Processing data and transmitting with one MCU?

[Phil]

This question pertains to the nRF24LE1. I've programmed a MCU before with a relatively simple program, but never one with wireless transmission, so please forgive the naivete of this question.

In our application, we're receiving in a multiplexed analog signal on one channel (160 ksamples/sec) and another non-MUX'd signal on a second channel (at 1 ksample/sec). We're using the ADCs to convert the signals to digital, and then we plan to transmit the data wirelessly using the RF transceiver.

Is that all possible on this one chip (the nRF24LE1, with a single processor)? Or do we need one processor to do the digitization and another to transmit the data?

Thanks.

[Hung Bui]

Hi Phil,

It's pretty tight on your requirement with 160kHz sampling rate + 1kHz on second channel + radio.

The ADC on our nRF24LE1 takes 3.2 us to do a 8bit single step sampling.

160kHz means each sampling happens in 6.25us interval. This means you have little time to do anything else (also consider addition time it takes for the CPU to store the ADC value, and start the next one).

I don't think the radio would fit here. You may need to accumulate data, stop the ADC when having enough, then start Radio transmitting the data, finish, switch back to ADC and so on.

If you want to do things more in parallel, I guess having an extra CPU would be a good idea.