Design Advice

[Archangel]

Hello Isaac,
Microchip has an eeprom with 1 wire interface ( data, ground, power) the 11LC160 avail. in SOT and PDIP. You could rig a circuit with a nicad, a to92 regulator, a couple of diodes etc to provide power, and charge off the running lights or even a solar panel.

[Luciano]

Hi,


(Click to enlarge the picture)

Best regards,

Luciano

[isaac]

U are right just need suggestions

[rhino]

Use an IR transmitter on the trailer and IR receiver on the cab. Have the transmitter output the information at some time interval that is acceptable and maximizes battery life for the transmitter. No wires, No RF.

[Luciano]

Hi Isaac,

Connect an RF transmitter (PIC + 10mW TX module) to the brake lights of
the trailer so when the brakes are activated the data is sent to
the receiver located inside the cab. (PIC + RX module).

Example RF modules:
http://www.crownhill.co.uk/product.php?prod=435

http://www.rentron.com/PicBasic/RemoteControl.htm


Best regards,

Luciano

[isaac]

Luciano

Thanks for you idea

Use an IR transmitter on the trailer and IR receiver on the cab. Have the transmitter output the information at some time interval that is acceptable and maximizes battery life for the transmitter. No wires, No RF.

but wouldn't both IR Transmitter & Receive need to be Aligned facing each other?

Thanks
Isaac

[isaac]

Ooops
that was for Ryan Miller not Luciano

[rhino]

but wouldn't both IR Transmitter & Receive need to be Aligned facing each other?
Thanks
Isaac

They probably wouldn't have to be exactly lined up. Let's say you have a "cab" unit (receiver) that attaches to the back window in the cab. Then, a display up by the driver that the cab unit communicates to, to relay the information. That link could be wired, RF, whatever.... it sounds like your customer just doesn't want to have a wired unit between the truck and trailer. Then, I think you could align the cab unit and the trailer unit across from each other close enough that you could get the information (except during turns). I mean really, how much information are you really needing to transfer? It doesn't sound like much.
Here's another take on the touch memory (I-Button). Did you know that Rider Truck stores maintenance records for their trucks on I-Buttons? You rent one in Florida, drive it to California. At California, the pull up the service records on the I-Button and see what needs to be done next. Have a wand in the cab for the driver, when he gets out, he touches the I-Button on the trailer that transfers the trailer info to the wand. Driver hooks up the trailer, gets back in the cab, LCD displays the trailer info for the driver. The wand part is already a product. Our guard at work has one, there are check points through out the building. Once he's back to the office, he sets the wand in the cradle and it downloads all of the checkpoints. Kind of a check on the guard to make sure he's making the rounds. Just another idea.

[isaac]

. Have a wand in the cab for the driver, when he gets out, he touches the I-Button on the trailer that transfers the trailer info to the wand. Driver hooks up the trailer, gets back in the cab, LCD displays the trailer info for the driver. The wand part is already a product. Our guard at work has one, there are check points through out the building. Once he's back to the office, he sets the wand in the cradle and it downloads all of the checkpoints. Kind of a check on the guard to make sure he's making the rounds. Just another idea.

What is a wand?

Regards
Isaac