi Fan on-board sensor, in Celsius degrees
fan.temperature.off<temperature>Rthe current fan turn-off temperature threshold, in Celsius degrees
Wset fan turn-off temperature threshold, in Celsius degrees
fan.temperature.on<temperature>Rthe current fan turn-on temperature threshold, in Celsius degrees
Wset fan turn-on temperature threshold, in Celsius degrees
heartbeat
(base/ups/can/cm only)
0Rheartbeat line is off
Wset heartbeat line to off
1Rheartbeat line is on
Wset heartbeat line to on
led
(cm only)
0Rled is off
1Rled is on
offWturn led off
onWturn led on
<duration>Wturn led on for <duration> seconds (decimals allowed)
<duration>;<pause>Wturn led on for <duration> seconds, then pause for <pause> seconds (decimals allowed)
shutdown
(base/ups/can/cm only)
0Rshutdown line is off
1Rshutdown line is on
WQuit HSYCO, halt the operating system, and perform a power cycle to reboot. Once the shutdown process is initiated, the power cycle procedure can't be reset. On Strato Pi CM, a hardware reset of the Compute Module is performed, instead of a full power down cycle
timeout
(base/ups/can/cm only)
0Rhardware watchdog timeout line is off (not expired)
1Rhardware watchdog timeout line is on (expired). When the watchdog expires, Strato will set this line to on, then wait approximately 60 seconds and execute a power off-on cycle. On Strato Pi CM, a hardware reset of the Compute Module is performed, instead of a full power down cycle
timeout.time
(base/ups/cm only)
<seconds>Rthe watchdog current timeout time in seconds
Wset the watchdog timeout time in seconds (1 - 99999). Factory default: 60
watchdog
(base/ups/can/cm only)
0Rhardware watchdog is disabled
Wdisables the hardware watchdog
1Rhardware watchdog is enabled
Wenables the hardware watchdog. When enabled, Strato should see an off-on transition on the hearbeat line at least every 60 seconds, otherwise a power cycle will be initiated, setting the timeout line on, then waiting 60 seconds, removing power to the Pi for 5 seconds, and finally restoring power. On Strato Pi CM, a hardware reset of the Compute Module is performed, while the power is not removed

Release Notes

3.9.0

  • new dualsdsync.root datapoint

3.8.0

  • dual µSD card support
  • improved watchdog and UPS support (excluding Strato Pi CM Mini)
  • supports the Strato Pi Kernel Module (excluding Strato Pi CM Mini)
  • supports the Strato Pi Fan Kernel Module

3.7.0

  • added support for Strato Pi CAN and Strato Pi CM Duo
  • new cpu.temperature data point

3.6.0

  • added support for Strato Pi Mini and Strato Pi CM
  • new backlight.brightness data point to set the display backlight brightness of HSYCO Pi Touch Display

3.5.0

  • initial release

Strato is a registered trademark of Sfera Labs Srl