Quote:
Originally Posted by 0705920
I highly doubt that the FRC controller will have anything to do with NXT
I have heard from various credible sources that FIRST is designing the Controller from scratch.
I doubt that the communications will be at 2.4 GHz since a chances of interference would be high, and also Blue tooth is not reliable enough.
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IMNSHO a properly designed Class 1 Bluetooth based system would be the
most robust of the unlicensed alternatives. Assuming that you are not going
to run 2.4 GHz jammers (i.e. microwave ovens), WiFi access points, or
Portable 2.4 Ghz phones on the actual field, there would be virtually no
interference that would be of much impact to a Class 1 piconet on the field.
The field controller could be optimally located above the center of the field
with an appropriate radiation pattern. The field controller could be master
of a single pico-net and it would have virtually no interference with
adjacent fields or even Bluetooth Cellphones in the pockets of the drivers.
Active Bluetooth voice connections close to the field could be a problem
but these are not legal anyway. They could be detected by the field
controller which would not be a bad thing.
For non-competition situations, each operator console could be master of
its own piconet. Everyone could operate even in the pits without interference
as long as Wireless lans weren't being used. BT offers much greater control
over what could be done and far more predictable results than WiFi. 2.4 GHz,
however, is not the place for channelized operations. The coexistance
problems of BT and WiFi occur mainly when you try to use both in the same
box (or immediate proximity). In those scenarios, coordination is required
in order for both to simultaneously work. BT class 1 works fine in an area by itself and
version 1.2 or later will even do a good job of working around a nearby
WiFi, WiMax, or Single Channel source. There is also an excellent open-source
BT stack to build from.
I agree that ordinary off-the-shelf class 2 BT devices would probably not
work all that well. But the 1600 hops per second over 79 channels basic
operation with +20dbm transmitter (and better receive sensitivity) of Class 1 devices
can, with appropriate system design, provide the most robust solution at
the datarates involved (240kbps).