Total Noob wants to learn about controllers and make a garage open device at th

Comments

• Chris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406

  2007-04-11 21:30 edited 2007-04-11 21:30

  Mark,
  
  I can’t offer any suggestions on the radio system due to the inherent obstacles you’d have to overcome there, however I can suggest a different approach. Perhaps what you could do is implement an occupancy sensor with a timeout. This would be similar to lighting that shuts off after not detecting people after a certain amount of time. But you could also use a PING))) sensor to detect the car being in the garage (see link below) and after no occupancy start the door closing. That could be preceded by an alarm sound in case someone was working in the garage and wanted it to stay open. They could then hit an over-ride button. Just an idea…Take care.
  
  http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=636791
  
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  Chris Savage
  Parallax Tech Support
  
  
  Post Edited (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 4/11/2007 9:39:20 PM GMT
• Kevin Wood Posts: 1,266

  2007-04-11 21:35 edited 2007-04-11 21:35

  I think the best place you could start would be to download some of the "Stamps in Class" manuals and take a look. You'll find plenty of sensor examples, which should give you some ideas for possible circuits.
  
  As far as an actual kit, either the Basic Stamp Discovery Kit or the Basic Stamp Activity Kit would make a good first choice. If you're planning a long-term investment in microcontrollers, also consider starting with the StampWorks kit. It is a more advanced kit, but you could still use it to complete some of the more beginner-friendly texts, such as "What's a Microcontroller." You would just need to wire the circuits a bit differently. The benefit, however, is that you would have a lot more flexibility with the Pro Development Board over the other kits.
• skylight Posts: 1,915

  2007-04-11 21:43 edited 2007-04-11 21:43

  Another idea could be a tube across the driveway operating a pressure switch that inputs to the stamp
• Chris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406

  2007-04-11 22:08 edited 2007-04-11 22:08

  Well most garage doors already have a beam-break detector across the door…So that could be used for input as well.
  
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  Chris Savage
  Parallax Tech Support
• Marky-Mark Posts: 26

  2007-04-11 22:24 edited 2007-04-11 22:24

  I could sacrifice two radio controlled cars to get the short and long range signal, but that just seems wastefull.....
• Marky-Mark Posts: 26

  2007-04-11 22:56 edited 2007-04-11 22:56

  Found this:
  
  http://www.rentron.com/remote_control/R8_4BIT.htm
  
  This could provide a constant on signal that the controller could read.· I suppose with something so simple I could use transistors to just switch a buzzer and light, but that would be too simple.·
  
  Should be doable now?
• Eric R Posts: 225

  2007-04-13 03:18 edited 2007-04-13 03:18

  I would use the Parallax 433MHz trans /rec package http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28180·Most garage doors have a upper limit switch. If yours doesn't you can install one. If the upper limit is made you will send a RF signal. The BS2 in your car would monitor that signal and turn a light on that you place on the dash. Door open = light on, door closed = light off. Line of sight and weather permitting these are good for 500 feet. You could even hit up a junk yard and pull a nice headlight on reminder chime that would sound until you either close the door or drive out of range.
  
  I would bet that after a few days of the chime you would be hitting the close button ASAP
• LSB Posts: 175

  2007-04-13 12:54 edited 2007-04-13 12:54

  Sheesh-- MY first project was a blinking LED...
• sam_sam_sam Posts: 2,286

  2007-04-16 01:07 edited 2007-04-16 01:07

  Marky-Mark
  
  You could do·something like this at this post this was one of the frist·projects that i made
  
  http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=539835
  
  In this post I·show some·details on how did this
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  http://forums.parallax.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40528 Ping Sensor mount on the Garage Door
  
  
  
  
  
  http://forums.parallax.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40527· LCD Display
  
  This LCD Display is mounted on the wall next to door to the·Garage· the LED light is programed to come on and STAY ON
  
  as long as the door is open any amount the LCD Display shows how much the door is open
  
  ·One thing that i am think about·doing is if the door is open for more than 30 minutes the door will close by it self
  
  
  
  
  
  http://forums.parallax.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40526··Power Supply
  
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  ··Thanks for any··that you may have and all of your time finding them
  
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  Sam
  
  Post Edited (sam_sam_sam) : 4/16/2007 1:37:01 AM GMT