Calling all nerds...

[wilkin250r]

I've got a project I'm working on using a microprocessor to read an input voltage and output a series of pulses. Really simple stuff, I would just do it in hardware, except for the next step.

This is a remote controller, designed to control over an internet connection, and THIS is where I'm falling short. I can use a microprocessor to create the data (master), and I can also use a similar processor to translate the data into the proper outputs (slave), that's all Electrical Engineering-type stuff.

What I DON'T know is the protocol for actually receiving that data into a computer via USB connection, and sending that data to a remote computer over an internet connection (hopefully with an webcam signal along with it). That's all Computer Science-type stuff.

Anybody have any experience in this area?

[Mxjunkie]

hit it wit a big hamma :bandit:

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by Mxjunkie
hit it wit a big hamma :bandit:

That's kind of how I feel. There are lots of software packages out there to design web pages, and so far, that's the kind of advice I've been getting. "Oh, just use *insert program here*, it's really easy!"

I'm not looking for pictures and links and cute little animations in visually pleasing formats. People are giving me advanced tools, but I'm looking at a more basic level, I'm looking to send raw data. And not even a lot of it, I'm thinking it's only going to be a few numbers, and maybe an identifier. The entire packet will probably be less information than the text in this post.

I'm looking for a hammer, and people are trying to sell me a nail gun and an air compressor because, apparently, nobody knows how to use the hammer anymore.

[DnB_racing]

Erik have you ever worked with Rslogix? it takes remote i/o on a plc or slc and provides an interface to communicates on a variety of networks using rslinks, real basic ladder logic
you could use a micro logix for the processor
use a VT and convert to a 4-20 ma signal to read on the slc and set up the outputs to read on your network,,, but the webcam is going to be much harder

[wilkin250r]

I don't need any type of logic programs or any type of help with the programming issue, it's going to be a pretty simple program. I'm only reading a potentiometer setting (as simple ADC will do that), converting it into a number that I can send remotely to another control box, and then converting it back into a voltage output. Simple simple simple. The only reason I even NEED a microprocessor is for the translation.

I just don't know the specifics of actually accessing the USB port directly on my computer, read that value, and transmit that over an internet connection to another computer. The rest is simple, the rest I have under control.

But it has to be something I can create myself and mass produce, I plan on selling about 50,000 of these things over the next five years, so I can't tie somebody in to the Rslogix software package, I need to be able to create this from scratch.

[DnB_racing]

the only way I know how is with serial port rs232 or 485.or real old pcmk cards, as far as usb, im sure there is a way, but my company is kinda in the stone age and hasn't reached the 21st century yet in technology

EDIT then if I remewmber right, as its been a while. you use hyperterminal to communicate, this way you dont need to spend money on a program to collect and transfer the data

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by DnB_racing
EDIT then if I remewmber right, as its been a while. you use hyperterminal to communicate, this way you dont need to spend money on a program to collect and transfer the data

And I think I might be able to use hyperterminal to do some basic communication, but I can't sell the product that way. If I used hyperterminal for the long term, I would need to write a parent program on top of it.

[wilkin250r]

Just to show how old I am, I remember the internet before web pages and browsers were mainstream. I used to use HyperTerminal to dial up the university and surf FTP sites and usenet groups.

Anybody else on here actually ever use the ATDT command?

[LTandRaptorider]

Originally posted by wilkin250r
Just to show how old I am, I remember the internet before web pages and browsers were mainstream. I used to use HyperTerminal to dial up the university and surf FTP sites and usenet groups.

Anybody else on here actually ever use the ATDT command?

WOW! :eek2: :eek2:

You left out how you used an abacus for performing calculations! :D