Thinking of a new gadget...

[GoldOxide_imp]

Just found the post that inspired the "lowest cranking voltage" feature: it was Max from Auckland. Credit goes to him.

A quick question regarding Celsius/Fahrenheit switching: found two ways to do it without having an actual button.

(a) switch ignition on and off 2 or 3 times within (say) 5 sec, that would toggle the setting. Advantages: easy to do. Disadvantages: puts some strain on electrical system (AC, relays etc) and the keylock assembly itself.

(b) using a flashlight (or phone), flash the underside of the instrument two or three times within the first 15 or so seconds after switching on ignition. This would utilize the ambient light sensor as a "switch".

The first one is more "instinctive". The second one is less intrusive. Or should I just ditch the idea, because no one ever would want to change from F to C or vice versa? It is always an option to hardcode one in and stick with it

I favour (b), although I would consider maybe 4 or 5 pulses of light change.

 

[max]

Csory good idea to let the members choose,it should be something intuitive and simple i would be for A, meter sweep, off for 2 seconds, meter sweep, off 2 sec and on to start and ride or something like that.

Chances are you will do this only once and leave it in the same state forever so no biggy if you save the setting in memory on power down.

it should be obvious but you could have an F or C after the toggle to confirm if that is easy to implement on the display.

Are you planning on a fancy rat race display routine like the windows balls as a wakeup message? not sure how you go with the memory capacity.

Is the light sensor high/low or a/d ?

 

[Csory_imp]

Csory good idea to let the members choose,it should be something intuitive and simple i would be for A, meter sweep, off for 2 seconds, meter sweep, off 2 sec and on to start and ride or something like that.

Chances are you will do this only once and leave it in the same state forever so no biggy if you save the setting in memory on power down.

it should be obvious but you could have an F or C after the toggle to confirm if that is easy to implement on the display.

Are you planning on a fancy rat race display routine like the windows balls as a wakeup message? not sure how you go with the memory capacity.

Is the light sensor high/low or a/d ?

Now that you mention it... something silly could be done Will fill up remaining progmem with an eye-candy

Ambient sensor is analog, just a few dozen steps though (due to shared rst pin - cound be inhibited and AD res up to full 10 bits, once the code is final).

 

[Csory_imp]

...created three different styles of bootup screens:



First one is a "wink", second one is a message ("ride safe"), last one is just a line racing away... Please let me know if any (or all) of these would be nice to have as a startup sequence? Already asked swmbo, and she disliked all three

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

...created three different styles of bootup screens:



First one is a "wink", second one is a message ("ride safe"), last one is just a line racing away... Please let me know if any (or all) of these would be nice to have as a startup sequence? Already asked swmbo, and she disliked all three

The "ride safe" is neat, however, the product corporate logo or name I would be happy to see. The important thing to communicate to the end user is if you see successfully to the end of the introduction, that means device self-diagnostics have passed internal tests. Otherwise, display some sort of diagnostic error/warning code.

 

[Csory_imp]

Thanks GoldOxide for your comments. A 3-digit 7-segment display is very limiting (in term of graphics capabilities...) Will keep thinking but it is pretty hard to come up with something meaningful Also, there is no name for this thingy yet - I refer to it as "the gadget" in my project folder... I could scroll something like "gadget is ready" across the screen (Or just come up with a fancy name/logo and have it printed on the plastic frame :blush: ) Original idea was to light up each segment individually to show that it is working - but that had not much aesthetic value

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Thanks GoldOxide for your comments. A 3-digit 7-segment display is very limiting (in term of graphics capabilities...) Will keep thinking but it is pretty hard to come up with something meaningful Also, there is no name for this thingy yet - I refer to it as "the gadget" in my project folder... I could scroll something like "gadget is ready" across the screen (Or just come up with a fancy name/logo and have it printed on the plastic frame :blush: ) Original idea was to light up each segment individually to show that it is working - but that had not much aesthetic value

Okay, forget the digital logo and display something simple like:

Go <-- When system is OK and ready (or "GO" )

or

G1 <-- "Gadget Version 1" (or "G01" for Version 01)

Otherwise, if start-up detected something not OK, then display the error code.

Example:

E01
E02
E0A
etc.

 

[Csory_imp]

...thx again. Will come up with something along these lines and post another video...

 

[Bazbro_imp]

I'm utterly fascinated by this unfolding story.
I'm rivetted by the fact that I'm seeing a technical product coming to life, something that is normally hidden from us mere consumers!

I'm in awe of your skill, Csory. I just wish that I could express all the ideas I have in the sort of reality that you create.

More power to your elbow, Sir!

 

[Cormanus]

Im with Bazbro in being in awe of your skill, Csory.

Startup? If it’s turning on, you’re going riding, aren’t you? A smiley with a huge grin.

 

[Csory_imp]

Thank y’all for your kind words

A simple “yee-haw” message would suffice then - as per Cormanus?

 

[Cormanus]

If graphics are hard to manage, “yee-haw” would be perfect.

 

[Lord Popgun]

If it doesn’t have a thyratron, traveling wave tube, and a flux capacitor—well, I’m not interested. Cause when I hit 88MPH I want to see some YEE-HAW!

Just kidding of course. It is cool.
When you get done, post up a schematic and you’ll flip out 99% of the board!

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

You have a strong fan base Csory. Don't forget to show how a consumer will install the magic gadget.

 

[Cormanus]

Milor' Popgun, you forgot to stipulate that had to be made from Unobtanium.

 

[Csory_imp]

Perhaps I should've better explained design constraints and considerations...

(a) form factor: wanted something as unobtrusive and nondistracting as possible. Creating something that is as small as it can be (within my design and building skills, yet remaining legible) was definitely a goal. The only place on the CB1100's instrument cluster available (at least to my eyes) was right above the small Honda logo. This defines the gadget's exterior dimensions.

(b) reliability and sunlight-visibility: optimal solution would be a trans-reflective LCD, with back lighting. This is the same display type Honda uses. However, I was unable to get hold of any right-sized such displays, and don't have the financial resources to have one manufactured... I have a candidate in my project box, but it is much wider (1.5x or so) than the current display. Second best was the LED display - good visibility, quite rugged, and available in different colors and sizes. Went with this one.

( c) ease of use: 7-segment displays don't require the computing and memory capacity graphical displays do. Maybe I could squeeze in a larger microcontroller and have a graphical OLED display, but that would be a can of worms. OLEDs, so popular these days, are prone to burn-in and fading over time, not really UV proof, and have lower surface brightness than LEDs. Also, just could not find anything with the right size

(d) limitations of the selected display module: the 7-segment display I went with is really just what the name says. It can show 3 numbers, with decimal points between them, and nothing more. (Actually, 7 tiny glowing bars and a dot per number). You can imagine how easy it is to make "graphics" with this - or just a proper "w" letter...

Conclusion: I'll finalize the gadget using this type of display and see if it works okay. If I'll ever have the feeling that a graphical display would significantly improve user experience, will go and make another prototype...

 

[max]

Csory, how does the micro drive the led driver ic, ascii or something that resembles alphabetic and numeric input with a location?
Didn't feel like looking up the datasheet on the driver.:-/

 

[Bazbro_imp]

Perhaps I should've better explained design constraints and considerations...

(a) form factor: wanted something as unobtrusive and nondistracting as possible. Creating something that is as small as it can be (within my design and building skills, yet remaining legible) was definitely a goal. The only place on the CB1100's instrument cluster available (at least to my eyes) was right above the small Honda logo. This defines the gadget's exterior dimensions.

(b) reliability and sunlight-visibility: optimal solution would be a trans-reflective LCD, with back lighting. This is the same display type Honda uses. However, I was unable to get hold of any right-sized such displays, and don't have the financial resources to have one manufactured... I have a candidate in my project box, but it is much wider (1.5x or so) than the current display. Second best was the LED display - good visibility, quite rugged, and available in different colors and sizes. Went with this one.

( c) ease of use: 7-segment displays don't require the computing and memory capacity graphical displays do. Maybe I could squeeze in a larger microcontroller and have a graphical OLED display, but that would be a can of worms. OLEDs, so popular these days, are prone to burn-in and fading over time, not really UV proof, and have lower surface brightness than LEDs. Also, just could not find anything with the right size

(d) limitations of the selected display module: the 7-segment display I went with is really just what the name says. It can show 3 numbers, with decimal points between them, and nothing more. (Actually, 7 tiny glowing bars and a dot per number). You can imagine how easy it is to make "graphics" with this - or just a proper "w" letter...

Conclusion: I'll finalize the gadget using this type of display and see if it works okay. If I'll ever have the feeling that a graphical display would significantly improve user experience, will go and make another prototype...

Ha! "...will go and make another prototype..."!!
Just like that! :worship: Beautiful!

 

[Csory_imp]

To further elaborate, please take a look at this picture below. The smaller display module is the aforementioned 0.92" 128x32 graphical OLED, the larger one is the smallest transreflective COG (ultra-thin) LCD I found. The LCD would definitely have to be bar mounted, competing for space and attention with GPSes, phones etc. The OLED might be squeezed in above the Honda logo, but the housing would have to be significantly wider (hence, a bit out of proportions and with less flowing outlines). The caliper is to illustrate the required width of the housing for this graphical OLED.

+1: Sentimentally, the CB is a retro machine - I'd be very careful to add anything overly modern-looking to it

Csory, how does the micro drive the led driver ic, ascii or something that resembles alphabetic and numeric input with a location?
Didn't feel like looking up the datasheet on the driver.:-/

The driver IC is connected to the micro via I2C bus. It can be set up either as a decoder (basically BCD), or pass-through. I use it as pass-through so that it can display anything non-numeric too. Commands are passed to it in the form of "chip x, digit y, value z" - which will turn on one or more segments of a digit y of the LED chip x. (Value z is a binary mask for the 7 segments and the decimal point of that digit). There are a few more commands for adjusting brightness, testing segments, setting decoding width etc...

 

[max]

Yup, got it, just asking so i did not make any "impossible to input" request, by the way i'm for the third option or a variety of it, close encounters of 3rd kind, can still remember that one, made an impression on me, nice movie, and i'm with you on the choice of the led display:clap: