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Surveyor Robotics Forum › Surveyor Robotics Forum › SRV-1 / SVS Blackfin Software
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test version of firmware - latest is 022608 (Read 14033 times)

admin

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test version of firmware - latest is 022608
02/10/08 at 1:45pm

Okay - I've posted http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/srv-blackfin-021008.zip for testing.

It builds on the earlier test version discussed here -
http://www.surveyor.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1202246780

adding the Failsafe Mode as well as functions to read/write I2C interfaces. The supported functions are described in http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/SRV_protocol_bf.html

As previously discussed, Failsafe is enabled by sending Fxy, where x and y are correspond to the motor / servo levels that are set if the processor has not received any messages in the past 2 seconds. From SRV1Console, the code to set failsafe to 0,0 motor levels would be 460000. 'f' disables failsafe

The I2C commands 'ir' and 'iw' read or write individual registers, so 'irab' would read register b on device a and return the vaue as '##ir xx'. 'iwabc' would write value c to register b on device a, and return '##iw'. We may need to add some error checking or timeouts in case non-existent devices are accessed, but the functions seem to work.

The ultrasonic module and laser ranging functions haven't yet been added, but they will follow next. There's also some test code for interfacing to a 2-axis ADXL202E accelerometer, but that isn't yet documented.

As before, this test code version has not yet been posted to SVN. After some user testing, we probably will post this to the main trunk.

« Last Edit: 02/26/08 at 12:32pm by admin »

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admin

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Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208
Reply #1 - 02/12/08 at 2:47pm

Just posted http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/srv-blackfin-021208.zip

Adds simple pixel sampling function 'vp' to view the value of individual YUV pixel. Format is 'vpxxyy',
where xx is the x coordinate (00-79), yy is the y coordinate (00-63).
yy = '00' corresponds to pixels on the bottom row of the image

You can execute this command direct from a console, as the numbers are ASCII, not binary. So typing "vp4032" might return something like

##vp 86 107 130

if the color sampled was a skin tone

Other firmware additions are in the works, but this one seemed important to add quickly for users who are trying to figure out how to use the 'v' commands and aren't familiar with YUV color space

======================

By the way, if you have tried this test version of firmware, PLEASE post something here that indicates whether it works, whether it's broken, what additions/changes you'd like, etc ...

« Last Edit: 02/12/08 at 3:46pm by admin »

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wmcnab

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Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208
Reply #2 - 02/12/08 at 5:12pm

I'm running the 021008 code but this happened to me on the previous version too.

The console will freeze and the terminal window will also freeze indicating it's trying to read a frame. After about 30-45 seconds everything will start back up. In the mean time, the SRV1 has been going about it's merry way. It's last command would have been to stop which it does after it recovers.

I did have the Fail-safe activated during this period but that didn't help.

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admin

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Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208
Reply #3 - 02/12/08 at 6:01pm

That doesn't make sense - failsafe should stop the motors if the console freezes. If you kill and restart SRV1Console, does it make any difference ? I don't think it's a CPU reset - on resets, the motors are stopped.

Do you ever see this behavior if just driving around using keyboard commands in telnet or your terminal program ? Also, have you confirmed the firmware version with 'V' ?

« Last Edit: 02/12/08 at 6:02pm by admin »

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osmogr Junior Member Posts: 67	Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208 Reply #4 - 02/12/08 at 8:35pm I would like to add that fail-safe on my setup is working fine. I tried both killing the console, and forcing the wireless to drop, both times motors shutdown after 2-3 seconds.
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wmcnab

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Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208
Reply #5 - 02/13/08 at 7:14am

I have verified the firmware version with 'V' but have not tried to kill the console. I will try again tonight and see what happens.

And no, I haven't tried it with just telnet other than to verify that it works. I'll also try that as well. It doesn't happen all the time but last night it happened three times in an hour.

I've not eliminated my laptop as a possible problem either and will control the SRV1 from another pc to see how it responds.

If no one else is having this problem then it is likely a local issue for me.

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wmcnab YaBB Newbies Posts: 30	Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208 Reply #6 - 02/13/08 at 6:53pm It was my screwup. I was using the wrong code for the failsafe option so it was not enabled. It works great now.
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osmogr

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Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021208
Reply #7 - 02/14/08 at 10:01pm

Quote from wmcnab on 02/13/08 at 6:53pm:

It was my screwup. I was using the wrong code for the failsafe option so it was not enabled. It works great now.

I used it last night to drive almost 300ft away from my tablet.

With the new matchport firmware, if it stops, I just move a little closer, or change antenna position and its usually back in 2-3 seconds..

Now I need to hack up some lights, the whole flashlight-duct-tape thing looks lame..

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admin

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Re: test version of firmware - srv-blackfin-021708
Reply #8 - 02/17/08 at 3:53pm

There's now a 021708.zip test version of code that adds support for the Maxbotics ultrasonic modules. Description here -

http://www.surveyor.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1202831771

I'm starting work on the 'R' laser ranging function, and will add new functions for sonar and laser ranging to the C interpreter once the laser code is finished.

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admin

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Re: test version of firmware
Reply #9 - 02/23/08 at 7:36am

Latest code has finally been moved back to the SVN repository -

https://ssl.untyped.com/svn/repos/surveyor.com/srv-blackfin/trunk/SRV/

use

svn checkout https://ssl.untyped.com/svn/repos/surveyor.com/srv-blackfin/trunk/SRV/ SRV

We'll start using SVN for work-in-progress instead of using the zip files, and will tag the versions of code with formal releases.

« Last Edit: 02/23/08 at 7:48am by admin »

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ashmanq

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Re: test version of firmware
Reply #10 - 02/24/08 at 3:20pm

Why is it whenever I switch on the SRV1 it doesnt move when I send it commands to move in shamcom or with my program? I have to run the java console to get it to move and after that it will work fine with my own program and shamcom. The robot replies to the command in shamcom/my program but just doesnt move. This has started to happen ever since I loaded the latest test firmware-021708.

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admin YaBB Administrator Posts: 3676	Re: test version of firmware Reply #11 - 02/24/08 at 3:47pm It's because the new firmware requires an 'M' command to initialize the PWM motor control before it accepts the keypad commands ('1' - '9') From the terminal, you can send 'M' followed by 3 control-A's, and this will trigger the PWM mode. We added this in order to be able to drive either PWM or servos from the same firmware.
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admin

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Re: test version of firmware - latest is 022408
Reply #12 - 02/24/08 at 3:55pm

Okay - another test version has been posted to the SVN repository and http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/srv-blackfin-022408.zip

Lots of changes to the C interpreter code, as discussed in http://www.surveyor.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1203803463

Added new C functions color(), count(), readi2c(), writei2c(), servo(), servo2() and sonar(), and fixed problems with blob() and scan(). Latest commands are shown on http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/SRV_protocol_bf.html

Please test and make suggestions. I'd like to wrap up the version of code for release by end of the week.

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ashmanq YaBB Newbies Posts: 40	Re: test version of firmware - latest is 022408 Reply #13 - 02/25/08 at 1:40am Is there a way to initialise the robot using the M function without it moving?
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admin YaBB Administrator Posts: 3676	Re: test version of firmware - latest is 022408 Reply #14 - 02/25/08 at 6:33am Yes - as mentioned above, send 'M' followed by three control-A's from a terminal. In hex, this would be 4D010101
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