RC remote program and reset button schematic

[Bluephlame]

After fruitlessly searching for several hours on IFI's website for a schematic for a remote program and reset button, I came to the conclusion that one did not exist. But, I did find a response on the IFI Q&A forum that explained how to wire one and from that explanation, I was able to successfully wire it. I then made a schematic of it to share with you guys on this forum who have always been a great help to myself and others. Just giving something back is all...
http://www.trx145.net/photogallery/RC%20Reset%20and%20Program%20Switch.gif

[bear24rw]

Or, you can wire them to the RC's digital outputs and you can put it into program mode from your computer

[gnormhurst]

Originally Posted by bear24rw

Or, you can wire them to the RC's digital outputs and you can put it into program mode from your computer

This one sentence has changed my life. Thank you.

Now if I can just find a solution to wireless RS-232 at 115200 baud my life will be complete.

[Tom Line]

I'm not following.

I understand you can wire it to a RC digital out, but if you're running from the OI you'd need to have a button on the OI put it in program.

Am I missing something? Are you running the robot off the computer?

[DanDon]

If the computer and the robot are connected via the program port, you can have a process running in the background of the robot controller that recognizes "commands" from IFI Loader (a la Kevin's "Bells and Whistles" code from last year).

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by DanDon

If the computer and the robot are connected via the program port,...

And if your goal is to download a program to the Robot Controller, you have to have your computer and the robot connected via the program port in any case.

A few years ago, I put together a couple of "breakout" connectors that stole three pins from the 9-pin serial cable and provided a remote reset and program button. Giving the person at the keyboard the ability to put the robot controller in program mode himself is a whole lot more convenient than having him ask someone to reach into the robot and press the button.

Last year, I got fancier and replaced the serial cable with the equivalent of an ethernet cable, putting adapters at each end. The computer side has a 9-pin female serial connector, the remote buttons, and an RJ-45 jack. The RC side has another RJ-45 jack, a 9-pin male serial connector, and a servo connector for the remote button header pins. The robot's jack was intended to be mounted in an easily accessible spot, to be more convenient than the serial program port on the RC itself.

We eventually moved beyond needing a hardware button at all. We implemented the kind of menuing system DanDon alluded to, with a single wire from one of the RC's digital outputs to the remote PROG pin. It worked so well we did it again this year, with some refinement to the menuing routines to make it easier to add new menus. I intend to work with the TechnoKats' lead student programmer this spring to make our menuing framework available for other teams to use and/or adapt.