Programs used: Microchip IDE, Agilent Capture

Skills needed: Assembly, Analog & Digital, USART, SSI

Project Background

Wireless control had been in the industry for a few years, but it was based on infrared. There are a lot of limitations with this method. Most notable is that it requires line of sight. This restricts where the product can be placed and how it is used.

Our idea was to use radio. We had to take the signal from the product convert them into data that was in a format that could be transmitted, send the data, process the data, and then be ready for more. This had not been done before in our industry.

What we did

The first step was to map out the signals between the various products. Determine where the communication could take place and then implement a scheme that could match our requirements.

The Results

What we ended up with was a system that could control multiple products in real time and respond to rapidly changing conditions.

It was several years before competitors were able to offer up their own solutions.