Aether's IR Transponder Design
07-04-2016 | 12:43 AM
#4
Tech Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48
Hi Aether,
I haven't had a good look at this yet but I will read up on everything over lunch and try to get back to you. Like you, I am an Arduino tinkerer; my current project is timing & start light displays for my local RC car club.
Two things spring to mind before I read up:
1) Have you considered the ATTiny 45/85 ICs? Think of them as tiny Arduinos, they're only 8 pins in DIP/DIL packaging. About the same size as a fingernail. It would be very easy to design a custom PCB for one of these and a IR LED. Whether they're the right IC for you depends on what code you use in your Arduino sketch as they have a limited instruction set.
2) Depending on how well your IR send/receive is working, an alternative library to consider is the IR Remote library.
When I've finished my timing board project, I'm planning on making an IR LED-based personal lap counter, so I'm very interested in helping in whatever way I can.
P.S. This switching regulator would be a good way to power your transponder from the car (2S?) battery.
Best of luck!
Joe
I haven't had a good look at this yet but I will read up on everything over lunch and try to get back to you. Like you, I am an Arduino tinkerer; my current project is timing & start light displays for my local RC car club.
Two things spring to mind before I read up:
1) Have you considered the ATTiny 45/85 ICs? Think of them as tiny Arduinos, they're only 8 pins in DIP/DIL packaging. About the same size as a fingernail. It would be very easy to design a custom PCB for one of these and a IR LED. Whether they're the right IC for you depends on what code you use in your Arduino sketch as they have a limited instruction set.
2) Depending on how well your IR send/receive is working, an alternative library to consider is the IR Remote library.
When I've finished my timing board project, I'm planning on making an IR LED-based personal lap counter, so I'm very interested in helping in whatever way I can.
P.S. This switching regulator would be a good way to power your transponder from the car (2S?) battery.
Best of luck!
Joe
Last edited by Joe_Keaveney; 07-04-2016 at 01:19 AM.
07-11-2016 | 01:40 PM
#9
Hmmm - - thinking of building something like this and thought you guys might offer some insight as your well ahead of the curve electrically/software wise.
http://rcarduino.blogspot.com/2012/0...-part-one.html
I was wondering why does the IR have to blink to a frequency for a system like this to work? If your just trying to detect one car why cant you just power up a LED from your receiver (resister inline of course as needed). I only have typically one car on a local backyard track at a time and was hoping to setup something like this for hot-laps - but want a simpler transponder.
http://rcarduino.blogspot.com/2012/0...-part-one.html
I was wondering why does the IR have to blink to a frequency for a system like this to work? If your just trying to detect one car why cant you just power up a LED from your receiver (resister inline of course as needed). I only have typically one car on a local backyard track at a time and was hoping to setup something like this for hot-laps - but want a simpler transponder.
07-11-2016 | 01:57 PM
#10
Hmmm - - thinking of building something like this and thought you guys might offer some insight as your well ahead of the curve electrically/software wise.
http://rcarduino.blogspot.com/2012/0...-part-one.html
I was wondering why does the IR have to blink to a frequency for a system like this to work? If your just trying to detect one car why cant you just power up a LED from your receiver (resister inline of course as needed). I only have typically one car on a local backyard track at a time and was hoping to setup something like this for hot-laps - but want a simpler transponder.
http://rcarduino.blogspot.com/2012/0...-part-one.html
I was wondering why does the IR have to blink to a frequency for a system like this to work? If your just trying to detect one car why cant you just power up a LED from your receiver (resister inline of course as needed). I only have typically one car on a local backyard track at a time and was hoping to setup something like this for hot-laps - but want a simpler transponder.
07-11-2016 | 05:21 PM
#11
That makes sense - its been 15 years since building a boe-bot and dont remember doing any timing on the IR emitters. Still this method of switching with an arduino trinket appears to be a smaller footprint then using 555 switches and a breadboard.
quite a few of ways to set a base frequency - probably just use a tone to a pin and call it good.
quite a few of ways to set a base frequency - probably just use a tone to a pin and call it good.
07-13-2016 | 04:34 AM
#13
It wouldn't be terribly difficult to design the receiver. Is I-Laps not making them anymore? If not, then I can understand the desire to roll your own. If they are still making them, their pricing seems pretty reasonable.
I suppose that one could save a little money by making one, but I'm not sure it's worth the time. Now if it's the fun factor of creating your own that entices you, then I understand.
P.S. What wavelength is the LED emission?
I suppose that one could save a little money by making one, but I'm not sure it's worth the time. Now if it's the fun factor of creating your own that entices you, then I understand.
P.S. What wavelength is the LED emission?
Last edited by howardcano; 07-13-2016 at 09:11 AM.
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