# maotechh/vex_communication architecture

> Architecture diagram of the GitHub repository maotechh/vex_communication, generated by GitDiagram from its file tree, README and a sample of source files (last updated 2026-09-30). It is an AI-made overview: check details against the source.

- Interactive diagram: https://gitdiagram.com/maotechh/vex_communication
- Repository: https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication

## Overview

This repository documents a hardware and serial-communication setup for connecting third-party devices to a VEX Brain V5. The workflow is to adapt the VEX smart-port RS485 signals to TTL, provide suitable power to the external device, and exchange serial data using the VEX generic-serial API. The tree includes PCB design archives, but no source excerpts are available, so the PCB implementation details and any unshown software behavior are not inferred.

Main entry points: [`README.md`](https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/blob/main/README.md) (Generic serial API), [`PCB Board`](https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/tree/main/PCB%20Board) (Smart-port breakout PCB), [`PCB Board/Altium Designer.zip`](https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/blob/main/PCB%20Board/Altium%20Designer.zip) (PCB design archives)

## Diagram (Mermaid)

```mermaid
flowchart TD

subgraph group_hardware["Hardware interface"]
  node_rs485["RS485-to-TTL module"]
  node_pcb["Smart-port breakout PCB"]
  node_design["PCB design archives"]
end

subgraph group_power["Power"]
  node_buck["12V-to-5V buck"]
end

subgraph group_communication["Serial communication"]
  node_serial["Generic serial API<br/>[README.md]"]
end

node_vex(("VEX Brain V5"))
node_arduino(("Arduino device"))

node_vex -->|"RS485 signals"| node_rs485
node_rs485 -->|"converts to TTL"| node_arduino
node_vex -->|"breaks out pins"| node_pcb
node_vex -->|"supplies 12V"| node_buck
node_buck -->|"supplies 5V"| node_arduino
node_arduino -->|"sends serial data"| node_serial
node_serial -->|"receives serial data"| node_vex
node_design -.->|"designs"| node_pcb

click node_pcb "https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/tree/main/PCB%20Board"
click node_serial "https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/blob/main/README.md"
click node_design "https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/blob/main/PCB%20Board/Altium%20Designer.zip"

classDef toneNeutral fill:#f8fafc,stroke:#334155,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#0f172a
classDef toneBlue fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#172554
classDef toneAmber fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#d97706,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#78350f
classDef toneMint fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#14532d
classDef toneRose fill:#ffe4e6,stroke:#e11d48,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#881337
classDef toneIndigo fill:#e0e7ff,stroke:#4f46e5,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#312e81
classDef toneTeal fill:#ccfbf1,stroke:#0f766e,stroke-width:1.5px,color:#134e4a
class node_rs485,node_pcb,node_design toneBlue
class node_buck toneAmber
class node_serial toneMint
class node_vex,node_arduino toneIndigo
```

## Components

### Hardware interface

- **RS485-to-TTL module**
- [Smart-port breakout PCB](https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/tree/main/PCB%20Board): `PCB Board`
- [PCB design archives](https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/blob/main/PCB%20Board/Altium%20Designer.zip): `PCB Board/Altium Designer.zip`

### Power

- **12V-to-5V buck**

### Serial communication

- [Generic serial API](https://github.com/maotechh/vex_communication/blob/main/README.md): `README.md`

### Other components

- **VEX Brain V5**
- **Arduino device**

## Connections

- VEX Brain V5 → RS485-to-TTL module: RS485 signals (evidence: `README.md`)
- RS485-to-TTL module → Arduino device: converts to TTL (evidence: `README.md`)
- VEX Brain V5 → Smart-port breakout PCB: breaks out pins (evidence: `README.md`)
- VEX Brain V5 → 12V-to-5V buck: supplies 12V (evidence: `README.md`)
- 12V-to-5V buck → Arduino device: supplies 5V (evidence: `README.md`)
- Arduino device → Generic serial API: sends serial data (evidence: `README.md`)
- Generic serial API → VEX Brain V5: receives serial data (evidence: `README.md`)
- PCB design archives → Smart-port breakout PCB: designs