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Remote Sensing and Actuation Project — Parallax Forums

Remote Sensing and Actuation Project

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-03-15 03:10 in General Discussion
Here's a simplified version of the remote sensing project I am working
on. I currently own a single BS2P40 and I'll probably need a second one,
or maybe a BS2P24. The two stamps will be seperated by a considerable
distance of about 1500 feet (500 meters). A person will be at one
Stamp, let's call that Stamp A, the other, Stamp B will be at the end of
the cable. Stamp B will control 4 variable speed motors and return sensor
data. . Stamp A will be connected to 4 potentiometers and will likely
output sensor data on an LCD display. Because of the distance, I see
an RS-485 system being implemented.

My questions are:

1. How should I organize the sending and receiving of data over the RS485
connection? I understand that I'll need to convert the RS232 data
to/from RS485 data.

2. Should each A to B transmission be something like (motor 1 speed &
direction, motor 2 speed & direction, motor 3 speed & direction, etc.)
followed by a request for Sensor Data from Stamp B

3. Should each B to A transmission be something like (sensor 1 value,
sensor 2 value, sensor 3 value, etc.)

4. Where should I turn to for guidance? I have basic electronics and
software knowledge, a whole mess of shielded twisted pair cable and the
urge to learn.

Ideas,
Chris

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Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-14 03:06
    Is this twisted pair cable going to be run outdoors between
    buildings?

    I suggest using FiberOptic cable between buildings.

    DS

    On 11 Mar 2002, at 22:00, Christopher C Dundorf wrote:

    > Here's a simplified version of the remote sensing project I am working
    > on. I currently own a single BS2P40 and I'll probably need a second
    > one, or maybe a BS2P24. The two stamps will be seperated by a
    > considerable distance of about 1500 feet (500 meters). A person
    > will be at one Stamp, let's call that Stamp A, the other, Stamp B will
    > be at the end of the cable. Stamp B will control 4 variable speed
    > motors and return sensor data. . Stamp A will be connected to 4
    > potentiometers and will likely output sensor data on an LCD display.
    > Because of the distance, I see an RS-485 system being implemented.
    >
    > My questions are:
    >
    > 1. How should I organize the sending and receiving of data over the
    > RS485 connection? I understand that I'll need to convert the RS232
    > data to/from RS485 data.
    >
    > 2. Should each A to B transmission be something like (motor 1 speed &
    > direction, motor 2 speed & direction, motor 3 speed & direction, etc.)
    > followed by a request for Sensor Data from Stamp B
    >
    > 3. Should each B to A transmission be something like (sensor 1 value,
    > sensor 2 value, sensor 3 value, etc.)
    >
    > 4. Where should I turn to for guidance? I have basic electronics and
    > software knowledge, a whole mess of shielded twisted pair cable and
    > the urge to learn.
    >
    > Ideas,
    > Chris
    >
    > ________________________________________________________________
    > GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
    > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
    > Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
    > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
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    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject
    > and Body of the message will be ignored.
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    >
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    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-14 03:20
    I didn't see this show up in the "auto-email" so I'm resending. My
    apologies if it already came through.

    Here's a simplified version of the remote sensing project I am working
    on. I currently own a single BS2P40 and I'll probably need a second one,
    or maybe a BS2P24. The two stamps will be seperated by a considerable
    distance of about 1500 feet (500 meters). A person will be at one
    Stamp, let's call that Stamp A, the other, Stamp B will be at the end of
    the cable. Stamp B will control 4 variable speed motors and return sensor
    data. . Stamp A will be connected to 4 potentiometers and will likely
    output sensor data on an LCD display. Because of the distance, I see
    an RS-485 system being implemented.

    My questions are:

    1. How should I organize the sending and receiving of data over the RS485
    connection? I understand that I'll need to convert the RS232 data
    to/from RS485 data.

    2. Should each A to B transmission be something like (motor 1 speed &
    direction, motor 2 speed & direction, motor 3 speed & direction, etc.)
    followed by a request for Sensor Data from Stamp B

    3. Should each B to A transmission be something like (sensor 1 value,
    sensor 2 value, sensor 3 value, etc.)

    4. Where should I turn to for guidance? I have basic electronics and
    software knowledge, a whole mess of shielded twisted pair cable and the
    urge to learn.

    Ideas,
    Chris

    ________________________________________________________________
    GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
    Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
    Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
    http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-14 03:57
    Your real problem will be the ground or common connection between each MCU.
    You can easily wind up with a huge difference of potential there.
    If your going to use RS485, use good differential level chips or devices or
    modules, as they have taken that into consideration.
    1. The SERIN or SEROUT functions on most any I/O pin you like, may work as
    well as trying the serial port. I'd probably check out the www.maxim-ic.com
    web site and look at the
    http://dbserv.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm?appnote_number=386 chips shown there
    an see if they'd help you out or not.
    Yes on 2.
    Yes on 3.
    Do an internet search on RS485 is a start, lots of info there.


    Original Message
    From: veewee77@a... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=sGJDM2oWzpFG-y3xge-6MFbrel3WHNLCp8SEz6WB69EiEwsyWVztY9Aoi8cXkpBTEVRsEiio0Gv5FvQ]veewee77@a...[/url
    Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2002 9:07 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Remote Sensing and Actuation Project


    Is this twisted pair cable going to be run outdoors between
    buildings?

    I suggest using FiberOptic cable between buildings.

    DS

    On 11 Mar 2002, at 22:00, Christopher C Dundorf wrote:

    > Here's a simplified version of the remote sensing project I am working
    > on. I currently own a single BS2P40 and I'll probably need a second
    > one, or maybe a BS2P24. The two stamps will be seperated by a
    > considerable distance of about 1500 feet (500 meters). A person
    > will be at one Stamp, let's call that Stamp A, the other, Stamp B will
    > be at the end of the cable. Stamp B will control 4 variable speed
    > motors and return sensor data. . Stamp A will be connected to 4
    > potentiometers and will likely output sensor data on an LCD display.
    > Because of the distance, I see an RS-485 system being implemented.
    >
    > My questions are:
    >
    > 1. How should I organize the sending and receiving of data over the
    > RS485 connection? I understand that I'll need to convert the RS232
    > data to/from RS485 data.
    >
    > 2. Should each A to B transmission be something like (motor 1 speed &
    > direction, motor 2 speed & direction, motor 3 speed & direction, etc.)
    > followed by a request for Sensor Data from Stamp B
    >
    > 3. Should each B to A transmission be something like (sensor 1 value,
    > sensor 2 value, sensor 3 value, etc.)
    >
    > 4. Where should I turn to for guidance? I have basic electronics and
    > software knowledge, a whole mess of shielded twisted pair cable and
    > the urge to learn.
    >
    > Ideas,
    > Chris
    >
    > ________________________________________________________________
    > GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
    > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
    > Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
    > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject
    > and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >




    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-03-15 03:10
    DS,

    Yes it'll be run outdoors, but not between buildings. The F/O sounds
    nice but I'm not experienced with this type of transceiver. The
    termination of the end of the fiber doesn't thrill me either. Did you
    have a particular idea?

    Thanks for the comments,

    Chris

    <<>>

    Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 21:06:55 -0600
    From: veewee77@a...
    Subject: Re: Remote Sensing and Actuation Project

    Is this twisted pair cable going to be run outdoors between
    buildings?

    I suggest using FiberOptic cable between buildings.

    DS

    On 11 Mar 2002, at 22:00, Christopher C Dundorf wrote:

    > Here's a simplified version of the remote sensing project I am working
    > on. I currently own a single BS2P40 and I'll probably need a second
    > one, or maybe a BS2P24. The two stamps will be seperated by a
    > considerable distance of about 1500 feet (500 meters). A person
    > will be at one Stamp, let's call that Stamp A, the other, Stamp B will
    > be at the end of the cable. Stamp B will control 4 variable speed
    > motors and return sensor data. . Stamp A will be connected to 4
    > potentiometers and will likely output sensor data on an LCD display.
    > Because of the distance, I see an RS-485 system being implemented.
    >
    > My questions are:
    >
    > 1. How should I organize the sending and receiving of data over the
    > RS485 connection? I understand that I'll need to convert the RS232
    > data to/from RS485 data.
    >
    > 2. Should each A to B transmission be something like (motor 1 speed &
    > direction, motor 2 speed & direction, motor 3 speed & direction, etc.)
    > followed by a request for Sensor Data from Stamp B
    >
    > 3. Should each B to A transmission be something like (sensor 1 value,
    > sensor 2 value, sensor 3 value, etc.)
    >
    > 4. Where should I turn to for guidance? I have basic electronics and
    > software knowledge, a whole mess of shielded twisted pair cable and
    > the urge to learn.
    >
    > Ideas,
    > Chris
    >
    > ___________

    ________________________________________________________________
    GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
    Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
    Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
    http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
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