SmartClock: A simple but powerful desktop gadget

Features

• 2.9 "ink screen, excellent viewing Angle and very low power consumption, and can be displayed all the time.
• Automatic network time synchronization ensures that the time is always accurate.
• Supports monitoring of environmental information, including temperature, humidity, and air pressure.
• Switch to Pomodoro Timer at any time to make work and study more efficient.
• Get weather conditions through the network, showing tomorrow's weather and precipitation probability
• Can be powered by a built-in battery for 7 days, using the universal USB-C charging port
• Compact and portable, you can take it anywhere.

Version 2.0 Updates:

• Upgrade the device enclosure by no longer using clips but instead using screws to secure the lid and the PCB, making assembly and disassembly easier.
• Modified the battery level measurement circuit to reduce power consumption during battery level measurements.
• The PCB uses a four-layer board design for better electrical performance. Additionally, the placement of the temperature and humidity sensor has been optimized to minimize the impact of heat generated during charging on the sensor.
• Adding a timezone setting feature.
• The built-in ArduinoJson library simplifies the environmental configuration steps.

Making Guidelines

There are the following folders in this project:

• Hardware
• Model
• bin
• GUI_Picture
• src

The following will show you how to make a SmartClock by explaining what the files in these folders do.

Hardware

In the Hardware folder, you can see the following two types of files:

• Compressed package ending with PCB: These are the production files of the circuit board. You need to provide these two files to the corresponding circuit board manufacturer to make the circuit board used in this project.
• PDF file ending with Schematic: This is the schematic diagram of the circuit board to help you understand the composition of the circuit.

Please note: When you complete the circuit board, you also need to weld the corresponding components according to the schematic diagram before it can work normally. The following are some key device selection references:

• MCU: ESP-12F (ESP8266)
• E-Paper: E029A01
• Battery: 1000-2000 mAH (Size: [L:52mm, W:34mm, H:<10mm])

Model

This is the 3D design file of the SmartClock shell, if you need a shell for it, please use a 3D printer to print two files, they are the main body shell and the upper cover.

Please note: To secure the top cover, you need to insert knurled nuts into the screw holes on the main body. The size of the knurled nuts and the corresponding parameters of the screws are as follows:

• knurled nuts: M2*3.5(Outside diameter)*3(Height)

• screws: M2*3(Height)

bin

This is the compiled firmware, and when you finish the circuit, you can use the serial port on the board to write the firmware to it. (PS. The main control chip uses ESP8266, you can find the corresponding finish firmware tutorial on the Internet yourself).

However, it is recommended that you build your own firmware instead of using the compiled firmware provided. Because the weather service API used in the firmware has a free limit, it is not guaranteed to be available at any time. The following will tell you how to compile your own firmware:

• Register your own account in the https://www.seniverse.com/, and find your API KEY in the console.
• Open the Weather file in the root directory of this project, The ninth line String httpRequest = "http://api.seniverse.com/v3/weather/daily.json?key=[YOURKEY]&location=ip&language=en. Change the YOURKEY to your API KEY.
• Download the Arduino on your computer and enter the following in the Additional boards manager URLs in the preferences: https://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json
• Then follow the image below to locate the Boards Manager：
• Search for esp8266 and install the appropriate toolkit
• Open the SmartClock.ino file in the root directory of the project using Arduino
• Connect the board to your computer using a serial port, compile it using Arduino and upload the firmware to the board you made

GUI_Picture

The source file that draws the image displayed on the screen, you do not need to change it.

src

The underlying drivers, such as screen display, sensor, Wifi management, RTC time management, etc., you do not need to modify them.

Use Guidelines

• If there are no problems with your hardware and firmware, follow the on-screen instructions to connect the device to your WIFI after you turn it on

  • Tip: If you see the following information, you may have a problem with your hardware, do a hardware check:

  

• If all goes well, you'll end up in the main screen as shown at the beginning of the README. In this interface, turn the device upside down to enter Pomodoro Timer mode.

  

• You can exit the mode and return to the main screen by flipping the device back to its original position.