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Unread 20-04-2012, 07:07
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Re: TI and future Jaguars

Quote:
Originally Posted by AustinSchuh View Post
One of the motor controllers that I have used in the past had a language on it that you interfaced to it with. This allowed you to do the basic things like set voltage and stuff, or to do the crazy stuff like custom control loops. The language was basic-like, and pretty simple. This makes it so teams could do whatever they want at the lowest level (1khz custom control loop ftw!), but the kill signal would always be respected.
Easily achieved. If you use the module design initially one could make that by making a small rough PCB board with any BASIC Stamp like module and connecting it at the bottom of the stack to the 'custom circuit module' then putting the high power H-bridge module at the top.

You could decide the interface to your custom circuit. Perhaps you run some digital side car digital I/O to it, perhaps some PWM, perhaps I2C or SPI or a combination. As the BASIC language process would be entirely at your choice initially you could literally use a Parallax BASIC Stamp 2 (pBASIC) or for other flavors Parallax Javelin (Java), Parallax Propeller Spin Stamp (Assembly, Spin), Digi Rabbit Core (Dynamic C, plug your speed control in your Ethernet if they let you)...etc to infinity and restricted only by other FIRST rules for custom circuits for whatever year is in question.

The first year you use that your custom circuit (assuming FIRST approved the 'custom circuit module') would receive the FIRST level restrictions from the 'custom circuit module' (IE: enable/disable, current limits, etc). Then if wanted you could add the restrictions from the 'custom circuit module' yourself (with community help if you wish) to your custom circuit the next year and hand in your new module design to FIRST to approve for general use without the 'custom circuit module'. Keeping in mind that your new module will have to reach at least some production volume once FIRST approves it.

In this manner we provide a great deal of diversity. Assuming FIRST approved the 'custom circuit module' a team could make just enough custom circuits for themselves one year. Then if they don't like their end product they can toss it away the next year. If they love it they polish it up and let FIRST decide on it's acceptability as a module without the 'custom circuit module'.

I'm not sure how many of something like that you'd need to sell but that's also in your favor. You let the community handle the heavy lifting with all the other modules and you only need to produce enough to handle those people that really love your idea. If your custom circuit turns out to be fantastic I'm sure the community will advocate assisting handling the mass in-flux of orders to allow it to thrive. So you might need to make 10 or 25 or you might get a lot of hands to help you make hundreds (if all you needed was a few I'd help you make them).

Additionally at the moment there are rules in FIRST about reusing custom circuits the next year. So please be aware that if FIRST approves such a 'custom circuit module' so you could do this, unless FIRST alters the COTS rules, you'll have to either get your design approved to use it the next year or alter it sufficiently. Let's cross one bridge at a time (not all 3 LOL) and see if FIRST is willing to open this door. I suppose if FIRST approves the 'custom circuit module' they might tweak the rules if you make your custom circuit entirely public for all teams to use as a design, then you could just give it to the community and maybe use it over and over with the 'custom circuit module' but there is much speculation involved here. I'm just giving you my idea of how this could work out.

Just remember that FIRST is generally concerned that anything we create that's heavy on the electronics engineering is not just limited to a few teams with adequate expertise and resources. That would create an uneven playing field. To some extent the existing custom circuit rules risk an uneven playing field for basically one year at this time. So if FIRST allows you to reuse your custom circuit module as it was gifted to the public they risk that the other teams might not be able to actually assemble it themselves. Obviously a touchy problem.

Last edited by techhelpbb : 20-04-2012 at 11:35.
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