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boards: shields: Add OpenThread RCP over Arduino header
Create a virtual shield to connect an OpenThread RCP radio device with a host using the UART or SPI bus. Signed-off-by: Pieter De Gendt <pieter.degendt@basalte.be>
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‎boards/shields/openthread_rcp_arduino/Kconfig.defconfig

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# Copyright 2025 Basalte bv
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# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
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if SHIELD_OPENTHREAD_RCP_ARDUINO_SERIAL || SHIELD_OPENTHREAD_RCP_ARDUINO_SPI
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if OPENTHREAD
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config SERIAL
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default y if SHIELD_OPENTHREAD_RCP_ARDUINO_SERIAL
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config SPI
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default y if SHIELD_OPENTHREAD_RCP_ARDUINO_SPI
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config HDLC_RCP_IF
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default y
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endif # OPENTHREAD
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endif

‎boards/shields/openthread_rcp_arduino/Kconfig.shield

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# Copyright 2025 Basalte bv
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# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
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config SHIELD_OPENTHREAD_RCP_ARDUINO_SERIAL
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def_bool $(shields_list_contains,openthread_rcp_arduino_serial)
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config SHIELD_OPENTHREAD_RCP_ARDUINO_SPI
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def_bool $(shields_list_contains,openthread_rcp_arduino_spi)

‎boards/shields/openthread_rcp_arduino/doc/index.rst

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.. _openthread_rcp_arduino_shield:
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OpenThread RCP over Arduino header
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##################################
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Overview
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********
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This (virtual) shield can be used to connect a board with an Arduino R3 compatible header to an
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external `OpenThread RCP`_ device. The RCP device would function as the Thread radio, while another
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board can function as the OpenThread host.
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Requirements
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************
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An RCP radio device is needed for this shield to work. As an example, the reference from
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OpenThread using the :zephyr:board:`nrf52840dk` is chosen as a demonstration. Refer to the
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`OpenThread on nRF52840 Example website`_.
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Both UART and SPI can be used as the transport, depending on the board connections.
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The following was executed on Ubuntu 24.04 to build and flash the RCP firmware:
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Preparation
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===========
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.. code-block:: bash
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git clone https://github.com/openthread/ot-nrf528xx.git --recurse-submodules
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cd ot-nrf528xx
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python3 -m venv .venv
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source .venv/bin/activate
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./script/bootstrap
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Building
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========
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.. tabs::
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.. group-tab:: UART
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.. code-block:: bash
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# Set -DOT_PLATFORM_DEFINES="UART_HWFC_ENABLED=1" to enable flow control
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./script/build nrf52840 UART_trans -DOT_PLATFORM_DEFINES="UART_HWFC_ENABLED=0"
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.. group-tab:: SPI
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.. code-block:: bash
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./script/build nrf52840 SPI_trans_NCP
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Flashing
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========
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.. code-block:: bash
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arm-none-eabi-objcopy -O ihex build/bin/ot-rcp build/bin/ot-rcp.hex
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nrfjprog -f nrf52 --chiperase --program build/bin/ot-rcp.hex --reset
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Pins Assignments
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================
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The RCP firmware comes with default pins assigned, the following table lists both the Arduino header
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pins and the nRF52840DK pins.
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.. tabs::
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.. group-tab:: UART
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| Arduino Header Pin | Function (host) | nRF52840 DK Pin |
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+=======================+=======================+=======================+
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| D0 | UART RX | P0.06 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| D1 | UART TX | P0.08 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| Host specific | UART CTS | P0.05 (flow control) |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| Host specific | UART RTS | P0.07 (flow control) |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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.. group-tab:: SPI
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| Arduino Header Pin | Function | nRF52840 DK Pin |
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+=======================+=======================+=======================+
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| D8 | RSTn | P0.18/RESET |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| D9 | INTn | P0.30 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| D10 | SPI CSn | P0.29 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| D11 | SPI MOSI | P0.04 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| D12 | SPI MISO | P0.28 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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| D13 | SPI SCK | P0.03 |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
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Programming
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***********
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Include ``--shield openthread_rcp_arduino_serial`` or ``--shield openthread_rcp_arduino_spi``
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when you invoke ``west build`` for projects utilizing this shield. For example:
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.. tabs::
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.. group-tab:: UART
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.. zephyr-app-commands::
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:zephyr-app: samples/net/sockets/echo_client
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:board: stm32h573i_dk/stm32h573xx
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:shield: openthread_rcp_arduino_serial
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:conf: "prj.conf overlay-ot-rcp-host-uart.conf"
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:goals: build
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.. group-tab:: SPI
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.. zephyr-app-commands::
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:zephyr-app: samples/net/sockets/echo_client
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:board: stm32h573i_dk/stm32h573xx
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:shield: openthread_rcp_aduino_spi
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:conf: "prj.conf overlay-ot-rcp-host-uart.conf"
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:goals: build
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References
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**********
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.. target-notes::
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.. _OpenThread RCP:
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https://openthread.io/platforms/co-processor
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.. _OpenThread on nRF52840 Example website:
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https://github.com/openthread/ot-nrf528xx/blob/main/src/nrf52840/README.md

‎boards/shields/openthread_rcp_arduino/openthread_rcp_arduino_serial.overlay

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/*
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* Copyright 2025 Basalte bv
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*
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* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
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*/
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/**
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* Overlay to enable support for OpenThread's RCP over UART communication
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*/
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/ {
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chosen {
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zephyr,hdlc-rcp-if = &hdlc_rcp_if;
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zephyr,ot-uart = &arduino_serial;
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};
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hdlc_rcp_if: hdlc_rcp_if {
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compatible = "uart,hdlc-rcp-if";
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};
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};
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&arduino_serial {
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status = "okay";
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current-speed = <115200>;
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};

‎boards/shields/openthread_rcp_arduino/openthread_rcp_arduino_spi.overlay

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/*
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* Copyright 2025 Basalte bv
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*
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* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
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*/
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/**
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* Overlay to enable support for OpenThread's RCP over SPI communication
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*/
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/ {
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chosen {
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zephyr,hdlc-rcp-if = &hdlc_rcp_if;
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};
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};
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&arduino_spi {
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status = "okay";
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hdlc_rcp_if: hdlc_rcp_if@0 {
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compatible = "spi,hdlc-rcp-if";
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status = "okay";
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reg = <0>;
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spi-max-frequency = <1000000>; /* 1 MHz to support most devices */
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int-gpios = <&arduino_header 15 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>; /* D9 */
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reset-gpios = <&arduino_header 14 GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW>; /* D8 */
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};
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};

‎boards/shields/openthread_rcp_arduino/shield.yml

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shields:
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- name: openthread_rcp_arduino_serial
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full_name: OpenThread RCP over Arduino UART
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vendor: others
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supported_features:
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- hdlc_rcp_if
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- name: openthread_rcp_arduino_spi
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full_name: OpenThread RCP over Arduino SPI
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vendor: others
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supported_features:
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- hdlc_rcp_if

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