System for Engine Location Of a Web Train

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System for Engine Location Of a Web Train

• Paul Wimmer and Adam Weintrop
• Dr. Irwin and Dr. Schertz
• 2/20/06

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Outline

• Current position on time line
• Accomplishments of last week
• Goals for next week

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Time Line
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Outline

• Current position on time line
• Accomplishments of last week
• Goals for next week

5
Last Week

• Recoded all DCC generation software
• Much more efficient and useful
• 3 Tier Menu
• Select Train (Blue/White)
• Select Direction (Foreword/Backward)
• Select Speed (0-9)
• Problems with White Train
• Tested the new transformers
• Organized software program flow

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Results
The results of the transformer circuit (200 turn
sensor and 1 MOhm terminating resistor) -With
Train off track 30 mV -With Train idle on
track 130 mV -With Train running upwards of 1
V Could use resistor in engine to increase off /
idle voltage range -May not be necessary with
100mV difference
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Program Flow

• 7 Primary modules/functions
• Main
• Compare positions
• Dx
• Dt
• Velocity
• Basic Collision Avoidance?
• Relay to PC?

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Main

• Change MUX inputs
• Test each MUX ouptut
• Determine if the train is on a given section of
  track
• Code is written, not done troubleshooting

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Compare

• Compares the new position to the previous
  position
• Further action is only taken if the position has
  changed
• No relevant info if position is the same

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Dx

• Distance traveled by the train
• Based on
• New track section
• Old track section
• Direction (when necessary)
• Table? Set of loops and if statements?

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Dt

• Determine the time that the train took to cross
  the last track section
• Stop a timer upon entrance of a section
• Extract the values
• Start up the next timer
• A certain amount of overflow idle train

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Speed

• Dx/Dt determined in C in floating point
• Conversion to an 8 bit integer (char)
• An averaging algorithm may be implemented (time
  permitting)

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Collision Avoidance

• If a train is approaching another
• Send out an e-stop (if on same processor as the
  DCC signal)
• Warn user (if a GUI is setup in Java)
• Kill the power --gt the most practical method

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Back to PC

• Time permitting
• Transfer values from EMAC to PC
• Create a GUI in JAVA

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Outline

• Current position on time line
• Accomplishments of last week
• Goals for next week

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Problems to Address for Next Week

• Finish hardware (comparators, multiplexers)
• Interface with software
• Test hardware and software I/O
• Write more independent software functions
• Divide them up between us
• Latch or Sample and Hold hardware?