[DeTomaso] Optical turn signal control

Sat Jan 26 15:53:13 EST 2013

That's awesome!

I remember Windows 3.1... and 3.11... and how 95 would be so great....

Charles McCall
Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe
1985 DeTomaso Pantera #9375
http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at poca.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at poca.com] On Behalf
Of gow2 at rc-tech.net
Sent: sábado, 26 de enero de 2013 21:41
To: David Fisher
Cc: POCA list
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Optical turn signal control

Had a guy her servicing our Laser a couple weeks ago. I talked about doing
things in Windows 3.1. He gave me a blank stare. I said, "you know before
Windows95?"......."What's Windows95?".....

> It looks like you are having a lot of fun.   I'll date myself, but I
> recall
> making a x y milling controller off a Z80 eval board.   Pretty satisfying
> to get all the things to work together.
>
> Keep all the creativity coming... love to see it.
>
> David
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 8:13 AM, <gow2 at rc-tech.net> wrote:
>
>> > Cool stuff... do tell more...
>> >
>> > David
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> The control for the turn signal encoder is called the Arduino. The
>> Arduino
>> is what I call "a micro controller for dummies". These type of platforms
>> are becoming very popular. Arduino is one of the most popular platforms
>> with an enormous wealth of information.
>>
>> I call it a micro controller for dummies because yu don't have to
>> understand much about the micro controller. Configuring and programing
>> is
>> basic. If you have done ANY basic level introductory program you can
>> follow the examples which are plentiful through Google and books. It is
>> just about getting the syntax right.
>>
>> The Arduino has a compiler (free download). The Arduino plugs into a USB
>> on the computer. If you want to control say a servo, in a Micro
>> Controller
>> you may have to create a signal at a specific pulse width to operate the
>> servo. In the Arduino, you make a note in the beginning to add a servo,
>> name an item a servo then tell the item to move to a position. It's that
>> simple. The rest is how you nest your program to do what you want.
>>
>> There is an explosion of these sort of boards right now. I would say the
>> Arduino is one of the most popular for this sort of application. Radio
>> Shack is even carrying these now; along with the LCD I use, and intro
>> boook, etc.
>>
>> Someone directed me to a new board this week which...is not really what
>> I
>> need here, but is unbelievable. It is basically a computer which runs
>> linux in the same configuration with massive inputs and outputs. It is
>> called the Raspberry and is ....$35. !!!!!
>>
>> http://www.alliedelec.com/lp/120626raso/
>>
>> Back to the Arduino. I start with the "Uno" which is a prototyping
>> board:
>>
>> http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardUno
>>
>> It has 14 digital input/output pins and 6 analog input output pins. I
>> work
>> out the logistics with the prototyping board then move to a more solid
>> solution.
>>
>> I have circuit boards made for the NANO which is pretty much the same
>> thing except it is designed to be soldered on a board:
>>
>>
>> http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardNano
>>
>> The circuit boards I have made are designed to hook up the things I need
>> such as a voltage converter to take the voltage from 12v to 5,  sockets
>> for thermocouple chips, encoder counters, pull up/down resisters, mods
>> etc. It is a flexible circuit in which I am on my 3rd rendition.
>>
>> The encoder itself is not hard but the timing can be tricky. The encoder
>> has 2 LED emitters/detectors. They are staggered 1/2 wave. The logic is
>> to
>> read the separate waves. If both are high and one goes low, you know
>> which
>> direction it is moving. Each move provides a count.
>>
>> The tricky spot is timing. If you are doing things in the program when
>> the
>> count comes across, you will miss it. A separate chip is used to take
>> care
>> of the logic. It is a very simple chip which works well for this
>> application. It tags the Arduino on 2 pins. One pin is an interrupt. It
>> gives direction and count +/- 1. The interrupt is the key because at
>> every
>> count it interrupts the program and updates the count so nothing is
>> missed. Works very well for this application.
>>
>> The arduino will also manage 8 servos on the heaterbox in a constant
>> loop.
>> If an input condition has changed it will turn on the servo, move it,
>> and
>> turn it off.
>>
>> There is a whole group of conditions going on in the turn signal
>> process.
>> It will control each of the 4 turn signals and flashers via a power
>> mosfet. It has a few things to consider; position of the wheel, are the
>> flashers and turn signals on at the same time, are the lights on (the
>> front marker is both marker and turn signal), manual cancel, etc.
>>
>> I can do creative things like make the front marker both a turn signal
>> and
>> a marker. If flashers and turn signals are on, I will flash 2x, turn
>> signal 2x, flash 2x, etc. If I leave the turn signal on for 5 min, turn
>> them off. Things like that.
>>
>> he left is the prototype. The right is the actual column. You are seeing
>> the bottom of the column:
>>
>> http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/turn/turn3.jpg
>>
>> I have been working through the learning curve on the prototype. This
>> involves making a lot of mistakes, figuring out what I have done and
>> getting it right. A soldered board is so much better when done right the
>> first time. As I get parts nailed down, I hope to begin putting it
>> together in the car Sunday with some finish wiring. So much still to do.
>>
>> The mile stone for me was getting the encoder to read reliably without
>> error which I have done. That above all was the hardest part. The rest
>> is
>> just logistics.
>>
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 2:51 PM, <gow2 at rc-tech.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Here are some parts being used to build the encoder based turn
>> signal:
>> >>
>> >> http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/turn/turn.jpg
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >>
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>> >
>>
>>
>

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