Store temporary data from a device

H

Thread Starter

Hartono

Dear all,

I have an Indicator sends data through rs232. We can not place a computer in factory coz the dust.
So, I need a device to store data from indicator through rs232 then connect the device to computer in office to download and clear the stored data.
Can i create the device on my own?
How to do that? what's the hardware and software to be needed?

Thanks for your attentions and helps.

Regards,

Hartono
 
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Nishad Roshan.P

Dear Hartono.

To give you a solution for this, few more information is required.

1. hardware details of indicator
2. Protocol details
3. Distance between indicator & PC
4. data type, quantity

Please feel free to contact me for more details or clarification.

Nishad Roshan.P

[email protected]
URL: www.eissolution.com
 
We've done similar interfacing using OPTO22 Ultimate I/O controller. We set up a serial link to:
1. Save Data Locally, to be accessed via an ethernet connection. The file can easily be downloaded to a PC.
2. Utilize the controller and OPTOs ioDisplay to monitor, alarm, trend, archive, etc. from a remote location.
3. Act as a serial tunnel to link to other serial devices via ethernet.

The Ultimate I/O is a hardy and flexible system and should work fine in most environments. The fact that it has a wide range of I/O options allows both serial and data monitoring / control from the same controller. It is for this reason that we chose the Opto system.

The tough part is the Serial protocol. If you know it, it is relatively easy to set up the controller to communicate. We've also had to use the controller to crack the protocol so we could provide a communications link.

If you have any questions or think we could help you, drop us an email at [email protected]

Lou
 
W

William Sturm

Try an embedded "PC" like from JK Microsystems or
others. They have a DOS operating system and can run
a standard DOS exe program. Write a program and test
it on a DOS PC to read and write from a serial port
and store on disk. Then copy it to the embedded PC to
run from flash disk.

You could even use ethernet to send data to the office PC.

The other possibility is a small PLC with a basic
module. For me, the embedded PC would be easier.
 
G

Greg Goodman

It sounds like you need a computer, just not an office-grade PC.

There are any number of single-board computers on the market, and any number of DIN-rail mountable enclosures for them. A Google search for "SBC DIN-rail", "industrial SBC" and/or "industrial PC-104" should generate enough useful hits to keep you busy for awhile.

Greg Goodman
 
Hi Hartono.

You can design a circuit to data acquisition using microcontrollers but you should learn programming it. this microncontrollers have serial port (RS232).

Lenin
 
C

Curt Wuollet

First off, you already have a computer in your factory as
non-intelligent devices don't communicate with RS232 :^)

Can you make such a beast, sure, at least I could. But there are lots of dataloggers already built, a very few are reasonably priced. The problem here again is protocols. You need something that understands your indicator's protocol or something you can program to understand your indicator's protocol. If you can't find the first, you get generic for the second. Linux running on a "PC in a can" would work great. It would be mass overkill, but has the advantage that the OS and the toolchain are free and such an application would be fairly
easy "a one pager" with such deluxe facilities. I could have something workable by tomorrow. DOS would be good as well, if you can find tools within reason or free. The old MIX C compiler was good for this stuff. But serial development under DOS is not very pleasant. Most other
software would not be cost effective for a one shot. Tools are too expensive. But you might find someone who bundles tools with a packaged processor. Rabbit? Zworld? Maybe there are some PIC options or a BASIC Stamp that come in a suitable enclosure. You don't need much of a processor, but you do need a processor. My tool of choice for the
quickest solution would be a PC in a can with Embedded Linux preloaded. A quick polling loop or more elegant select to store data and an ethernet connection to share it or ftp it out. Problem solved with very little code, maybe just a script.

Regards

cww
 
M

Michael Griffin

Re: Single board computers versus Linux "can":
I haven't tried the following, so I can't make any recommendations about it, but you may be interested in the following:

Gumstix Computers http://www.gumstix.com/

Their Waysmall Computer is 83mm x 36mm x 15mm, and starts at USD$139.00. The plain board (no case) starts at USD$109.00. This is a single board computer with two serial ports and one USB port. There are 200MHz and 400MHz versions, and it comes with Linux kernel 2.6.0 in flash and Busybox. There is no ethernet, but that wasn't one of the original criteria.

At these prices, it seems you can have your cake and eat it too.

On April 22, 2004 14:18, Curt Wuollet wrote: <clip>
> or something you can program
> to understand your indicator's protocol. If you can't find the first,
> you get generic for the second. Linux running on a "PC in a can" would
> work great. It would be mass overkill, but has the advantage that the
> OS and the toolchain are free and such an application would be fairly
> easy "a one pager" with such deluxe facilities. I could have something
> workable by tomorrow.
<clip>

> Maybe there are some PIC options or a BASIC
> Stamp that come in a suitable enclosure. You don't need much of a
> processor, but you do need a processor. My tool of choice for the
> quickest solution would be a PC in a can with Embedded Linux preloaded.
> A quick polling loop or more elegant select to store data and an
> ethernet connection to share it or ftp it out. Problem solved with
> very little code, maybe just a script.
<clip>

--

************************
Michael Griffin
London, Ont. Canada
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