@ Iggmoe is one of GHI Electronics’ commercial customers, who is also an active community member. He shared some details on the product they are working on.
Iggmoe:
Several NETMF-based commercial products have been popping up recently, so I thought I’d share my latest one. This serial multiplexer is in the final stages of testing. The only thing left to do is add the in-field update code.
This serial switch/multiplexer allows up to 4 RS-232 devices to talk to 4 other serial devices across a single serial channel, most commonly a radio. Let’s say you have 4 instruments (GPS, temperature sensor, compass, sonar, etc) each outputing serial data at their own baud rates, and you needed to transmit that data across 10 kilometers. If you don’t want to buy 4 separate radios for each instrument, you could use this multiplexer, which will combine the data from each source and seamlessly serialize them into a single stream fit for transmission through a single RF channel. At the other end, another one of these boards will decode the stream and split them back into 4 separate serial streams. The process is transparent to all devices, and as far as they are concerned, the multiplexer board doesn’t exist at all. Data can be transmitted bidirectionally.
With managed code, the multiplexer can achieve 115.2kbps of throughput, which was our design goal. Informal testing has shown that it can probably go up to 152kbps, if RF channel capacity wasn’t a limiting factor. If RLP was used, it can likely achieve an even higher throughput.
It will be used in environmental monitoring, so power flexibility was an important parameter. Using an external battery, it can be powered anywhere from 7.6V up to 36VDC. It can also be powered entirely through USB if a technician in the field wants to use one of these with their laptop. An on-board power switch seamlessly transitions between both power sources and prevents one power source from flowing into the other power source if both are connected at the same time.
For size comparison, I’ve taken a picture of the old and new boards. The new board is quite a bit smaller and packs even more features than the old one. I’ve also shown the multiplexer mated with a high-power radio, which will be its first application, and there are several more products in our company that this board is destined to be integrated with.
I’ll try to post a video once testing is finished. Reams of invisible data streaming through the air probably won’t be exciting to watch, but at least you’ll get to see the LEDs blink
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GHI Electronics’ SoM: http://ghielectronics.com/technologies/system-on-module http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/topic?id=11202
2 Likes
Iggmoe
March 10, 2013, 1:07pm
3
Thanks, Ian! I’ve got an even bigger project for the G120 once this one’s done
Please let me know when this product comes to fruition as it is something I can use on my own job. I work in environmental monitoring and this product would be useful. Very useful… If the company needs a beta tester for actual field testing under rigorous conditions - let me know.
Iggmoe
March 19, 2013, 11:39am
9
Hi, Dave. You can e-mail me at “aabordo -at- oceanscience dot com” and we can discuss your application. If you take a look at www.oceanscience.com , you can get a good idea of the products we offer.
@ Iggmoe - I like your line of Q and Z boats! One of the many A/ROVs I would like to build for myself.
Are you at liberty to discuss any of the details about them?
Iggmoe
March 19, 2013, 12:38pm
11
@ mhectorgato - Sure. Shoot me an e-mail, and we can discuss your questions offline. Those boats are pretty sweet. NASA uses them, too! http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/topic?id=8292&page=1
– Adrian
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Thanks Gus. Today I had a nice chat with Iggmoe and exchanged some notes. We seem to know several people in common (small world). I think that his application is needed in our business. Offered to be one of his first customers…
DaveG
1 Like
