USB PCB Business Card

This is a business card that will type out some text when you plug it into a USB port.

It uses a ATtiny85 microcontroller with V-USB based code to emulate a keyboard. The typing is triggered by the CAPS LOCK status LEDs being toggled 3 times.

This instructable will focus on using CadSoft EAGLE to create your own USB PCB business card. I want you to be creative in the design, so some minor steps I've taken may have been omitted.

Code download is provided on step 8.

Step 1: Circuit

The circuit is based on V-USB's recommended circuitry. It's powered by the 5V from the USB port. There's two 68 ohm resistors, one on each of the USB data lines, these act as terminating resistors which suppress reflected signals. There is a 1.8 kilo ohm resistor on the D+ line, which allows the computer to detect when something connects to the USB port, and it identifies the device as a low speed device. Two Zener diodes with Vz of 3.6V are on the data lines to clamp the voltage on those lines. There is a 0.1 uF capacitor between the 5V and GND as a decoupling capacitor.

Since the business card should be a compact and thin design, 0604 surface mount packaging is selected for most of the components. The diodes are Mini MELF packaging (they look cool in my opinion).

The microcontroller is an ATtiny85, which is a 8 pin AVR microcontroller. The SOIC package version is chosen to keep the design compact and thin.



To program the microcontroller, in-circuit serial programming is used, which requires the signals: reset, SCK, MOSI, MISO, along with power and ground. The SCK and MOSI are exposed by the USB connector, while two pads are provided for the MISO and reset signals. This allows for a programming adapter to be made.

Comments

[thelinuxnerd]

Can you please fix your schematic as it took me over 10 tries to finally realize that the pin #s are wrong. Other than that great project.

[Tangoforce]

Very cool idea. Just one quick question please, is it possible to make a custom flash drive like this instead of using a microcontroller?

[jgidel]

Your circuit and you description of the circuit are different. Could you please add a corrected version of the circuit to your instructable. I like the idea and want to try it but I can't get it to work.

[verence]

Very nice Instructable and a very nice product - although I would never plug an USB device given to me by a stranger into my computer (neither private nor at work).

But at an interview, the idea and the quality of execution alone would mean something.

[frank26080115]

People are afraid that it'll do "rm -f /"

I could also (in theory) open up a web browser using a multimedia key and then visit any URL

[K'nexFanatiFreek]

Give them a regular card with a URL on it. If they say that they don't have internet or their internet's down, give them one of these.

[lukestanmore]

I'm amazed that nobody has asked, but can you please elaborate on the use of the vibrator on the soldering iron? Being a teenage lad, it isn't really the kind of thing I just have lying around in a cupboard or whatever!

[frank26080115]

it's a joke, the joke is that SMD soldering is so easy, you can even do it while holding a vibrator

[lukestanmore]

Ahhh! Right, that makes sense now! I was thinking it was something about making the iron bounce off of the board for a split second so not to over heat anything! Great instructable though! I might have to try it!!

[laxap]

Frank,

frankly, this is an awesome project. The ideas to (1) use an HID profile, and to (2) use capslock to "talk" to the card are just terrific.

I'm sure you impressed your card recipients.

You totally deserved your 1st prize in the USB contest. Did you get your HP TouchPad? What will you do with it? hack it?

  Pascal

[frank26080115]

Hi Pascal

Thanks for the kind words.

I didn't get the HP Touchpad because it was being discontinued, I received a prize of equivalent value instead.

On a somewhat related subject (since now people are hacking the HP Touchpad with Android), I did recently get my first ever smartphone, a Samsung Galaxy Infuse 4G, running Android 2.3. I also got a Micropendous. So I am completely ready to start hacking with Android ADK.

[Kryptonite]

Did you end up hacking the ADK??

[FightCube Technologies]

I really appreciate your effort to show how easy it is to solder 0603 SMT ... honestly I do. Great job! However... it's still wrong on so many levels ;-) Great Instructable!

[Matrix-technician]

Hey there! Pardon me if i missed it, but what is the cost of these per (1) assembled at home. And what would it cost to have these manufactured?

[xa4]

Very cool !! thank's a lot for sharing

[Yandle]

Very awesome! ... .. Vibrator... #$*%ing PRO!

[sdtrent]

What happened to the picture of the USB connector? It was cool to see the details on the pcb layout. Perhaps I am missing something. It looks like you can download the files to do the project yourself but I cannot find the file for the pcb.

[frank26080115]

Thanks for bring this to my attention, I've formatted my Instructables in HTML and they seem to have disappeared, causing most of my pictures to be missing.

see:

http://www.instructables.com/community/All-my-HTML-disappeared/

I'll add the PCB file soon.

[hornbadoing]

im not that good with computers.. is there a way i can do that with a flash drive??

[hornbadoing]

Nobody answered my question so i went searching.. the answer is yes you can do it with a flash drive. its actually pretty neat and u don't have to be a genius to do it.

[c.klomp]

how does one get his hands on one of these? its awesome!!

[BeefyHaze]

Wow, thats pretty slick but people might shy away and think that you are controlling their computer... Ive done things like this and some of the more computer illiterate freak out and shout "VIRUS" great design though

[husamwadi]

woah

[SDgeek]

I can't help but do a double post here...Using this for handing out a resume is an instant job offer in my opinion.

[MatthewEnderle]

WOW!!! Never thought of that... but I just found this so it's too late for me.

[thoraxe]

That is godly bro, +1000 internets to you.

[Franzjr]

Felicitaciones un excelente proyecto, Congratulations, one excelent project

[MrF_DT_teacher]

Nice job, I like it a lot!!

[EngineeringShock]

I sincerely hope this wins first prize. You deserve it!

[ryanlg]

Can you please supply the full specifications on the diodes (Forward voltage, etc) or a product code.
Kthxbye

[frank26080115]

look for 1N5227B

[frank26080115]

I'm disappointed that my second entry into the contest did not become a finalist (or even get featured...)

http://www.instructables.com/id/USB-Wii-Classic-Controller/

I actually think it is far more educational about USB than this Instructable, which focused on "art" more

Anyways, check it out if you are interested in how USB mouse/keyboard/gamepad works

[agis68]

WOW! you did all this by this soldering iron? Grate job, awsome project, well covered and supported.......far far more the tyoical 5*...excellent......I vote you for the winner....:)))

[chrisre cat]

Whip one of these out at the bar, book store,com con ,hell anywhere and watch the girls come running

[meseta]

awesome idea, I saw this a while back on a few sites. Just a quick question: is your PCB 1.6mm thick? how well does that fit into the USB port?

[frank26080115]

It's thinner than what it needs to be, but thicker PCB costs extra money, so I decided on using the electrical tape as padding.

[emihackr97]

does it also work with MAC OS X?
it would be great!
cool project.

[frank26080115]

The USB driver installation should be automatic on all modern OS. But honestly, I have no idea because I've never tried or had a chance to try. It's not something I have control over either.

[SDgeek]

This. Is. The. COOLEST idea I've ever seen. Props to you bro! This will catch on so huge, if you don't take advantage quick enough you might seriously be kicking yourself in the a$$. Just, sick....

[freakyqwerty]

That is cool.