LCD display of 12 or 16 key keypad

migool32

Hi all, I need to know what·should to be done in order to send data through a fiber optic cable and to have it be received for display by the PIC16F873. Basically what I need to do (for a short project) is·use a 12 or 16 key keypad and have it so that when up to 4 digits are pressed on the keypad, it sends data·(the keys that have been pressed)·via fiber optic cable to a alphanumeric LCD display.
···· I figured I would need to encode the data, send it through the fiber, and have the data, received by the USART of the controller, decoded in which time it would then be sent to the LCD display using USART again maybe? I was looking through the PIC data sheet and I also stumbled upon the MSSP function. Should I use that and the USART? I'm new and the manual supplied to me is useless. I could use all the help I can get!
Thanks,

Privitere


Note: Moved to "Sandbox" by Jon Williams (moderator)

Post Edited By Moderator (Jon Williams) : 11/29/2004 2:01:40 PM GMT

Andy Lindsay (Parallax)

This is the Stamps in Class forum, and we can advise you how to do this project with a BASIC Stamp microcontroller.· Provided you have the hardware ironed out for converting TTL (5/0 V logic) to optic and then back again, the rest is easy (and discussed below).· Parallax can still help you if you want to do this with a USART and a high speed micro.· You can find a detailed application example of a USART in Exploring the SX Microcontroller...on the SX/B page (Products -> SX Chips and Tools -> SX/B compiler).· You will likely find this documentation a much better alternative than what you are currently working with.· In addition to the documentation, there is also a forum: SX Microcontrollers, SX/B Compiler and SX-Key Tool.
·
Alrighty, and now, the BASIC Stamp solution:
·
First, look for "BASIC Stamp 1 Application Notes (516 KB)" in the www.parallax.com -> Downloads -> Documentation page.· A keypad exmaple can be found on page 81.· Ignore the parallel LCD, and just use the Keypad example.· There's an alternate way to use a keypad on page 155.·
·
On the other side of your fiber, a serial LCD will make the design much simpler.· In place of the wire to the LCD, you will need your TTL-Optic-TTL hardware.·· For this, you can use the Scott Edwards Serial LCD: www.parallax.com -> Products -> Accessories Portal -> Audio/Visual.· Here is a link to the simplest of the serial LCDs: 2x16 Serial LCD, Non-backlit.· This product page has links to documentation with circuits and example code.·
·
After that, it's a matter of integrating the two example programs into one for your BASIC Stamp.

John R.

I found this old thread through the search, but was hoping to get some thoughts on the TTL-Optic-TTL portion of the solution. Any thoughts or directions for reasearch? Initial Googles didn't help me much, most likely I didn't get the right keywords in. I either got "dead" sites or lots of stuff on fiber optic lighting.

While I'll take the whole solution handed to me on a silver platter (or copper clad sheet), I'm really just after some direction on where to start digging. I've done mechanical engineering in a "prior life", and am still struggling a little with finding information on the electronics stuff. I can't seem to filter the wheat from the chaff.

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John R.

8 + 8 = 10

Paul Baker

Here·is a fiber optics kit that should work for your project:
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/fibe/ck1500.htm

The kit comes with 1m of fiber, but can be used with cables upto 16m in length.

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·1+1=10

John R.

Thanks for the link Paul. My specific project is not the above mentioned keypad, I "hi-jacked" the thread. The above kit (and/or other similar kits) will be a good start. Ultimately, I want to have at least 150'. I'm working on an underwater ROV that will go 100' deep or so (the depth of the lake the family cottage is on). I'm looking to send control/data to/from a STAMP or SX, as well as video signal up (not necessarily all on the same fiber).

This year I'm not worried about the full 100' depth, probably only 35' feet or so (1 atmosphere is a common rating for readily available components like thrusters and affordable camera bags, etc.) Lots of stuff to learn and work out.

If only water wern't so wet...

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John R.

8 + 8 = 10