Robot Signal Light Patterns

[Cal578]

I posted this yesterday in another sub-forum, but apparently that one doesn't get much viewership, and I didn't get a single reply. So, forgive me if this is too much like a bump, but I think I'm not the only one who would like to see this answered:

I've been looking for an official document that defines the various patterns that the Robot Signal Light (RSL) displays. A mentor on our team found the following from Team 358 (thanks!):

The RSL blink pattern tells what state the robot is in. The patterns can be changed year-to-year but in 2011 they were:
Fast Blink = cRIO not communicating with Driver Station
Slow Blink = disabled
Short on/long-off Blink = either low battery or no code & disabled
Long on/short off blink = Teleop mode
Solid on = Autonomous mode

(about 2/3 of the way down a very long page).

I also found this:
http://kamocat.com/robot/electrical.php
but it doesn't have a date on it (I think it's from 2010).

Since it can change every year, does anyone know a source for this year's info? A link, reference to a manual, or simple cut&paste would be appreciated. I've done some searches on CD, but didn't find what I was looking for. Surprising; maybe I didn't use the right search terms.

[kevinhorn]

We haven't updated kamocat.com lately. The newest info may be found here.http://www.ti.com/lit/ug/spmu046b/spmu046b.pdf

[PAR_WIG1350]

I don't think the RSL patterns have, or will ever change for as long as that light has been and will be used.

[Cal578]

Originally Posted by kevinhorn

...The newest info may be found here.www.ti.com/lit/ug/spmu046b/spmu046b.pdf

Thanks for the link. However, that's info for the Jaguars, and I am looking for info about the RSL - that big amber light that all robots are required to prominently include per [R57].

If the patterns have never changed, then I would happily use an older table. Hasn't it been officially documented somewhere?

[Nate Laverdure]

Originally Posted by Cal578

Hasn't it been officially documented somewhere?

It was documented in less detail (only lists four states) in 2009 on the NI "FIRST community" forum:

There are four states of this status LED, listed here in order of priority. If multiple occur, the highest one listed is what is displayed.

1. Fast Blink (200ms on / 200ms off) - System error: No driver's station communication, bad cRIO Image, bad team ID, extensive communication errors.
2. Steady on - Everything ok
3. Fast-Slow Blink (200ms on / 900ms off) - Low battery (<12 Volts) and system disabled either by system watchdog, user watchdog, or Driver's Station set to disabled
4. Slow Blink (900ms on / 900ms off) - System disabled

EDIT: A comment from that page explains that the 5th state (long-on, short-off) was added in 2010:

New for 2010, there is an additional blink pattern. Instead of solid on for both Auto Enabled and Teleop Enabled, Teleop Enable now shows a short-off pattern. 1500ms on, 100ms off. This makes it more obvious which mode the robot is in.

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by Nate Laverdure

EDIT: A comment from that page explains that the 5th state (long-on, short-off) was added in 2010:

I stand corrected.

[Doc Wu]

I've always had a hard time telling some of those patterns apart at a glance.

I wish some of the errors could be something that stands out more, like a group of short flashes then a long off. You could actually count the flashes and know that something like a group of 3 flashes is no radio comms for example.

Also, which one of these patterns is the one we're looking for to be ready to start a match? I'm assuming the slow blink (900ms on/off) is Disabled before the match starts.

Like I said, they all look the same to me. Good thing I'm not a FTA.

[kjohnson]

Nate beat me to it but the flash pattern has been changed since 2009:

• Fast Blink (200ms on / 200ms off) - System error: No driver's station communication, bad cRIO Image, bad team ID, extensive communication errors.
• Steady on - Autonomous
• Short off - (1500ms on, 100ms off) - Tele-operated enabled
• Fast-Slow Blink (200ms on / 900ms off) - Low battery (<12 Volts) and system disabled either by system watchdog, user watchdog, or Driver's Station set to disabled
• Slow Blink (900ms on / 900ms off) - System disabled

And of course if the light is off completely either the cRIO could still be booting or the light may be wired wrong. If the RSL has a different flash pattern that the LED on the Digital Side Car, make sure there is a jumper between La and Lb on the light.

[Cal578]

Thanks so much, Nate and Kyle. A forum post isn't quite as "official" as I would have hoped, but I can use it. And I bet other people will, too.