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IR beacon with Unique ID and a Stamp that would read it — Parallax Forums

IR beacon with Unique ID and a Stamp that would read it

RustySivaRustySiva Posts: 16
edited 2010-08-20 07:14 in BASIC Stamp
Hello all,

I want to build a IR beacon that would transmit an unique fixed ID and an Basic stamp based receiver that would read this data. Im planing to use this for navigational prepossess.

Beacon:
I want use something like a 74HC165 (or anything you advice) to key in the 8 bit data using an switch array and the data to be transmitted via IR. I don't want to use a basic stamp chip to do this as its an costly option. I was thinking to use two NE555's to provide the clock pulse and another to provide the 36k carrier (I hope thats the correct word) frequency.

Receiver:
I can then use Parallax's default 36K IR detector and Basic stamp to receive and recognize the beacon

I have read the data sheet for the 74HC165 PISO but im having problems designing the circuit since im still a novice to circuits...

Can you advice me and also help me out to create the beacon. It would be ideal if one of you guys have already made any of these as its better than re-inventing the wheel.

Thanks guys

Russell

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-08-19 06:51
    You can make an IR beacon with a bunch of non-microcontroller ICs like 555s and 74HC165s, but honestly, you'd be better off with a single microcontroller chip. Pretty much any microcontroller would do that has at least 9 I/O pins (8 for the ID switches and 1 for the LED). All you'd need beyond that would be a couple of resistors (pullups for the switches and current limiter for the LED). You could run the microcontroller directly off 2 or 3 AA cells (3V or 4.5V depending on the microcontroller) and avoid a regulator.
  • RustySivaRustySiva Posts: 16
    edited 2010-08-19 07:43
    Mike Green wrote: »
    You can make an IR beacon with a bunch of non-microcontroller ICs like 555s and 74HC165s, but honestly, you'd be better off with a single microcontroller chip. Pretty much any microcontroller would do that has at least 9 I/O pins (8 for the ID switches and 1 for the LED). All you'd need beyond that would be a couple of resistors (pullups for the switches and current limiter for the LED). You could run the microcontroller directly off 2 or 3 AA cells (3V or 4.5V depending on the microcontroller) and avoid a regulator.

    Thanks Mike,
    It does sound much simpler to use a Microcontroler. But Since im still a newbie, there are a few questions regarding the Microcontroler.
    If I were to use it:
    Would I have to get hold of a PIC programmer board?
    Will I have to use a software compiler and know C?

    Is there any Microcontroler out there which are pre-programmed for this kind of tasks?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2010-08-19 09:55
    Per Mike, a MC gives the most flexibility. But I'm a simple guy and I had excellent results using a simple 556 chip. It's two independent timers, one is set to generate the 38 kHz carrier signal, and the other pulses it at a fixed rate. It would be very easy to build two or more beacons with different pulse rates that a BS2 can discriminate between using the count function.

    My app was docking a Scribbler with a charging station. Details at http://www.botmag.com/articles/scribbler.shtml

    This is indoors only, using IR. You may need to adjust each beacon's IR signal (using a custom series resistor to each LED) to avoid multiple stong beacon signals overlapping and saturating the sensor on your kart.
  • RustySivaRustySiva Posts: 16
    edited 2010-08-20 07:14
    erco wrote: »
    Per Mike, a MC gives the most flexibility. But I'm a simple guy and I had excellent results using a simple 556 chip. It's two independent timers, one is set to generate the 38 kHz carrier signal, and the other pulses it at a fixed rate. It would be very easy to build two or more beacons with different pulse rates that a BS2 can discriminate between using the count function.

    My app was docking a Scribbler with a charging station. Details at http://www.botmag.com/articles/scribbler.shtml

    This is indoors only, using IR. You may need to adjust each beacon's IR signal (using a custom series resistor to each LED) to avoid multiple stong beacon signals overlapping and saturating the sensor on your kart.

    Erco,

    Thank you for the link. This is the sort of thing i was looking for. Probably when I develop this further. I might move into MCs as Mike mentioned.

    Guys, Once again thank you

    I will develop this and post pics, schematics and diagrams as I proceed.

    Russell
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