Embedded Graphics Display: STM32 and ILI9341 TFT Integration

ILI9341 TFT display circuit on TIKTOK

You can access the source code files via this link.

In this project, we will explore the integration of STM32 microcontrollers and ILI9341 TFT displays using the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication protocol.

The ILI9341 TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is a popular type of color TFT display module used in embedded systems for displaying graphical content. It is based on the ILI9341 controller, which is a versatile and powerful graphics controller capable of driving TFT displays with a resolution of up to 320x240 pixels. The ILI9341 TFT display module typically features a 2.8-inch diagonal screen size, with support for 65K colors, and is widely used in various applications, such as IoT devices, wearables, home automation systems, industrial control panels, and many other applications where visual feedback and user interactions are required.

The ILI9341 TFT display module is usually controlled using parallel or serial communication interfaces, such as SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) or I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit). It supports a wide range of graphical operations, including displaying text, images, and animations, as well as touch input for user interactions

To interface the STM32 microcontroller with the ILI9341 TFT display using SPI communication, we need a few essential components. Firstly, we require the STM32 microcontroller, which serves as the main MCU controlling the overall operation of the embedded system. Secondly, we need the ILI9341 TFT display module itself,. Finally, we need to establish the SPI interface between the STM32 microcontroller and the ILI9341 TFT display, which typically requires connecting specific pins for communication, including SCK (Serial Clock), MOSI (Master Output Slave Input), MISO (Master Input Slave Output), and CS (Chip Select) and also connect two output pins DC (Data/Command): This is the control signal used to distinguish between data and command information during SPI communication. It is used to indicate whether the data being sent is pixel data for display or commands for configuration and RESET: This is the reset signal used to reset the ILI9341 TFT display.

Overall, this project provides example of how to interface an STM32 microcontroller with an ILI9341 TFT display using SPI communication protocol in a Proteus simulation environment.

Step One:

• Open CubeMX & Create New Project Choose The Target MCU STM32F103C6 & Double-Click Its Name
• Go To The Clock Configuration & Set The System Clock To 72MHz
• Configure The GPIO Pins PA4 (Chip Select) as Output Pin
• Configure The GPIO Pins PB0, PB1 [(Data/Command) &RESET} as Output Pins
• In the Categories tab, select the SPI1 & Transmit Only Master
• In the Parameter settings tab, set the Prescaler (for baud Rate) to 64
• Generate The Initialization Code & Open The Project In CubeIDE
• Write The Application Layer Code

Note : You can find the other files in the code section

In file name :main.c

Step Two:

• Open Proteus & Create New Project and click next

• Click on Pick Device
• Search for STM32F103C8 & ILI9341

• Click on Terminal Mode then choose (DYNAMIC&POWER &GROUND)

• finally make the circuit below and start the simulation

That's all!

If you have any questions or suggestions don't hesitate to leave a comment below