Any Electronics Gurus Out There?

[Industrial Toys]

If timing is the issue, it must be an issue on many hydraulic machines. No way to predict what the terrain is going to do and have your cutting edge at the right height ahead of time. I mean, the electronics is instantaneous. It's the hydraulics that have to catch up.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

If timing is the issue, it must be an issue on many hydraulic machines. No way to predict what the terrain is going to do and have your cutting edge at the right height ahead of time. I mean, the electronics is instantaneous. It's the hydraulics that have to catch up.

I've spent a big chunk of my life interfacing the physical world with the virtual world and yeah, that's how it goes. The difficulty is always understanding the physical world.

 

[npalen]

Well, that either adds simplicity or really complicates the situation. :laughing:

Flashing LEDs would be harder to key off of. Take a look at the signal on the connectors to the remote and see if it is solid or flashing would be the thing to look for, I guess.

The signal on the connectors appears to be solid. I did a little investigation at the four pin output of the cable that normally connects the receiver to the remote. This is four pins that operate the five outputs on the remote. It appears that they use combinations of more than one pin high at a time to make due if that makes sense.

Edit: I'm baffled as to why each of the outputs flashes at a different rate depending on exactly where the beam is relative to that arrow position. There even appears to the sequence like dots and dashes. It's almost as though they plan to use these outputs for automation of some kind.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

The signal on the connectors appears to be solid. I did a little investigation at the four pin output of the cable that normally connects the receiver to the remote. This is four pins that operate the five outputs on the remote. It appears that they use combinations of more than one pin high at a time to make due if that makes sense.

Edit: I'm baffled as to why each of the outputs flashes at a different rate depending on exactly where the beam is relative to that arrow position. There even appears to the sequence like dots and dashes. It's almost as though they plan to use these outputs for automation of some kind.

It sounds like they're using some sort of serial data protocol to send a reading to the remote, and then the remote adjusts its output based on the reading. With four wires probably one is ground, one is power and two are data. What kind of voltage levels are you seeing with your voltmeter? Is there one pin that is always on and one that is always zero?

 

[npalen]

I'm seeing 6-7 volts. Will need to do some further investigating to see the pattern.

 

[CobyRupert]

Seems like you trying to do proportional (PID) control using discrete (on/off) signals.
IMHO, for the application, it seems more appropriate to use analog signals (typically 4-20mA, 1-5 volts or 1-10 volts signals. Previously 3-15 psi pneumatic signals were used.)
There’s a whole slew of analog components (sensors and valve positioners) and simple PID controllers for these application where you don’t want the positioner (for the control valve) to “overshoot” what is being measured by the sensor. This is called “tuning” a control loop.

PID controller - Wikipedia

 

[npalen]

Seems like you trying to do proportional (PID) control using discrete (on/off) signals.
IMHO, for the application, it seems more appropriate to use analog signals (typically 4-20mA, 1-5 volts or 1-10 volts signals. Previously 3-15 psi pneumatic signals were used.)
There’s a whole slew of analog components (sensors and valve positioners) and simple PID controllers for these application where you don’t want the positioner (for the control valve) to “overshoot” what is being measured by the sensor. This is called “tuning” a control loop.

PID controller - Wikipedia

A proportional directional control valve would be great but they are very expensive.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I bet it's morse code. Up would be dit dit dah, dit dah dah dit.

That's the problem. Most modern stuff uses serial data and the (old school) DIYer is done. Impresses me how some guys can hack serial vehicle communications.

 

[npalen]

Some more investigation reveals that the reading between all possible combinations of the four pins shows voltage of 6.5 or 7.5 VDC. These readings DO NOT CHANGE regardless of where the laser is striking the receiver and which arrow is flashing.

There are eighteen receiver diodes at each of the four corners of the receiver "feeding" the five output flashers. The distance between diodes increases, probably exponentially, as they progress away from on grade. It's interesting that when dead center on grade the flasher is at slow rate and when moving even 0.040" off center, the flash rate increases dramatically.

Looks to me that hacking this in an "analog manner" would involve picking up the output from each of the 18 x 4 = 72 diodes rather than the "flashers".

 

[MossRoad]

At least we now know why these systems are so expensive to purchase complete. :laughing: