InfraRed Problem

[tbd]

Hello all,
while we tried the InfraRed Transmitter with a remote control we got a big problem.
The IR Transmitter gets only 1 signal with a continues push of the button, and as we seen on the Kickoff explanation movie a continues push should result in many signals being transmitted. we tried a few remotes and its still the same. Any Idea what our problem might be?

Thanks and good luck,
Steampunk
Team #1577
Israel

[keen101]

I'm pretty sure you still need another remote.


Our team tried a cheap DVD remote first, and it only sent the signal once.


then we tried a regular, but very old remote, and that one sent continuous signals.

[SuperBK]

Try volume and channel buttons and see if they send the commands continously. Most buttons just send the command once.

[Daniel Bathgate]

Pay attention to the error lights as you train your board. If I remember correctly, my Tivo dogbone was sending a "button held down" code instead of repeating the signal, causing the error light to flash four times, while the remote to a Panasonic receiver worked fine. Just keep grabbing remotes (unless, of course, a ridiculous number don't work).

[Ponderous]

I may not understand fully how this works but isn't it likely with over 1000 teams the there will be an overlapping signal? Seriously am I missing something??? If this is a problem won't team be able to control each others' robots? This could prove problematic...

[ay2b]

Originally Posted by Ponderous

I may not understand fully how this works but isn't it likely with over 1000 teams the there will be an overlapping signal? Seriously am I missing something??? If this is a problem won't team be able to control each others' robots? This could prove problematic...

This is similar to the Birthday Problem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday_problem). It states that with 365 possible birthdays, you only need 23 people to have a greater than 50% chance that at least two people have the same birthday. With 57 people, you have greater than a 99% chance.

I don't know exactly how many different remote codes are out there, but the odds are very good that there will be at least two teams that pick the exact same remote.

Personally, I would like to see someone at the field coordinate the remotes, just like the way they coordinate the RF frequencies used by the IFI radios.

[Mr. Freeman]

Originally Posted by ay2b

I don't know exactly how many different remote codes are out there, but the odds are very good that there will be at least two teams that pick the exact same remote.

It's not just the remote that has to be the same, the settings on the remote have to be the same as well. Universal remotes can be programed for a ton of different devices.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Ponderous

I may not understand fully how this works but isn't it likely with over 1000 teams the there will be an overlapping signal? Seriously am I missing something??? If this is a problem won't team be able to control each others' robots? This could prove problematic...

FIRST understands this problem, and has left this up to the teams to ensure that their signal doesn't get jammed.

While I don't know how your team will prevent jamming, I think ours will use a tube from a paper towel roll.

[Pittiho]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bathgate

Pay attention to the error lights as you train your board. If I remember correctly, my Tivo dogbone was sending a "button held down" code instead of repeating the signal, causing the error light to flash four times, while the remote to a Panasonic receiver worked fine. Just keep grabbing remotes (unless, of course, a ridiculous number don't work).

I believe our RCA remote sends a "button held down" signal rather than a continuous signal. the remote shows an alternating value of "0" and "1" in the online control. does anyone know of a remote that sends continuous signal?

[mcreech5]

My team has been discussing this problem with the IR sensor recently. We have discovered that at any distance remotes will interfere and interrupt the recievers. This causers the IR sensor to not receive any signal from the remote trained to it. This can cause problems at competitions.

Another problem that we are discussing is LOS (Line of Sight). We have found that our robot does not recieve very good signal if any unless the remote is focused directly on the IR sensorboard. Only having 1 Robocoach i think could complicate the matter. Right now our team is contemplating giving our robot the ability to strafe so that it will be facing one direction during the entire Hybrid period.

Another issue on the IR is focusing the reception and output from the remote. Some examples of this might be a cone or some sort of funnel on the IR sensor or the remote. We have attempted to prototype this with our IR board and remote but we have not had much success. We have found that either it makes no difference or it limits the LOS of the robot making it harder to keep the signal reception.

One other thing... Earlier there was mentioned frequencies of IR and hopefully getting a different frequency so that you are not jammed or jamming your oponents. The problem with this is that IR has protocol but not really frequency unless you are on a different wavelength. This would cause any IR to recieve interference from a strong light source/ IR source (we even have had problems outside in the daylight).

If anyone has any ideas on how to eliminate interruption and/or focusing the IR signal that would really help my team out.

[GolyG]

We are concerned about this as well.
If you place a device on the end of the IR board to funnel in the signal, there is nothing that prevents other teams signal being funnelled in.

How are teams thinking about this?